Not all backlinks have the same value
In this day and age, we tend to do simple sums. The more, the better. This also applies to the collection of backlinks. This is where it all goes wrong. The quantity of backlinks says little. Not all backlinks have the same value. Sometimes a backlink only counts for 0.01 percent, while another link can even multiply your ranking by 3. It is not about how many backlinks you have, but how relevant and qualitative they are.
A good example is a backlink in a national newspaper. This newspaper has a high quality score within Google and a backlink in an article will give you a lot of prestige. When such a qualitative newspaper finds your website interesting enough, it will directly affect your ranking. But when you place a backlink on a site that has already been warned because it did not follow Google's guidelines, this will also affect your ranking. Sometimes, such a backlink can even lower your ranking.
Finding a healthy mix between high quality and 'normal' backlinks is important for building a natural link profile. Of course, so-called 'toxic backlinks' must be avoided.
What factors must qualitative backlinks satisfy?
The collection of qualitative backlinks must be encouraged. But where do you start if you do not know which factors these have to satisfy? It is good to realise that we do not know all the factors. Google has not revealed everything it looks for when indexing backlinks. Nevertheless, there are a number of factors that are now generally known and that should be used when building a natural link profile. We list the most important ones below:
The right ratio between no-follow and do-follow links
No-follow links are not seen by Google because they do not let any 'linkjuice' through. Because of this, it sometimes seems as if no-follow links have no function at all. Yet it is also good to invest in these links. No-follow links can also be effective. Not for your position in Google, but to increase the number of visitors to your website. If only because they end up on a relevant website, where a large part of your target audience is also present. There is a chance that they will end up on your page via such a link. No-follow links therefore definitely serve a function and are really worthwhile. Moreover, no-follow links can be used to apply search engine rich anchor texts. Indirectly, these backlinks can also contribute to the SEO of your website.
No-follow links are often created by, for example, commenting on relevant blogs. There are few blogs that allow you to add a do-follow link to your comment. Still, it's good to give this some attention. After all, the real advantage is that it attracts more visitors to your website and that it gives you more brand awareness.
The right ratio between no-follow and do-follow links gives you a natural link profile that will benefit you for years to come.
Choose the right anchor texts
Choosing the right anchor texts is essential to be found by Google. Anchor texts help Google understand what a link is about and for which pages it is relevant. Before you start linkbuilding, it is wise to do a keyword research first. This way you can easily determine which keywords are relevant for your backlinks and with which keywords you can score the most in terms of ranking.
Still, a note needs to be placed here as well. For as much as anchor texts are a tool for search engines, they also quickly see through it when you are too busy influencing anchor texts and backlinks. Be aware that Google does not like to see you providing backlinks yourself (paid or unpaid). They prefer website owners to come into contact with interesting content from your site, after which they place a referral. That way, Google knows for sure that you have relevant and valuable information to report and they can also keep their quality high.
Of course you can allude to specific anchor texts, but in any case, be happy when other companies refer to your website. Backlinks with your company name are already very nice. Don't worry about other matching anchor texts.
Relevance to your website
The relevance of your backlinks also applies to their quality. A backlink at a bakery with a high quality score is nice, but what use is this if you sell clothes? When collecting backlinks the relevance must be clear. You simply cannot collect quality backlinks when they are placed haphazardly on the world wide web. Therefore, only look for websites that are relevant to your business and write to them with informative content.
In some cases, of course, it is possible to make a good link between - at first sight - poorly compatible sites by taking a diversion. If, for example, you have sold clothing to the same baker that has made working more comfortable, this may be reason enough for the baker to post an article referring to your company. In that case the link is more than obvious and the backlink is relevant enough.
Authority of the referring page
Every website has its own authority position within Google. This position is based on various factors. On the one hand the backlinks play a role, but on the other hand also the way in which this site uses SEO strategies and the name recognition of the company. The higher a website appears in the search results, the greater its authority. When collecting backlinks you do not only do everything to increase your authority position, but you also want to make sure that the backlinks are only placed on websites with a high authority position. When a webpage with a high authority refers to your website, a part of that authority is transferred to your site.
Although the authority of the referring page can certainly play a big role on your SEO, this does not mean that you should collect some High Quality Links. These links are often difficult to obtain. Besides, every link is one. And provided this is done in the right way, even with the links on less authoritative sites your webpage can grow.
SEO backlinks: the different possibilities
When you get started with link building, you might be overwhelmed by the enormous amount of possibilities. There are countless ways to get backlinks. There are also some external factors to take into account that can affect your SEO. If you don't approach link building in the right way, it can even have a negative impact on your position within Google. Therefore, it is important not only to calculate but also to seek advice from real professionals. Using a link building company is therefore definitely a good idea. This way you know for sure that everything is done in the right way and you don't have to worry about it anymore.
Do you want to start link building yourself or are you just curious how you can do this best? Then use the following 3 tips and possibilities to build the most natural backlink profile possible.
1. You deserve a link
This is perhaps the best way to build a natural link profile. Moreover, it is also the most powerful method. By earning a link, you show that your website is really worthy of content. Relevant for different target groups, informative and above all, worthy of ending up at the top of the search results. Although this is by far the best method to build up a good link profile, it does not mean that everyone takes the time to do so. In these times we try to find a quick solution for everything. So, actively investing in valuable content and then bringing this to the attention of other companies is something that they simply do not take the time for. And that's a shame, because earning links is much more profitable than all kinds of shortcuts. What's more, shortcuts can sometimes have a negative impact on your position.
Only publish valuable content and bring it to the attention of your target group. Do not be disappointed if this does not immediately have the desired effect. Building a strong link profile takes time. Take this time too. It is by far the most profitable in the long run. If you keep bringing your content to the attention, you will almost always reach a new audience.
2. Make use of press releases
It is actually the most logical way to collect links by simply seeking publicity. Therefore, many entrepreneurs choose to simply write to digital newspapers with a new press release. However, consider carefully whether the information you want to share is actually newsworthy. Every day newspapers are flooded with news items. They will only share these news items if they are indeed newsworthy enough. If you come up with a story about one of your products, it will be picked out much less quickly. Writing press releases is therefore not suitable for every company.
However, are you launching a new product or do you have completely unique ideas regarding changes within your industry? Then publishing press releases can certainly be a smart idea. A big advantage of an accepted press release is that it often ends up on multiple platforms at the same time. Moreover, such platforms usually also have a high quality score, which means that they will also yield more for your backlink profile.
Make sure you include a subtle reference to a relevant page on your website in the press release. However, do not forget that it is all about informing the target group. The reference should therefore be appropriate and not simply to obtain more backlinks. Will the press release only be published without a backlink? Then don't worry too much about this. The publicity is already very nice. Better luck next time!
3. Write guest blogs
Writing guest blogs has been used for years to get more backlinks. However, according to Google, this is not a legitimate way to collect links. In fact, when they notice that this is done too often, it can even be punished.
Yet, there is also a comment to be made here. Sometimes, articles are written with the sole purpose of processing a backlink. This can be clearly seen in the quality of the article. In that case, it is entirely justified to penalise the article. However, this does not apply to all guest blogs. When you really put all your time in a great article, an article that is both unique and will be found interesting, and in it you make a small reference to your own website, then in most cases this will not do any harm to your ranking position. In short, only write valuable content and share it on other blogs. If a reference to your website fits in the article, you can just do that. Does it not fit? Then leave it alone. The publicity alone also has an effect on your SEO.
The most important thing is not to let yourself be led by all the possible rules and to process as many links as possible. Make sure that your website is valuable and interesting. That it can really give and share something that the target group can benefit from. This way you will automatically obtain a better authority position. Do you still not manage to score higher? Then call in a link building company to help you on your way. The first step towards SEO backlinks is then made.