What Are Backlinks?
Backlinks are simply links from one website to another.
Sometimes called “incoming links” or “inbound links,” backlinks are one of the most important parts of search engine optimization.
Useful tools for webpage creators, backlinks make it easy to cite statistics, source claims, add context, or make recommendations, among other things.
There’s also another type of link called internal links, which are links between pages within the same website. These also play a role in SEO, but we won’t go into that here.
Why Are Backlinks Important?
The most basic answer to that question is that your site’s backlinks pass PageRank, and search engines then use this in their algorithm (along with many other factors) to help determine the quality of your website and where it should rank in results pages.
They indicate your site’s popularity with users and are a vital part of any SEO strategy.
Backlinks also play an important role in your discoverability, as both users and search engine crawlers will follow links from external sites to your page.
What Makes a Good Backlink?
Back in 1998, when Google was just getting started, it implemented an algorithm named PageRank. One of the things this took into account when deciding on how well a webpage matched a user query was backlinks.
But even in those early days, not all backlinks were created equal. And while the quantity of your incoming links is factored into your search ranking, the quality also plays an important role.
And generally speaking, if your page has more backlinks than a similar page, it will appear higher in organic search results.
This is because each time a site links to your content, it is essentially vouching for its accuracy and veracity.
But don’t for a second think that just any site pointing to your webpage is a good thing. Not only can some links do nothing for you, but some can actually hurt your search ranking. This means you need to be concerned with the quality of your inbound links.