What Is A Backlink? Answering Top SEO Questions
What is a backlink?
A backlink is a link that links to your website from another place. Usually it’s another blog or a podcast or something like that. It’s basically an internet citation.
Why are backlinks important?
Backlinks are an important piece of SEO because they allow your website to gain credibility. When search engines realize that a lot of other websites are talking about your website, it knows that your site holds important and valuable information. This in turn means that your website will rank higher in search engine results.
Who makes backlinks?
Anyone! If you’ve been blogging then you’ve probably already created a few backlinks to another business or website.
Is it a backlink if I link to myself?
Nope. The definition of backlinks lies in domains (your domain is everything in between the www. and the .com). If the link comes from the same domain it’s linking to, it’s just a link. But these are still helpful for SEO! These types of links keep people on your website and lower your bounce rate. Bounce rate goes up when someone visits one page and then leaves. Keeping your bounce rate low is something that search engines look at when categorizing results so don’t neglect the internal links.
Why is it helpful to add backlinks? Aren't they just helping someone else?
Firstly, by adding links to other relevant websites you are sharing the wealth. Secondly, it helps your own website. Here’s an example: I was interviewed on FemFounder recently (you can read my interview here). Now, when someone searches for my business or my name, FemFounder shows up somewhere in those search results. That helps them. If someone is browsing the FemFounder website and lands on the interview I did, clicks the backlink, and ends up on my website, that helps me. Backlinks are win-win.
How do I get backlinks?
Provide valuable information.
If you are a guest on a podcast, ask them to link your website in the podcast description.
If you know someone who writes a blog, ask them to feature you.
If your blog consistently produces high quality information, people will automatically pull your quotes and use them for their own blogs.
Another great way to build up backlinks is to check out HARO. Help A Reporter Out is a list of media outlets looking for individuals to comment on things. They send out an email three times a day M-F so get ready for the onslaught of emails. They also have short deadlines and you won’t get every feature you submit to so the name of the game is messy action, but I’ve gotten some great backlinks from HARO alone.
How do I know if I have any backlinks?
Use a backlink checker! There’s tons out there, just google backlink checker. You’ll add your domain and it’ll tell you how many you have. Neil Patel (the king of SEO) likes people to aim for around 60-100.
I have another question!
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