A lot of times, when we talk about digital marketing or anything related, there is often a mention of competition. It also makes sense because, in the end, everyone wants to conquer the digital sphere and is always looking for a competitive edge. But what if I tell you these competitors can also help you grow digitally? Yes, there is a possibility of collaboration, and the thing that makes it possible is backlinks.
Definition of a Backlink
Backlinks are hyperlinks on a website; you get redirected to another website upon clicking on them. For those confused because of the mention of hyperlinks, that is just terminology used for HTML links, nothing else. These hyperlinks can be anything; they don't need to be text only. In simple words, hyperlinks connect websites, and a backlink takes you from one website to another.
How are Backlinks Different from Outbound and Internal Links?
Difference Between a Backlink and an Outbound Link
The difference between a backlink and an outbound link is not in terms of functionality but perspective or the website where they are placed. Suppose a link is placed on a website named W1 and connects to another website named W2. For W1, it is an outbound link because, through it, they are pointing to an external source or website. Whereas for W2, it is an inbound link or a backlink, as it comes from an external source or website and is pointing towards them.
So the functionality remains the same, i.e. the connection between the 2 websites. The only difference lies in the terminology. Both inbound and outbound links are the same thing. It's just that their names vary with websites. They are outbound to the website where they are placed while inbound to the one they lead to.
The difference between a Backlink and an Internal link
As already discussed, a backlink is a website hyperlink leading to another. On the other hand, an internal link is used to establish a connection within the same website, i.e. if you want to join the web pages of your website. Internal links will be used, and if you want to get redirected towards your website from another, a backlink will be used.
Role of Anchor Text in Backlinks
In one of our previous sections, we said that hyperlinks don't need to be in the form of text; they can also be in the form of images. Both together make hyperlinks. But when you use only text as a hyperlink, they are called hypertext or anchor text. In other words, anchor texts are clickable texts that will direct you to another location on the web.
In the context of backlinks, anchor texts are essential as they give search engines and users an idea about the content they can expect upon clicking the link. For example, if a blog about healthy recipes uses an anchor text, "5 healthy fruits" for a backlink, it will tell the search engines and the users that the linked location consists of content about healthy fruits.
Remember, adequately anchored text will give users clarity about content and improve your website ranking on the search engine results page.
Types of Backlinks
Natural Backlinks
Natural backlinks are those that you earn because of your work. You don't have to ask any websites for it. It comes to you automatically. These are the organic links. For example, if you have written a quality blog on a specific topic and other websites in the same niche find it useful, they will link to your content. You might be wondering why a competitor is linking to your content.
See, the ultimate goal of all websites is to provide users with a quality experience, and the best way to do so is by providing them with extras. So when you link other content with yours, the users get more related information without effort. But you can't provide them with anything just for the sake of extras Those linked content need to be quality, so websites often look for valuable content to link with, and that's how websites earn backlinks.
Manual Backlinks
It's just the opposite of natural links. You have to approach the websites from where you want to get redirected. Usually, when websites want to target a broader audience in less time, they reach out to established players in the market and ask them for backlines. Now, it depends upon them whether they agree to do so or not.
A tip from our side: if you want manual backlinks, ensure the content you provide is engaging, as we already know websites look for valuable content!
Self-Created Backlinks
These kinds of backlinks are generated from your side. You don't have to ask any website or wait for your content to get noticed by them. In almost every blog, the creators leave an option for comments. Anyone can comment over there. Usually, there are no restrictions. You can also go there and attach a link to your content in the comment section; that will be a self-created backlink. Make sure you write a compelling description with it to give users an idea about what lies on the other side of the link.
High-Quality vs Low-Quality Backlinks
Yes, backlinks help rank up on the search engine results page, but it must be a quality link. Otherwise, there are several websites; therefore, anyone can generate numerous backlinks. If you are also thinking of the same, please stop right there, as there is a quality-wise categorization of backlinks by search engines. This means each one of them will not yield results.
The high-quality ones come from reputable and authoritative websites within your industry. In contrast, the low-quality ones come from irrelevant or spammy sources. You must be careful with these, as search engines may even penalize your website if it has too many low-quality backlinks. Thus, it is essential to focus on obtaining high-quality and relevant backlinks.
How Can You Generate Backlinks?
You can get backlinks in two ways, either by your work or by approaching websites manually! To receive natural links, all you have to do is to create quality content, nothing else. The rest will be done automatically. To earn manual links, you have to collaborate with websites. Many players in the industry write guest blogs for different websites, and in return, they get a backlink. It is a standard practice followed in the industry, and you can collaborate in whichever way you want.
How Search Engines Access the Quality of Backlinks?
Relevance of Website
You cannot expect to get ranked higher because of backlinks generated from websites that don't even belong to your niche. It doesn't make sense why they link your content if you two are from different industries. Search engines will consider these kinds of backlinks irrelevant or spammy. So, there is little possibility of higher rankings, and you might even get penalized.
Therefore, always keep in mind that backlinks generated from the website of your industry are considered valuable by search engines, so focus on that only if you want its benefits.
Authority of the Linking Site
Another thing that search engines look for is authority. As already said, there are tons of websites. If the search engine starts ranking randomly without considering the website, then anyone can be on top, especially the ones performing malicious activities. Backlinks from authorized websites have higher credibility and thus carry more weight. So, just like relevance, you must also keep an eye on the website's credibility.
Link Placement
You don't have control over natural backlinks for apparent reasons, but when approaching some websites for manual ones, ask them to place links between the content, as placement affects performance. The backlinks between the content are considered more valuable than the ones placed in footers or sidebars. If you are confused, let's think from a creator's point of view!
Imagine you are crafting content. Your priority would be to provide readers with engaging content where the flow doesn't get disturbed. Would you like to place a link between your content out of nowhere? The answer is no, right? If a creator is placing a link between the content, then definitely there would be something special about the content, wouldn't it? Either it could be relevant or an engaging one. Users and search engines think similarly; thus, proper backlink placement can provide better results.
Contextual Relevance
Like the website, the content around the link must also be relevant. It should be related to what the link provides. If you think that the job is done after finding the relevant website, it is not. The content where you place it also needs to be on the same page, i.e. relevant.
The whole process goes this way: first, you must find the relevant websites from your industry and then pick the ones with higher credibility. Once you select websites, now is the time to focus on content. The content where the backlinking will be placed should be relevant or related to yours, while the placement should also be appropriate. It would be great if it is in between the content. After all of these steps, you can expect backlinks to result in strong rankings on search engine results pages.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Unnatural Link Growth
The first thing that website owners must avoid is getting a lot of backlinks quickly. Even though you have acquired them without malicious practices, the search engine may consider them suspicious. Natural link growth occurs over time, and that period is what makes it appear organic.
Repetitive Anchor Text
The website owners know that search engines consider anchor text while ranking the websites. So, to get ranked higher, they repeatedly use popular keywords as anchor text. Excessive use of the same anchor text can also raise red flags. It is better to prepare anchor text in such a way that it gives users an idea about the content they will see upon clicking it. The thing is simple: the more engaging the anchor text, the higher the chances of the user clicking it.
Irrelevant Backlinks
When discussing natural backlinks, one question that would have come to everybody's mind is how we will know about them. There are various tools available online that can help you with backlink analysis. You have to use them to identify and remove all irrelevant backlinks, as they confuse users and diminish their trust.
Conclusion
You should now have a clear understanding of the backlinks and feel confident that they won't cause any issues for you in the future. Backlinks are hyperlinks found on a website that, when clicked, redirect you to another website. They are not only valuable for enhancing user experience but also for growth, as search engines take them into account when ranking websites on their results page. Make sure to keep this in mind when creating content for your website and building links to improve your online presence.
