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A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Backlinks can help
search engines discover pages, understand how topics connect, and assess
whether other sites consider a page worth referencing.
Most businesses benefit from earning relevant backlinks. However, the
goal is not to collect the largest possible number. A few useful links
from credible, closely related websites can be more valuable than
hundreds of links created only to influence rankings.
The practical approach is simple: build a useful website first, then earn
links through strong content, real relationships, and legitimate
promotion.
What is a backlink?
A backlink—sometimes called an inbound link—is a clickable link on
another website that sends people to a page on your site.
For example, imagine that a local newspaper publishes a guide to home
renovations and links to a contractor’s cost calculator. That contractor
has earned a backlink. The link can send referral traffic to the
calculator and help search engines find and understand the page.
Backlinks are different from internal links. A backlink comes from
another website. An internal link connects two pages on your own site.
Both matter, but they serve different purposes.
Google says it uses links to find new pages and as a signal when
determining page relevance. That makes links one part of a much larger
search system—not a guarantee that a page will rank.
Learn how Google uses links
.
Why do backlinks matter for SEO?
Backlinks can support SEO in three main ways.
They help search engines discover pages
Search engines follow crawlable links as they explore the web. A link
from an established page can give a search engine another path to find
your content.
You should not depend on backlinks for discovery alone. Strong
internal links and an XML sitemap give search engines clearer ways to
reach important pages on your site.
They provide context
The page containing a link, the words used in the link, and the
surrounding content can help explain what the destination page covers.
A landscaping association linking to a guide about drought-resistant
lawns provides clearer context than an unrelated entertainment blog
linking to the same guide without explanation.
They can bring qualified visitors
A backlink has value beyond rankings. A relevant link can send people
who are already interested in your product, service, or expertise.
For a small business, that referral traffic may be the most immediate
benefit. A link that brings five qualified prospects can be more useful
than a link that looks impressive in an SEO report but sends nobody.
What makes a backlink valuable?
There is no single public score that determines whether Google values a
backlink. Third-party metrics such as domain authority or domain rating
can help with comparison, but they are not Google ranking metrics.
Evaluate a link using a few practical questions.
Is the linking page relevant?
A link should make sense for the reader. A local tourism site linking
to a hotel, a supplier linking to an authorized retailer, or an
industry publication citing original research all create a clear
connection.
Relevance does not need to be exact. A business can naturally earn
links from local organizations, news outlets, professional
associations, partners, and adjacent industries.
Is the site credible?
Look at the website as a customer would. Does it publish original,
useful information? Is the business or publisher identifiable? Does
the site have a real audience and a clear purpose?
Avoid judging a site only by a single SEO metric. A smaller local
chamber of commerce may be highly relevant and trustworthy even when a
backlink tool gives it a modest authority score.
Is the link placed naturally?
A useful backlink usually appears where it helps the reader. It may
cite a statistic, recommend a resource, identify a partner, or provide
more detail about a topic.
A link inserted into an unrelated paragraph, repeated across hundreds
of low-quality pages, or hidden in a footer is less likely to provide
meaningful business value.
Can the link send the right audience?
Consider whether people who visit the linking page could realistically
become customers, partners, subscribers, or advocates.
This keeps backlink decisions tied to business outcomes instead of a
number on a dashboard.
Do nofollow links help SEO?
Links can include attributes such as
rel="nofollow",
rel="sponsored", or
rel="ugc". These attributes give Google information about
the nature of the link.
Google recommends using sponsored for advertisements and
paid placements, and ugc for links in user-generated
content. Google treats these attributes as signals about the link rather
than a simple guarantee that it will be ignored.
Review Google’s link attribute guidance
.
A nofollow link is not necessarily worthless. It can still send referral
traffic, build awareness, support a partnership, or lead to other
mentions.
Do not reject a legitimate media mention or industry listing simply
because the link is nofollow. Judge it by the audience, context, and
business opportunity.
Does every business need backlinks?
Most businesses need some links to compete for valuable searches, but
the amount varies.
A well-established local business in a low-competition market may
perform well with a strong Google Business Profile, accurate local
information, useful service pages, reviews, and a modest number of
relevant links.
A new company competing nationally for a popular commercial term will
usually need a much stronger combination of content, technical SEO,
brand recognition, and backlinks.
Start by reviewing the pages that already rank for your target searches.
If credible competing pages consistently have more relevant referring
websites, backlinks may be an important gap.
However, fix your own page first if it is thin, slow, unclear, difficult
to use, or poorly matched to the search. Links cannot make an unhelpful
page useful. Google recommends creating reliable content for people
rather than content designed mainly to manipulate rankings.
Review Google’s helpful content guidance
.
How can a small business earn backlinks?
Create something worth referencing
Useful resources make outreach easier. Examples include:
- Original research
- Local data
- Calculators
- Templates
- Comparison guides
- Checklists
- Clear answers to difficult customer questions
The content does not need to be huge. A simple resource that solves a
specific problem can earn more links than a long article that repeats
common advice.
What to do first: Review the questions customers
ask most often. Create one resource that answers a difficult
question better than the pages currently ranking.
Use existing business relationships
Review your relationships with suppliers, distributors, professional
associations, chambers of commerce, community groups, event
organizers, and business partners.
Some may maintain member directories, partner pages, case studies, or
resource lists. Ask only where a link would be useful and accurate for
their audience.
What to do first: Make a list of 10 organizations
that already know your business. Check whether each has a relevant
directory, partner page, or resource section.
Contribute expertise
Journalists, podcasters, trade publications, and local news
organizations regularly need informed sources. Offer a useful quote, a
clear explanation, or original data without demanding a followed link.
Coverage can produce referral traffic, branded searches, credibility,
and future opportunities even when the link is qualified.
What to do first: Prepare three short expert
comments about common issues in your industry. Make each one clear
enough for a journalist or publisher to use.
Recover links you have lost
Websites change. Pages are removed, URLs move, and mentions become
unlinked.
Monitor important backlinks and investigate valuable losses. A polite
note pointing to the correct replacement page may restore the link.
What to do first: Review recently lost links.
Prioritize links from credible sites that previously sent traffic or
pointed to an important page.
Find relevant broken links
When a reputable site links to a resource that no longer exists, you
can suggest a useful replacement from your site.
This works only when your page genuinely fits the original context.
Sending mass emails about unrelated broken links creates noise and
rarely builds trust.
What to do first: Look for broken resources on a
small group of highly relevant industry or local websites. Contact
the publisher only when your content is a close replacement.
What backlink tactics should you avoid?
Google defines link spam as links created primarily to manipulate search
rankings. Examples include buying or selling links for ranking purposes,
excessive link exchanges, automated link creation, and low-quality
directory or bookmark links.
These tactics may cause links to lose their ranking benefit or lead to
broader search penalties.
Review Google’s spam policies
.
Paid promotion is not automatically a problem. The link should be marked
with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" so the
commercial relationship is clear.
Be cautious when a provider promises a fixed number of links without
explaining:
- Which websites will publish them
- Whether the sites are relevant
- How the links will be earned
- Whether payment is involved
- What audience the links can reach
- Whether you can review the placements
A package built around volume often creates links that have little
business value and may violate Google’s spam policies.
Should you disavow spammy backlinks?
Usually, no.
Most established sites collect strange or low-quality links over time.
Google says most sites do not need the Disavow Links tool because its
systems can determine which links to trust.
Google recommends disavowing only when you have a considerable number of
spammy, artificial, or low-quality links and those links have caused—or
are likely to cause—a manual action. Using the tool incorrectly can harm
performance by asking Google to ignore useful links.
Review Google’s Disavow Links guidance
.
Do not disavow a link simply because a third-party tool labels it
“toxic.” First, check Google Search Console for a manual action and
review whether your business or an agency deliberately created
manipulative links.
Seek experienced help when the risk is unclear.
How should you measure backlink progress?
Track quality and outcomes, not just totals.
Review:
- New referring websites
- Visits from backlinks
- Leads or sales from referral traffic
- Links to priority pages
- Important links that disappear
- Competitor links that reveal realistic opportunities
Do not treat every new link as a win or every lost link as a problem.
Focus on links from websites that are relevant, credible, and capable of
reaching the right audience.
A useful monthly question is: “Which links helped the right people find
our best pages?”
That keeps backlink work connected to visibility, trust, and revenue.
What should you fix first?
Before launching a backlink campaign, work through these priorities:
- Make sure your important pages are useful and complete.
- Add clear internal links to those pages.
- Fix broken pages and incorrect redirects.
- Identify the pages most likely to attract links or generate revenue.
- Review the links your closest search competitors have earned.
- Create one resource that is genuinely worth referencing.
- Begin targeted outreach to relevant people and organizations.
This order prevents you from spending time promoting pages that are not
ready to compete or convert visitors.
The bottom line
Backlinks are links from other websites to yours. They can help search
engines discover and understand pages, and they can bring qualified
visitors directly to your business.
Most businesses benefit from earning backlinks, but quantity is not the
goal. Prioritize links that make sense to a reader, come from credible
and relevant sources, and support pages that already provide real value.
Fix your website and content first. Then earn links through useful
resources, expert contributions, partnerships, and thoughtful outreach.
Avoid shortcuts built only to manipulate rankings, and use the Disavow
Links tool only in the limited situations Google recommends.
Use diib® to check your backlink profile, compare referring websites,
and find the pages that need stronger support.
Frequently asked questions about backlinks
What is a backlink?
A backlink is a link from another website to a page on your website.
Backlinks can help people discover your business and give search engines
more context about your content.
Do backlinks help SEO?
Yes. Relevant backlinks can help search engines discover pages,
understand how topics connect, and assess whether other websites consider
a page useful. Backlinks are only one part of SEO and do not guarantee
higher rankings.
Does every business need backlinks?
Most businesses benefit from earning some relevant backlinks, but the
amount depends on the market and competition. A local business in a
smaller niche may need fewer links than a company competing nationally.
How many backlinks do I need?
There is no universal target. Focus on whether competing pages have links
from credible, relevant websites and whether your backlinks bring useful
traffic. Quality and context matter more than a raw total.
What makes a backlink valuable?
A valuable backlink usually comes from a credible and relevant website,
appears naturally within useful content, and can send the right audience
to your page. A link should make sense to the reader, not exist only to
influence rankings.
Do nofollow backlinks have value?
Yes. A nofollow link may still send referral traffic, build awareness,
support a partnership, or lead to additional mentions. Do not judge a
link only by whether it is followed.
Should I buy backlinks?
Do not buy links for the purpose of manipulating search rankings. Paid
advertising and sponsorships can be legitimate, but the links should use
the appropriate sponsored or nofollow attribute.
How can a small business earn backlinks?
Create useful resources, contribute expert insights, work with relevant
partners, join credible local or industry organizations, recover lost
links, and suggest replacements for broken resources when your content
is a close match.
Should I disavow spammy backlinks?
Usually, no. Most websites collect low-quality links over time, and
Google can often ignore them. Consider disavowing only when you have many
artificial links and they have caused, or are likely to cause, a manual
action.
How should I measure backlink performance?
Track new referring websites, referral traffic, leads, links to priority
pages, important lost links, and realistic competitor opportunities.
Measure business value, not just the total number of backlinks.
See how to easily grow your traffic!