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Want to rank higher in Google and other Search Engine Optimization in 2023?
Backlinks remain the #1 ranking factor
Crafting amazing content isn’t enough anymore. Without quality backlinks pointing to your content, scoring top search rankings is virtually impossible, regardless of quality.
However, getting authoritative sites to link back to your website is extremely challenging.
In this all-encompassing backlink guide, you’ll learn the following:
- What exactly are backlinks, and how do they work
- Why backlinks are absolutely critical for Search Engine Optimization success
- Tactics for earning backlinks safely and sustainably
- How to track and measure backlink wins
By the end, you’ll have expert insights into leveraging backlinks for greater Search Engine Optimization and organic traffic.
Let’s get started!
What are Backlinks in Search Engine Optimization?
Firstly – what exactly ARE backlinks?
Backlinks refer to incoming hyperlinks from external sites pointing to pages on your website.
Every backlink acts as a vote of confidence. It signals search engines that other sites find your content marketing valuable enough to link out to.
The more qualitative backlinks your content has, the higher it tends to rank in search engines.
Here’s a quick example:
Imagine you publish a blog post on “social media marketing tips.” If popular sites like Neil Patel, SearchEngineJournal, HubSpot, etc. link to your post, it shows Google that influential sites endorse your content.
The external links accrue “link juice” that Google uses in its ranking algorithms. So, over time, you’ll rank higher for “social media marketing tips” and related terms, thanks to these backlinks.
Now let’s understand why backlinks are SO vital for Search Engine Optimization…
Why Backlinks Matter for Higher Search Engine Optimization Rankings
Backlinks are important for Search Engine Optimization because of 2 key reasons:
1. Search Engine Crawling Prioritization
Search bots like Googlebot crawl literally billions of web pages across the internet.
Backlinks provide signals about website relevance and authority. Pages linked from popular, credible sites are often more crawl-worthy.
So, if your content gets backlinks from recognized industry resources, Google will crawl it more frequently for up-to-date indexing.
2. Direct Ranking Benefits
Numerous studies have proven that Google uses backlink counts and quality for determining search rankings.
While exact ranking factors are confidential, we know the following:
- Quantity – The total number of sites linking to your page
- Quality – The DR (domain rating) of the referrer domains
- Relevance – Contextual relevance of linking sites to your niche
- Velocity – The rate of new link acquisitions
All matter in rankings.
Targeting niche-relevant links, especially from DA50+ domains, can directly jump up your organic rankings.
The more good backlinks there are, the better your page rank. It’s that simple.
This makes backlink building an indispensable ongoing Search Engine Optimization activity. Now, let’s cover how to actually earn these valuable backlinks at scale.
White Hat Search Engine Optimization Backlink Building Tactics
Here are sustainable ways to secure authoritative backlinks:
Content Promotion Outreach
Create truly useful, engaging blog posts, guides, and resources tailored for your audience.
Identify reputable sites focusing on similar topics and pitch them to feature your content via backlinks.
Convert 1-2% of outreach emails into backlinks for amplifying content reach.
Skyscraper Content
Conduct competitor backlink analysis using Ahrefs to identify their best-performing pages. Improve upon their content idea for your niche.
Build a blown-out “skyscraper” guide that’s super insightful and detailed.
DO NOT plagiarize. Original information only!
Finally, pitch web properties are linked to the competitor content to swap out backlinks. This often converts at 3-5%+.
Guest Posting
Draft up original guest articles for publication on niche authority sites. Ensure your author bio contains the backlink anchor.
Strive for branded anchor text links as they pass more “link juice.”
Coordinate posting schedules for maximum exposure and Search Engine Optimization value from backlinks.
Brand Mentions
Earn brand name backlink mentions via HARO requests, getting interviewed as a source through brand integrations into relevant niche articles and in digital PR coverage.
While no-follow, these establish domain authority and awareness.
Link Insert Campaigns
Contact webmasters running pillar content with outdated link profiles in your space. Convince them to refresh old links with new curated ones – including your evergreen guides.
Each insertion done at scale builds considerable Search Engine Optimization equity. Prioritize DA80+ placements.
This covers the major tactics for acquiring editorially-given Search Engine Optimization backlinks at scale. But it pays to know which backlinks actually impact rankings before investing effort.
So now, let’s shift gears into measuring backlink quality and value.
Evaluating Backlink Quality for Search Engine Optimization
Not all backlinks impact Search Engine Optimization positively.
Low-quality links from irrelevant sites can even harm your site’s authority.
Use these criteria to filter valuable backlinks:
Niche Relevance
Links from thematically related sites are weighted more heavily by search bots due to topical context.
For a fitness site – backlinks from muscleandstrength.com or gymshark.com are directly relevant, vs. links from makeuseof.com or venturebeat.com with differing focuses.
Always review niche pertinence before pursuing a backlink prospect discovery.
Link Velocity
Earning backlinks too quickly can trigger spam flags, causing rankings to tank. So pace out outreach in volumes that seem natural vs. blasting thousands of prospects.
Track weekly link velocity in Google Search Console to optimize flow. 7-15 new backlinks weekly is reasonably safe for most sites.
Link Diversity
Ensure backlinks originate from a diverse set of domains across various C-blocks. Too many backlinks from the same domain or C-block get devalued as manipulation by algorithms.
Check link diversity data in Search Console and Ahrefs to ensure sufficient distribution.
This covers key factors for determining backlink quality. Focus on editorial links exhibiting these attributes vs. paid or artificial links.
Finally, let’s recap the key Search Engine Optimization backlink takeaways.
TL;DR – Key Backlink Takeaways
Here are critical facts to remember about using backlinks to bolster organic search visibility:
- Backlinks signal credibility and authority to search bots.
- Strive for niche-relevant backlinks from DA70+ properties.
- White hat tactics like outreach, skyscraper, and guest posting work well
- Monitor weekly link velocity and optimize flow.
- Link diversity matters – vary anchor sources across domains
Essentially, backlinks accelerate the impact of search engine optimization on creating amazing, useful content. They broadcast your content’s value to both search engine bots AND prospective visitors.
If you want to learn more about Search Engine Optimization and digital marketing agencies, visit Digital ByteTeck for expert advice and services.
