Why are Backlinks Important in SEO?

What is backlink? It is rather a link pointing towards one particular domain from another. It is referred to as an ‘outbound link’ for the site that links out and ‘inbound link’ for the site receiving the link. The net can be termed to be a collection of links, web pages, and domains. WWW (World Wide Web) refers to a wide range of sites published on the net and connected through links. Backlinks are created as one site links with another. It is something different when compared to having links pointing to pages present on the same site, referred to as internal links.

Importance of backlinks for SEO

The truth is SEO experts and webmasters give a lot of importance to link building and backlinks. Why are backings pointing towards your site? Google Founders, namely, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, include several backlinks pointing towards the site. Google’s ranking algorithm used it as a signal. This idea is quite simple and is still valid today. They display reliability. This means sites with a higher number of backlinks can enjoy a better position in Google SERPs. However, with time things have changed and now it is no longer considered to be a numbers game. Rather, quality is given more preference. Sites with better quality backlinks do enjoy better rankings.

Are they still relevant and important?

Yes! They are crucial for SEO. When Google rankings are concerned, sites with the strongest links enjoy deriving top positions.

Backlink and Off-Page SEO

The term Off-Page SEO is used to specify the process to promote your site over the web. The objective is to gain links (references) derived from other sites. This is crucial during the ranking process. Algorithms hold backlinks as an important factor to indicate site popularity. Hence, a site with plenty of backlinks enjoys more popularity, thereby deriving a higher ranking.

Examples

Consider twenty sites to be blogging on similar topics. Each publishes superior quality content, is easy to use, fast, and offers an amazing user experience. Then in Google query, which sites are likely to occupy the top slots in SERPs? It is here that backlinks play a crucial role. Sites with links derived from other relevant sites from the web are likely to be noticed at the top slot. They will also enjoy getting increased organic web traffic. But remember, it is no longer a numbers game. This means the number of links you have managed to get for your site simply does not matter. What exactly matters is where such links are taken from.

What constitutes a good backlink?

The importance of backlinks of this type is that it influences positively your rankings. It shows the following features:

1. Doesn’t have ‘nofollow’ attributed attacks to link properties.

2. Derived from a related site.

3. Derived from a superior quality site.

4. Derived from a site with greater domain authority and enhanced Google trust.

What constitutes a bad backlink?

The following are the characteristics displayed by a bad backlink:

1. Results from link exchange

2. Derived from a site with low domain authority and Google trust.

3. Derived from low-quality sites like article directories.

4. Manipulation of Google rankings being the sole objective

5. Derived from a site with no or little original content.

Toxic backlinks, if present in plenty on any site, are likely to face a penalty from Google. This can either be for a specific webpage or site-wide, thereby causing the site to lose its valuable Google rankings.

It is important to be aware of the changes introduced constantly to Google Algorithm. If you do understand the backlinks and their importance, then contact industry professionals for support.