You’re running a business, you’ve built a great website, and you’re pouring effort into SEO. Yet you keep asking yourself, what are backlinks in SEO—and why should you care? Backlinks (also called inbound links) are links on other sites that point back to yours. Think of them like votes in a popularity contest. Search engines see those votes and reward the most “popular” pages with higher rankings.
In this guide you’ll learn why backlinks matter, how they boost your authority, and the smart ways to earn and monitor them. By the end you’ll have a clear plan for building a backlink profile that works for your business.
Define backlinks in SEO
Backlinks are simply links from one website to another. On your site’s pages, you create outbound links to other resources. On someone else’s site, an inbound link that points to you is a backlink.
Here’s how backlinks usually work
- Anchor text: the clickable words users see
- Dofollow vs nofollow: tells search engines whether to pass authority
- Editorial vs user-generated: links placed by an editor or by users in comments
- Resource links: pages linking out to useful tools and guides
Backlink types range from guest post mentions to social shares. To dive deeper, check out our complete list of types of backlinks in seo.
Explore link authority
Not all backlinks carry the same weight. A link from a major news outlet boosts your credibility more than a link from a low-traffic forum. Search engines assess authority by looking at things like domain reputation, topic relevance, and the link’s placement in content.
Want to know how to spot a high-quality link? Look for these traits
- Trusted domain: high domain rating or authority score
- Contextual relevance: link sits in relevant, in-depth content
- Natural anchor text: fits the sentence without keyword stuffing
- Unique source: each new domain adds fresh authority
You can audit your profile with backlink analysis tools and keep an eye on new mentions using backlink monitoring tools.
Explain ranking impact
Backlinks remain one of Google’s top ranking factors. They help search engines crawl your site, understand your niche, and decide whether to trust your content. Without a healthy backlink profile, your pages may never climb beyond page two of search results.
Key benefits of strong backlinking
- Higher rankings in search engine result pages (SERPs)
- More referral traffic from relevant industry sites
- Faster indexing thanks to discovery through links
- Increased domain authority and brand awareness
According to one analysis of 912 million articles, 94% of all content receives zero inbound links. The takeaway? You need a plan that attracts attention and encourages others to link.
Show link building methods
Ready to earn more votes for your site? Let’s walk through proven tactics you can start using today.
Create link-worthy content
Your foundation is content that people want to share and cite. That could be original research, how-to guides, infographics, or interactive tools.
- Identify gaps in existing resources
- Produce in-depth studies or data reports
- Package insights visually with charts or infographics
- Promote your assets on social media and email outreach
Conduct targeted outreach
Reaching out personally can open doors to guest posts and feature mentions.
- Find relevant sites accepting contributions
- Craft a personalized pitch highlighting mutual benefit
- Provide a ready-to-publish draft or outline
- Include one natural backlink to your guide or tool
Use the moving man method
This approach turns outdated resources into your opportunity.
- Spot old or broken pages in your niche
- Find sites linking to those resources
- Reach out offering your updated page as a replacement
- Secure redirected or new backlinks
Reclaim broken or lost links
Sometimes links to your site break when pages move or domains expire.
- Run a crawl with your monitoring tools
- Identify 404 errors or lost domains
- Contact site owners and request an updated link
- Offer additional value (new data or insights)
Leverage HARO opportunities
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) connects you with journalists who need expert quotes.
- Sign up on HARO’s free or paid plan
- Respond promptly with concise, well-sourced answers
- Include your name, title, and a link to your site
- Track published mentions and backlinks
For more tactics like digital PR, infographics, and testimonials, explore our backlink building strategies.
Monitor link health
Building links feels great, but you also need to protect and maintain them over time.
Track new and lost links
Regularly review fresh backlinks and watch for drop-offs. Set alerts in your backlink monitoring tools so you never miss a mention.
Identify toxic backlinks
Not all links help. Spammy, unrelated sites can hurt your rankings.
- Look for backlinks from link farms or PBNs
- Flag links with over-optimized anchor text
- Check if domains have a history of penalties
Disavow harmful links
If you uncover truly toxic links, use Google’s disavow tool.
- Compile a list of bad domains or URLs
- Submit a disavow file in Search Console
- Monitor your rankings for recovery signs
Summarize key takeaways
- Define backlinks as inbound links that point to your site
- Quality matters more than quantity—aim for relevant, trusted domains
- Robust backlinking boosts rankings, referral traffic, and brand trust
- Use proven methods like broken link building, HARO, and the moving man approach
- Keep your profile healthy with regular audits and disavows
Now it’s your turn. Pick one tactic—maybe reclaim a lost link or pitch a high-authority guest post—and put it into action. Have a backlink success story? Share it in the comments so everyone can learn from your win.
