Back then, keyword stuffing was the best way to manipulate search engine algorithms to rank your web pages. However, these days are now long gone.
In 1997, Google created PageRank. This changed how search engines work.
Instead of keywords being the main ranking factor, reputation became the new big deal. This reputation gets passed from other websites through backlinks, which are now a core part of SEO (search engine optimization).
Backlinks are what Google’s page rank algorithm is built on. When Google first hit the scene, using backlinks was a major way they set themselves apart. They treated backlinks like citations in a research paper, essentially saying, "If a bunch of credible sites think this page is important, then we’ll give it more authority too."
By using backlinks in this way, Google didn’t just rank pages based on how many times a keyword showed up, but by how other trustworthy sites viewed the quality and relevance of the content.
This approach completely changed the game for search results, making trust and authority from other websites key factors in how pages were ranked.
But wait… What about internal and external links?
Well, they all work together. Backlinks build a reputation (domain ranking). Internal links pass reputation throughout a website (link juice). And external links (to reputable sources) increase the value of a piece of content.
As you can see, it's full circle. So, it's imperative to understand how all three types of links work so you can create strategies to maximize SEO success.
The Different Types of Links for SEO
In total, there are three primary types of links for SEO:
- Internal Links: This links one page to another on your website.
- External Links: This is a link from your website to another website.
- Backlinks: This is a link from another website to your personal website.
They all have a purpose, some more than others, but equally, all are very important.
Internal Links
Internal links are hyperlinks that link pages on the same website together-for example, linking from your website's home page to your website's service page.
Type of Internal Links
There are several types of internal links. All are used in a similar fashion but have different outcomes.
- Navigational Links: These are usually on a site-wide menu and link all collections/products together.
- Footer Links: These are like navigational links. However, they're at the bottom of the website and point to different areas of a website, such as an "about" or an "FAQ" page.
- Contextual Links: These are usually found on long-form content, like blog posts, and link to other content written by the same website.
- Sidebar Links: These are another type of navigational link, but they're on a website's sidebar. They're usually on a blog post and help users find related content.
Why Internal Links are Important for SEO
Internal Links are significant for many reasons. Some of the main reasons include the following:
- They help with user experience and navigation.
- They pass link equity through a website.
- They help search engines crawl your sitemap.
Internal Linking Best Practices
Understand Site Structure
For internal linking to be effective, you need to understand site structure. This will help:
- Flow link juice through your website.
- Search engine crawlers understand what's on your website.
- Traffic navigates through your website with ease.
When you understand your site structure, you can effectively flow link juice throughout your website to increase domain ratings while helping crawlers identify new web pages.
Choose the Right Anchor Text
When internal linking, use brief, relevant, and optimized anchor text. Don't use the same anchor text repeatedly; this can be classified as spam.
Audit Monthly/Bi-Monthly
Audit broken links that lead to error pages (404, etc.) to ensure optimal website crawl ability and link juice flow. These waste crawl budgets and decrease potential SEO performance.
Think User Experience
When using internal links, consider the user. Ask yourself, "Does it benefit the user?" This alone can help you determine how necessary the link is.
For example, for an email link, use "mailto"; for image links, use "<img> tag"; for internal linking to content/pages, only internal link to relevant, helpful content/pages.
External Links
External links (or outbound links) are hyperlinks from one website to another. For example, you hyperlink a reference in a blog post to the actual source to give credit to them.
Type of External Links
There are two different types of external links. The website owner determines which kind of external link is used.
- Nofollow Links: These links tell search engines not to pass ranking signals to the hyperlinked page.
- Dofollow Links: These links tell search engines to pass ranking signals to the hyperlinked page.
So that some platforms have automatic nofollow links. For example, on a social media post.
Why External Links are Important for SEO
External links are very important for SEO. Some of the primary reasons include the following:
- They increase content credibility and value.
- They improve partnering possibilities with other websites.
When you link to high-quality sources, you're backing up your claims, making your content more trustworthy for both readers and search engines. It shows you’ve done your research and aren't just making things up.
Citing sources also builds a more ethical and transparent web. Plus, when you reference experts or data, linking out gives your readers more info and adds credibility to your content.
External Linking Best Practices
Link to Relevant Sources
Don't use any old links. Use links that are relevant to the content and add value. For example, statistics, research, videos, etc., that back up what you're discussing.
Link to Authoritative Sources
When linking, use authoritative sources -not any link. Government websites and platforms like Research Gate are examples. These are sources that have a lot of trust and value.
Optimize Anchor Text
Like with internal linking, external linking requires brief, relevant, and optimized anchor text. It should also be a natural link-don't force it in.
Open Links in a New Tab
The easiest fix? Just make external links open in a new tab or window. This way, your website stays open in the background, so users can check out the link and easily come back without having to navigate back themselves.
Prioritize Internal Links
Before sending users off to another site, guide them through your own content. By linking internally first, you give users more reasons to stick around and explore what you have to offer.
Make Sure the Links Fit the Context
Only link to external sites that directly relate to what users are reading about on your page. Not only does this improve SEO, but it also ensures users won’t feel like they’re being sent off on a random detour.
Provide a Summary
Instead of just dropping an external link, offer a quick rundown of what users will find there. This gives them the core info upfront and makes them less likely to leave immediately.
Encourage Users to Return
A simple reminder like, “Come back for more tips after checking this out!” can be surprisingly effective. It lets users know they’re not done with your site yet, which can prompt them to come back for more.
Use Visual Cues
Add an icon or some kind of visual hint to show users that the link will take them off your site. This transparency makes for a better experience and can even build trust, which can keep users coming back.
Backlinks
Backlinks (or inbound or incoming links) come from other websites that aren't yours. They are links from their web page to your web page. This is usually because of a statistic, a case study, a tool, or something similar, which grants you credit for your valuable content.
Type of Backlinks
Like the other types of links, backlinks have a few different types. Some offer much more rewards (regarding website performance) than others.
- Follow: These don't need attributes like nofollow links. They suggest to search engines that they should follow this link, and it should pass link juice to the source.
- rel= "nofollow": These signal to search engines that the linking sites don't endorse or pass authority to the linked website.
- rel= "sponsored" indicates the link is part of a paid advertisement or sponsorship.
- rel= "UGC": This suggests the link is within user-generated content, like blog comments or forum posts.
The best type of backlink is "Follow." However, not all "Follow" links offer the same value.
"Follow" links that appear naturally, are from highly reputable and relevant sources, and don't appear paid for will impact website performance the most.
Why Backlinks are Important for SEO
Valuable backlinks have the most significant impact on a website's performance. Though other factors like on-page SEO, technical performance, and content quality help websites perform, backlinks contribute the most.
Some of the main reasons why they're so crucial for search engine optimization include some of the following:
- They make websites seem more trustworthy.
- They help increase a website's page rank and domain authority.
- They move the needle the most (regarding SEO performance).
Backlinks are still one of the main ingredients in Google's search algorithm because they play a big part in proving a website’s trustworthiness and authority. When Google first launched, it completely changed the game by using backlinks in a way that mimicked academic citations. Basically, when reliable and well-known websites link to a page, it’s like a signal to Google saying, "Hey, this content is solid and worth trusting."
Why Backlinks Still Matter
Just like citations back up research papers, backlinks from trusted sites validate the content on your website. If a site with good credibility links to yours, it shows Google your page has some weight and authority.
Sites with a good number of quality backlinks tend to be seen as more authoritative. This helps Google figure out which pages should show up higher in search results.
How Things Have Changed Since 2008
Back in 2008, backlinks really started to become a huge part of SEO. The focus then was often on getting as many links as possible, but that's shifted over time. Now, Google’s algorithm is much smarter and cares more about where the link is coming from and whether it’s actually useful or just spam.
Quality Over Quantity
Relevance: It’s not just about having tons of backlinks anymore. Where the links come from matters a lot. Getting a few links from high-authority sites in your industry is way more valuable than tons of links from random, low-quality pages.
Organic vs. Paid: Links that come naturally because your content is valuable are much more effective than ones you pay for or try to artificially create.
Even though Google’s algorithm has evolved, backlinks still have a huge impact on search rankings. The trick is focusing on getting quality, relevant links. By building a solid backlink profile, you’re not only improving your site’s authority, but you’re also boosting its chances of ranking well in search results-making backlinks a key piece of the SEO puzzle that never really goes out of style.
Backlinking Best Practices
Create Linkable Assets
Creating linkable assets should be a number one priority when making a link-building strategy.
Search engines forbid paid links. They want editorial links, which are naturally given to a website.
So, the safest and most organic way to get links is to link-worthy content that deserves them. Consider unique research/case studies, custom infographics, tools, etc.
Make A Dream 100 List
Think about the top 100 websites in your niche and list them. You aim to form a link-building strategy around them and try to get a link from each. These will be incredibly powerful for your search engine rankings.
Once you have a list of the top 100 websites, target and build relationships with their owners, digital marketing managers, or anyone else who may have the power to backlink to your website in the future.
This will take time. It'll also take a lot of effort. However, one high-quality backlink from a top industry player beats thousands of poor links every single time.
Use Guest Blogging
Guest posts are also great for building backlinks. It's the perfect trade. You create high-quality content for another website, and they reward you with a backlink.
If you choose the right guest blogging opportunity, you may get referral traffic, including your target audience.
You can even use a HARO (Help a Report Out) platform like Connectively. With this, journalists are looking for expert insights, which you can reply to. They may pick your advice from here, put it in an article, and link to your website.
Diversify Your Backlinks
If you want to rank for a keyword like "SEO Services in Sydney," many people think all anchor text must be exact for that target keyword. This isn't true.
Yes, a few backlinks with the anchor text "SEO Services in Sydney" are good, but not always. Otherwise, this looks spammy and bought.
As a result, your backlinks (or backlink profile) should be diverse. Make your link profile appear natural. Try to get some that like "SEO in Sydney, Australia," "SEO Specialist in Sydney," or perhaps "SEO professional in aus.
Digital PR for Backlinks
Digital PR is all about promoting your brand online to get more visibility and improve your search rankings.
There are four main phases to a good digital PR campaign:
Ideation Phase
Ideation means coming up with creative ideas for your campaign. Here are some techniques to help you generate ideas:
- Brainstorming: Gather your team and start sharing ideas. Write everything down, even the wild ones. One person should lead the session to keep things on track.
- Worst Idea: Consider the worst possible ideas. This exercise can help you find the best ones by contrast and is often fun.
- Mind Mapping: Write down a main idea and then branch out with related ideas. This is great for visual thinkers.
- Sketching: Draw your ideas. You don't need to be an artist; simple sketches can help visualize the concept.
Choose a topic that your audience will find interesting. This could be how-to guides, news, or creative uses of your products. Knowing your audience well helps you create content they'll love.
Research if similar campaigns have been done before. This helps you see what worked and what didn't so you can improve or avoid those ideas. Keeping an eye on the news can also spark fresh ideas.
Create the Narrative
A good campaign tells a story. Here's how to craft your narrative:
- Design: Create catchy slogans and memorable visuals. Decide on colors and designs that match your brand or are specific to the campaign.
- Keywords: Use relevant keywords in your slogans and narrative.
- Relevance: Ensure your campaign is creative but still relevant to your brand.
Build an Outreach List
Now, figure out where to share your story. Research journalists and news outlets that might be interested in your campaign. Only send your press release to some; target those most likely to be interested.
- Database: Maintain a list of contacts and what they typically cover.
- Relationships: Build relationships with journalists. This makes it easier to get your story picked up in the future.
Pitching Phase
It's time to pitch your campaign. Make sure you have everything ready:
- Assets: Prepare images, interviews, graphics, and data.
- Quick Response: Be ready to respond quickly if a journalist shows interest.
If a journalist mentions your brand but doesn't include a link, feel free to ask them to add one.
A successful digital PR campaign involves developing creative ideas, crafting a compelling story, targeting the right journalists, and pitching your campaign effectively.
Here's a video about digital PR and it's relationship to SEO:
Final Word
After reading the above, you should better understand the different link types. You should also know the importance of high-quality links. This is not only for backlinks but also for external and internal links.
Though backlinks are most important, internal and external links still play an essential part in SEO performance. They work together.
As you get more backlinks, your page rank increases. As you internal link pages with backlinks, your website domain authority rises. As you external link to other websites online, you improve your website credibility and invite website owners to link to you in the future.
Backlinks are important-very important. However, the impact is greater with internal and external links. Therefore, focus on all three. This way, you'll get the most out of your website's performance.