Backlinks for beginners: building links (link building) for reach
Backlinks are connections from one website to another and play a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO), as they are seen as a vote of confidence from one site to another. The quality and quantity of backlinks can significantly influence the visibility of a website in search results. In the following, I will discuss the different aspects of backlinks, link them together and create cross-references between them. No time? You want reach and a good link building agency now? Write to us without obligation: Contact.
How can you build backlinks?
Explained very simply in advance, as a kind of definition:
How does link building work?
Backlinks can be built in various ways. These include creating high-quality, shareable content, guest blogging, sharing content on social media, submitting websites to directories and requesting links from partners or industry associations. Another important strategy is “broken link building”, which involves finding broken links on other websites and suggesting that webmasters replace them with links to their own relevant content.
The advantages of link building are brief:
- Building trust and authority
- Increase visibility in search engines
- Goal: Number 1 ranking on Google
This works with:
- High-quality content
- Guest blogging
- Social media sharing
- Directory submissions
- Partnerships
- Broken Link Building
Info Graphic: Link Building
The big goal: Number 1 ranking on Google.
What are backlinks examples?
In the end, it’s all about the algorithm of search engines. How can we influence it positively, a simple explanation and a practical example:
My favorite example: Philosophical
The “bar principle”:
Situation 1: Imagine a bar. Someone enters the bar and nobody knows the person, nobody turns around. So the person will walk to the bar all alone without anyone noticing them.
Situation 2: Someone enters the bar and a few people know the person, turn around and start whispering. Other people become aware of this (cf. algorithm). Why are they whispering? Why are they pointing at this person? Suddenly, more and more people are looking at this person and the effect intensifies.
Backlinks are like this example: the more people talk about you, the more people become aware of you, the more reach and attention you get.
The search engine algorithm works in a similar way, the more good quality websites link to you, the better – simply put.
Practical: Guest articles on websites
Examples of backlinks can be simple links from blog articles, recommendations on industry sites, links from information sites (such as Wikipedia) or links through partnerships and cooperations.
How many backlinks should you have?
There is no fixed rule as to how many backlinks you should have. More important than the sheer number is the quality of the backlinks. A few high-quality backlinks from authoritative and thematically relevant sites can be significantly more valuable than a large number of backlinks from less relevant or lower-quality sites.
- No fixed rule
- Quality before quantity
- Prefer high-quality, thematically relevant backlinks
What makes a good backlink?
A good backlink should come from a thematically relevant and trustworthy source, ideally from a website with a high authority in the respective industry. The link should of course be embedded in the context and offer the user added value.“Follow” links are generally more valuable than“no-follow” links, as they contribute directly to SEO value.
- Thematic relevance
- Trusted source
- High authority of the linking page
- Natural embedding in context
- “Follow” links preferred
Writing SEO texts: What to look out for?
Good SEO texts follow a structure, just as books have a certain structure over the decades and centuries, so does SEO. Learn more about the structure of good guest articles and SEO texts here:
What types of backlinks are there?
There are different types of backlinks, including but not limited to do-follow and no-follow links, internal vs. external links, and naturally or artificially placed links. “Do-follow links contribute directly to search engine rankings, while no-follow links do not, but can still be useful for generating traffic.
- “Do-Follow” and “No-Follow”
- Internal vs. external
- Natural vs. artificially placed
How much does a backlink cost?
The cost of backlinks can vary greatly depending on the quality and source of the backlink. Some link building strategies, such as creating content or using social media, can be relatively inexpensive. On the other hand, paid guest posts or buying links, which is not recommended by search engines like Google, can be more expensive and carry risks.
- Vary strongly
- Cost-effective strategies vs. paid links
- Risks of purchased links
How long does it take for backlinks to work?
The time until backlinks start to have a positive impact on the ranking of a website can vary. As a rule, it can take several weeks to months for search engines to recognize the new links and take them into account in their algorithms. Patience and continuous maintenance of high-quality content as well as ongoing efforts to obtain high-quality backlinks are crucial for long-term success.
- A few weeks to months
- Patience and continuous content maintenance are crucial
- Long-term development of good quality backlinks
Long-term effect: Heatmap example for #1 ranking
The long-term effect of good backlinks. As you can see here in the Google heatmap, 80%+ of all activity takes place on-page (search results without scrolling).
That’s it! More about SEO & SEA?
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