If you still rely on the same old types of backlinks from the last decade, it’s time to shake things up and explore some innovative options to boost your website in 2023.
According to recent statistics, backlinks remain a top ranking factor for search engines, with over 90% of web pages never receiving organic traffic due to lacking backlinks. That means understanding the latest strategies and tactics for building high-quality backlinks to help your website stand out is more important than ever.
But don’t worry; we’re not talking about anything too outlandish – no skydiving or bungee jumping is required. We’re discussing creative and practical approaches to help you get noticed and build authority in your niche.
In this article, we’ll explore some innovative types of backlinks you may not have considered before and show you how to incorporate them into your SEO strategy. So, let’s get started and discover how to take your backlink game to the next level in 2023!
What Are Backlinks?
Google defines a backlink as “An incoming hyperlink from one web page to another website. The more backlinks you have pointing back to your site, the more popular it will be.”
In simple terms, a backlink is a link your website avails from other web sources. The web sources could be a website, page, article, or online directory. This is done using link-building and guest-posting strategies.
The Importance of High-Quality Backlinks for SEO
Backlinks are like the cheerleaders of your website – they signal to search engines that your content is valuable and worth showing to others. And just like in high school, having popular friends can make a big difference in your success.
But not all backlinks are created equal. Just like you wouldn’t want to be friends with someone who’s always causing trouble, you don’t want to be associated with low-quality, spammy backlinks. Bad backlinks can hurt your SEO and drive your website to be penalized by search engines.
On the other hand, high-quality backlinks can give your website a serious boost. According to recent studies, websites with high-quality backlinks rank higher on search engines, receive more organic traffic, and generate more revenue.
So, how do you get those quality backlinks? Well, that’s a topic for another article, but the key takeaway is that backlinks matter, and the quality of those backlinks counts even more. So, get out there and start building those high-quality backlinks – your website (and your wallet) will thank you
What is the Difference Between Backlinks and Internal Links?
Backlinks and internal links are two essential components of SEO. They play a crucial role in improving website ranking and driving traffic. While both are links, they are fundamentally different in nature and function. So, let’s explore the differences between backlinks and internal links in a humorous and informative way!
Firstly, let’s talk about internal links. Think of them as the breadcrumbs that help visitors navigate your website. They connect one page to another page within the same website. These links are essential for website architecture, making it easier for users to find the necessary information. Internal links are like the veins of your website, keeping the content flowing smoothly and efficiently.
On the other hand, backlinks point to your website from external sources. They are like endorsements from other websites, telling search engines that your content is relevant and trustworthy. In short, backlinks are like the cool kids in high school who give you social validation, making you more popular and increasing your visibility.
Therefore, internal links are the unsung heroes of website architecture, while backlinks are the popular kids who make your website look good. Both are important for SEO, and it’s essential to have a healthy mix of both to improve your website’s ranking. So, pay attention to your internal links, and remember to schmooze with the cool kids to get those backlinks!
13 Types of Backlinks:
Before you implement link building strategy, it is critical to understand the different types of backlinks. Let’s look into some backlink types and how they boost or harm SEO:
1. Editorial Backlinks
Editorial backlinks offer incredible SEO value to websites. The mentions, especially from high authority and relevant websites, can boost a site’s ranking in relevant search engine results pages.
Sites earn editorial backlinks by being the source of specific information like infographics. Therefore, the best way to attract such backlinks is to create educative, evergreen content that places your website as a stop for industry insight.
Cementing your position as a thought leader in your field with well-researched content is a sure way to gain those editorial backlinks. SEO tools to identify popular keywords also come in handy when looking for content and information people are thirsty to consume.
2. Backlinks From Free Tools
Another way to get backlinks to boost SEO is by offering a valuable tool for free. Developing a beneficial asset that is of value to people in your industry is a great way to get attention and backlinks. A tool like a cost calculator could contribute to more backlinks to your website. Granted, you may not want to offer all your products for free in the hope of getting backlinks to bolster your SEO.
An alternative would be to have a lite version of paid tools that people can access freely and link to when they mention it in their content. Creating and promoting tools to people with a similar audience is the best way to draw organic traffic. For instance, if you desire to serve the audience of a platform such as Instagram, consider to Develop App Like Instagram to build a loyal audience. Believe it or not, it will help you get organic reach.
3. Social Links
Social links are those placed on social media tabs. Essentially, they are the call-to-action links on social media tabs that prompt visitors to look at the publisher’s website. This link-building approach has considerable potential to draw organic traffic. That is because it leverages an already established social media audience. A website makes the most of the already funneled audience to get warm leads.
An excellent way to get social backlinks is to have intelligent placements of the hyperlinks to the website on the content one posts on the social media feed. Different social media platforms may require varying approaches to social link building.
For instance, with Facebook allowing more real estate for content and link-building articles, there is a higher chance of placing hyperlinks within page posts. The About section and personal profile pages are also good contenders for placing hyperlinks. Twitter is a slightly different ball game since the space for link-building is limited. That said, prospects from Twitter can be of higher quality. The Twitter bio is an excellent place to direct users to a website.
4. Guest Blogging Backlinks
Guest blogging backlinks can be valuable to any website’s SEO strategy. To get these backlinks, you must write a blog post for a website in your sector in exchange for a connection back to your website. This can increase your website’s visibility, drive traffic, and improve your website’s authority in search engine rankings.
Here are some benefits of guest blogging backlinks:
- Improve search engine rankings: Backlinks from reputable websites can improve your website’s authority and ranking in search engine results pages.
- Increase traffic: Guest blogging can help drive traffic to your website from the website where your post is published.
- Build relationships: Guest blogging can help build relationships with other bloggers and businesses in your industry, leading to potential collaborations or partnerships in the future.
- Expand your audience: Writing for a different website can expose your brand to a new audience and potentially attract new customers or clients.
- Share your expertise: By writing a guest blog post, you can showcase your knowledge and expertise in your industry.
Choose reputable websites with a relevant audience and good domain authority when looking for guest blogging opportunities. Ensure that your guest post is high-quality, informative, and provides value to the website’s readers. With the right approach, guest blogging backlinks can be a valuable addition to your overall SEO strategy.
5. Webinar Backlinks
Webinar backlinks are a powerful tool for building high-quality backlinks and increasing the visibility of your website. When you host a webinar, you can invite other industry experts to participate as guest speakers, and they will often link back to your website from their own websites or social media channels. This can boost your website’s authority and improve your search engine rankings.
Here are some benefits of webinar backlinks:
- High-quality backlinks: When experts in your industry link back to your website, you get high-quality backlinks that can boost your website’s authority and improve your search engine rankings.
- Increased visibility: Webinars can attract a wider audience, increasing the visibility of your brand and website.
- Networking: Hosting a webinar allows you to network with other industry experts, potentially leading to future collaborations or partnerships.
- Thought leadership: By hosting a webinar, you position yourself as a thought leader in your industry and increase your credibility.
- Lead generation: Webinars can be a great way to generate leads and build your email list.
To maximize the benefits of webinar backlinks, choose relevant and reputable guest speakers, promote the webinar on social media and other channels, and provide valuable content for attendees. With the right approach, webinar backlinks can be a powerful tool for boosting your website’s authority and visibility.
6. Link Exchanges
Link exchange is another technique you can use to earn links from high-authority sites. The strategy is quite simple-you reciprocate or rather swap links with bloggers or webmasters of the sites with high domain authority. It is more or less a symbiotic approach where you are to both gain from the exchange.
The technique is still quite divisive among SEO pros. In the past, some would advise against using this approach, but the landscape is changing fast, and even the big names on the web are using the SEO technique for backlinks.
Keep in mind, though, that Google webmaster guidelines clearly state that excessive link exchanges can harm your SEO rankings. You can also check out this episode of Google Search Central Office Hangout in 2021 that expounds more on these guidelines. In the hangout, John Mueller of Google explained that doing excessive link exchanges can be taken as link spamming.
Simply put, Google sees excessive links exchanged as unnatural links that are only there because you’re doing a deal with the other side.
The trick to this SEO technique is to execute it with a lot of tact and moderately. You can work with a white label link building agency to help you court the right websites for link exchanges to build niche-relevant and authority backlinks.
7. Broken Link Building
This is another clever backlink strategy that is widely used by SEO pros, according to the State of Link Building Report 2022 report compiled by Aira. You essentially scour the web for links to dead pages and ask the linkers to swap it with a useful alternative. It is worth noting that broken link building isn’t necessarily that easy.
You have to find relevant broken links on the web, perhaps narrow them down to a given topic, then analyze the link prospects to assess the value. After that, you will need to create a resourceful replacement page and do outreach to pitch the resource.
8. Badge Backlinks
These are the links placed on a website as a badge or widget, often featuring a logo or branding of another website or business. Badge backlinks can be a great way to increase the visibility of your website and improve its search engine ranking, but it’s essential to use them correctly.
One of the benefits of badge backlinks is that they can drive traffic to your site. When someone clicks on the badge, they’ll be directed to your website, potentially increasing traffic and engagement. Badge backlinks can also help you build relationships with other businesses or websites in your industry, which can be beneficial for networking and collaborations.
However, it’s important to note that not all badge backlinks are created equal. Google has cracked down on “spammy” backlinks in recent years, so it’s essential only to use relevant badge backlinks that add value to your website. Avoid using too many backlinks or using them in a way that feels forced or unnatural.
Badge backlinks can be a valuable tool for increasing your website’s visibility and driving traffic. Just be sure to use them strategically and responsibly, and you may see an improvement in your search engine ranking and online presence.
9. Blogger Outreach Backlinks
This is one of the most effective techniques to grow your website backlinks. You simply reach out to top bloggers in your niche and beyond to inquire about the possibility of getting content published on their website with a backlink to your site.
The success of this strategy depends on your ability to make the right connections that will get your backlinks from high-quality websites. The problem is that bloggers are now bombarded with many requests that look spammy. There are also many link-building scams meaning you ought to be vigilant as you pursue links from bloggers out there.
You can work with a blogger outreach agency with the right networks and expertise in getting organic backlinks from the best bloggers on the web. A top blogger outreach agency will often use a highly personalized approach to attract responses, action, and long-term relationships with bloggers.
10. Press Release Backlinks
Putting out press releases when you have announcements worthy of media interest is another way to get backlinks. The publications covering the story will link to your website. What’s more, this strategy can work well for your PR and marketing. While press release backlinks have the potential to boost ranking and traffic, overdoing them with releases that are not newsworthy could have a counter-effect. Creating press releases for the sake of it could seem spammy, negatively impacting your SEO.
11. Paid Backlinks
A website gets these backlinks by paying other websites to link to its page. The thing is that search engines want to rank sites based on genuine popularity. Paying for mentions and backlinks affects your site’s placement in search rankings since search engines find it ingenuine. Paid backlinks are a Blackhat link-building technique that can attract remarkable penalties.
12. HARO
HARO is a platform that connects journalists and reporters with sources for their stories. It’s a powerful tool for building relationships with journalists and getting your business or brand in the news.
The concept behind HARO is simple: reporters post queries for sources, and anyone can respond with their expertise or insights. By providing helpful information to reporters, you can get featured in their stories and gain valuable exposure for your business.
One of the benefits of HARO is that it’s free to use. You can sign up for HARO’s email list and receive daily queries in your inbox, giving you ongoing opportunities to contribute to stories. HARO also attracts various media outlets, from major news organizations to niche blogs and podcasts, so there are opportunities for businesses of all sizes and industries.
However, it’s important to approach HARO strategically. With so many queries coming through each day, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and lose sight of your goals. It’s important to respond only to queries that are relevant to your business and to provide thoughtful, valuable insights that will capture the reporter’s attention.
Therefore, HARO is a powerful tool for building relationships with journalists and increasing your visibility in the media. With a strategic approach and a commitment to providing helpful information, you can use HARO to take your business to the next level.
13. Forum Backlinks
Forum Backlinks are links placed in forum posts or comments, often pointing back to your website. While forum backlinks can be a helpful tool for improving your site’s visibility, it’s essential to use them strategically.
One of the benefits of forum backlinks is that they can help you build relationships with other industry members. By participating in forums and providing valuable insights, you can establish yourself as an authority in your field and potentially attract new customers or clients. Forum backlinks can also drive website traffic and improve search engine rankings.
However, it’s important to avoid using forum backlinks in a spammy or manipulative way. Google has cracked down on low-quality backlinks, so it’s important to only use forum backlinks in a way that adds value to the discussion and the community. By providing thoughtful, valuable insights and only using forum backlinks when relevant, you can use this strategy to improve your website’s visibility and build relationships in your industry.
Conclusion
Backlinks come in many forms. And they vary in the SEO value they provide to a site. Some will tip the scale in an SEO campaign, while others may offer counterproductive effects, some being as far-reaching as Google penalties. The key is to leverage white-hat link building services that will grow your SEO rankings organically.
FAQs on Backlinks
What Are Backlinks?
An incoming hyperlink from one web page to another website. The more backlinks you have pointing back to your site, the more popular it will be.
What is an Editorial Backlink?
Editorial backlinks offer incredible SEO value to websites. The mentions, especially from high authority and relevant websites, can boost a site's ranking in relevant search engine results pages.
What are Guest Blogging Backlinks?
Guest blogging backlinks, as the name suggests, are backlinks earned when a website owner offers their knowledge by posting as a guest on another relevant website.
What is Link Exchange?
Link exchange is another technique you can use to earn links from high-authority sites. The strategy is quite simple-you reciprocate or rather swap links with bloggers or webmasters of the sites with high domain authority.
What are Badge Backlinks?
One way to get high-quality backlinks is establishing awards and badges to recognize brands doing incredible things in your field. Badge backlinks work best for brands with similar audiences to you.
What is HARO?
Help a Reporter Out, otherwise known as HARO, is another clever technique you can use to build backlinks to your website. HARO is all about assisting journalists and bloggers with expertise on their stories in exchange for coverage and even white hat links!
