A backlink is a reference (link) to an external website. Google and other search engines use the link profile to classify the ranking in the search results. If a website has a large number of backlinks, which are also very high quality, then it can be assumed that it has good content and is popular.
Links have been one of the most important elements on the Internet since the 1990s, as it is impossible to navigate the Internet without them. There will probably never be another technology to replace the link. One Google employee summarized this with the words: “Links are here to stay.”
What are backlinks?
For the search engine, backlinks are a factor in determining the ranking in the search results. The principle behind this is simple: if many links point to a website, then this appears to be an interesting or helpful page. Links are therefore to be understood as recommendations.
What influence do backlinks have on SEO?
Backlinks have a considerable influence on SEO – because there is link building, among other things. Building backlinks is therefore one way to improve the Google ranking of your own website. This can be done in an artificial way. In many cases, however, it can also be done through certain asstes, such as tools or free eBooks, which are then pointed out later. Artificial link building is an activity that should only be carried out by an experienced link building agency, as it can quickly lead to a penalty – the website will be classified as spam. Furthermore, it could also be that the expensive backlink is simply devalued by Google and no longer has any influence on the ranking. In general, however, links can also have a toxic influence. For example, if a dubious website links to your own. Then it is important that the link profile is cleaned up. The link profile should therefore be checked again and again so that harmful links can be devalued immediately.
How is the value of a link defined?
The same motto applies to links: quality over quantity. Google is aware of the issues surrounding link building and naturally wants to prevent this – these ambitions have been in place since the Penguin update. Since then, a link is no longer just a link, but an individual element that needs to be checked. Bad links should be devalued, as otherwise the entire website may suffer. This can also lead to a Google penalty, whereby the website is completely deleted from the search index. It is then very difficult to clear the website of this penalty again. It is therefore particularly important to place great value on trustworthy websites, as this has a positive effect on the website and in turn leads to valuable traffic. Trusted domains should always be preferred to link farms or websites at a low price.
Anchor text
The value is also determined on the basis of the anchor text (link text), as this should be declared to match the linked website. Anchor text is usually highlighted in color or underlined so that the visitor notices it. As already mentioned, Google uses the link text (and the words before/after it) to determine how this backlink should be evaluated. In most cases, manipulation can already be recognized from the link text, whereupon the link is devalued.
Background: Algorithm relies on backlinks
The Google search engine was launched in 1999, replacing link lists. In fact, backlinks immediately became an important factor. However, Google did not take quality into account at that time, but only paid attention to quantity. This led to a veritable link spam in order to gain the top positions in the search engine. Google then introduced penalties via various updates so that link spam was almost extinct after just a few months. However, there were always tricks to get around this. In the end, the algorithm completely undermined all of this. If a company continues to rely on inferior links, then success is certainly no longer guaranteed.
