Definition:
Backlinks are inbound links to one web page sent from another. Backlinks are important for search engine optimization, as more credit is usually given to websites that have a good number of quality backlinks. For a backlink to be of quality these have to be natural, that is, they are not generated by artificial techniques.
Backlinks in SEO
Despite the changes that have occurred in search algorithms in search engines, and more specifically in Google, the number of quality links that point to a site continues to be one of the fundamental factors of positioning in the SERPS. This is conditioned depending on whether the link is DoFollow, that is, it transfers part of the authority of the domain that contains it to the web page that contains it or if on the contrary it is NoFollow and does not do it. This link between two websites is what is known as Link Juice.
How to generate a backlink
The Linkbuilding through which we build quality backlinks is a long process and requires a lot of work, since the results we will obtain will not be seen until after a long time. There are several ways to get these quality backlinks:
- Online newspapers: press articles are a fairly common option to get excellent links, the key is to contact journalists who are going to write about topics related to your brand.
- Directories: web directories are lists of companies, products or web pages in which we can enter our information so that anyone can find it.
- Profiles: profiles on social networks such as LinkedIn or Flipboard, forums or blogs are a support when it comes to generating links.
- Agreements with websites: agreements can be reached so that all parties include the link of the other website, advertising agreements, etc.
Penalties for unnatural backlink
With the most important changes in Google’s algorithm have been Panda, Penguin and Hummingbird, which have served to put an end to various Blackhat SEO practices, which consisted of creating automatic links without any value through software whose sole mission was to deceive search engines by giving false relevance to sites.
After the latest changes, very common activities in the past such as registrations in search engines, comments by the thousands on blogs, and links in forum profiles have become harshly penalized with Google, causing strong falls in the positioning of websites that had used such practices.
This does not mean that backlinks are harmful, since link building continues to be a fundamental strategy to position a website.