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Can you help me get SEO advantages of backlinks explained?

Before anything else, let’s have a look at the main glossary about backlinks in SEO. You should know these normal terms about web links themselves and the process of link building at scale. Let's look through the very basics about backlinks explained with the core definitions.

The Very Basics About Backlinks Explained

Link Juice

Link Juice - stands for a general estimate, rather than a definite measurement. Link juice is a would-be “power,” “value,” and “authority” of a link passed from one web page to another. This term is used to give reference to quality backlinks with DoFollow attribute inserted in HTML code. Such backlinks are commonly intended to pass or redistribute one of the most important web link metrics known as PageRank score.

Backlinks with DoFollow 

DoFollow links - are the only type of backlinks to be used for SEO purpose. Put simply, a strong power of backlinks with DoFollow revolves mainly around their ability to pass Link Juice. These links serve for indexing purposes - I mean they help search crawling bots navigate through different sections and pages of your site or blog. At the same time, backlinks with DoFollow are offering an external path pointing to the destination page elsewhere out on the Web. It means that every live user is allowed to “follow” the path of such linked connection.

Backlinks with NoFollow

NoFollow backlinks can be explained the other kind of links, however, having nearly zero weight and influence in SEO. Embedded with the NoFollow tag, these links can’t pass Link Juice. Hence, they’ve got no direct impact on page ranking position. For example, NoFollow links can be used when you need to set an external connection with not fully trusted website or blog. Nevertheless, they are still useful for better indexing and can help you build a diverse portfolio of various links with unequal power and purpose. And particularly diversity is the most benefitting property of your link profile. I mean this signal is critical enough for Google to be taken into account when it comes to awarding search ranking positions. 

Low-Quality Backlinks

This category of backlinks can be explained as low-quality connections usually created in a desperate attempt to elevate current search ranking positions at all cost. I mean that betting on spammy, irrelevant or even illegal destinations, these links are more likely to harm your overall SEO effort, rather than give any real improvement. That’s why you should be warned and steer away from low-quality links commonly spawned in massive amounts from link wheels (links exchanges), PBNs (private blog networks), or unscrupulous providers offering seemingly natural paid links for sale.

Internal Links

This type of link building is used to give a solid foundation to website architecture, contributing to better and more user-friendly browsing experience. Internal links are giving the passage within the same domain - just making it easier to navigate through different sections and related pages within a website or blog. Note, however, that a good logical structure is still a quite measurable signal, which can contribute to a potentially higher search ranking position in the longer run, at least indirectly.

Nik Chaykovskiy
Thank you all for joining the discussion on this important topic!
Andrew Smith
Quality link building definitely plays a crucial role in SEO. It helps to improve website authority and visibility.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Absolutely, Andrew! Quality backlinks from authoritative and relevant sources can significantly boost organic search rankings.
Susan Thompson
But what about the risk of spammy backlinks? Don't they hurt SEO instead?
Nik Chaykovskiy
That's a great point, Susan. Low-quality or spammy backlinks can indeed be detrimental to SEO. It's crucial to focus on acquiring high-quality and natural backlinks to avoid any penalties from search engines.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Jessica! Building relationships with industry influencers, creating valuable content, and using outreach techniques are effective strategies for obtaining high-quality backlinks.
Mark Johnson
Can we solely rely on link building for SEO success, or are there other important factors as well?
Nik Chaykovskiy
Great question, Mark! While quality link building is crucial, it should be combined with other SEO factors like on-page optimization, technical SEO, and providing a great user experience.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Absolutely, David! Backlinks continue to be a strong ranking signal, along with content quality. They work together to establish your website's authority and relevance.
Emily Adams
I've heard that internal links within a website also contribute to SEO. Is that true?
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Emily! Internal links help search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your website's content. They can also improve user navigation, which positively impacts SEO.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Anchor text plays a significant role in SEO, Maria. It helps search engines understand the context and relevance of the linked content. It's essential to use descriptive and relevant anchor text for better SEO results.
Richard Evans
I've heard of the term 'nofollow' attributes for links. How do they impact SEO?
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Amy, it is possible to remove harmful backlinks. The first step would be to reach out to the website owner where the backlink is located and politely request its removal. If unsuccessful, you can use Google's Disavow Tool to indicate to search engines that you don't want those links to be considered as part of your website's backlink profile.
Sarah Turner
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Nik! This discussion has been very insightful.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Both options have their pros and cons, Daniel. It ultimately depends on your resources and expertise. If you have the necessary skills and time, keeping it in-house can be beneficial for better control. However, outsourcing to an experienced agency can provide specialized knowledge and save time.
Nik Chaykovskiy
There are several great tools available, Donald. Some popular ones include Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, and Majestic. These tools can help analyze your backlinks, monitor their quality, and provide valuable insights for your link building strategy.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Internal links do contribute to passing link equity within your website, Hannah. It's important to have a well-structured internal linking strategy to distribute link equity and improve the visibility of important pages.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Both high authority websites and relevant niche websites have their advantages, William. Ideally, a combination of both would be beneficial. High authority websites offer credibility, while relevant niche websites provide context and relevance to your website's industry.
Nik Chaykovskiy
No, Oliver, the anchor text does not need to be an exact match for the target keyword. It's more important to maintain relevancy and natural language. Variation in anchor text helps search engines understand the context and avoids over-optimization penalties.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Sophia! You can use plugins like Yoast SEO (for WordPress) or Screaming Frog to assist with internal link optimization. These tools offer features and suggestions to improve your internal linking structure.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Link building is a continuous process that takes time, Laura. The impact on SEO results may vary, but typically you should start seeing improvements within a few weeks to a few months, depending on various factors such as website authority, competition, and content quality.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Sophie, it can be beneficial to have internal links between different language versions of a website. It helps search engines discover the alternative versions and improves user navigation between the languages, providing a better user experience.
Nik Chaykovskiy
It's beneficial to acquire backlinks from both homepages and internal pages, Robert. Backlinks from relevant internal pages can provide additional context and relevance to specific content on your website, while homepage backlinks contribute to overall website authority.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Seeing immediate SEO results solely through backlinking would be unrealistic, Alex. It's important to approach link building as a long-term strategy for sustainable and ongoing SEO success.
Nik Chaykovskiy
When using the Google Disavow Tool, Grace, it's essential to be cautious and ensure that you are only disavowing spammy or harmful backlinks. Incorrectly disavowing quality backlinks can potentially impact your website's SEO performance.
Emma Thompson
I agree with Sarah. Thank you, Nik, for sharing valuable insights!
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, William! Internal links can help distribute link equity to low-performing pages and provide them with additional visibility and ranking potential within your website.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Definitely, George! Each industry may have unique considerations when building backlinks. It's important to focus on industry relevance, specialized directories, and authoritative publications in your industry for better results.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Ryan! As search engines evolve, aspects like linkless mentions, social signals, and influencer collaborations are gaining importance. Keep an eye on emerging trends and incorporate them into your link building strategy for better SEO results.
Nik Chaykovskiy
The relevance of the content surrounding the backlink is important, Benjamin. While an exact match of anchor text or target keyword isn't necessary, it's beneficial if the content provides context and is related to the linked topic.
Nik Chaykovskiy
For multi-language websites, Ethan, it's recommended to use hreflang tags to indicate language and regional targeting. Additionally, creating a well-structured site hierarchy and cross-linking related content between languages can improve user experience and SEO performance.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Certainly, Amelia! Outreach techniques can include reaching out to relevant bloggers, journalists, and industry influencers to showcase your valuable content or collaborate on projects. Personalized and genuine outreach efforts often yield better results.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Using the same anchor text for multiple backlinks pointing to the same page can be seen as over-optimization, Thomas. It's recommended to have a varied anchor text strategy to avoid any penalties and maintain a natural link profile.
Nik Chaykovskiy
The speed of acquiring backlinks is not as important as the quality and relevancy of those backlinks, Victoria. It's better to focus on a steady and natural link acquisition process rather than trying to rush or artificially increase the number of backlinks.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Gabriel! Having a mix of follow and nofollow backlinks in your link profile appears more natural to search engines. It helps avoid any suspicions of manipulation and shows that your backlink acquisition is organic and diverse.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Disavowing harmful backlinks can assist in the recovery process from a Google penalty, Sophia. However, it's important to identify the exact cause of the penalty and take appropriate corrective actions to ensure a successful recovery.
Nik Chaykovskiy
One common misconception, Emma, is that acquiring a large number of backlinks quickly will guarantee SEO success. In reality, it's the quality and relevancy of backlinks that matter. Another misconception is that reciprocal link exchanges are highly effective, while they are less valuable nowadays.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Joshua! You can use website crawling tools like Screaming Frog or DeepCrawl to identify broken internal links on your website. These tools provide comprehensive reports on issues like broken links, 404 pages, and more.
Nik Chaykovskiy
When assessing the quality of backlinks, William, consider metrics like domain authority, relevance to your website's niche, trustworthiness, and the link's organic traffic potential. These metrics can help identify high-quality backlinks.
Nik Chaykovskiy
The number of outbound links from a page can impact the value of backlinks, Ella. Generally, the more outbound links a page has, the less value each individual backlink receives. It's beneficial to obtain backlinks from pages with a reasonable number of outbound links to maintain their value.
Nik Chaykovskiy
While there may not be direct penalties, Sophia, linking to irrelevant or low-quality websites can negatively impact your website's credibility and user experience. It's advisable to link to reputable and relevant sources to maintain the integrity of your content and preserve user trust.
Nik Chaykovskiy
There's no specific ideal number or percentage, Harper. Focus on acquiring natural and diverse backlinks. While a healthy mix of follow and nofollow backlinks is recommended, the exact ratio can vary depending on your industry, content, and acquisition methods.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Both guest posting and content promotion have their benefits, Benjamin. Guest posting can help build authority and reach a new audience, while content promotion can attract natural backlinks. It's recommended to have a balanced approach by incorporating both strategies into your overall link building plan.
Nik Chaykovskiy
To determine if a website is considered authoritative, Alex, you can consider factors like its domain authority, backlink profile, organic traffic, industry recognition, and engagement metrics. These indicators help in assessing the overall credibility and authority of a website.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Isabella, internal links can help reduce website bounce rates by engaging visitors with relevant content suggestions. When strategically placed, they can guide users to explore more pages within your website, increasing their session duration and lowering bounce rates.
Nik Chaykovskiy
When conducting outreach for backlinks, it's important to practice ethical approaches, Lucas. Always provide value to the person you're reaching out to, personalize your requests, and respect their time. Avoid aggressive or spammy tactics that may harm your brand's reputation.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Both strategies have their benefits, Charles. Having backlinks from various domains establishes your website's credibility and diverse visibility. However, multiple backlinks from a single high-authority domain can also contribute to your website's authority. A combination of both approaches is often ideal.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Sophie! Internally linking to external websites that provide valuable resources for your users is a good practice. It can enhance the user experience and showcase your commitment to providing relevant and comprehensive information.
Nik Chaykovskiy
Yes, Evelyn! If backlinks are originating from websites with a bad reputation or that engage in shady practices, it's advisable to remove or disavow those backlinks. You want to protect your website's reputation and avoid any association with untrustworthy sources.
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