What are backlinks? Backlinks are links on other websites that point to a page on your site. Search engines read them as signals of trust and relevance, so a page with backlinks from respected, related sites usually outranks a similar page with none.
Not every backlink carries equal weight. This guide answers what are backlinks in practice. It covers how backlinks in SEO work, the 7 main types of backlinks, what makes one valuable or risky and what each type costs to acquire.
- Backlinks are links from other websites to yours, and search engines read them as trust and relevance signals.
- Relevance, real traffic and placement matter more than raw link counts.
- A natural profile mixes editorial, guest post, PR, directory and nofollow links.
- Backlinks cost from $59 for a niche edit to $8,670 for a 20 link PR campaign.
- Avoid link networks, spam sites and heavy exact match anchors.
What are backlinks and how do they work?
Backlinks are links from one website to a page on another website. A cooking blog that links to your kitchen equipment store has given you a backlink. To you it is an inbound link, and to the blog it is an outbound link.
Search engines discover pages by following links, and they use links to judge importance. A link from a reputable, relevant site works like a recommendation. Recommendations from trusted sources signal that your page deserves attention.
Each backlink has 4 parts:
- Source page: the page where the link appears.
- Target page: the page on your site the link points to.
- Anchor text: the clickable words, which describe the target page.
- Link attributes: tags such as nofollow or sponsored that tell search engines how to treat the link.
Link building is the deliberate process of acquiring these links. Our guide to what link building is in SEO covers that process.
Why do backlinks in SEO still matter?
Backlinks matter because they remain one of the main signals search engines use to judge relevance and authority. Google's original PageRank algorithm treated links as votes. Google Search Central's link guidance still states that Google uses links to judge page relevance and to find new pages to crawl.
Backlinks help in 4 ways:
- Rankings: relevant, trusted links make competitive terms easier to rank for.
- Discovery: crawlers find new pages faster when other sites link to them.
- Referral traffic: real readers click links and arrive on your site.
- Brand trust: citations on respected publications build credibility with people and with AI search tools that draw on the open web.
Content and technical health still matter. Strong backlinks do not rescue a poor page, but they often decide which of 2 good pages ranks first.
What are the types of backlinks?
The 7 main types of backlinks are editorial, guest post, niche edit, digital PR, directory, community and attribute tagged links. They differ by how they are earned and how they are tagged.
| Type | What it is | Typical SEO value |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial links | Links a writer adds because your content is useful | High, especially from relevant sites. |
| Guest post links | Links inside articles you contribute to another site | Good when the site is relevant and has real readers. |
| Niche edits | Links added to existing, already indexed articles | Good when the page is relevant and has traffic. |
| Digital PR links | Links from news and media coverage of your story or data | High, often from authoritative domains. |
| Directory and citation links | Listings on business directories | Modest, useful for local SEO and trust. |
| Forum and community links | Links in discussions and Q&A threads | Usually low for rankings, useful for visibility. |
| Nofollow, sponsored and UGC links | Links tagged with attributes that signal limited endorsement | Treated as hints; still useful for traffic and diversity. |
A healthy profile contains a mix. A site with only one type, such as only paid placements or only directories, looks less natural than one with varied sources.
What is the difference between dofollow and nofollow links?
A dofollow link can pass ranking credit, while a nofollow link asks search engines not to count it as an endorsement. Dofollow is simply the default: a plain link with no attribute.
- rel="nofollow": the site does not vouch for the link.
- rel="sponsored": the link is part of an ad or paid arrangement.
- rel="ugc": the link sits in user generated content such as comments or forums.
Since 2019, Google treats all 3 attributes as hints rather than strict rules. Dofollow links from relevant sites carry the most ranking weight. Nofollow links still bring traffic, brand exposure and a more natural profile.
What makes a backlink valuable?
A backlink is valuable when it comes from a relevant site with real organic traffic, placed in the body of an article with natural anchor text. Judge 6 factors together:
- Relevance: the linking site and page cover a topic related to yours.
- Authority: the site has a strong link profile of its own, reflected in metrics like Domain Rating.
- Real traffic: the site earns organic visitors, which shows search engines trust it.
- Placement: links in the main body of an article count more than footer or sidebar links.
- Anchor text: descriptive, natural anchors help, while repeated exact match anchors look manipulative. See our guide to anchor text.
- Uniqueness: a link from a new referring domain adds more than another link from a site already linking to you.
Relevance and real traffic are the fastest filters. A modest site in your exact niche often beats a big site with no connection to your topic. That principle drives our high quality backlinks service.
How do you earn quality backlinks?
To earn quality backlinks, combine content worth citing with active outreach. These 6 methods work:
- Create linkable assets: original guides, tools, templates and research.
- Write guest posts: contribute useful articles to relevant blogs with real readers.
- Request niche edits: ask site owners to add your resource to existing articles where it improves them.
- Run digital PR: pitch newsworthy stories or data to journalists.
- Fix broken links: find dead links on relevant sites and suggest your page as the replacement.
- Use local and industry relationships: partners, suppliers, associations and community groups.
Consistency beats intensity. A steady flow of relevant links over months builds authority more safely than a sudden spike.
How much do backlinks cost by type?
Backlinks cost from $59 for a niche edit to $8,670 for a 20 link digital PR campaign, depending on type and authority. These are our published prices.
| Type | Our price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Niche edit | From $59 | Links on pages that already rank and get traffic. |
| Guest post | $62 at DR 10+ to $388 at DR 60+ | Contextual links on relevant blogs, priced by DR tier. |
| Editorial link | $349 at DR 50+ to $790 at DR 70+ | Links on established publications. |
| HARO style journalist links | $549 for 3 links | Expert quotes on news sites, live in 30 to 45 days. |
| Digital PR campaign | $3,570 for 5 links to $8,670 for 20 | Coverage on authoritative media sites. |
| Local citations | $76 for 50 to $245 for 300 | Local trust and consistent business details. |
Price tracks authority and effort, not value alone. A $102 DR 30+ guest post on a relevant blog often does more for a niche page than a costly link on an unrelated site. Our blogger outreach page explains how each DR tier is placed.
What are bad backlinks?
Bad backlinks are links from sites built to manipulate rankings rather than serve readers. Google's spam policies describe link schemes as links intended to manipulate search rankings. Watch for these 5 patterns:
- Links from private blog networks built only to sell links.
- Links from sites that publish unrelated content on every topic.
- Hidden links, or links stuffed into footers across thousands of pages.
- Large volumes of links with identical exact match anchors.
- Links from hacked or spam sites.
Google ignores most random spam links, while deliberate manipulative patterns can lead to a manual action. Google's disavow tool exists for serious cases, such as a manual action or a clear pattern of paid links you placed. Most sites never use it.
How do you check your own backlinks?
Check your own backlinks with Google Search Console's Links report and a third party backlink tool such as Ahrefs. Search Console is free and comes straight from Google, though it shows a sample. Third party tools crawl the web independently and add Domain Rating, referring domain counts and first seen dates.
Look for patterns, not single links. Which pages attract the most links? Which sites link to competitors but not to you? Regular backlink monitoring catches lost and toxic links early.
Frequently asked questions
What are backlinks in simple terms?
Backlinks are links on other websites that point to your website. A blog post that mentions your business and links to your homepage gives you a backlink. Search engines read backlinks as a sign that others find your content useful. Pages with strong, relevant backlinks tend to rank above similar pages without them.
Is there a set number of backlinks required to rank?
No. The number depends on the keyword, your competitors and the quality of the links involved. Check the referring domain counts of the top ranking pages for your term and how relevant those links are. Aim to match their quality over time. Five strong, relevant links often outweigh fifty weak ones.
Are nofollow backlinks worthless?
No. Nofollow backlinks usually pass less ranking value, but Google treats the attribute as a hint, not a strict rule. They still send real visitors, build brand awareness and make your profile look natural. A healthy backlink profile contains both followed and nofollow links from a range of relevant sources.
Can backlinks hurt my website?
Backlinks hurt a website mainly when they form a manipulative pattern, such as bulk paid links from irrelevant sites or private network links. Google ignores most random spam links, so a handful of them is no cause for worry. Serious, deliberate link schemes can lead to a manual action and lost rankings.
How long do backlinks take to affect rankings?
Backlinks usually take weeks to months to affect rankings. Search engines first crawl the linking page and process the link, which takes days to weeks. The ranking impact then builds gradually. Link strength, keyword competition and your page quality all change the timeline. Consistent link building produces the most reliable gains.
