What are backlinks and how do they work?

Backlinks are like the street names of the internet: they lead people and search engines to your website. How do backlinks work and what terms do you need to know for a strong link profile? It's all about collecting valuable references from other sites that give your credibility a big boost. Think of terms like authority, anchor text, nofollow and dofollow links - all ingredients of a strong link profile.

If you really want to score, you need to know what link value means. Not every backlink is the same; a link from an authoritative site carries more weight than dozens from unknowns. Link building can also be compared to networking in real life: it's about building relationships, not just quantity. Understanding link strength, relevance and diversification will help you to firmly establish your online reputation.

With a smart link profile you increase visibility and position in search engines, which results in more visitors and customers. By paying attention to anchor texts and using both internal and external links, you effectively grab Google's attention. In short, understanding how backlinks work and which terms are important makes the difference between getting lost or being found on the web.

How exactly do backlinks work in SEO?

Backlinks are the backbone of search engine optimization. Simply put, they are links from other websites that point to your site. Google uses backlinks as a kind of recommendation; the more quality backlinks you have, the higher your website can rank in the search results. This value of backlinks is often compared to a vote or a review from a reliable source. However, the process does not only work quantitatively, but also qualitatively.

Backlinks influence domain authority and page authority — two crucial metrics developed by SEO experts like Moz and Ahrefs to scale the strength of a website or page. A backlink from a high-authority site, such as a reputable news source like NRC or the University of Amsterdam, carries more weight than dozens of backlinks from smaller, less reliable sites.

In addition, the context, i.e. the content relevance between the referring and receiving web page, plays a major role. Google's algorithms have become increasingly smarter in recognizing natural versus unnatural link profiles. This ensures that links that are organic and relevant have more impact than backlinks placed purely for SEO purposes.

What interesting terms should you know for a strong link profile?

To effectively manage and grow a link profile, you need a clear understanding of key terms. Here are some that you should definitely know as an SEO specialist:

• Anchor text: The clickable text of a hyperlink. Google uses this text to understand what the linked page is about. For example, if the anchor text is “SEO tips,” Google associates the link with keyword relevance around SEO.
• Do-follow vs. no-follow: Do-follow links pass link value to the receiving website and directly influence rankings. No-follow links have an attribute that tells search engines not to follow the link or pass any value. This attribute was changed by Google in 2019 and now treats no-follow links as a hint, meaning they can sometimes pass some value.
• Domain Authority: A score from 1 to 100, developed by Moz, that indicates how well a domain is likely to rank in Google. High-quality backlinks increase this score.
• Link velocity: The rate at which a website gains backlinks. A sudden, unnatural increase can be a red flag to search engines.
• Link juice: The passing value of 'power' via backlinks. The more link juice a page receives from authoritative sources, the better it ranks.

If you want more insight into techniques to improve keyword suggestions, be sure to read [more here](/improve-keyword-suggestions-tips-to-get-better-ideas/).​

The Process Behind Getting Valuable Backlinks

Backlinks don’t just fall out of the sky; they require a strategy and a well-thought-out process.​ This process consists of the following steps:

1. Analysis of the current link profile: Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush or Moz to see which backlinks you already have and where opportunities lie.
2. Content creation with link value: Publish valuable, informative content that others will want to link to. Think in-depth articles, infographics, or research.
3. Outreach: Target relevant websites and influencers, such as SEO experts like Rand Fishkin or organizations like Search Engine Land, to promote your content and earn backlinks.
4. Link monitoring: Monitor your backlinks with tools to identify and remove bad or spammy links if necessary.
5. Link diversification: Make sure your link profile is diverse in terms of domains, types of links (blog posts, directory listings, forums), and anchor text.

There are also more advanced tactics, such as “broken link building” where you replace broken links on external sites with your working links, which can be useful for authority and SEO.

What types of backlinks are there and which ones have the most value?

Not all backlinks are created equal, and Google can distinguish between dozens of types. Here's an overview of the most important types:

• Editorial backlinks: Links that are spontaneously added by a website owner within content, because of value or relevance. For example: a scientific study that links a citation to a research paper on a university site.
• Guest posting backlinks: Links that you earn by contributing as a guest blogger on another website. This is where quality comes in: a backlink on an authoritative website such as Marketingfacts.nl is more valuable than an unknown blog.
• Directory backlinks: Links from online business or industry directories. These are often less powerful, but can be valuable for local SEO.
• Forum and comment backlinks: Links placed in discussions or comments. Usually no-follow and therefore less impactful, but relevant within niche communities.
• Social backlinks: Links shared through social media posts. Often no-follow but can drive traffic and brand awareness.

If you want to know how to create an effective keyword strategy that works with your link profile, check out [this approach](/keyword-strategy-creation-an-effective-approach-to-seo/).​

How does Google's algorithm work in relation to backlinks?

Google's search algorithm relies heavily on backlinks as a ranking factor.​ For a long time, the most well-known factor was PageRank, developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in the early days of Google.​ This algorithm treats each link as a vote, but weights those votes according to importance.​ Since then, the algorithm has evolved with updates like Penguin and Panda, which penalize unnatural link profiles and low quality.​

Nowadays Google also looks at:

• Relevance: The linked page must match the content of the linked page.
• Natural growth: Links should have grown gradually, not abruptly and artificially.
• Spam detection: Excessive use of exact match anchors or link farms will be penalized.
• Contextual placement: Links within the main content count more than those in the footer or sidebar.

A strong link profile uses these insights to ensure relevance, authority and diversity.

Which tools help analyze and improve backlinks?

For a data-driven approach it is essential to use professional SEO tools:

• Ahrefs: Extensive backlink analysis with metrics like Domain Rating and detailed link profile reports.
• SEMrush: All-in-one platform with link audit, toxic link detection and outreach capabilities.
• Moz Link Explorer: Provides insight into domain authority, anchor text structure and link origin.
• Majestic: Focus on link quality with indexes like Trust Flow and Citation Flow.
• Google Search Console: Free tool from Google that provides an overview of links to your website from Google's point of view.

At Flexamedia we can help you use these tools efficiently to build a strong, sustainable link profile.

Want to learn more about avoiding common keyword research mistakes that can also affect your link profile? Discover the ins and outs here.​ Or improve your approach by learning how to implement keywords for optimal content creation, check out these tips.

Frequently asked questions