Types of Backlinks: Which Ones Help Your Website?

What Are Backlinks?

Backlinks are links your website gets from different websites. They’re called “backlinks” due to the fact that they “link back” to your website.

People usage backlinks to sojourn different applicable pages. 

And hunt engines usage backlinks to:

• Follow to the linked page. And recognize its contents.
• Recognize that the linked leafage is apt reputable. And whitethorn beryllium deserving of higher rankings.

Why Do Backlinks Matter successful SEO?

The much backlinks your website has from reputable sources, the much authoritative it tin look to hunt engines.

Which whitethorn assistance it fertile higher.

Our Ranking Factors study recovered that domains with high-ranking pages mostly person much backlinks than domains with lower-ranking ones.

And higher hunt rankings tin pb to much integrated traffic, leads, and sales. 

What Makes a Backlink Valuable?

Backlinks tin amended your hunt rankings. If they conscionable these conditions:

• The backlink is simply a dofollow link: Dofollow links are modular links. Meaning they don’t incorporate “rel” attributes that discourage hunt engines from treating the links arsenic endorsements. (We’ll screen this much later.)
• The backlink is from an authoritative website: If a highly reputable website links to a page, hunt engines whitethorn besides see that leafage highly reputable. And fertile it higher.
• The backlink’s anchor text accurately describes the linked page: Anchor substance is the substance users click to sojourn a link. Backlinks with descriptive anchor substance assistance hunt engines amended recognize linked pages.
• The backlink is recovered connected applicable websites: Search engines whitethorn dainty a backlink arsenic spam if the website it’s connected has small relevance to the leafage it links to. Like a gardening website that links to a leafage connected trucks for nary evident reason.
• The backlink people reads arsenic portion of its surrounding content: Search engines whitethorn presumption links disconnected from the wide contented arsenic spam. One illustration is simply a nexus that appears astatine the extremity of a paragraph without being portion of a sentence.

Where a backlink comes from—editorial publications, forums, societal media, etc.—may besides impact its value.

We’ll explicate that much later. But first, let’s spell implicit the main types of backlinks. 

The 4 Main Types of Backlinks

Dofollow Backlinks

Dofollow backlinks (or travel backlinks) are links without a “rel” property successful the HTML. By default, each hyperlinks are dofollow. 

If you nexus to someone’s website but don’t alteration the HTML code, it would beryllium considered a dofollow backlink.

Dofollow backlinks bespeak you endorse the linked page. And promote hunt engines to observe and perchance fertile the linked pages.

Dofollow links look similar this successful HTML code: 

<a href="https://example.com/">Visit ACME’s homepage</a>

You should usage dofollow backlinks when:

• You’re creating interior links, which are links to different pages connected your website. To assistance hunt engines observe and scale these pages.
• You’re linking to different website’s assets due to the fact that you find it helpful

Nofollow Backlinks

Nofollow backlinks are links with the rel=“nofollow” attribute. Which discourages hunt engines from pursuing the linked page. Or treating the nexus arsenic an endorsement for higher rankings.

Nofollow links look similar this successful HTML code:

<a href="https://example.com/" rel="nofollow">Visit ACME’s homepage</a>

Making your backlink nofollow suggests to Google you don’t privation to subordinate your tract with the linked page. Like if you’re linking to a competitor’s page. 

Sponsored backlinks (also known arsenic paid links) incorporate the rel=“sponsored” attribute. And bespeak that the idiosyncratic inserting the nexus whitethorn get paid for doing so. 

Here’s an illustration of a sponsored backlink:

<a href="https://example.com/" rel="sponsored">Check the latest flight prices (affiliate link)</a>

Search engines mostly don’t instrumentality sponsored backlinks into relationship erstwhile ranking pages.

Why?

Because they presumption these links arsenic little trustworthy.

After all, the idiosyncratic who added the nexus could person done truthful retired of fiscal gain. And not due to the fact that they genuinely thought it was helpful.

Further reading: How Do Affiliate Programs Work?

UGC Backlinks

UGC backlinks are backlinks successful user-generated content. Meaning non-sponsored contented that individuals—as opposed to brands—create connected their own.

Examples of UGC are:

• Social media posts
• Forum posts
• Blog station comments

UGC backlinks person the rel=“ugc” attribute. And they look similar this:

<a href="https://example.com/" rel="ugc">Visit my website</a>

UGC backlinks discourage hunt engines from pursuing the linked pages. Or treating them arsenic endorsements.

This is to combat nexus spam.

For example, a idiosyncratic trying to summation their website’s rankings mightiness spam a forum with dozens of low-quality comments that see links to their website.

So, if you tally a blog wherever users tin taxable UGC, people their links with the “ugc” attribute.

Backlinks That Can Boost Your SEO

Here are immoderate kinds of backlinks that are apt to positively interaction your SEO performance. 

Note that these are each mostly dofollow backlinks. 

Editorial Backlinks

Editorial backlinks are backlinks from publications. Meaning websites (like quality sites and blogs) that nutrient contented chiefly to pass oregon educate.

Editorial publications whitethorn nexus to your contented if it enhances the discussion. Or if they’ve cited it arsenic a source.

For example, Bankrate’s owe calculator received a backlink from online mag Slate:

Receiving dofollow links from editorial publications tin assistance boost your rankings. 

But the publication’s authorization and relevance besides matter.

The much respected the work is wrong your industry, the much value hunt engines volition spot connected its ranking endorsement.

Because these backlinks are truthful valuable, it’s a bully thought to recognize however overmuch of your backlink illustration they marque up.

Open Backlink Audit, participate your domain name, and click “Start Backlink Audit.”

After you travel the configuration steps, you’ll beryllium taken to the “Overview” report. 

Look astatine your “Overall Toxicity Score” to get a consciousness of however steadfast your backlink illustration is.

This 1 is labeled arsenic “Low,” which means astir of its backlinks travel from reputable sources. 

But if yours says “High” oregon “Medium,” that suggests you should prioritize gaining much high-quality backlinks. 

We’ll spell implicit a fewer ways to bash that aboriginal successful this article. 

Image Backlinks

Image backlinks are links from images. Or substance linking to the image’s root oregon creator.

For example, Space.com included a photograph recognition successful 1 of its articles: 

Now, the lensman has a backlink from Space.com. Potentially helping to boost their site’s authority. And rankings.

Video Backlinks

Video backlinks are links to a video’s root oregon creator.

For instance, The Claridge Hotel has provided video credits connected this page:

These credits nexus to the respective video creators’ websites. So, they present person backlinks from the hotel’s website.

Backlinks That Are Less Likely to Help Your SEO

These backlinks won’t assistance to physique your authorization successful the mode the supra ones will. But they whitethorn inactive beryllium beneficial.

Guest Post Backlinks

Guest station backlinks are backlinks from guest posts. Which are articles you constitute for idiosyncratic else’s website oregon blog.

Guest posting tin assistance you scope a wider assemblage and beforehand your brand. And summation backlinks. 

For example, erstwhile a writer contributes a impermanent station to Forbes, they person a backlink to their website successful the writer bio.

But cognize that Google recommends marking impermanent station backlinks arsenic nofollow.

This is due to the fact that the contributor has intentionally added these links to their impermanent post. Making the endorsements little authentic.

But nofollow impermanent station backlinks tin inactive person value. Because they tin nonstop postulation and leads to the contributor’s website. And adjacent summation sales. 

Press Release Backlinks

Press merchandise backlinks are links successful press releases that organizations stock with the media to denote caller concern developments. And they often see links to further information.

For example, this property merchandise from web accessibility solutions supplier UserWay mentions that its solutions are present disposable connected Semrush’s App Center—which it links to.

But arsenic with impermanent station links, these links are often nofollow ones. So, they whitethorn person small interaction connected your hunt rankings.

That said, they tin inactive thrust referral postulation to your site. And perchance pb to much branded searches successful the future.

Further reading: 6 Tips to Make Your Press Release SEO Friendly successful 2024

Comment backlinks are links shared successful forum, blog, societal media station comments.

Here’s 1 successful the remark conception of a One Dog Woof blog post:

Online comments are considered UGC. So, websites often people these links with the rel=“ugc” attribute. And sometimes marque them nofollow arsenic well.

Generally speaking, it’s champion to lone see links successful comments erstwhile you deliberation it genuinely provides adjuvant accusation users are apt to appreciate.

Directory Backlinks

Directory backlinks are links from online directories similar Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor. 

For example, this Tripadvisor listing for Spanish edifice Arroceria Maribel includes a backlink to its website.

Links from directories don’t mostly boost your SEO the mode editorial backlinks do, but they tin supply invaluable referral traffic. 

And Google looks for consistency wrong the accusation you see successful your listings to verify that your tract is trustworthy. Which tin amended your local SEO results. 

Social media backlinks are links from societal media profiles and posts to different websites.

For example, steadfast portion retailer Innocent added a nexus to its website successful its Instagram bio:

Social media platforms thin to adhd the rel=“nofollow” property to backlinks connected their platforms. So, these backlinks whitethorn beryllium little valuable.

But they pb to much referral traffic. And pb to much designation that could interaction your hunt visibility aboriginal on.

Further reading: A 6-Step Guide to Social Media for Small Businesses

Backlinks That Can Harm Your SEO

Backlinks that purpose to manipulate hunt rankings tin wounded your performance.

Paid Dofollow Backlinks

You should never wage for dofollow backlinks. 

This violates Google’s spam policies. And whitethorn effect successful a punishment that decreases your hunt motor visibility.

And cognize that the outgo request not impact money. Giving a idiosyncratic a escaped merchandise truthful they’ll constitute astir it—and nexus to your website—also counts.

If you collaborate with a website for sponsored content, those links should beryllium nofollow oregon sponsored.

Comments and forum posts with unhelpful backlinks oregon an excessive fig of backlinks aren’t going to assistance your rankings. 

They mightiness adjacent harm your SEO show if it’s wide that the poster is trying to manipulate hunt engines.

If you privation to see backlinks successful your forum posts and comments, adhd lone those that genuinely supply worth to the discussion. And sparingly.

And support successful caput that forums whitethorn people your backlinks arsenic UGC anyway. 

Hidden Widget Backlinks

Widgets are apps users tin instal connected a website by inserting a fewer lines of code. Like this upwind widget from Tomorrow.io connected The Shoals Now!’s website:

If you make widgets similar this, they shouldn’t incorporate invisible links backmost to your tract from websites that instal your widget.

But your widget can nexus to your website arsenic a signifier of credit. As agelong arsenic the nexus is disposable and uses the rel=“nofollow” attribute. Like Tomorrow.io’s widget.

This way, the websites that instal your widget won’t inadvertently endorse you.

How to Acquire Valuable Backlinks

Want to get useful, non-spammy backlinks?

Try these tips:

Publish Useful Content

Publishing original, high-quality probe tin assistance you get dofollow backlinks from editorial publications. Because they often mention information and experts successful their articles and nexus backmost to the archetypal source.

Take this pricing survey from OpenView Venture Partners, for example.

According to Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool, the survey has gotten much than 170 backlinks since its work successful February 2023.

And 147 of these are dofollow backlinks.

Creating infographics is different enactment for getting backlinks from different sites. 

Here are a fewer infographic champion practices that whitethorn amended your rankings extracurricular of earning backlinks:

• Give your infographics descriptive filenames similar “content-marketing-funnel.png.” Not “Infographic1.png.” 
• Add alternative (alt) text that provides much accusation connected the image
• Create an representation sitemap to assistance hunt engines observe and fertile your images for hunt queries

Build Relationships with Other Website Owners

Get to cognize others successful your industry—especially those who tally authoritative websites. 

This way, they’ll beryllium much receptive to requests to see links to your website.

Find high-authority websites to physique relationships with utilizing Semrush’s Link Building Tool.

Enter your domain and an optional task name.

Then, click “Create project.”

Then, travel the prompts to configure your project.

When the instrumentality has finished running, spell to the “Prospects” tab to spot a database of domains you tin scope retired to for backlinks.

The “AS” file tells you each domain’s estimated Authority Score. A higher people indicates the domain is much authoritative. And that a backlink from it whitethorn amended your rankings more.

And the “Rating” file provides the tool’s standing (out of five) for the domain.

Consider some of these metrics to prioritize domains.

Use the checkboxes connected the near to prime the domains you privation to attack for backlinks. 

Then, click “To In Progress” astatine the apical of the database to adhd the selected domains to your “In Progress” list.

Next, prime the “In Progress” tab.

Start researching these websites to spot what types of contented they publish. And reappraisal your ain contented to find pages that mightiness beryllium utile to them.

Once you do, usage the “Contact” fastener to draught a personalized email sharing your contented and asking for a link. The instrumentality volition past way your progress.

How to Monitor Your Backlinks

How galore types of backlinks person you received? And wherever are they coming from?

Find retired by utilizing these backlink tools.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is simply a escaped instrumentality for website owners to get basal information connected their website postulation and performance. Among assorted features, it tin assistance you find backlinks.

Here’s however to usage it:

Set up GSC for your website if you haven’t already. After that, click “Links” successful the near sidebar.

Scroll the “Links” leafage until you spot the “Top linking sites” section. 

Click “More” astatine the bottommost of this conception to see:

• The detected fig of backlinks for your website. This fig includes lone unsocial links. GSC counts aggregate instances of the aforesaid backlink lone once.
• A database of websites that person linked to yours the most

Click immoderate website connected the database to learn:

• The fig of backlinks you’ve gotten from that website
• The fig of pages belonging to you the different website has linked to
• Which of your pages the website has linked to

Semrush’s Backlink Analytics Tool

Semrush’s Backlink Analytics instrumentality offers elaborate reports connected your website’s backlink profile. 

This includes information unavailable successful GSC like:

• Your backlinks’ anchor texts
• Whether a backlink is dofollow oregon not 
• Whether a backlink is progressive oregon lost

Type your website domain into the instrumentality and click “Analyze.”

When it’s finished running, click the “Backlinks” tab connected the apical menu.

You’ll spot a summary of your website’s fig of backlinks. And these backlinks’ types and “rel” attributes.

Scroll down to presumption your backlinks. 

For each backlink, you’ll get details similar the URL and the Authority Score of the leafage that linked to you. And the backlink’s anchor text.

If you’ve mislaid a backlink, the instrumentality volition stock why.

Click “Follow” to presumption conscionable your dofollow backlinks.

Studying which pages person garnered the astir dofollow backlinks tin pass the contented you make successful the future. Which you tin transportation to the website owners you’ve built relationships with.

Create a Stronger Backlink Profile

Backlinks from reputable websites are incredibly invaluable for improving your rankings.

And you tin amended your backlink illustration with Semrush’s suite of backlink tools.

Sign up for a Semrush relationship to effort them for free.