Published on: 1 week 2 days ago Written By - Alex
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Backlinks are links on other websites that point to your website. In the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), they’re like votes of credibility from other sites. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the higher your website is likely to rank in search results.
What are backlinks?
For example, here is a link from Forbes to my website.
Forbes backlink
Because that link points directly to a page on my website, it’s a “backlink”.
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Why Are Backlinks Important?
Backlinks are the cornerstones of website authority and credibility in the eyes of search engines.
They are basically votes from other websites. Each of these votes tells search engines: “This content is valuable, credible and useful”.
So the more of these “votes” you have, the higher your site will rank in Google and alternate search engines.
Number of backlinks
Using links in a search engine algorithm is nothing new. In fact, backlinks formed the foundation of Google’s original algorithm (known as “PageRank”).
PageRank citation
Even though Google has made thousands of changes to its algorithm since then, backlinks remain a key ranking signal.
For example, an industry study that we conducted found that links remain Google’s key ranking signal.
Total external backlinks
And Google has confirmed that backlinks remain one of their three most important search engine ranking factors.
Search ranking factors
Beyond just search engine perception, backlinks are also pivotal in driving direct traffic to your site.
When users click on these links from other websites, they are led straight to your content. This not only boosts your site’s traffic but also enhances brand awareness, drawing in a broader audience organically.
To understand more about the importance of backlinks in your SEO strategy, sign up for a free SEO course at Semrush Academy.
There are dozens of options, including Brian Dean’s best courses. And you also get a certification after the final tests.
What Types of Backlinks are Valuable?
Not all backlinks are created equal.
In other words, if you want to rank higher in the SERPs, focus on quality backlinks.
Put another way:
A single-quality backlink can be more powerful than 1,000 low-quality backlinks.
As it turns out, high-quality backlinks tend to share the same key traits.
Trait #1: They Come From Trusted, Authoritative Websites
Would you rather get a backlink from Harvard… or a random guy’s website?
As it turns out, Google feels the same way.
This concept is known as “Domain Authority”. Essentially, the more authority a site has, the more authority it can pass on to your site (via a link).
Domain authority
For example, here’s a link that I got from TechCrunch.
Techcrunch backlink
According to Semrush, TechCrunch is an extremely authoritative domain.
Because that link comes from an authority site, Google puts lots of weight on it. In fact, I noticed a boost in my organic search engine traffic right after TechCrunch linked to me.
Are these links hard to get? Definitely.
Are they worth it? Absolutely.
Trait #2: They Include Your Target Keyword In The Link’s Anchor Text
As a reminder, anchor text is the visible text part of a link.
What are anchor links?
In general, you want your links to have anchor text that includes your target keyword.
In fact, a recent industry study found a correlation between keyword-rich anchor text and higher rankings for that keyword.
Keyword rich anchor text
Now, a quick word of warning:
