Smart Backlink Building: Pitfall Avoidance & Quality Metrics

In this blog, let’s dive into the fascinating world of backlinks and discover why they’re the real deal in boosting your online presence. We’ll be discussing the importance of snagging those quality backlinks while steering clear of the murky waters of link buying. We will also share tools that can help you find the right data to determine a website’s backlink potential and find out if the website sells backlinks.

So, why are quality backlinks such a big deal? Well, think of them as digital votes of confidence from others in your industry. When reputable websites link to your content, it’s like a virtual endorsement. Search engines, like Google, take note of these endorsements and consider them as signs of credibility and authority. It’s like having industry experts endorsing you on Linkedin or popular kids vouch for you at the high school party of search results. You definitely want to be in that cool crowd!

Backlinks directly feed into Google’s E-EAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority & Trustworthiness) quality rater guidelines. 

Another proof of the importance to build authority and trustworthiness is Google’s broad guidelines on what a core update means and how to deal with it. 

But wait, there’s more! 

Quality backlinks are more than just fancy badges to display. They’re also referral traffic generators. When a trusted site points visitors your way, it’s like having a well-placed signpost on a highway. People who trust that site are more likely to click on that link and cruise over to your website. These are the folks genuinely interested in what you have to offer, increasing your chances of turning them into your followers, leads, or customers. 

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: buying backlinks. It might seem tempting, but here’s the lowdown—it’s a risky game to play. Link sellers often resort to shady tactics, and search engines are getting smarter at detecting these maneuvers. If you get caught, you might face penalties or, worst-case scenario, disappear from search results altogether. 

Ouch! It’s definitely not the path to long-term success.

But there’s more to it than just penalties. Purchased backlinks lack the authenticity and value that organic ones bring. They often come from low-quality or irrelevant websites, which can damage your online reputation and user experience. We definitely want to avoid that!

So, how do we get those genuine, high-quality backlinks that will make a real impact?

Here are a few strategies to get quality backlinks:

1. Craft compelling content: Focus on creating valuable, share-worthy content that naturally attracts attention and earns those organic backlinks. Quality work always gets noticed!
2. Forge relationships with influencers: Connect with influential figures in your industry, nurture those connections, and showcase your expertise. They might just link to your outstanding content when they see your value.
3. Collaborate through guest blogging: Offer your expertise as a guest blogger on reputable sites. It’s a win-win situation—you gain exposure, and they get quality content. Oh, and don’t forget the backlinks!
4. Engage in targeted outreach: Reach out to relevant websites, blogs, and online communities, and share your unique content. Be genuine, and personalized, and show them why linking to your content would benefit their audience.
5. Check the quality metrics of websites you approach: Unless you know the website or it’s a household name, how can you be sure if this particular website is the right ‘quality’ website & not a shady website that engages in black hat tactics like link selling? One way to know is to use a tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush to check the website’s metrics like:
   1. Domain Rating: A metric that shows you the relative backlink strength of the website
   2. Organic traffic trend: If a website is regularly getting health traffic, then it’s a good sign that they are in the good books of Google, so getting backlinks from them can also put you in Google’s good books. 
   3. UX/UI: While a subjective metric, it can help you determine if a website is built for humans or for bots – you want websites that are made for humans!
   4. Ensure the website does not sell links: This is a critical metric because even if you don’t pay for the link but the website otherwise sells links, anytime they get penalized, yours will too. You can do your own research or use a tool like Linktegrity to find out if the website sells links. Linktegrity has a database of 15k+ websites that sell links and would be the best to avoid!  

In a nutshell, quality backlinks are the secret sauce to boosting your online visibility. They validate your credibility, drive targeted traffic, and enhance your search engine rankings. So, let’s stay clear of the pitfalls of link buying and focus on building genuine relationships, creating outstanding content, and playing by the rules of ethical SEO. Trust me, you’ll be on your way to reaching new heights in no time!