This article will explain what backlinks are and how to build them so that your website can rank higher in Google. Backlinks are a great way to get your site ranked higher in search engines. They can be the difference between being number one for your search term and not even showing up on page two of Google.
In this article, I'll cover how backlinks work, why they're so important, and how to build them correctly so that your site can rank high in Google.
What exactly is a backlink? A backlink is when another website links to yours. It's basically a vote of confidence from a person or organization that your content is worth linking to. The more authoritative sites that link to you, the higher you ranking search results for certain keywords and phrases. This makes building links one of the most important factors in ranking well in search engines.
Google wants to give users the best possible results, and they've found that giving higher rankings for sites with more links works better than just using keywords. If you click on a link from another website, it's because you trust that site and want to see what else they recommend. It seems like if other people think your content is great, then it must be! The fact that Google takes into account how many people link to you when determining where your site ranks show that having high-quality backlinks is very important.
There are three main ways websites get their first links (or earned links). They either have a blog with high-quality content, publish guest posts on authoritative sites, or have other authority sites link directly to them. All three of these methods require you to put in a lot of work, but it can get easier after your first few links. Let's look at each method separately so that you know how backlinks are built and what you'll need for each strategy:
1. Establishing an authoritative blog Getting backlinks from blogs is one of the most effective strategies for getting a Google ranking boost because it's foolproof. For example, let's say I have a website about dog training and I'm trying to rank for the keyword "how to train small dogs." If my site isn't ranked highly enough yet, then people searching for that keyword will likely click on the first result (if it's relevant to their needs). The problem is, if my website ranks number two or three and I don't have many backlinks yet, other sites can outrank me just because there are more links pointing to them. By having an authoritative blog that outranks my site in search rankings, then my content not only has a chance to rank higher but also keeps others from being able to outrank me by building more links.
You might be thinking: "Well, I want to get a link from someone else's blog so they can help me with SEO!" That doesn't work. You can't just email someone and say "Hey! Can you put this link on your site?" It doesn't work like that. You need to build your authority first either through your blog or other means.
2. Guest posting on authoritative sites If you want the best link building tactic, then guest posting is it. In fact, this is how almost all of the websites with high-quality content get their links. They publish guest posts on authoritative blogs and are rewarded by being given a link back from those sites (if they do it right). Again, there's a catch here: you can't just find any old blog and email them asking for a free post. The key here is finding someone who has an audience that is relevant to yours and offering something valuable in exchange for putting your link on their site (and having your content pass on the value).
3. Other authority sites link to you If your site is authoritative, then other people will want to link to you because it improves their own SEO rankings. This isn't likely to happen until your blog or website has a few backlinks already and the search engines recognize that fact. You should also try reaching out through social media in case anyone wants to share your content.
However, even if someone links to you without any incentive, it's still very important not to buy those links. Buying backlinks will get your site penalized by Google since they know these types of tactics are used for manipulation (and never work in the long run). By ever buying from a service promising free traffic or ranking improvement, you can count on losing a lot of time and money.
You should also watch out for people who contact you asking for your website's backlinks in exchange for something else (or telling you that they have an opportunity to get them). In addition to getting blacklisted by Google, these types of outreach attempts are often used by scammers trying to take advantage of unsuspecting webmasters. Be sure that you don't provide anyone with links without first making sure that they're legitimate. Make use of monitoring tools like Open Site Explorer or Majestic SEO.
Getting high-quality links is essential for any type of long-term success online because it increases the authority and trustworthiness of your site. If done right, building links will lead to more visitors and more earnings.
The most effective strategies for getting a Google ranking boost are often the ones that go against what you might think. For example, don't buy links or have someone else do it who doesn't know your industry. Also, guest posting on authoritative sites with content related to yours is best because they will link back and help build up your site's credibility in the eyes of search engines. Other authority sites may also be willing to link to you if they find value in your website; so keep an eye out for those opportunities too! Finally, never give away any of your valuable backlinks unless they're legitimate outreach attempts from people within your industry (or even then).
Good luck!