Backlinks—also known as inbound or incoming links—are links from one website to another. In SEO, they’re one of the clearest signals that your content is trusted and relevant. The more high-quality backlinks you earn from reputable sources, the better your chances of ranking higher in search results.
According to Backlinko, pages that rank #1 on Google have 3.8 times more backlinks than those in lower positions. But the opposite is also true: links from spammy or irrelevant sites can hurt your domain authority and lower your visibility.
To improve your SEO performance, build links from authoritative websites, create helpful content, and regularly review your existing backlinks. In this article, you’ll learn what backlinks really do, why they matter, and how to build the kind that actually improves your rankings.
What Is a Backlink in SEO?
A backlink is a link from another website that leads to your website. In SEO, it’s one of the strongest ranking factors and clearest signals that your content is trustworthy and worth ranking.
Imagine a local food blog creates a roundup of the best vegan bakeries in town and includes a link to your bakery’s website. That’s a backlink. To search engines, it’s like a vote of confidence. The more high-quality websites that link to you, the more credibility your site earns — which can help you climb higher in search results.
Backlinks don’t just improve your SEO performance; they also bring in direct traffic from people clicking through those mentions. It’s a win-win.
That said, not all backlinks are equally valuable. A mention from a well-known publication or industry blog can give your rankings a serious boost, while a link from an unknown or low-quality site may have little impact, or even harm your SEO if it’s seen as spammy.
That’s where domain authority (DA) gives you useful context. It helps you understand which websites are seen as trustworthy and influential — and which ones aren’t worth chasing for backlinks.
DA is a metric (from 0 to 100) that predicts how well a website can rank in search results. It considers several factors — including the quality and number of backlinks, overall site trust, and how often the site earns links from others. Backlinks from high-DA sites have more impact and can improve your visibility much more than links from weaker sources.
Of course, earning backlinks takes effort. You can’t just ask people to link to you for no reason. You need to give them something worth sharing — like a useful guide, a unique dataset, or a strong opinion piece. The good news is, if your content offers real value, backlinks can start coming in naturally.
What’s the Importance of Backlinks in SEO?
Backlinks are important because they impact your website’s authority and are one of the key factors search engines use to decide how high your pages should rank in search results.
When other websites link to yours, it tells Google your content is:
- valuable,
- credible,
- worth showing to others.
The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more likely you are to outrank competitors, especially for competitive keywords.
Backlinks also drive referral traffic. Someone might discover your business through a news article, a guest post, or a directory listing and click through to your site. These visits can lead to more leads, more sales, and more brand recognition.
How to Get SEO Backlinks for a Website?
The best way to get SEO backlinks is by earning them — through content, relationships, and a little strategic outreach.
Search engines treat backlinks as a sign that others trust your site. But those links need to come from real, relevant, and respected sources. Here are some of the most effective (and safe) ways to build backlinks that work:
Be a Source for Journalists and Bloggers
Sign up for platforms like Help a B2B Writer or Featured. They connect content creators with experts, and if you share a useful quote or tip, you might earn a backlink from a top-tier site. It’s digital PR that doesn’t feel forced.
Write Guest Posts
Contribute articles to blogs in your industry. Just make sure they’re high-quality, helpful, and published on legit sites — not content farms. Include a link to your site where it fits naturally.
Find Unlinked Mentions
Sometimes people talk about your brand but forget to link. Use SEO tools to track those mentions and kindly ask for a link to be added.
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Fix Broken Links
Find websites in your niche with broken outbound links. Then reach out, let them know, and suggest your content as a replacement. You’re helping them clean up their site — and possibly earning a backlink in return.
Create Quality Content People Want to Link To
Long-form guides, infographics, original research — anything that teaches, surprises, or solves a real problem. The better your content, the more likely others will link to it on their own.
Check Your Competitors’ External Links
Tools like Ahrefs or Semrush show you who links to your competitors. Look for patterns, and see where your content could be a better fit.
Use Your Network
If you already work with other businesses — suppliers, partners, associations — ask if they’ll add a link to your site, maybe through a testimonial or case study.
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Reclaim Lost Backlinks
Sometimes links break or get removed. Run a backlink audit and contact the site owner to fix it or add it back.
Add Your Site to Quality Directories
Focus on well-known, relevant directories or industry-specific forums. Avoid low-quality sites filled with spam — those links won’t support your SEO and may even hurt it.
Avoid Black Hat Tricks
Buying backlinks or using shady link schemes might get quick results, but they also risk Google penalties. It’s just not worth it.
4 Key Types of Backlinking With Examples
The 4 key types of backlinking are: dofollow backlinks, nofollow backlinks, sponsored backlinks, and UGC backlinks.
Backlinks are not all created equal, and search engines know it. While the word “backlink” often gets thrown around as a catch-all, Google now treats links differently depending on their context, intent, and HTML attributes.
Here are the four key types of backlinking that impact your rankings — and what each of them actually tells Google.
#1 Dofollow Backlinks
These are the golden standard of backlinks that pass authority (PageRank) from the referring site to yours. If another site links to you with a regular <a href> tag (without any rel attributes), it’s considered a dofollow link by default.
Not all dofollow links are equal, though. Here are the most valuable ones:
Editorial Backlinks
When a reputable site links to your content organically (without you asking), it signals credibility.
Example: A digital marketing blog links to your landing page design tips as part of an in-depth article.
Image Backlinks
When someone uses one of your original graphics or infographics and links back to your site as the source. These are especially common in visual-first industries and can drive both referral traffic and SEO value.
Example: Your custom funnel diagram from a blog post gets reused in a HubSpot article, with a dofollow image credit link to your original post.
Video Backlinks
If you publish a video and other websites embed it or reference it with a link — that’s a backlink. YouTube videos in particular can be an indirect source of backlinks if they’re embedded along with a link to your domain.
Example: A product tutorial you uploaded to YouTube gets featured in a blog post about tools for B2B marketing, linking directly to your website for more details.
#2 Nofollow Backlinks
Nofollow links include the attribute rel=”nofollow” and are typically used when the referring site doesn’t want to pass authority to the target. Google now uses nofollow links as hints, not absolute rules — so they still have indirect value.
You’ll often find nofollow backlinks in:
- Blog comment sections
- Press release distribution platforms
- Some social media bios
- Paid directories
Nofollow backlinks might not give you SEO juice, but they diversify your backlink profile, drive referral traffic, and signal trust from big platforms.
Example: A SaaS founder comments on a Moz blog post and links to their product landing page. The link is nofollow, but it still gets clicks from a relevant audience.
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#3 Sponsored Backlinks
These are links that include the attribute rel=”sponsored” and are used for paid placements or advertorials. They help Google distinguish between editorial and paid relationships — which is crucial for transparency and compliance with Google’s link spam policies.
Use cases include:
- Paid guest posts
- Banner ads with embedded links
- Influencer collabs with clear sponsorships
Example: You partner with a tech blog to promote your platform, and the article includes a link marked as sponsored. That way, it’s clear to Google that this is a paid promotion, not an editorial endorsement.
Important: Never try to disguise sponsored links as dofollow — it violates Google’s guidelines and could lead to penalties.
#4 UGC Backlinks
UGC stands for user-generated content, and these links are marked with rel=”ugc”. They help Google understand that the content was created by users, not the site owner.
Common sources of UGC backlinks:
- Forum posts
- Community platforms (e.g. Reddit, Quora)
- Product reviews
- Blog comments
Example: A user recommends your landing page builder in a relevant Reddit thread and adds a link. If Reddit applies rel=”ugc”, Google knows it’s user-generated — not editorial.
While UGC links don’t carry as much weight as editorial dofollows, they still help build visibility, traffic, and credibility across communities.
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3 SEO Tactics for Quality Link Building
If you want to build valuable backlinks that don’t just boost your search engine rankings, but also improve your backlink profile, drive referral traffic, and build authority, these are the tactics to double down on.
#1 Press Links & Digital PR
Backlinks from authoritative websites — like industry publications or well-known blogs — are some of the most valuable links you can get. They’re natural, dofollow, and often drive serious referral traffic. More importantly, they tell search engines like Google that your brand is a trusted voice in your field.
One of the best ways to earn these links is through digital PR platforms like Connectively (formerly HARO) or Help a B2B Writer. These platforms connect journalists with sources. All you have to do is respond quickly and provide useful insights that match their topic. Once you get the hang of it, you can go a step further — pitching your own stories to journalists, especially if you’ve got original data or a unique point of view.
Example: A small fintech startup responded to a query from a Business Insider journalist looking for expert input on how AI is changing personal finance. The CEO shared a short quote with real user data. The journalist loved it — and published it in an article, linking directly to the company’s latest industry report. The result? A surge of targeted traffic and a top 5 Google ranking for “AI in personal finance.”
Why? Editorial links from trusted media carry more weight than generic blog mentions.
How? Use expert platforms or pitch journalists directly with valuable insights or data.
Result: Strong domain authority, consistent referral traffic, and expert-level visibility.
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#2 Competitor Backlink Replication
If it worked for them, it can work for you — just do it better. Instead of guessing where to pitch your content, reverse-engineer what’s already working for your competitors. Check which websites are linking to them, then approach those same sites with something better: updated data, a more polished guide, or clearer value.
You can use free tools like Ubersuggest or Semrush’s Backlink Gap to compare competitors’ backlinks to your own. Look for resource pages, roundup articles, or blog posts that link to content similar to yours. Reach out with a friendly pitch offering your improved version.
Example: A SaaS company specializing in landing page optimization noticed that several blogs were linking to a competitor’s outdated checklist. Their team created a new, visually enhanced version with updated advice and examples. They contacted those blogs, offered the upgrade, and landed links from five out of ten — all contextual links placed naturally within the content.
Why? You’re tapping into proven link building opportunities with less guesswork.
How? Find content linking to your competitors, then offer something more relevant or current.
Result: A stronger backlink profile, better keyword rankings, and added exposure with minimal friction.
#3 Multimedia Link Building
You need visuals in your articles to stand out and earn links at scale. Think infographics, charts, interactive maps, tools — anything that makes data easier to digest and more shareable. These assets often get featured on resource pages, embedded in blog posts, or cited in newsletters.
You don’t need a huge budget — just a smart idea and decent execution. For example, take a complex dataset in your niche and turn it into something skimmable and visual.
Example: A logistics tech company created a color-coded map showing average delivery times by country, based on internal shipping data. They published it as a standalone web page and pitched it to industry blogs and LinkedIn groups. Within three weeks, over 20 different websites had linked to it — including niche trade journals and educational blogs. The page climbed into the top 3 search results for several logistics-related target keywords — all without paid promotion.
Why? Visuals are easier to link to, especially on content-rich or UX-focused sites.
How? Create useful assets based on niche data, then share them with people who write about that topic.
Result: Dozens of high-quality backlinks, increased visibility, and long-term organic growth.
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How to Get Free SEO Backlinks?
To get free SEO backlinks, start by figuring out where others in your niche are getting theirs. Use Ubersuggest’s limited plan, SEO Review Tools, or even Google Search itself, to find where your competitors are getting mentioned. Look for websites, directories, or blogs that already link to businesses like yours — chances are, they’re open to featuring your content too. It takes a bit more manual work, but it’s completely doable without spending a dime.
Guest blogging is another reliable way to earn free backlinks. Look for blogs in your niche and offer valuable, original content. In return, you’ll usually get a link back to your site, either in the article or your author bio. Just stick to reputable websites — not spammy link farms. Broken link building is also worth trying. Use a tool like Check My Links to spot dead links on relevant websites. Then, reach out and suggest your content as a fix. It’s helpful for them and gives you a chance to earn a backlink.
Sometimes your brand gets mentioned without a link. Use tools like Google Alerts or Semrush to find these mentions and politely ask the site owner to add one. Also, if you’ve created something valuable — a detailed guide, research, or infographic — share it with bloggers, industry newsletters, and link roundups. People are more likely to link to content that’s genuinely useful and easy to reference.
You can also earn backlinks by offering testimonials to your suppliers or software tools. Many businesses feature user quotes on their site — with a link back to yours. And don’t ignore free directories or niche communities. Submitting your site to respected directories or local business listings is still a legitimate way to build links. Lastly, be active on forums and social media. While those links are usually no-follow, they can increase your visibility and lead to organic backlinks over time.
All of these methods are free — and when done right, they can help you build a solid backlink profile that boosts your search rankings long-term.
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How Many SEO Backlinks Does a Landing Page Need to Rank?
The exact backlink count depends on your niche, the strength of competing pages, and how well your content aligns with user intent.
In high-competition industries like tech or digital marketing, top-ranking pages often have 60–80 backlinks pointing to the specific page, plus 300+ backlinks to the homepage. In contrast, low-competition niches might only need 0–5 page-specific links and around 25–75 homepage backlinks to break into the top 10.
Use competitor analysis tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see how many backlinks the current top-ranking pages have. But backlinks alone aren’t enough —SEO performance also depends on content quality, relevance, and how well the page satisfies search intent. Pages that provide valuable content, solve real problems, and match user expectations tend to earn more natural links over time.
Also, keep in mind that brand authority plays a role. Well-known sites with tens of thousands of website backlinks often rank easily with minimal links to a landing page. If you’re building from scratch, aim for high quality backlinks from relevant content on high authority sites, and avoid spammy sources. Quality beats quantity — every time.
Why Should I Disavow SEO Backlinks?
You should disavow SEO backlinks because not all of them are helpful. Some come from spammy websites, shady directories, or random pages stuffed with irrelevant anchor text. Others may be part of a link scheme you didn’t even know you were part of — especially if your SEO was handled by an agency that prioritized quantity over quality. Left unchecked, these toxic backlinks can tank your backlink profile, lower your domain authority, and trigger manual penalties from Google.
Disavowing is your safety net. It tells search engines, “We don’t trust these links, so please don’t count them.” Think of it as quality control for your inbound links — especially if you’ve noticed a sudden spike in low-quality backlinks, been hit by a ranking drop, or received a warning in Google Search Console.
It’s not something you need to do every day. But regular backlink audits — using tools like Google Search Console or SEO SpyGlass — can help you spot problems early. Disavow only when necessary, and always focus on building high quality backlinks to outweigh the bad.
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What Affects the Value of a Backlink in SEO?
The value of a backlink in SEO depends on where it comes from, how it’s placed, and why it exists.
First, the authority of the linking website matters a lot. A backlink from a well-established news outlet, industry blog, or government site is much more powerful than a link from a small, inactive blog. Search engines see high-authority sites as more trustworthy, so their links carry more weight.
Next, there’s relevance. A backlink from a website that covers similar topics to yours — whether it’s your industry, niche, or local area — is more valuable than one from an unrelated site. For example, if you run a fitness brand, a link from a health blog will be far more effective than one from a travel forum.
Link placement also plays a role. Links placed naturally within the main content of a page (called “editorial” links) are worth more than those tucked away in footers, sidebars, or bio sections. Google tends to trust links that appear organically, in context, rather than ones that feel forced or transactional.
Another key factor is whether the link is followed or no-follow. A “follow” link passes SEO value (also known as link equity), while a “no-follow” link doesn’t — at least not directly. No-follow links can still bring referral traffic and brand visibility, so they’re not useless. But when it comes to raw ranking power, followed links are what you want more of.
And finally, how many other links are on the same page affects the value of yours. If you’re one of 3 links in a post, that’s better than being one of 50. The more links there are, the more diluted the value becomes — sort of like splitting a pie into too many slices.
What Are the Top SEO Backlink Tools?
The top SEO backlinks tools are SEMrush, Ranktracker, and Ahrefs.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is one of the most powerful SEO tools, especially when it comes to backlink research. Its massive database (35 trillion historical backlinks across 218 million domains) and intuitive interface make it a go-to for SEO professionals. The Ahrefs Backlink Checker shows referring domains, new and lost links, anchor texts, and even broken backlinks, all while offering proprietary metrics like Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR). Beyond backlinks, Ahrefs includes tools for keyword research, content analysis, and competitor tracking, making it an all-in-one SEO powerhouse.
Why it’s great: The data depth is unmatched, and the analysis tools are trusted by SEO agencies worldwide.
Limitations: No free trial and relatively high pricing, which might not be the best news for freelancers or small teams.
SEMrush
SEMrush is a full-service SEO platform with one of the most advanced backlink checkers on the market. It shows your backlink profile and growth, and also highlights toxic links, offers link-building suggestions, and lets you run competitor comparisons. SEMrush updates data every 15 minutes and covers over 43 trillion backlinks.
What sets it apart is how well it integrates backlink analysis with tools for keyword tracking, site audits, and even PPC research — perfect for digital marketers who need the full picture.
Why it’s great: Combines link data with advanced SEO insights in one dashboard.
Limitations: Pricing may be steep for solo SEOs or early-stage businesses.
Ranktracker
Ranktracker offers a lighter, more affordable alternative for those who want solid backlink monitoring without enterprise-level pricing. You’ll get key metrics like dofollow/nofollow ratio, anchor text insights, and first-seen/last-seen link dates. One standout feature is the Favorites list, where you can save competitors’ backlinks you want to replicate later.
It’s ideal for freelancers, startups, or anyone who wants to test backlink strategies without committing to high monthly fees.
Why it’s great: Budget-friendly, clean interface, and enough tools to cover the essentials.
Limitations: Fewer advanced features compared to SEMrush or Ahrefs.
Here’s a clear comparison of all three backlink tools.
| Feature | Ahrefs | SEMrush | Ranktracker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backlink Database | 35T links / 218M domains | 43T+ backlinks | 2.6T+ backlinks |
| Authority Metrics | Domain Rating (DR), URL Rating (UR) | Authority Score, Toxicity Score | DR, UR included |
| Anchor Text Analysis | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Competitor Comparison | ✅ | ✅ (Backlink Gap Tool) | ✅ (with Favorites list) |
| Broken Link Tracking | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Link Type Filtering | Dofollow/Nofollow | Dofollow/Nofollow + Toxic filtering | Dofollow/Nofollow + First/Last seen |
| Link Building Tools | Outreach via Content Explorer | Full outreach management suite | Manual outreach only |
| Free Trial | ❌ | Free limited usage | ✅ 7 days free |
| Price starts at | $29 | $139.95 | $24 |
| Best For | SEO agencies, pros, large businesses | Marketing teams, mid-to-large businesses | Freelancers, small businesses |
What Do SEO Backlinks Do?
SEO backlinks signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy and relevant. They’re a core part of search engine optimization, helping your web pages rank higher in search results by passing link equity from one site to another. High quality backlinks from authoritative websites boost domain authority and drive referral traffic from users who click through.
The number of backlinks matters, but quality backlinks matter more — especially when they come from relevant, contextual links. Broken link building and guest blogging are two smart link building strategies to generate backlinks without paying for ads. While nofollow links don’t pass authority, they can still bring in traffic and open up link building opportunities. In short, backlinks remain one of the most important ranking factors in SEO.
What Are the Best SEO Backlink Platforms?
The best SEO backlink platforms are SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Ranktracker — all trusted by professionals for tracking and improving backlinks in SEO. These tools help you monitor links pointing to your site, evaluate the strength of each referring domain, and uncover new backlinks worth pursuing.
SEMrush is especially useful for auditing existing backlinks, spotting nofollow backlinks, and identifying toxic ones that may hurt your rankings. Ahrefs excels at showing which high authority sites link to your website pages, offering deep insights into ranking factors like content quality and link placement. Ranktracker, while more lightweight, gives you clear data on dofollow/nofollow, anchor text, and competitor links — perfect for small teams focusing on relevant content. If you’re trying to get better visibility in search engines like Google, these platforms give you the data and tools to earn valuable links from other sites to your specific pages.
What Are the Limitations of SEO Backlinks?
The limitations of SEO backlinks include risks around quality, penalties, scalability, and long-term reliability — especially when link building is done carelessly or becomes the sole focus of an SEO strategy.
Backlinks from low-quality or irrelevant sites offer little value and may even harm your rankings. Spammy backlinks can trigger penalties, especially if they’re part of a link scheme. Google’s algorithm updates continue to get better at detecting unnatural patterns, so manipulative link building efforts that once worked can now backfire. Even paid backlinks — which might deliver a short-term boost — can lead to manual actions, dropped rankings, or full de-indexing.
Another challenge is the amount of time and effort it takes to build high quality backlinks. Genuine outreach, content creation, and relationship-building are slow and resource-intensive — and scaling that without risking spam signals is tough. On top of that, backlink value isn’t permanent. A link can lose impact if the referring site’s authority drops, or the linked page gets deleted.
Relying too much on backlinks can also distract from other key areas of search engine optimization, like improving on-page SEO, user experience, or content quality. Backlinks are powerful, but they’re just one part of the puzzle — not a guaranteed path to better search engine rankings.
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Build SEO Power and Convert Traffic With Smarter Landing Pages
Backlinks can boost your SEO, but they’re even more effective when they lead to high-converting landing pages. A strong backlink might get users to your page, but whether they stay, engage, or convert depends entirely on what they find once they arrive. Combining SEO link building with a well-optimized landing page is key to turning traffic into real results.
Tools like Landingi help you make the most of your backlinks by giving you complete control over your landing page structure, speed, and content — no coding needed. Whether you’re driving visitors from guest posts, press mentions, or resource pages, Landingi makes it easy to create targeted, fast-loading, and conversion-ready landing pages that maximize the value of every click. Build, test, and launch SEO-friendly landing pages with Landingi — and make every link count.
