Link building is packed with advice, but not all of it’s true!

You’ve probably heard things like, “Only high-DA links matter,” or “Nofollow links are useless.” Misleading information like this can waste your time and even hurt your SEO progress.

In this article, we will talk about the top 10 link-building myths holding back so many websites. We’ll clear up what actually works so you can stop second-guessing and focus on proven strategies. 

Let’s bust these myths and make your link-building smarter and simpler.

Top 10 Link Building Myths

Many ideas about link building are misleading. Here, we’ll uncover the truth behind the top 10 myths to help you focus on what really drives results.

1) Only High-DA Links Matter

Some people think that only links from sites with good Domain Authority (DA) matter. While DA can help, it is only part of the entire picture. According to Moz, a study showed that sometimes DA may be misleading. This means that a site may have a high DA score but also low traffic or low engagement; thus, a link from that site might not be as helpful as it may seem.

What really makes a link valuable?

• Relevance: Links from sites related to your field help more.
• Organic Traffic: Links from pages that get real traffic are often more helpful.
• Anchor Text: Keeping anchor text natural improves link quality.
• Link Ratios: A healthy balance of incoming and outgoing links shows a natural link profile.

So, while high DA can help, it’s better to focus on a mix of quality links that bring real value to your site’s SEO.

An article in Search Engine Journal highlights that Google doesn’t use Domain Authority as a ranking factor. This busts a common myth in link building—boosting Domain Authority doesn’t directly impact Google rankings.

2) Exact-Match Anchor Text is Best

Many people think using exact-match anchor text—the clickable text that exactly matches your target keyword—is the ideal way to improve rankings. But, relying on this too much can actually harm your SEO.

Google prefers anchor text that sounds natural and fits smoothly in the content. Overusing exact-match text can make your links seem unnatural, and Google may penalize your site for it. This myth is based on old SEO tactics, but today’s search engines are much smarter.

Why Exact-Match Overuse Can Hurt You?

• Penalties: Too much exact-match text looks spammy to Google, which can lead to penalties.
• Limited Reach: Using a variety of anchor text helps attract a wider audience and aligns better with natural search patterns.
• Improves Readability: Different anchor text makes content easier to read and gives readers a better idea of what the link is about.

Use natural, varied anchors, like “check out travel tips” instead of only “travel.” This keeps your link profile looking balanced and authentic.

3) Nofollow Links Are Useless

Many people think that nofollow links don’t matter because they don’t directly boost your SEO. But this isn’t true—nofollow links still have value.

Why Nofollow Links Are Helpful?

• Creates a Balanced Link Profile: Google likes to see a mix of both dofollow and nofollow links. Having only dofollow links might look unnatural, so nofollow links add balance.
• Drives Traffic: While nofollow links are not that helpful for SEO, links from branded sites can always bring visitors to your website and lead to new customers.
• Builds Brand Awareness: Links from trustworthy sites, even if they are nofollow, make your brand more visible and help create trust with new audiences.

Nofollow links aren’t useless. They help make your link profile look natural and can bring in valuable visitors to your site.

A survey by Authority Hackers found that 89.1% of link builders believe that nofollow links can still impact search rankings.

4) Links Should Only Point to the Homepage/Service Page

A lot of people think links should always direct to the homepage or main service pages, but this limits your SEO potential.

Why Linking to Internal Pages Helps?

• Gives More Value: Linking to blog posts, guides, or other internal pages makes your site more relevant and helpful. These pages often have detailed info that answers specific questions.
• Better User Experience: Visitors want answers right away. Sending them to a relevant internal page keeps them engaged and makes it easier to find what they need.
• Spreads Link Authority: When links point to various pages, it distributes authority across your site, boosting the SEO of multiple pages, not just the homepage.

5) Paid Links Don’t Work

There’s a common belief that paying for links is pointless, but that’s not always true. When done carefully, paid links can be helpful.

Why Paid Links Can Work?

• Quick Boost: Paid links from trusted sites can improve your site’s authority faster than organic links, especially in competitive industries.
• Control Over Placement: Paid links allow you to choose where your links go, how they’re presented, and who sees them, which is harder to control with organic links.
• Visibility on High-Traffic Sites: Getting a paid link on a popular, relevant site can drive targeted traffic to your page, giving you both visibility and SEO benefits.

Risks of Paid Links

• Risk of Google Penalties: Google has guidelines against paid links that look unnatural. Avoid spammy, low-quality sites, as Google can penalize your site if they spot obvious paid links.
• Focus on Quality: Only invest in links from respected, niche-specific sites. Random paid links don’t add much value and could hurt your SEO.

6) Internal Links Don’t Matter

There’s a misconception that internal links don’t contribute to link building, but they actually make a big difference. Internal links pass authority within your site, helping important pages rank better and gain external links.

Why Internal Links Matter?

• Spread Link Authority: Links from other parts of your site pass authority or link juice to key pages, helping them rank and attract more links.
• Guide for Search Engines: Internal links show search engines which pages are important and help them understand your content structure.
• Highlight Expertise: Linking related content builds topic clusters, signaling search engines that your site is a trusted source on those topics.

Link to important pages, like detailed guides or popular articles, to boost their visibility and attract more links. When you create new pages, link to them from your strongest pages—this helps them get noticed and indexed faster.

7) Only Links from Relevant Websites Count

It’s a myth that only links from sites in your niche help your SEO. While niche links can strengthen relevance, links from high-authority sites, like the New York Times or the Guardian, can also enhance your visibility and trust, even if they’re not specific to your industry.

Context, though, still matters. If a high-authority site links to you with unrelated anchor text or content, search engines may get mixed signals about your focus.

Aim for a mix of niche-relevant and high-authority links. Just make sure the context aligns with your topic for the best impact.

Here’s a screenshot from a Search Engine Journal article that backs up this point:

8) Social Media Links Don’t Impact SEO

Social media links are often seen as “nofollow,” so they don’t directly impact search engine rankings. But there’s more to the story. Social media can actually support SEO in a few ways:

• Increases Content Reach: Posting on social platforms exposes your content to a wider audience, which raises the chance of others linking back to it naturally.
• Builds Brand Recognition: Frequent, valuable posts on social media boost your brand’s visibility and credibility, which can attract more visitors over time.
• Drives Quality Traffic: Social media links may not directly affect rankings, but they drive visitors to your site. If visitors find your content valuable, they stay longer, which sends positive engagement signals to search engines.
• Creates Link Opportunities: Social platforms are excellent for networking. When bloggers or influencers come across your content and find it useful, they might link to it from their own sites.

According to a survey shared on Neil Patel’s website, most SEO professionals rely on social media as their main technique for link building.

9) Links are the Only Factor for Ranking

While links are important, they’re not the only thing that matters for SEO. Google considers many factors to decide a site’s ranking.

• Quality Content: Google favors sites with valuable, clear information that’s helpful to users. Good content builds trust and can improve rankings.
• User Experience: Fast-loading pages and mobile-friendly layouts keep visitors on your site longer, which tells Google your site is worth ranking.
• On-Page SEO: Things like headers, meta tags, and keywords help Google understand what each page is about.
• Technical SEO: Basics like secure HTTPS, easy-to-navigate URLs, and properly indexed pages also support your site’s rankings.

First Page Sage, a top SEO firm in the US, has been studying Google’s algorithm for 15 years and regularly shares its findings. Here’s their Q3 2024 update, explaining the main ranking factors and recent changes.

10) Once You Get a Link, the Work is Done

Getting a link doesn’t mean your job is over. Links can change over time, lose value, or even disappear as websites update their content. Here’s why ongoing link management is essential:

• Links Can Lose Value: Websites change, and so does their authority. A link that once boosted your SEO might not be as effective if the linking site’s relevance or quality drops.
• Keep Content Updated: Content gets refreshed or removed, which could make links disappear or break. Regularly checking helps keep your link profile strong.
• Stay Ahead of Competitors: Link building is ongoing, and competitors constantly seek new links. Consistently updating your link profile helps you stay competitive.

Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to keep track of your links. These tools help you spot any lost or broken links so you can fix them right away, keeping your SEO strong. If you find lost links, try link reclamation to recover them and maintain your link profile.

Partner with Outreach Monks for Smarter Link-Building

Avoiding these common link-building myths can be challenging without expert support. At Outreach Monks, we focus on strategies that truly work and drive results. Our team ensures your backlinks are high-quality, relevant, and in line with link building best practices. Ready to take your link-building to the next level? Reach out to us today and let’s get started on building a stronger, more effective link profile.

Conclusion

Link building can be challenging, but avoiding these common myths helps you approach it with clarity and purpose. Building strong, diverse links isn’t about rigid rules—it’s about knowing what genuinely supports your growth. By staying flexible, focused on quality over assumptions, and open to evolving strategies, you’re setting up a foundation that’s built to last.

Let your link-building efforts reflect your commitment to genuine connections and steady, sustainable progress.

FAQs on Link Building Myths