What are SEO Backlinks?

The digital marketing landscape is dynamic, with search engines updating algorithms to reward best practices and backlinks. Understanding their importance and how to acquire quality backlinks is crucial for SEO success. The world of digital marketing has never been more exciting! Search engines, such as Google and Bing, frequently update their algorithms to reward websites following best practices while weeding out those they view as spammy. With these changes comes a never-ending sea of information, keeping digital marketers on their toes, or else they risk being left behind. Despite these perpetual updates, one thing has remained consistent for decades: the importance of backlinks!  But what exactly are backlinks, and why are they so important to your digital marketing strategy? 

Three Different Types of Links But Only One is Considered a Backlink

A link is a connection between two pieces of information – an indication that one item follows the other. In digital marketing, the term link refers to a “hyperlink” and is used for web visitors to jump from one page to another. A hyperlink can be categorized into three types (detailed below), each having varying degrees of SEO value. However, inbound links, also known as backlinks, hold the most SEO value. 

Internal Link – a hyperlink on a website pointing to another page on the same website. Essentially, internal links never take you off of the website you currently are on. Internal links are beneficial for SEO because they help increase time on site and pages per session. 

Outbound Link – Outbound links, also known as external links, are links from your website to other websites. These links can provide additional context or resources for your readers and can also help establish credibility and authority for your content. While outbound links are valuable for building relationships with other websites, they are not considered backlinks.

Inbound Link – Inbound links orBacklinks are links from external websites that point back to your website. These links are crucial for SEO as they serve as a vote of confidence from other websites, indicating that your content is valuable and authoritative. Backlinks are considered a crucial ranking factor by search engines like Google and can significantly impact your website's visibility and search engine rankings.

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While internal links and outbound links are essential for website navigation and credibility, backlinks hold a special status in the realm of SEO. Backlinks are powerful indicators of your website's authority and can have a significant impact on your search engine rankings. By focusing on acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable websites, you can enhance your website's visibility and establish your online presence in the competitive digital landscape.

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Why Are Backlinks So Important?

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Backlinks, those little gems known for their SEO superpowers, are more than just links - they're your website's best friend in the digital world. Let's dive into why backlinks are so crucial and why you should be celebrating their importance in your online journey.

1. Elevating Your Website in Search Rankings: Backlinks are like a golden ticket to the top of search engine results pages. When other reputable websites link back to your content, search engines take notice and boost your website's ranking. It's like a virtual high-five from the online world, propelling your website to new heights in search results.

2. Driving Traffic with a Friendly Nudge: Backlinks not only boost your search rankings but also bring friends (aka visitors) to your website. When a trusted website links to your content, it's like a friendly recommendation to their readers to check out what you have to offer. This referral traffic can lead to more engagement, conversions, and a bustling online community.

3. Building Trust and Expertise: Backlinks are like endorsements from the cool kids in school - they establish your website as a trusted authority in your niche. When reputable websites link to your content, it shows the world that you're the real deal. This boost in credibility can attract loyal followers, boost brand recognition, and solidify your position as a go-to source of information.

4. Speeding Up the Search Engine Race: Backlinks are like turbo-boosters for search engine bots, helping them discover, crawl, and index your content faster. When a backlink leads search engines to your website, it's like rolling out the red carpet for quicker inclusion in search results. This means more eyes on your content and faster connections with your target audience.

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In a nutshell, backlinks are your website's secret weapon for climbing the SEO ladder, driving traffic, building trust, and getting cozy with search engines. So, embrace the power of backlinks, nurture those online friendships, and watch your website shine in the digital spotlight. Happy linking!

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Quantity versus Quality?

When searching a specific query, such as pizza near me, Google will deliver ten results on the first page. If each of the ten ranking websites has practically equal on-site SEO, how does Google determine who to rank highest? Often the answer lies in their backlink profile. 

Think of backlinks as a popularity contest. Generally, the more backlinks you have, the more trusted you are by Google, and the higher you will rank for keywords. But buyer beware because quantity is not everything. In fact, quantity can hurt your website if your backlink profile appears spammy or purchased, which is considered black hat SEO. This is why link quality is equally as important. Typically, the higher a referring website’s domain authority (DA), the more SEO benefit or link-juice you will gain if they link to your site. So, when obtaining backlinks, of course, you want as many as possible, but they need to come from high-quality websites. This is a critical point you should take note of! Many tools are available to evaluate the domain authority of inbound linking sites, such as Moz Bar, a free browser extension. 

How to Gain Backlinks?

Now that we’ve established backlinks are both essential and hard to acquire, the question is, how do you get them? We’ve already ruled out the possibility of purchasing backlinks unless you want to be blacklisted from search engines altogether. However, several link-building strategies have proven to work for companies wishing to improve their domain authority and SEO footprint, including the following:

1. Create high-quality, informative content and publish it frequently. People will naturally link to you if they find the content relevant and important for their web visitors.
2.  Go on as many directory websites as possible! Most directories are free to register and will include a link back to your website. Sure, the link probably is a no-follow, meaning you won’t get credit for it. However, it’s still worth registering to as many as possible because some allow dofollow links, so it’s low-hanging fruit. Here is an article on how to check if a link is a nofollow or dofollow. 
3. Join a blogging network! Guest blogging is a great way to get your name out there and start building links. Plus, they often result in long-term relationships with potentially more extensive opportunities, like social partnerships. At Mondo, we have an established blogging network with websites across dozens of industries. We only work with American companies, and we vet each one before accepting new clients, ensuring our network is follows SEO best practices. 
4. Keep an eye on mentions of your brand or website across the web using tools like Google Alerts or social media monitoring. When you come across mentions that don't include a link back to your site, reach out to the website owner and kindly request a backlink. Many website owners are happy to link back to your content if it adds value to their readers.
5. Building relationships with influencers and industry leaders in your niche can open doors to valuable backlink opportunities. Engage with them on social media, collaborate on content projects, and offer to contribute guest posts to their websites. This can lead to backlinks from reputable sources with a large audience.

How to Analyze Your Backlinks

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Imagine having a trusty sidekick that helps you unlock the secrets of your website's backlink profile - that's where a backlink checker comes in! This handy tool is your ticket to understanding the ins and outs of your backlinks, from the number of links to each page on your site to the anchor text variations and domain authority scores of referring websites.

But wait, there's more! A good backlink checker goes beyond just numbers and stats. It's like having a personal detective that uncovers spammy links lurking in the shadows. By identifying and disavowing these shady characters in Google Search Console, you can keep your backlink profile squeaky clean and free from harm.

Our top tip? Keep a close eye on all those healthy backlinks for each page on your website with the help of a backlink checker. By connecting the dots between links and rankings, you'll gain valuable insights that can supercharge your SEO strategy, making it clearer, more precise, and ultimately more successful.

In a nutshell, a backlink checker is your secret weapon for analyzing, optimizing, and conquering the world of backlinks. So, put on your detective hat, dive into your backlink data, and let the magic of backlink checkers guide you towards SEO success.

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