Backlinks

What are backlinks?

Backlinks are links from one website to another. Backlinking is an important factor for SEO that can help improve domain authority and search ranking. Simply put, backlinks prove to Google that you have high-quality content that others deem worthy of mentioning.

Why are backlinks important?

Google considers backlinks to be positive ranking factors, especially if the links come from a trusted site with high domain authority. The more backlinks that exist to your website, the more it signifies to Google that your website is credible and trusted by others.

Improve SEO and SERP rankings

Backlinks help to build your site’s domain and page authorities. As Google crawls your website and various pages, it looks for backlinks that serve as a vote of confidence for the credibility of your content. More backlinks, more credible content, better page ranking for relevant search queries.

Increase web traffic

Backlinks provide another way for people to find your website, thus making it a source of free traffic. They serve a similar purpose to paid advertising, by attracting web visitors to your website from a different location rather than only through an organic search.

How to do backlinks

Here are a few strategies that can help you increase the number of backlinks leading to your website.

Request a link

Look for popular websites that share content relevant or complementary to your content. Reach out to the site owner and let them know that you have content that might add additional value to their content piece. A simple way to start this process is to look for blog articles that list a variety of companies or resources that are relevant to your offering. If a link is added to your website, you gain the benefit of off-page SEO, and the other website owner adds additional value to their content.

Fix broken links

Identify broken links on websites with relative content. Then contact the website owner and let them know that the link is broken. A tactful conversation might just earn you a backlink of your own as a replacement to the broken link you identified. There are a variety of SEO tools you can use to help you identify broken links (e.g. SEMrush, Screaming Frog, Broken Link Checker).

Reclaim links

Sometimes other websites will mention your company in their content, but not include a link. A quick and simple strategy is to reach out to the other company and request that they add a backlink to your website. There are even online tools (e.g. Mention) that will notify you every time someone mentions your company online. When you do become aware of a mention that doesn’t include a backlink, send an email to the website owner complimenting them on their content, thank them for mentioning your business, and then ask if they would consider adding a link. Thankfully, all businesses are in the same boat – everyone needs backlinks. Many companies will understand the desire to earn backlinks and be willing to extend the favour.

Create infographics

Infographics blend information and graphics to create a visual that helps people understand or memorize concepts at a glance. From an SEO perspective, infographics are a good way to attract more traffic to your website and hopefully gain valuable backlinks as others share them online.

Offer a guest post

Guest posts are a form of content marketing where one company writes a piece to be featured on another company’s website. Guest posting allows you to promote your brand while also delivering value to another brand’s audience. This is an excellent opportunity for backlinks as you can mention your own brand in the post. There’s also a high degree of control involved as you can ensure the piece is relevant and well-written. Many businesses are always on the lookout for new content pieces and are open to guest posting opportunities. All you have to do is ask.

Related Terms

Brand Strategy

Brand strategy involves translating your technical offering into a clear value proposition and backing it up with a messaging framework and brand personality you can own.

Anchor Text

Otherwise known as link text, a link title, or a link label, anchor text can be described as clickable words or phrases within a hyperlink that connects two web pages.

Search Engine

Database tools that help users find content on the World Wide Web. Once a user enters a keyword or search query, search engines curate a list of the most relevant webpage URLs, images, or videos, known as the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).