Key Takeaways
Backlink Quality Over Quantity: Focus on acquiring high-quality, niche-relevant backlinks from reputable sources and avoid actively pursuing low-value or toxic backlinks that can harm your domain’s authority.
Legit Backlink Types: Prioritize niche-relevant backlinks, links from reputable news outlets, editorial backlinks, image backlinks, citation and reputable industry directory backlinks, along with branded and E-E-A-T backlinks for a strong, credible backlink profile.
Waste of Time Backlinks: Be aware that not all backlinks contribute to your site’s SEO performance. Some, like social media links and press release links, while not harmful, offer limited SEO value and should not be the focus of your link-building efforts.
Avoid Toxic Backlinks: Steer clear of backlinks from spammy sources, such as comment backlinks, PBNs, and paid link schemes, which pose risks to your site’s search engine standing and credibility.
Link Building Caution: Actively building backlinks should be approached with caution, focusing on maintaining a natural backlink profile and avoiding practices that could signal manipulation to search engines.
What are Backlinks?
Backlinks are inbound links from external sources on the internet, serving as votes of confidence for your content and website.
However, it’s critical to understand that not all backlinks are created equal.
Some types of backlinks are valuable and worth pursuing, others are beneficial if acquired passively but not actively, and some should be completely avoided.
It’s important to note that a natural backlink profile will likely include many of these types, which is perfectly acceptable.
Google has improved at ignoring harmful links, rendering them harmless, yet still considers the variety of backlinks as a factor in assessing whether a domain has engaged in unnatural link building to manipulate SERPs—a definite violation of Google’s guidelines.
What are Link Tags?
Link tags, when associated with backlinks, should not be viewed as types of backlinks per se.
Instead, tags describe the relationship between two linked documents, meaning any backlink type can be characterized by two or more tags (just not at the same time).
Here are 4 link tags and their meaning.
Nofollow Tag
Instructs search engines to overlook a link, ensuring it doesn’t influence the site’s search engine rankings.
Essential for links that are paid or not editorially given, like comments or forum posts, to prevent penalties for unnatural link building.
Dofollow Tag
The default setting for links, allowing search engines to follow the link and transfer link equity or ‘link juice.’
This link tag is crucial for SEO, signaling trust and authority from one site to another.
Sponsored Tag
Clarifies which links are advertisements or paid sponsorships.
This tag maintains transparency with search engines regarding commercial agreements, preserving trust in your site’s link practices.
UGC (User Generated Content) Tag
Differentiates links found in user-generated content, such as comments and forum posts.
It assists search engines in distinguishing between editorially placed links and those made by users, ensuring accurate link equity distribution and safeguarding your site from potential spam-related penalties.
7 Legit Backlink Types that Actually Move the Needle
These backlink types are the core of your domain’s backlink profile, doing the heavy lifting in your battle against competitors in the SERPs.
Everything else is secondary to the pivotal role these backlink types play.
Niche-Relevant Backlinks
Coveted by website owners, these backlinks pass considerable ‘link juice‘ even from weaker domains, provided the domain, anchor text, and link placement are relevant to your site.
The stronger the domain of origin, the better.
Links from Reputable News Outlets
SEOs and link builders seek these backlinks because news outlets are typically strong domains, accumulating large numbers of backlinks over time and thereby becoming formidable in terms of SEO.
Platforms like HARO (Help A Reporter Out) facilitate this by connecting journalists with experts, potentially resulting in a valuable link back to your website.
Unicorn Backlinks
The holy grail of backlink types, coming from niche-relevant juggernauts.
Think Cleveland Clinic or Mayo Clinic in the health niche – the very top-tier domains.
Editorial Backlinks
Naturally given by other websites without direct action from the receiving site.
Even if the origin site isn’t 100% niche-relevant, the surrounding content usually is, making this a highly appealing backlink type.
Image Backlinks
Obtained when original visual content you create is shared or linked back to from other websites.
Visuals are engaging and shareable, making them a potent tool for attracting backlinks and enhancing your site’s visibility and authority.
Citation and Reputable Industry Directory Backlinks
Coming from business directories or industry-specific resources, these backlinks are particularly valuable for local SEO and establishing credibility within an industry.
They are one-time efforts that can significantly boost your site’s position.
Branded and E-E-A-T Backlinks
Gained from sources recognizing a website or author’s expertise and authority on a subject.
These can come from mentions of your brand, interviews, expert roundups, or authoritative publications in your niche.
They signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy, authoritative, and recognized for its expertise, boosting your site’s ranking and credibility.
7 Backlink Types That Aren’t Harmful but Are a Waste of Time to Pursue
Earning these types of backlinks shouldn’t disappoint you—in fact, it’s quite the opposite.
However, they either don’t pass ‘link juice’, as with social media links, or could be part of link building schemes that might tarnish the domain you’ve earned a backlink from, such as with resource pages and blogrolls.
Yet, if the referring domain isn’t involved in dubious schemes, some of these backlink types can be just as beneficial as the premier category we’ve discussed.
Press Release Links
Obtained through press releases distributed to news sites and other platforms.
They’re loved by link builders because they can be easily bought.
Often, they’re Nofollow links (not always the case, though) that don’t pass on any ‘link juice‘ but can help with diversifying your backlink profile and E-E-A-T signals.
Press releases are fine for legitimate news, but because they can be easily manipulated, they might leave footprints for Google to detect, especially if Google decides to crack down on this practice.
Social Bookmarks
Links from social bookmarking tools are Nofollow but still send positive signals and help with E-E-A-T.
Social Signals
Indirect links or mentions from social media platforms.
Similar to social bookmarks, they’re not directly harmful but can be time-consuming to chase.
However, they’re worth it if social media is part of your content marketing strategy.
Testimonials and Reviews
Links from writing testimonials or reviews are legitimate when not intended to manipulate search results.
Many businesses will offer a backlink in return for a testimonial, but overreliance on this strategy can skew your link profile and potentially alert Google’s algorithm.
Profile Links
Found in user profiles across various platforms, these are usually Nofollow and offer little benefit, making them a lower priority.
Resource Pages
Links from resource pages are legitimate and beneficial when appropriately acquired and coming from reputable domains not associated with spammy content.
Blogroll Links
Links from a blogroll are legitimate when on a relevant site with a good reason for linking.
However, this method is often exploited by link farms, making it a tactic to approach with caution.
9 Backlink Types that are Toxic and Should Be Avoided
These backlinks typically originate from the spammy corners of the internet and are likely to do more harm than good to your domain’s authority and strength.
My advice is to never actively pursue these types of backlinks for a domain you value.
While they might be useful in rare instances, the chances are slim that you’ll be able to navigate the risks associated with these toxic backlinks effectively.
Comment Backlinks
Acquired by spamming comments on websites or forums.
While they can be relevant, this method is often abused, turning into a spam fiesta.
It’s not advisable to link to a valued website from comments sections that permit unrestricted posting.
PBN Backlinks
Links from blog networks created for link building.
Many PBNs are poorly managed, leaving obvious unnatural link building footprints for Google.
When detected, they’re often severely penalized, affecting their client sites, especially if used excessively.
Article Directory Backlinks
Links from article submissions to directories.
Although some legitimate directories exist, most are overrun by spam and lack proper scrutiny, making them toxic.
Reciprocal Links (Link Exchanges)
Links from an agreement to exchange links with other sites.
Safe when done moderately, but risky if overdone.
The quality and relevance of the linked sites are crucial when trying to be safe about doing link exchanges.
A smarter approach is a three-way exchange, where site 1 links to site 2, and site 2 links to site 3, owned by site 1’s owner.
Widget and Sidebar Links
Links in sidebars or widgets (often site-wide).
Few legitimate reasons exist for these links, so they’re usually a red flag for Google.
Footer Links: Similar to widget and sidebar links, but placed in the website’s footer.
Common for web designers to link to their own sites, but most other instances are suspicious to Google.
Web 2.0 Links
Links from user-generated content platforms.
Legitimate if from reputable UGC platforms like Quora or Reddit.
However, unmoderated platforms prone to abuse should be avoided.
Paid Guest Post Links
Backlink type obtained by paying to write an article on another’s website.
A common practice in link building, it’s safe if done correctly but risky otherwise.
The correct way would be writing content extremely relevant to the hosting domain and only mention your own site in an organic, inconspicuous manner. Almost as an afterthought.
Paid Link Insertions
These are paid links inserted in content.
Common and can be safe if well-executed, but they’re against Google’s terms due to their paid nature.
A Word of Caution
If you’re considering ignoring Google’s guidelines to not actively build links, this is crucial.
Every backlink type mentioned, including toxic ones, can benefit a domain due to the natural backlink profile concept discussed earlier.
And just like toxic backlink types can in theory benefit your domain, the legitimate backlink types can harm your domain if built excessively, disrupting your natural backlink profile significantly.
Google’s “Detection and analysis of backlink activity“ technology identifies schemes aiming to manipulate the algorithm.
For instance, an excessive concentration of low-quality or spammy links, or an unusual spike in acquisition rate of legit backlink types, could both signal manipulative practices to search engines.
Therefore, any link building beyond passive backlink acquisition must be undertaken with utmost caution.
Only a skillful link builder can properly assess a backlink profile, understanding the limits to avoid triggering red flags.
Such proficient SEOs and agencies are rare, so proceed with caution if you choose this path.