If you have ever browsed around information about search engine optimization (SEO), you have likely read a bit about backlinks. Backlinks – also called inbound links or incoming links – are links on other websites back to your website. Search engines like Google view backlinks as a type of "vote" or a clue that the website has some trustworthiness and authority.
Are Backlinks Important?
Each vote from another website back to yours tells search engines that your website and content is valuable, useful, and credible. The more votes your website has, the higher you will rank in search engine results. In 2016, Google stated that backlinks were one of the three most important factors for ranking in search engines.
Finding Valuable Backlinks
Not all backlinks are created equal. The key to using backlinks to improve your ranking is finding quality backlinks:
1. They come from trusted or authoritative websites.
If a website is authoritative and has a high domain rating, it passes on link value to you when it links to your site.
2. The link includes your target keyword in the anchor text.
Be cautious about too many branded or keyword-rich anchors, as this can signal unnatural links to Google.
3. The linking site should be topically related to your website.
For backlinks to be valuable, the sites linking back should be topically related to your content.
4. Make sure the link is a "dofollow" link.
Dofollow links pass SEO value to your website, while nofollow links do not.
Putting it in Practice
Now that you know how important backlinks are, your next step is putting together an effective backlink strategy. At EraBright, we have SEO experts with years of experience building effective backlinks for clients.