Getting backlinks is an integral part of an effective SEO plan. Thanks to the links, you can understand that the site is filled with trustworthy content and takes first search results. Let’s take a look at 17 Backlink Types that directly influence search results in 2021.
Link type index
Internal links keep the user on the same site and help navigate to different pages. These include the menu, the link to articles, pictures. A competent and moderate number of them will help search robots to index the site quickly.
External links lead to pages of a completely foreign site. Each resource uses specific addresses of other sites. Such an organized system allows visitors to move from one resource to another quickly. A site owner, by posting a link on sites with good authority, can increase the ranking.
Below are the main types of links.
Article Directory Links
Defining
The benefit of these links is that users can submit articles that are used on various specialized sites. In turn, the owners of other sites have the right to copy content from these sites to their sites.
Google’s opinion on links called Article Directory Links
Matt Cutts urges not to use this type of link in his video. Otherwise, you can get a fine for using Article Directory links.
How do I build Article Directory links the right way?
Links called Article Directories must be created and used correctly. There should not be too few or too many of them, since one link will not help, and you will definitely be punished for a large number of them.
2. Author Bio Links
Defining
Authors’ biographies can be seen in any published article by the author or on some of the author’s pages. These sites have author profiles for any published article.
Google’s opinion on links called Author Bio Links
John Mueller reviews Author Bio links and believes they are optional. At the same time, John Mueller analyzes the impact of these links on the ranking of different sites on which Author Bio is located. Given that Google can easily find the biography of the author, adding anchor text links to bio profiles is spam.
How do I build Author Bio links the right way?
First of all, you need to think about branded links! In such links, the text is tied to the site URL or company name. You just need to abandon the use of anchor text with keywords. Be sure to link to your profiles on different social networks. Please note that the sites you link to must be reliable. They should increase your reputation, but not vice versa.
3. Automatically Generated Links
The automatically linking method is used to determine relationships between pieces of information. To automatically generate links, we need to first think about what types of relationships are useful. We may have links that refer to a structure associated with an information space, such as a general hierarchy, or we may have links that refer to the semantic proximity of pieces of information, or we may have links that point to related but not semantically close pieces of information.
Defining
The Automatically Generated links are auto-generated and often only work in the short term. Such links appear when you need to create several backlinks at once for keywords in a short period of time. In such a case, the following programs Rookie, WebEffector, or SEO Hammer can help. With their help, you can post links in the comments.
Google’s opinion on links called Automatically Generated Links
Google removes automatically generated links and considers that such automatic programs/services constitutes a link scheme and violates Google’s rules for all webmasters.
How do I build Automatically Generated links the right way?
You can learn more about how to create Automatically Generated links here.
[Case Study] Optimize links to improve pages with the greatest ROI
4. Blog Comment Links
Defining
Until 2005, deleting links in various blog comments was a popular way to build links. However, Google later discontinued this and introduced a nofollow link. Link building for blog comments was about posting comments on different blog posts and posting text without specific keywords. This process was completely automated, but spam in various blog comments was a problem for site owners.
Google’s opinion on links called Blog Comment Links
Google treats you negatively if your site has an imbalance of backlinks from blog comments. In this case, Google will perceive you as a member of the link scheme.
How do I build Blog Comment links the right way?
Commenting on blogs is allowed, but with a strict caveat – it is forbidden to get links. Correctness is essential here. You correctly comment on relevant popular sites, which improves your reputation in the relevant audience and increases traffic to your site. Consider the following points:
- The commenting site is highly specialized and relevant to the required industry;
- It is vital to use only the full name;
- Email address must be associated with Gravatar;
- You should only write useful comments for the relevant audience;
- It is forbidden to use keywords instead of your name, write many words, comment on spam sites.
5. Blogroll Links
Defining
Links to all information on a site in the blog sidebar are called blogroll links. These are the links the blog owner usually wants to include.
Google’s opinion on links called Blogroll Links
Links to the blogroll are placed in all parts of the site and are targeted for purchases. However, Google does not welcome this and considers it unnatural.
How do I build Blogroll links the right way?
The main thing here is not to overdo it! A few links will be enough. It is essential to consider the following:
- Homepage link and brand name must be included in the anchor text.
- It is vital that the site’s content with the link is as relevant as possible to the landing page to which the link points.
[Case Study] Optimize links to improve pages with the greatest ROI
6. Contextual & Editorial Links
Defining
A contextual link always links to another relevant site in the very central and main body of content. Such links most often have keywords or are branded. The editorial nature of such links helps the author link to another site to support their site.
Google’s opinion on links called Contextual & Editorial Links
Google likes these links and wants to see them more often. This is because Google embraces naturalness. He considers non-editorial links a violation of the necessary guidelines.
How do I build Contextual & Editorial links the right way?
The most important thing to success when building contextual and editorial links is creating good content and the need to build a network for collaboration and success. It will be equally important to maintain various and regular contacts. It is not recommended to buy such links.
7. Domain Redirect Links
Defining
Domain forwarding is a legitimate tool in a search engine optimizer’s arsenal. With its help, you can transfer authority from one domain to another. In this case, using a backlink checker is necessary. Such a check begins with working in Google Search Console, Netpeak Checker, Ahrefs.
Google’s opinion on links called Domain Redirect Links
Google’s John Mueller believes that a 301 redirect to the main domain makes the leading site canonical. In other words, links go straight there, but this is obvious to the algorithm team or spam.
How do I build Domain Redirect links the right way?
You need to use 301 redirects to redirect domains/pages, create spam links to a domain and redirect those links to another site. At the same time, the site to which the link is redirected should not contain spam.
8. Bookmarking Site Links
Defining
Delicious, which was founded in 2003, has been able to make bookmarking site links popular. They made it possible for different users to share links to sites, comment, and edit.
When creating inbound links to their sites, such platforms became a source for the webmaster. With the help of such links, the website’s search visibility has increased. It was long ago, and now nofollow is the most authoritative links to bookmarking sites.
Google’s opinion on links called Bookmarking Site Links
John Mueller mentions these links. He believes that they can affect the ranking in the search. Because of the old SEO strategy, Google has a lot of experience in recognizing such links.
How do I build Bookmarking Site links the right way?
First and foremost, you should understand that you shouldn’t pay to bookmark your pages. Bookmarking links is a waste of time. It is better to participate in communities that are somehow related to the required site. To do this, you need to comment more and leave a lot of relevant and useful information.
9. Footer Links
Defining
A footer link is linked to the site’s fundamental part, located precisely in the site footer.
Google’s opinion on links called Footer Links
Zineb Ait from Google believes that such links have a right to exist since they cannot significantly influence anything.
How do I build Footer links the right way?
There are several legitimate reasons why outbound links appear in the footer. Any legal entity is entitled to 1 or more sites for its B2B platform. If you place links to any sites in the footer, then consider the following:
- You should only use specialized terms for anchor text, not parts of keyword expressions;
- All links must be relevant or nofollow;
- Don’t focus on building backlinks, but use links to improve your user experience.
10. Forum Comment Links
Defining
Forum Comment links are used in online communities (forums/discussion boards). Here like-minded people discuss various problems. Three types of Forum Comment links should be distinguished:
- Signature link,
- Profile link,
- Post link.
Google’s opinion on links called Forum Comment Links
John Mueller advises against using such links on your site, as Google considers this to be spam.
How do I build Forum Comment links the right way?
Unfortunately, you cannot do this. And in this case, everything depends not on your abilities, but on the lack of permission to leave such links on boards and forums.
11. Forum Signature Links
Defining
These links are used to create backlinks to the site by posting different messages on the forums. They allow you to use outbound links with many keywords.
Google’s opinion on links called Forum Signature Links
Google calls Forum Signature links unnatural. Google believes that such links break the rules.
How do I build Forum Signature links the right way?
When posting legally on forums, consider the following:
- a nofollow link is required,
- it is forbidden to add any keywords,
- you need to provide a link with your brand to the main page.
12. Guest Post Links
Defining
A guest blog link is a blog post on another site. Such a link is necessary to get a backlink to your sit Guest Post links.
Google’s opinion on links called Guest Post Links
As a rule, Google has a positive attitude towards such links if created for useful highly specialized informing users of another site. But if this is a massive link building to your site, then Google will not welcome it.
How do I build Guest Post links the right way?
The primary rule here is to ban spam. The creation of high-quality and useful content for a specific audience is encouraged. If the site requires payment for the material’s publication, then there is no need to make a guest publication.
13. Infographic Links
Defining
If you see a well-thought-out visual presentation of data engagingly when building useful and authoritative links, then these are infographic links.
Google’s opinion on links called Infographic Links
Matt Cutts welcomes infographic links. He believes there is nothing wrong with them. But what matters is what users will then do with them. Sometimes users go too far off-topic by using such links. When presented correctly, infographics help promote the site and are presented beautifully to the public. However, if such links are submitted incorrectly, they mislead people.
How do I build Infographic links the right way?
While such links are valuable, you need to be careful with them. Please note the following:
- Only accurate data should be provided;
- Keep in mind that these links work best on multiple computers at once. This is not possible on mobile phones;
- It is better not to use anchor text with keywords;
- You must be sure that the link leads to the desired page;
- There is no need to create required backlinks for those users who share graphics.
14. Paid Links
Defining
If you pay money for a backlink and it appears on your site, we are talking about a paid link.
Google’s opinion on links called Paid Links
Google has a very negative attitude towards paid links. Google calls this links scheme, which includes the exchange of funds, goods/services. Such things are often fined.
How do I build Paid links the right way?
We do not advise you to buy any links. Instead, focus your energy and attention on creating unique and useful content. Better to get links naturally from your content.
15. Press Release Links
Defining
If you hear the official statements of companies, then we are talking about press releases. They are necessary for interested parties familiarization with specific information content.
A press release has a dual benefit for marketing purposes. He can inform the media about your news or help the site get backlinks. It should be borne in mind that you can create links with benefit only if used correctly with their help. It’s better to write about it when the brand has something interesting.
Google’s opinion on links called Press Release Links
If you look at Google’s view of such links, it considers this to be an advertisement. Google classifies Press Release links as nofollow.
How do I build Press Release links the right way?
If you have useful information and want to convey it to the public, then use press releases. Your story may be picked up by an interested audience and connect with an authoritative source in the future. When submitting press releases, make sure of the following:
- These links must be nofollow;
- Only authoritative sites should be presented on the sites of press releases;
- A win-win option is posting your message on sites that care about the quality of the content.
16. Private Blog Network (PBN) Links
Defining
PBN is a network of sites for organizing a controlled link mass of an acceptor site to increase the site’s position as a whole and improve the ranking in the search engine.
Google’s opinion on links called Private Blog Network (PBN) Links
Google’s attitude towards PBN is negative. There is no legal way to create PBN links.
How do I build PBN links the right way?
We advise you not to study this link building method, as PBN is also called a black approach to getting any backlinks.
17. Resource Page Links
Defining
If you see a page on a site that lists useful links/resources on a specific topic, then we’re talking about resource pages.
Google’s opinion on links called Resource Page Links
Google is not unambiguous about these links. It all depends on the resource. But if the resource is useful, then the attitude of Google will be positive. The easiest (direct) way to find resource pages is to search on Google. Resource pages are usually easy to find, which is their significant advantage. At the same time, you have the opportunity to use different search combinations.
How do I build Resource Page links the right way?
Consider the following when linking to a resource:
- The usefulness and popularity of the content of the site used and the required resource,
- What page traffic,
- If necessary, frequently used sites can be added to the resource list.
Conclusion
Not all backlinks guarantee an increase in authority, but only high-quality ones that lead from relevant and trusted domains with a low spam rate.
Links are considered good quality if:
- they are hosted on trusted sites. A high level of trust in a resource indicates the quality of backlinks to the site. In other words, a Wikipedia backlink is much better than a good friend’s site. So backlinks need to be checked;
- there is a connection between the subject of the resource on which the link is placed and your activity. It works on the principle of interconnection, that is, it is assumed that the content of these resources somehow “touches”. Therefore, backlinks from popular sites in your industry are ideal. This approach guarantees a sufficiently high rating for certain requests;
- “anchor” texts are used, which contain target keywords or phrases. Simply put, it is a clickable word, phrase, or sentence.
The value of link building comes down to precisely the types of backlinks and the quality of backlinks. This affects local SEO. Unfortunately, to get the desired result, it is better to choose the difficult and long way.
