What’s the Secret Behind the Best Backlinks?

It is no longer a secret that when it comes to backlinks, you might as well not even bother unless you’re talking quality backlinks. There was a time when low-end backlinks would at least help you a little bit if used in large quantities, but those days are over. Then came the day when crappy backlinks weren’t of any real use, but didn’t harm you either…days that have also passed.

Today, poor quality backlinks have the potential to earn you a one-way ticket into the fiery depths of page 87 in the search rankings…a fate tantamount to death. As such, you can’t just try your luck with a flurry of backlinks and see what works like you once did – you need to make sure that each and every one is a winner, first time and every time.

Easier said than done? You bet, but ask the world’s leading SEO specialists for a few pointers on getting it right and there are a few boxes all will agree must be ticked.

Authority of Source Site

First and foremost, your link will not be worth the paper it isn’t printed on if the site hosting it doesn’t have at least a decent degree of authority. This means a decent standing in the industry, a good page rank and absolutely no black-marks in the eyes of Google. And it’s not like this is difficult to establish – not only is it easy to think of thousands of sources of authority right off the top of your head, but you can also use free online tools to check the specifics. If they don’t rate, neither will you.

Relevance of Source Site

Another key pointer to be aware of is relevance. Sure, the host site may be authoritative as hell, but if it’s a site selling fishing lures and you’re trying to promote industrial boilers, chances are you’ll be sniffed out for using irrelevant sources. You can get away with a few of these of course, but head anywhere above 10% when it comes to sources that aren’t directly linked to you and you might be in trouble.

Exposure of Link

Another key element of a good link is how much exposure it is given. There’s a huge difference between a link that appears in a random place on a “Sources” page at the back of a site and one that’s prominently placed on the very first landing page. Regardless of how this works in an SEO sense, you need to make sure the link has good enough exposure in order to encourage as many readers as possible to click through to your site naturally.

Position of Link

Last up, it’s a little known fact but precisely where your link is located can also influence how much credit it earns in the eyes of Google and Co. If, for example, you appear in the same block of text as CNN, the Wall Street Journal and MSNBC, your link will be seen as of serious authority and thus lavished with points. If on the other hand it’s tucked away in the middle of nowhere, Google will realise this is due to its apparent lack of importance and you won’t fare nearly as well.