Backlinks or outbound links are links between two websites. They are one of the SEO criteria that Google and other search engines take into account when ranking a website on the search engine results page (SERP).
Backlinks are links between two websites that are strategically placed to guide traffic between relevant content.
Backlinks are one of the most difficult criteria to manage within any SEO strategy, but also one of the most influential in a website’s ranking.
Backlinks act as quality indicators for search engines, as they understand that if a website has linked to content, it is because it is quality content that is useful to its users.
When ranking a website, search engines consider the quantity and quality of backlinks. With each link received (as long as it is high quality and not spam), websites gain authority. The higher the authority, the greater the chances of ranking in the top positions of the SERPs.
How it affects SEO: Quality links
Search engines are not satisfied with just any links. For a backlink strategy to work properly, the links must come from higher authority websites. In this way, part of that authority is transmitted through the link.
To know if a link is of quality or not, you can use SEO tools to analyze the website it comes from. Tools like Moz’s Mozbar allow you to analyze the domain authority (DA) and page authority (PA).
Another characteristic that backlinks must meet is that they must be natural. This means they should not be part of a paid strategy, nor should they come from “link farms” (although this type of strategy has not existed on the Internet for years). The best backlinks are those received spontaneously, that is, because of the quality of the content.
Purchased or paid links do not work well, as they are usually forced links that have nothing to do with the content. Search engines penalize this type of content, as they are able to “understand” that the link has nothing to do with the content and, therefore, is an artificial link.
It is important that when a user follows a link, the destination web page offers content that enriches the user experience, either by expanding the information on the same topic or by providing extra information necessary to understand the topic at hand. If the user ends up on content that has nothing to do with the topic, search engines will mark that link as low quality.
Anchor text
Anchor texts (the text in which the link is implemented, also called “anchor text”) should also be natural. It is possible to use texts that exactly match the keyword being used, but it is also possible to use branded anchor texts or even implement the link in an image.
However, it is best for the anchor text to be concise and relevant for the ranking of the web page or content that will receive the link, making it very clear what the keyword and topic are to which the user is being directed. Therefore, the closer the anchor text is to an exact match, the better for ranking.
The position of the backlink within the web page is also important, as the closer to the beginning it is, the more relevance is given to the linked pages.
