Last updated on October 18th, 2022 at 05:41 am
You can think of search engine optimization as a well-oiled machine. It has many moving parts, and you need to get them all right if you want your site to position well. If you’re new to the game, there’s plenty to learn. But today, you’re here to find out about the importance of backlinks for SEO. So, let’s get right into it.
Backlinks help your domain and pages build authority, which is one of the vital factors for ranking high. And that’s just scratching the surface. There are many more benefits these bring to your site. We’ll mention them all and explain how to use them to your advantage. But first, we need to cover the basics.
What Are Backlinks?
Simply put, a backlink is a link from a page on one website to a page on another site. They’re valuable for SEO, and as such, they’re part of every good digital marketing strategy. There are two basic types of backlinks you can get.
- Dofollow backlinks. These pass on the strength of a website they’re coming from. It’s like they’re ”telling” the algorithm that what they’re leading to is valuable.
- Nofollow backlinks. These won’t add the strength from other sites to yours. However, they’re still great for driving traffic, and Google wants to see them as well.
Every now and then, a word gets out on the street that the significance of backlinks has dropped. Maybe you’re even here because that’s what you’ve heard. Don’t let the rumors fool you — backlinks are the bedrock of Google’s Page Rank Algorithm. We can promise you they aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
And with basics out of our way, we can focus on juicy things. Let’s get a bit deeper into it and learn more about why these are so important.
They Raise Brand Awareness
When other websites link to you, it means they believe their readers can benefit from what you’ve posted. So, people are recommending your business to their customers, and that brings you new traffic. Here’s how that works in real life.
For example, let’s say you run a dry-cleaning company. You need more locals to come in, and working on your local SEO will get you there. The first thing you want to do is get yourself one of the tools for tracking performance — to learn where you’re standing. Then, find all the local directories and submit your business to them. Each listing will bring you one quality backlink. People will see more of you online, they’ll be able to read your reviews, and you’ll pop up on Google Maps. If you get a few other sites to mention you on top of that, everyone will know what your business is about.
They Improve Organic Ranking
As you get more links and your authority grows, Google will rank you higher on the SERPs. Ideally, people will come to your website to learn more about things they search for regularly. Hence, you want to determine who your audience is and become their resident source of information.
However, having backlinks from other sites in your niche that get a lot of traffic will get you in an even better position. It works like a confirmation to Google that your site is credible and reliable when it comes to this topic.
Yet, you’ve got to be careful how you get them. It’s a lot of hard work, and if someone offers you something like 100 backlinks for a few hundred dollars, it can be tempting to go for it. But if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You’ll end up with a bunch of low-quality backlinks that will actually hurt your rank.
Backlinks Boost Referral Traffic
We can’t answer the question of what the importance of backlinks for SEO is and not talk about referral traffic. If you spent some time on blogs and forums, you know that you want to get as much of it as possible. Well, guess what — all the traffic you get from backlinks is just the kind you want.
The users who click on links will want to know what you have to say. It’s instant access to the audience you’re targeting. However, it’s your job to keep them on your site and make them want to learn more about what you do. Pay attention to the role of images in SEO, and try to link to your best pieces of content.
You’ll get more visits and a lower bounce rate, both of which influence how high you rank in the SERPs.
They Make Your Business Authoritative
When other people say they read some information on your site or point their visitors toward you to learn more, they position you as an authority on the service or topic. It means that you’re the real pro who has all the answers.
On top of that, Google looks at your backlinks to try and figure out what your website’s about. The more good examples you have, the more material Google’s algorithm will have to study you. It’ll become more aware of what you do, and it’ll recommend you to people who search for something similar.
You’ll Establish Connections Within Your Niche
The chances are that you’ll have to reach out to other people in your niche to get the backlinks you need. It might seem like a hassle now, but it’s a good thing. You’ll get to meet like-minded people, and you can learn from each other. Maybe even a collaboration comes out from your relationship.
Of course, people who might be interested in the things that both you and them offer will see the connection. And if they trust one of you, it’s a signal that they can trust both. Make enough connections, and you’ll be amazed by how quickly your audience grows.
Backlinks Attract New Backlinks
If you get a few quality backlinks from popular sites, that won’t go unnoticed. Other people from the industry will see it, and they’ll start thinking about you like a more significant player. Some of them will link to you without you even asking, and that’s free real estate in our book. If you’re trying to improve your startup sales, you should be aiming for this scenario.
And that concludes our quest to answer the importance of backlinks for SEO is. They’ll help you introduce your brand to people, bring more traffic to your site, and ultimately help you get more sales. They’re a big part of SEO, and be sure not to overlook them when devising your marketing strategy.
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