Backlinks are among the top three ranking factors in search engine optimization. High-quality incoming links correlate with high organic rankings.
The Backlinko study has proved that high-ranking pages have more incoming links, and a website’s link authority (higher number of natural dofollow links from relevant referring domains) helps it to rank at the top in Google search results.
Inbound links from reputable sources strengthen a website’s domain authority. You can increase your domain reputation by acquiring reputable and contextual backlinks from credible sites using natural anchor text.
However, building backlinks is a challenging and time-consuming process. Also, Google algorithms accurately detect and penalize sites that use manipulative link building practices (black hat SEO), like links from PBN or other low-quality domains solely created to sell links.
So, it all boils down to this - backlinks are important, but not all inbound links are equal, so which links should you build to your website to help it rank higher in organic SERP?
Here, we cover 25 types of backlinks that indicate website authority, improving visibility and rankings.
A backlink is a hyperlink that points to your website from another domain. For example, Skale links to Outreach Labs are in the post below.
In this backlink example, Skale is the referring domain linking to Outreach Labs, which is the referred domain.
A domain with links from many relevant referring domains with non-generic anchor text is found to be trustworthy by Google.
Google considers backlinks as recommendations, and external hyperlinks from several high-authority referring domains are one of the top factors that contribute to Google rankings.
Here are the biggest benefits of link building:
Inbound links pass valuable link equity to your site, directly enhancing your SEO by sharing the authority and relevance of the linking pages. Higher link juice indicates search engines to trust your site, helping to establish your content as credible and valuable. With more link equity flowing to your site, your pages gain a better position in search results, attracting more organic traffic.
Backlinks from unique root domains (different websites) significantly strengthen your site’s authority, increasing your credibility in search engines. Each root domain acts as a vote of confidence, broadening your influence and helping all pages on your site gain a better position in search results. Building links from a wide variety of reputable sites amplifies your domain authority.
Quality backlinks serve as a core element for improving organic rankings, giving you a better chance to appear on the first page of search results. When high-ranking sites link to your pages, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable.
A dofollow link passes link equity from the website hyperlinking to your site. A higher number of dofollow referring domains from high-quality websites leads to higher organic rankings. Backlinks from high-authority domains provide greater link equity than those from low-quality, new, or spammy sites. More trusted incoming links improve your SEO strategy, leading to profitable results.
Backlinks, especially from authoritative sites, lead to faster indexing by search engines, ensuring new content on your site is discovered quickly. When search engines see links from authoritative domains pointing to your content, they recognize it as worthy of attention. This helps new content reach your audience faster and makes sure it’s included in search results promptly.
In addition to helping your rankings, backlinks also provide referral traffic from visitors who are already engaged with the linking site. When users trust a linking site, they are more likely to click through and visit your website. The high influx of qualified visitors increases engagement and can lead to conversions, contributing to your SEO growth goals.
Backlinks from respected sources within your field position your site as an authority in your niche. When recognized sites link to you, it signals to search engines and users that your content is trustworthy. As your reputation grows, search engines are more likely to rank you higher, giving you an advantage in competitive markets.
Backlinks from high-traffic, authoritative websites enhance your ability to rank for highly competitive keywords. When well-ranked sites in your industry link to your content, search engines interpret this as a signal of quality and relevance.
Superior-quality backlinks convey trust, showing search engines that your content holds value in the market, which can lead to improved rankings across competitive search terms.
Each backlink acts as an endorsement for your website, adding credibility and encouraging both search engines and users to trust your content. These endorsements tell search engines that others consider your site to be valuable, creating a positive impact on your SEO. The more endorsements you gather from quality sites, the more authority your website gains.
When backlinks come from established brands, your website gains visibility and authority, helping users recognize and trust your brand. As more reputable sites link to you, it reinforces your brand’s position in the industry. This visibility builds a connection with users and search engines alike, contributing to long-term SEO success.
Backlinks positively impact site metrics like domain and page authority, which play a vital role in your SEO performance. Improved site metrics enhance the perceived quality of your site, helping it rank higher. Strengthened domain reputation makes it easier for your site to compete for top spots on SERPs, bringing long-term benefits.
A strong URL rating from backlinks enhances the ranking potential of your target landing pages. When individual pages receive quality backlinks, they gain authority and are more likely to appear on the first page of search results. With an increased page reputation, all your major landing pages begin to rank for their target search terms, leading to a massive boost in organic traffic and your overall SEO goals.
Here are the primary backlink types that influence your search engine optimization plan:
Editorial links are the highest-quality backlinks. They are naturally earned and positively impact your SEO strategy.
Website owners link to external sites naturally within their content because the linked content is valuable for their audience. For example, the post below in the Search Engine Journal links to HubSpot.com contextually because it is useful for readers.
(Example of an editorial backlink in SEO)
Organic and contextual backlinks given by website editors (like the one above) come from industry-specific publications, blogs, or news sites. They are characterized by their contextual placement within high-quality, informative content.
To build editorial backlinks effectively, create people-first content that adds value to your industry, engage in PR outreach, pitch stories to journalists, and build relationships with influencers or editors who might find your content worthy of citation.
White hat backlinks are the safest links to build because they strictly follow search engine guidelines and are acquired by earning links naturally through high-quality, valuable content.
Google loves white hat links because they arise from genuine endorsements of content rather than manipulative tactics. Organic links signal trust and authority to search engines, improving rankings and visibility without risking penalties.
The process of building white hat backlinks involves crafting linkable content that others in the industry want to reference, share, or discuss, thus naturally attracting links.
Characteristics of white hat backlinks include relevance, authority, and placement on high-quality, reputable sites that align closely with the content being linked. Organic links are acquired through strategies like guest blogging on established sites, developing unique resources (e.g., guides, studies, tools), and contributing valuable insights in industry discussions.
For example, the Google SERP simulator from Mangools was able to acquire more than 800 backlinks because it solved a problem, and people linked to the tool naturally.
(The Google SERP simulator from Mangools is a good example of a white-hat backlink in SEO)
From an SEO perspective, white hat backlinks are highly beneficial for long-term growth and ranking stability. Unlike low-quality or paid links, they provide lasting authority, supporting a strong and resilient SEO foundation.
Black hat backlinks are links obtained through unethical link acquisition practices that violate search engine guidelines. Unlike white hat links, which are earned naturally, black hat links use strategies to artificially inflate a site’s ranking.
Low-quality black hat backlinks come from spammy, irrelevant sites or are created in bulk through practices like link farming, hidden links, paid link schemes, or automated link generation. While black hat backlinks can lead to short-term ranking boosts, they carry a high risk of penalties from search engines, which can drastically harm a site’s long-term SEO health.
Characteristics of black hat backlinks include low relevance, spammy or unrelated sources, and an unnatural link pattern, often involving exact-match anchor text across multiple links or links from unrelated sites. These links do not provide genuine value and instead are intended solely to manipulate search algorithms.
Here are a couple of good examples of what black-hat SEO links look like:
Google and other search engines actively monitor for these types of backlinks, using AI-powered and NLP-driven algorithms to detect and penalize sites engaging in manipulative link building practices.
Black hat backlinks are considered toxic and can lead to severe consequences, such as ranking drops, de-indexing, or even removal from search engine results entirely. While these links may seem like a quick way to boost rankings, they undermine trust, fail to generate organic traffic, and can cause lasting damage to a website's authority.
Niche edit links are a modern link building tactic where hyperlinks are inserted into existing content on a relevant website to boost a domain’s reputation. High-quality niche edits are characterized by their contextual placement, as they are added to content that is thematically related to the linked site, making them more valuable than generic links.
In-content links provide a significant boost in authority and ranking potential because they come from established pages with existing traffic and relevance. When acquired from reputable, high-quality sites, these links are considered good and can enhance your site's credibility. However, if obtained through manipulative tactics or from low-quality sites, they may be viewed as toxic.
To build contextual links from existing content, outreach niche-specific website owners and offer them a genuine reason to naturally include your link within their existing articles.
For example, this post from Backlinko is a good example of a niche edit backlink. It points to Visual.ly naturally using a branded anchor. It is interesting to note that it is really hard to find out whether any niche edit link is paid or unpaid. Niche edit links are like this only, they are like native ads that merge with the content and are helpful for the users.
Forum backlinks are links placed within online communities like Reddit, Quora, and various forum submission sites. It is one of the commonest off-page SEO techniques.
Here is an example of a forum backlink where a link was shared contextually in the answer without spamming:
Links from forum sites hold little SEO value compared to high-authority backlinks but can be beneficial for link diversification, acting as “pillow links” that build a natural-looking backlink profile.
Effective forum backlinks are placed within relevant discussions on reputable platforms, avoiding spammy forums where links may be flagged as toxic.
To build quality forum backlinks, engage genuinely in discussions, and provide valuable information rather than spamming links. Avoid excessive self-promotion, posting on low-quality forums, and failing to add value to the conversation, which can harm your SEO efforts.
Blog comment backlinks are links included in the comments section of blog posts, where users engage with the content by leaving their thoughts or questions.
Comment and blog discussion links can help you drive some referral traffic. However, as a link building tactic, they are less helpful.
You can create backlinks via blog comments by adding genuinely helpful comments on blogs within your niche like the one shown below from ProBlogger.
You should not post your comments on spammy or unrelated sites. Also, avoid excessive link-dropping and irrelevant commenting, as this might invite algorithmic or manual penalties.
PR backlinks are inbound links from press releases distributed to top-rated local news outlets, newsrooms, and various other publications.
News picked up from a press release and cited via journalists and reporters helps you earn editorial backlinks from news websites. However, poorly executed press releases that have exact match anchors and use spammy distribution methods can lead to toxic backlinks.
To build or earn press release backlinks effectively, you should create newsworthy content and target relevant media outlets to generate high-value incoming links. Here is an example of a link from USA Today using a branded anchor:
Guest blogging backlinks are links earned by writing and publishing articles on reputable guest blogs that feature links back to your site.
Backlinks from guest blogs are valued for their authoritative nature, as links from industry-leading blogs signal trust and relevance to search engines.
When done correctly, guest posting backlinks strengthen a site’s authority, significantly boosting SEO by elevating keyword rankings and driving organic traffic.
Here is an example of a guest post published on the Lyrical Host that links back to the author’s website:
High-quality guest blogging backlinks are considered strong and beneficial, provided they come from reputable sites. Similarly, backlinks from low-quality guest posting sites or irrelevant guest blogs can be harmful, risking penalties.
To build high-quality backlinks from guest posting, focus on content ideas that help the audience of reputable guest blogs and meet their standards for content quality.
Avoid common pitfalls, such as using paid guest blogs or low-quality content, which can weaken backlink value. Instead, go for organic guest posts that also drive referral traffic, ensuring relevance and alignment with industry topics for lasting SEO benefits.
Once a common backlink strategy, directory links are now forbidden in SEO.
Directory links come from web directories where you list your business website within specific categories or niches. For example, Best of the Web is one of the oldest directories, in existence since 1994, where you can submit your business.
Links from online directories are less impactful than editorial or contextual links, and excessive use of low-quality directories leads to a toxic link profile.
The links you create from your social media profiles are social backlinks.
Social media backlinks can be obtained from your company profile or individual profile. Most social media websites like LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and others allow you to add links to your website.
Mostly, these links are “nofollow” and don’t directly boost Google’s search engine rankings. However, they contribute to a diversified backlink profile and enhance brand visibility.
When paired with good content and consistent engagement, social media backlinks can indirectly support SEO by driving traffic and signaling credibility.
For example, Search Engine Land shares timely and relevant content in their Twitter profile containing external backlinks to their own website.
Effective social backlinking uses reputable social channels relevant to your audience, creating complete profiles, and sharing valuable content.
You should avoid overloading your social media profiles with links, creating profiles only for acquiring backlinks, and using exact-match anchors to link to your money pages. Doing so can make the backlinks appear super-spammy and might lead to Google penalties.
Business and review sites like Yelp, Google Business, Trustpilot, and others offer local businesses an excellent opportunity to generate backlinks. By creating a company profile listing on these high-traffic domains, you can gain inbound hyperlinks that lead to your website, boosting local SEO and driving faster referral traffic.
For instance, Yellow Pages is a high-authority directory, where you can list your business for free.
Review platforms not only provide valuable website links but also act as consumer review hubs where positive votes help build credibility. The benefits extend beyond SEO, as local directories increase online visibility and trustworthiness. Leveraging these sites enhances your brand’s presence, leading to greater engagement and growth.
Testimonial backlinks are a powerful and straightforward way to boost authority and build connections.
By giving a genuine testimonial or review for a product or service, you can secure a high-quality backlink when the company showcases your feedback on its site with a link to yours.
The testimonial link building technique is easy to execute and highly effective, especially when your testimonial appears on reputable sites.
To build links from testimonials, write thoughtful statements (it is even better if it is a video testimonial) for brands in your niche. For example, Ahrefs offers testimonial backlinks to reviewers from their home page. Obviously, these links are earned and not paid.
Avoid using vague testimonials, as authenticity is key to maximizing the positive impact on your credibility and SEO. Also, you should use the testimonial link building strategy in combination with other link building techniques to diversify your incoming links.
Podcast backlinks are a fantastic way to boost your SEO while connecting with new audiences. When you appear as a guest on a podcast or host one yourself, you can earn valuable backlinks from episode descriptions or show notes, often on high-authority platforms.
Links from podcasts strengthen your link profile, build your credibility, and broaden your reach. For example, this podcast hosted on Mastermind.fm has a link pointing to the guest’s (Martin Slaney’s) main website (Product Prompts).
You can reach out to podcasts in your niche and offer interesting insights or stories that add value to their audience. Or, if you host a podcast, invite guests who are likely to share and link to the episode.
Just make sure to pick relevant shows and focus on offering genuine, helpful information, as overly promotional content can weaken the impact of backlinks from podcasts.
Interview backlinks are a powerful way to build authority and share your expertise. When featured in an interview, whether on a blog, podcast, or video channel, the interviewer typically includes a link to your website, providing a valuable backlink from a reputable source.
Links from interviews are strong for SEO, as they usually appear on established platforms, enhancing your visibility and authority.
To secure interview backlinks, connect with industry sites, podcasts, or channels that highlight expert interviews and offer unique insights or stories that will engage their audience. For instance, this interview of Neil Patel was published on Hoist, and it links to all the top businesses owned by Neil, like his own blog, Neilpatel.com, the website optimization tool Crazy Egg, and event analytics software, KissMetrics.
Avoid focusing solely on promotion, as genuine expertise is what makes interview backlinks effective and impactful.
Resource page backlinks are links placed on external websites that host curated lists of useful resources on topics relevant to their audience.
Content resource hyperlinks are valuable due to their placement on top-authority pages specifically designed to provide helpful information, making them strong for SEO.
Resource page link building helps in acquiring high-quality links, as they indicate to search engines that the linked site offers valuable content. For instance, the below resource page on Paleo Diet lists several relevant websites that share valuable information on Paleo cooking:
To build links from resource pages, locate relevant pages using helpful search strings (e.g., "keyword + resource page") and reach out to site owners with an outreach email, highlighting why your content is a useful resource.
Resource link building strategy is relatively easy and effective, especially since there are lots of resource pages across various niches.
However, you should not target irrelevant pages and always review the page-level metrics, such as URL rating, organic traffic, number of outbound links, etc., to reduce the chances of acquiring spammy links in the process.
Crowdfunding backlinks are links earned by supporting or participating in crowdfunding campaigns on trusted, high-authority sites, providing a PR boost and a huge link building opportunity.
Crowdfunding link building is an overlooked strategy that can generate quality backlinks, as campaign pages frequently list sponsors and supporters with links back to their websites.
The crowdfunding link building process involves engaging with campaigns early and building relationships with campaign creators to ensure your link is featured on high-traffic platforms.
For instance, Pebble Time was able to generate buzz for their smartwatch for their Kickstarter campaign using crowdfunding. More than 78,000 people backed it and helped it raise funds. During the process, people talked about the campaign and linked to the main product, meaning valuable backlinks were generated.
However, you should avoid campaigns with low credibility or unrelated niches, as irrelevant backlinks can dilute SEO value and trustworthiness.
Image backlinks are earned by creating high-quality images or visual content that naturally attract organic links from other websites.
Types of image backlinks include infographics, product photos, visual statistic graphs, and data visualization based on original research. Unique images backed by recent data are widely shared across platforms such as Pinterest, Reddit, Instagram, and others.
To maximize image link building, use manual outreach to connect with sites that may find the visual content valuable and link-worthy.
When doing image link acquisition, avoid using generic images, credit sources for visual data, and do not forget to submit your image on image and infographic submission directories. For instance, here is an example of a backlink acquired using an infographic:
Backlinks from infographics and other image submission platforms should be used with caution, as overusing this strategy might lead to search engine penalties. You should always use a mix of strategies to build links to your domain.
Widget backlinks are links embedded within widgets.
When used thoughtfully, widget links placed within content-based widgets like calculators or value-adding tools enhance user experience and can attract genuine referral traffic.
However, adding hidden or low-quality links within widgets violates Google Webmaster Guidelines, as these unnatural links can lead to penalties or manual actions.
To avoid these risks, apply the rel="nofollow" attribute to links within widgets and prioritize natural linking practices.
Avoid over-optimizing anchor text or placing irrelevant or low-quality links in widgets, which can harm SEO and diminish credibility.
Here are some examples of unnatural widget backlinks using exact-match anchors that invite manual action penalties:
Reciprocal link exchange is a mutual agreement between two websites to link to each other.
Apart from genuine reasons, if such link partnerships are used to manipulate ranking algorithms, they lead to Google penalties.
Below is an example of a reciprocal link exchange page, which used to work before the Google Penguin update in 2012:
Now, excessive link exchange schemes are banned by Google and are counted as unnatural links. They are toxic and considered as a violation of Google link building guidelines.
Participating in link exchange schemes can result in algorithmic or manual penalties, leading to a decrease in organic rankings.
Large-scale incoming links from article directories harm your SEO strategy.
Article directory backlinks are links placed within articles or in the author bio and submitted to online article directories, which allow users to post content with the intent of generating backlinks.
Links from article sites were once popular among SEOs due to the ease of obtaining numerous backlinks quickly. However, their value has significantly decreased because most article directories are now low-quality and filled with spam.
Search engines now consider article directory backlinks to be low-authority or even toxic, potentially leading to penalties if overused.
For instance, the article below is a good example of a backlink from an article directory, where the writer is receiving backlinks to his own website from the author’s bio.
To build article backlinks, if at all, write on reputable directories with strict editorial standards and ensure the content is valuable and relevant.
It is best to prioritize other link acquisition tactics, like guest posting on high-authority sites over article submission.
Inbound links from private blog networks are risky and should be avoided.
PBN links come from websites specifically created to cheat ranking algorithms. These low-quality or repurposed domains with little to no real value are designed solely for selling links.
PBNs are a part of link schemes that have a network of sites linked to each other to artificially raise their domain reputation. They are considered toxic because they violate Google's guidelines, carry the risk of deindexing, and harm long-term SEO.
A PBN website, such as the domain below, is easy to spot. It publishes articles from all categories and does not maintain any specific site theme. The content quality is poor, and it also publishes content on gambling and other bad neighborhoods.
PBN backlinks can temporarily boost rankings due to the volume of links. However, Google actively penalizes sites for using PBNs, considering them a black-hat SEO tactic.
You should be very careful when acquiring backlinks from PBNs, as they might lead to manual action penalties.
Sidebar backlinks are links placed in the sidebar section of a website, like in a "Blogroll" or similar widget, which displays links to external sites or related content.
Links placed in the sidebar are visible across multiple pages, giving them site-wide exposure. Hence, just one link placed in the blogroll can create hundreds or thousands of inbound links to your target landing pages. Google and other search engines know this technique and if sidebar links are used for link building purposes with exact match anchors, they are bad for SEO.
Here is an example of sidebar backlinks from the blogroll section of SEO By The Sea:
You should use sidebar links only when necessary with natural anchors. Since Google focuses on the quality of links and not quantity, you are unlikely to gain any advantage in SEO by building blogroll links.
301 redirect backlinks point to a URL that has been permanently redirected to another URL. They are counted as valid backlinks and pass most (but not all) of the link equity from the original URL to the new one.
Redirected links should be used for genuine reasons like URL changes or rebranding, not for paid links that artificially manipulate search rankings.
For example, https://www.outreachlabs.com/ was 301 redirected to https://www.outreachlabs.com/ to ensure the full link equity passes to the new domain.
Overusing or manipulating 301 redirects, especially from irrelevant or spammy sources, can be toxic and might lead to algorithmic or manual action penalties.
Footer links are hyperlinks placed at the bottom of a webpage. They can be internal or external and are used for navigation, credit attribution, or site-wide linking.
Links in the footer of a website carry less authority than contextual links since search engines devalue site-wide links that appear across all pages. Excessive or irrelevant footer links used for manipulative link building are considered toxic and lead to search engine penalties.
To build footer links properly, ensure they are relevant, natural, and useful for navigation, like linking to important internal pages or partners with context. Avoid stuffing them with exact-match keywords.
It is best to use footer links to boost your internal linking strategy. For example, Freshworks links to important landing pages on its website from its footer. The links look natural and use branded or relevant anchors.
Tier 1 or first-tier links naturally link to your website from niche-specific sources like blogs or news sites. These links carry the most SEO weight, boost your rankings significantly, and are considered high-quality when earned naturally through content, guest posts, or PR.
Tier 2 backlinks point to your Tier 1 links, often from social media sites, forums, or blogging platforms like Medium, and strengthen the authority of your Tier 1 links without directly linking to your site. While these links don’t carry as much SEO power, they help in boosting the visibility of Tier 1 backlinks.
Tier 3 backlinks point to Tier 2 links and come from low-authority sources, such as blog comments or low-tier directories. Though they can support the other tiers, they carry minimal SEO impact and could be considered toxic if overused or built from spammy sources.
Here is an example of a tiered link structure:
In a well-structured link building strategy, Tier 1 links are naturally supported with Tier 2 and Tier 3 links to further boost the link equity of Tier 1 links.
Backlinks can be categorized based on HTML link attributes, which provide essential information about the link's function and purpose. Link attributes, such as hypertext reference, help define the type and behavior of links in HTML documents, influencing SEO and web accessibility.
Understanding these link types is key to building an organic backlink profile that follows the search engine guidelines and boosts SEO rankings.
Here are the top link types based on link attributes:
Dofollow backlinks are links that pass SEO authority, or SEO juice from one website to another, signaling to search engines that the linked site is useful.
In HTML, a dofollow link has the structure <a href="URL">Anchor Text</a> without any additional attributes, allowing Google-bots to follow and pass ranking power.
Most SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and others specify whether the inbound links to a website are dofollow.
Dofollow links, including internal and external dofollow links, are essential for building a solid backlink profile. They are used to strengthen site authority, which helps boost visibility on search engine results.
Powerful dofollow backlinks can be acquired from content listing sites, image galleries, niche-specific business directories, review sites, guest blogging, online portfolios, and other methods. Organic dofollow backlinks improve SEO by increasing site rankings and establishing domain authority.
Nofollow hyperlinks are links that do not transmit ranking power to the target page, effectively blocking the flow of link equity (SEO juice).
The syntax for nofollow links is <a href="URL" rel="nofollow">Anchor Text</a>, with the rel="nofollow" attribute signaling search engine crawlers not to count these links toward ranking.
For instance, SEMrush displays nofollow links pointing to a website.
Nofollow backlinks are ideal for referencing external content without passing endorsement or ranking benefits, making them useful for comments, forums, and social media, where content is user-generated.
By creating a balance between dofollow and nofollow links, websites can prevent spam, maintain a natural backlink profile, and reduce the risk of appearing manipulative.
While nofollow links do not directly impact rankings, they support organic traffic by diversifying the link profile.
You should create nofollow links to have a natural link profile, but do not overuse it as they lack the direct ranking influence of dofollow links.
Sponsored or paid backlinks are a way to promote your brand while staying transparent about the nature of the link.
You can add the sponsored attribute when creating a paid link, as shown below:
<a href="URL" rel="sponsored">Anchor Text</a>, with the rel="sponsored"
It tells search engines that this link is paid for or part of a sponsorship.
Sponsored backlinks are used in ads, partnerships, or affiliate content to boost visibility without aiming for direct SEO gains. It keeps everything above board and within search engine guidelines, helping you avoid penalties.
For example, the below guest post is sponsored by Direct Holidays. Such explicit sponsored posts that promote a particular brand should contain a sponsored attribute.
While sponsored links won’t pass ranking power, they are still valuable for driving traffic and growing your brand’s reach.
Just remember, if you skip marking paid links as sponsored, search engines may penalize your site, so transparency is essential.
UGC backlinks are links that come from user-generated content, such as comments, forum posts, or reviews, where users contribute the content rather than the site owner.
In HTML, UGC backlinks are structured as <a href="URL" rel="ugc">Anchor Text</a>, with the rel="ugc" attribute signaling to search engines that the link comes from user contributions.
Here is an example of user-generated spam links on forums:
User-contributed links are used in high-engagement areas, like forums and comment sections, where users naturally interact with your content. These links help diversify your backlink profile and show search engines that your site fosters community engagement, although they don’t pass much ranking power directly.
To make the most of audience-generated backlinks, encourage authentic user interactions and moderate for quality. If a site doesn’t properly label user-generated links or allow too many spammy UGC backlinks, search engines might view them as manipulative, which could lead to penalties.
Not all links are the same. Some are good, some are bad, and some are average. It is important to have a complete understanding of link building to build a powerful SEO strategy.
In its simplest form, backlinks, also known as inbound or incoming links, are hyperlinks from one referring domain to another referred domain. They are counted by the search engines as votes and used in their organic ranking algorithm. As discussed before, websites with more high-quality backlinks are favored in search engine rankings.
The basic structure of a backlink in HTML is:
<a href="https://mysite.com">Anchor Text</a>.
For example, if a fitness blog links to a page about “top running shoes,” it might look like this: <a href="https://bestshoes.com/running">best running shoes</a>.
Here, “best running shoes” is the anchor text, and the URL points to the page.
High-quality backlinks come from trustworthy and well-ranked websites relevant to your industry.
For instance, a fitness equipment store would benefit from a link from a well-known health and wellness blog.
Conversely, toxic or unnatural backlinks, such as links from spammy or unrelated sites, can hurt rankings.
For example, if that same fitness site had backlinks from unrelated or low-quality sites like gambling websites, search engines might see this as manipulative. In worst cases, a manual action penalty might be applied on the site.
To avoid or remove these, you should regularly monitor and audit your backlinks. If a manual action penalty is applied to any site for using manipulative link building practices, use Google’s Disavow Links tool to prevent artificial links from negatively impacting your SEO.
Also, your anchor text should be descriptive and unique when building backlinks. A balanced approach involves using varied anchor text that is natural and contextually appropriate.
For instance, instead of repeating “best running shoes” as anchor text on every link, alternate with related terms like “top-rated shoes for runners” or “running shoe recommendations.” Natural and unique anchors support SEO and avoid penalties for over-optimization.
Powerful backlinks are links that deliver significant SEO impact due to their placement, quality, and context. The most effective backlinks come from relevant domains with good domain authority, high organic traffic, and a strong trust rank.
High-impact incoming links include dofollow links, particularly contextual links from editorial sources, which pass valuable SEO juice and signal authority to search engines. Links from domains that rank high organically, such as industry-leading blogs or trusted media sites, are significantly powerful.
When paired with natural anchor text, organic inbound links fit seamlessly into content, maintaining a healthier link profile.
Editorial backlinks are strong because they are earned, not paid, demonstrating genuine endorsement from reputable sources. Some powerful link building types that help to earn editorial links are digital PR links, backlinks from guest blogging, white-hat links from blogger outreach, and high-quality link insertions.
Also, links positioned higher in content tend to carry more weight, as they are more prominent and perceived as more relevant.
A balanced mix of homepage and deep page links, contribute to a solid backlink profile by strengthening both the website’s overall authority and the specific pages being linked.
The weakest or worst backlinks are links that provide minimal SEO value and may even harm a site’s ranking potential.
Toxic backlinks include paid links and PBN links, which are seen as artificial and manipulative, risking both manual penalty and algorithmic penalty from Google.
Links from comment spam and forum spam are also considered weak, as they are typically irrelevant and carry a high spam score, indicating poor SEO practices.
Large-scale directory or guest post links can be equally harmful, especially if they involve backlinks with main money anchors, which violate Google Search Essential Guidelines and may lead to punishment from search engines.
Also, links from domains with no organic traffic or sites with low-quality content and poor authority signals contribute little to ranking improvement and often need to be disavowed to avoid SEO damage.
Hence, you should avoid links from these spammy domains as these do not enhance authority and may even bring down a site’s trustworthiness due to their lack of topic relevance and quality.
The top link building services are recognized for their effectiveness in enhancing website authority and search engine rankings.
The best link building companies that have established their quality of services are:
These most-trusted link acquisition services employ various link building techniques, like guest posting, digital PR, and manual outreach, to secure high-quality backlinks from authoritative domains.
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