You enter the realm of SEO, and you’ll see different types of backlinks that aren't equal. There is, as if, a hierarchy. On top of that lay powerful backlinks that influence ranking positively. In the middle, lay links that don't impact ranking but help the SEO campaign. And on the bottom are backlinks types that are negative.
It's important for website owners to be familiar with all of them so the resources can be spent strategically. This article will show what is backlink in SEO with examples, which backlink is least important, what backlinks matter most, and the differences between nofollow and dofollow backlinks.
Dofollow Vs. Nofollow
A nofollow link has a rel=" nofollow" and a dofollow link has rel=" dofollow" attributes. If a backlink is a nofollow, Google’s algorithm Pagerank won’t follow it to find pages, nor will it pass link juice.
If a link is a dofollow, Pagerank will follow it to find pages, evaluate the relevancy, and pass the link juice.
Link juice is slang, which means how much value or authority to pass to the linked websites.As Pagerank doesn't follow or pass authority, the nofollow links don’t budge rankings.
On the other hand, dofollow links are a ranking factor. Despite the differences, users can click both links and visit the sites.
What Are 9 Types of Backlinks You Need to Know for SEO?
There are many types of backlinks in SEO. If you don’t have time to learn all, it’s best to spend time on links that influence ranking positively. So, What are The Types of Backlinks You Need to Know for SEO? Below is the list.
Natural Links
Natural or organic backlinks are the hardest to gain but carry more weight than others. They occur when your content adds value to other websites, so they point a link to you. These links aren’t asked or paid, even no techniques are applied to get them.
The only way to get them is by producing high-quality content. The content can be anything, from blog posts to case studies and infographics.
These backlinks often come from within the industry or niche, which signals to Google that you are a trusted authority there. That’s why they increase the odds of ranking.
Editorial Links
They are the same as natural links, neither asked nor paid. They carry almost the same weight. But unlike natural backlinks, editorial backlinks can be obtained by using techniques and platforms.
The technique can be newsjacking, where you take advantage of current events, news stories, or trends to promote a product or brand. And hope to get a backlink from other websites.
The platforms can be HARO or Source Bottle, Where you help a reporter by becoming a source, and in return, they link to your website.
Guest Postings Backlinks
Guest posting backlinks are people's favorite. Part of the reason is they are relatively easy. Many websites in most niches accept guest posting. The first step to get them is to find relevant websites. Two easy ways are by searching on Google.
Write your “keyword plus write for us” on Google. For example, in Interior Design + Write for Us, you’ll find many sites open for blog posts.
Another way is to find a list of websites that accept guest posts. To do that, write “keyword plus guest postlist” on Google. For example, Interior design + guest post list. And you’ll find it mostly.
Next, reach out to those websites and ask for agreement; if they agree, write quality content and submit it. Your job is done.
.Edu And .Gov Links
.EDU and .GOV backlinks types are powerful. They come from government agencies or educational academies. Because of the authority, these links can rank your pages. One way to get them is to interview a member or make a partnership with them.
If you can’t do it, then there are other ways.
Analyze competitors’ backlink profiles to know who points.EDU and .GOV backlinks to them, and see if you can offer them something interesting.
Education websites may want a relevant new study by you or a comprehensive guide for graduates to get jobs. Government agencies may like to announce the jobs or internship list your business is offering.
Webinars Backlinks
Webinars are similar to seminars but are conducted on the Internet. Webinar links are good for SEO because webinars are comprehensive, helpful, and, in the age of AI, trusted. These qualities attract other websites that may want to share them with their audience and point a link to you.
To get the most out of a webinar, optimize it for search engines to get organic traffic. Promote it to your audience by emailing or other means and ask them to share it.
Repurpose and share the content on social media platforms to increase exposure. Doing all of it will increase the odds of getting backlinks.
Widget Backlinks
Backlinks from Widget are good for SEO. Widgets are web-based micro apps that contain SEO backlinks and can be used on other websites. Because they are made to provide value, other websites share it. Common widgets examples are Weather widgets and BMI Calculators.
Unfortunately, they only can be relevant in a few niches. So, conduct industry research and see if they are relevant. Plus, don’t do unethical practices such as keyword stuffing.
Backlinks from Business Profile
A backlink from a business listing website can show Google that you are well-established in an industry. They are effective, but make sure that you get them from reputable sites like Crunchbase and Apollo .io.
Most business listing websites have separate profile pages. On the Crunchbase site, you’ll find the resource option. Click it, and an option “create a profile” will pop up. Now, create a business profile for your brand— It will only take a few minutes.
Acknowledgment Backlinks
Acknowledgment backlinks are quality backlink types. These backlinks come when a brand sponsors an event within the industry, donates to a relevant non-profit organization, or has a representative speaking at the industry event.
For example, if you donate to a nonprofit website, they will point a backlink to you as an acknowledgment. Just make sure that they are coming from relevant and quality places.
Relationship Based Backlinks
Like natural or editorial backlinks, relationship-based links are neither asked nor paid. But they differ.
Here, you put active efforts into reaching out and building relationships with reporters and webmasters who can link to your site. If you prove yourself a credible source and show them that you are open to contact if need be, then they are going to prefer your name when they want information.
8 Different Types of Backlinks That Are Less Effective
The above backlink examples were effective. But all backlinks aren't equal. Some carry less value. So, what are 8 Different types of backlinks you need to know about? Let’s discuss.
Nofollow Backlinks
Nofollow backlinks don't pass power to the websites they are linked to. Webmasters use them when they link to irrelevant sites or sites they don’t want Google to consider.
Because of that, many experts believe that nofollow backlinks don’t add value to SEO campaigns. Which is true; they don’t affect rankings directly. However, Google sees them as a hint. Google also encourages its usage, and it helps diversify the backlink profile.
So, nofollow backlinks types aren’t as effective, but they certainly add value.
Links From Directories
Directory backlinks are easy to get, but most directories are going to be irrelevant. Even if you find a relevant one, they don't tend to be low quality and less authoritative. Because most directories don't publish anything other than round-up posts.
So, backlinks, even from relevant directories, don't impact ranking as much.
Links From New Websites
Link from a new website has less effect than a link from an authority site. Even if a new website is getting traffic and is relevant. That’s because their domain authority isn't going to be high.
But new website backlink types aren’t bad and or something to avoid. They do make an impact; they just aren't game-changers.
Social Media Backlinks
Social media backlinks come from profile bios and posts. The links that social media posts contain are, by default, nofollow and carry little to no weight.
Links on the bio, however, is a dofollow link, which does let pass the link juice, but they also contain less value than other backlinks in Google’s eye.
Press Release
Backlinks from the press release are good for SEO, but executing the press release correctly demands effort. Therefore, it's often done carelessly, and websites get links from irrelevant sources, making links less effective. These backlinks can sometimes penalize the content, too.
Blog Comments and Forum Backlinks
Blog comment backlinks are acquired by placing links in other’s blog post comment sections. These links can be valuable if commented on relevant pages; however, they will still bear less power.
Forum backlinks are also not as effective because they run on low-authority domains. On top of it, People discuss different topics, which affect the relevancy of links.
Another reason is their temporary nature; as people continue a discussion, the links become harder to discover.
Links From Social Bookmarking
These backlinks types come from social bookmarking platforms. People use those platforms when they find something valuable and either want to share it or don't want to lose it.
These backlinks provide value and speed up the indexing process if placed on popular platforms. But they don’t hold much power due to less authority. Plus, they can be manipulated and aren't always relevant.
Sponsored Links
Sponsored backlinks types are when a website points a link to your site but uses the rel="sponsored" attribute because the link is paid. It’s a type of nofollow backlink, which means Pagerank won’t pass authority or quicken the crawling process.
So, just like any other nofollow backlinks, it brings free traffic and diversifies backlink profiles but brings less value.
However, one additional thing it does is tell Google you are honest and don't game the system. As Google is often manipulated by paid links, it’s a signal that you follow guidelines and isn't one of them.
What Are Bad Links
Alright, now we know about backlinks that raise pages and that don't move rankings. Now, what is an example of a backlink that affects negatively? Well, there are examples.
Low-quality Irrelevant Backlinks
Low-quality plus irrelevant backlinks types are the worst. These links can come from anywhere.
Some directories cover a ton of niches, some run too many ads on their pages, and a few of them are free for everyone and let everyone place links without evaluation. Avoid all these types of directories.
Other backlinks to be avoided are those that come from outside the industry or niche. They all can be a source of low-quality irrelevant backlinks that can penalize the content.
PBN BackLinks
Private blog network backlinks come from a bunch of websites that you own. Their sole purpose is to provide links to the main website or one another. These backlinks worked, but ages ago. Now, Google is able to detect these spammy backlinks.
Google either penalizes the websites or ignores them. Either way, the efforts are in vain.
However, if Google fails to detect someone, then they can get benefits, but Google’s rapidly improving algorithm will eventually detect them.
Paid Schemes Backlinks
Paid backlinks come from websites that sell backlinks for money, services, and goods. You can stumble on them on the internet, or they might approach you. Avoid them. The reason is that they sell to anyone, which makes them spammy.
They are often less authoritative and can be irrelevant. These backlinks don't have any effect on rankings and are easy to be detected by Google. That's why it’s best to avoid them.
Generated Social Media Accounts Backlinks
When Google algorithms were in their infancy, people would generate social media accounts and place a link in the bio. It worked back then, but now algorithms are advanced and can detect this method. So steer clear of it.
Automated Backlinks
Automated backlinks are created using automated tools. Google has mentioned them under the spam section. So, for one thing, they violate guidelines, and for another, they are infamous for generating low-quality and irrelevant backlinks.
Plus, using them is a risk for brand reputation and backlink profile. But just like PBN networks, you can get benefits from them. However, it takes a lot of effort as you’ll need to monitor site relevancy and authority manually. All these efforts can be put into getting legit backlinks.
Importance of Backlinks
Backlinks are important to raise content on SERP. They show the relevancy of content to Google and, help its algorithm find pages, and speed up the indexing process. That’s why websites that have big and quality backlink profiles are considered an authority in the eyes of Google.
A 13-month semrush study shows that from 100 ranking blogs, 92% contain at least one backlink. In addition, 50% of quality sites without any backlinks never reached the first page. This is why businesses spend a lot of resources on backlinks.
Conclusion
When starting an SEO campaign, ask this question to yourself— what are the types of backlinks for SEO? And the answer is going to be long because there are numerous backlinks types. However, it’s worth being familiar with all of them; doing so will keep you on track. You’ll be able to know what backlinks are harmful and what brings value.
This way, you’ll avoid the penalties of Google and reap the benefits that backlinks bring. It will also help you hire SEO professionals because many provide lousy services. Head to our website, Legiit, to hire SEO experts. We are a marketplace for freelancers focusing on SEO.
FAQS
What is Backlink in SEO? Example
Backlinks in SEO are links from other websites to yours, whether they bring value or not. An example is when you click a link on a website, and it leads you to a completely different site.
What are the Two Main Features of Quality Backlinks?
The two main features of quality backlinks are relevancy and authority.
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