Backlinking: A Short Guide

Undoubtedly, backlinks are the most significant part of website SEO. We can neither build website authority nor drive more traffic without backlinking. So, if you are a beginner in this field then let us help you understand link building. We recommend you to read this article to gain quick insights into the effective ways of creating quality backlinks. 

First of all, we would like to provide you with an account of different types of links. Afterward we will move forward to discuss backlinks in detail. 

What are Hyperlinks?

A hyperlink can be best defined as a clickable text which enables the users to redirect from one website to another or jump from one section of a web page to another. There are two types of links: internal and external. 

Internal Links

The link which points from one page to another page of the same website is known as an internal link. The internal links enable the users to navigate through the website and find relevant content with ease. 

External links

The link which points from one website to another website is known as an external link. The external links enable the users to navigate through multiple relevant sites. 

What are Backlinks?

The external links which we insert in the web content are known as the backlinks to the target URL. In simple words, the link which directs the users to another website is in fact a backlink to another website. When we link out to another web resource, we basically give it a backlink. 

The backlinks are the main source to spread ranking power across relevant sites and gain credibility in the eyes of the search engines. For instance, if an authoritative site links out to your site then the backlink will be considered as a vote to your site’s quality. 

Backlinks ultimately help to boost domain authority and search engine rankings. 

What are Backlink Tags? 

Backlink Tags represent the importance of backlink in front of the search engine and the authority we should allow on it.

There are four known tags link tags which helps to mark the importance and purpose of a backlink:

• Dofollow Tag
• Nofollow Tag
• UGC Tag
• Sponsored Tag

Do follow Backlinks

The do follow backlinks are crucial for website SEO as this type of links spreads ranking strength (link equity) from the source URL to the target URL. The backlinks with dofollow tags directs the search engine crawlers to the target URL enabling them to crawl it. 

<a href = \”http://domain.com/\”>Keyword</a>

Nofollow Backlinks

The backlinks with nofollow tags doesn’t allow the crawlers to follow the target URL for crawling. Therefore, no ranking power is shared. 

<a rel = \”nofollow\” href = \”https://domain.com/\”>Keyword</a>

UGC Backlinks

The backlinks with user generated content tags informs the search engine crawlers that the link is not added by the webmaster but a website user has created it. The UGC backlinks are  usually inserted in comments and forums.

<a rel= \”UGC\” href = \”https://domain.com/\”>Keyword</a>

Sponsored Backlinks

In sponsorship, a tag is placed on a backlink to indicate that the link is paid and promotional. This type of backlinks are good for business growth. 

<a rel=\”Sponsored\” href=\”https://domain.com/\”>Keyword</a>

Tiers of Backlinks

Backlinks can be built in three different ways depending on the tier:

• Tier1 backlinks
• Tier2 backlinks
• Tier3 backlinks

Tier 1 Backlinks

The naturally acquired backlinks are known as Tier 1 backlinks. For instance, if the webmasters find your content useful then they will link out to it. This way, you’ll get a natural backlink. In simple words, you don’t ask other web resources to give you a backlink, rather they link out to your site on their own. 

In order to build tier 1 backlinks, you are required to publish authentic, useful, and engaging content. Basically, you can create informative ebooks, guides, and infographics to earn natural backlinks. 

Tier 2 Backlinks

Tier 2 is a type of backlink which you build manually by registering yourself on the different platforms and adding your website URL in it. This type of backlinks are usually built on sites with low page authority but high domain authority.

There are different types of Tier 2 backlinks including:

• Profile Backlinks
• Comments Backlinks
• Web 2.0 Backlinks
• PDF Submission
• Image Submission

Profile Backlinks

Profile Backlink is a type of tier 2 backlink in which we register on different platforms and create a profile on it in which we add our URL in it.

How to Make A Profile Backlink:

To make Profile backlink, follow the following steps:

1. Look For Websites/Platforms where you can sign up and the profile you make on it can be indexed.
2. Click on sign up button which can also be available as Register, Continue with Google, Make an Account, create an account, etc.
3. Most websites ask for Email, Username, Password and date of birth but these inputs varies website to website.
4. Fill the information and look the option from where you can edit profile
5. Add your website URL in inputs like homepage, URL, Website, etc.
6. Once you save the profile, you will see the link on your profile.
7. In case you don\’t see it, or you can\’t find an edit option for profile. Check for confirmation email on your account.

Comment Backlinks

Comment Backlinks are the type of Tier 2 backlinks in which we comment on other website’s articles and add our website URL as a backlink in it.

How to make a Comment Backlinks:

It\’s not hard to make a comment backlinks but you have to follow some parameters while making such backlinks which are:

• Relevency
• Spam Score
• Importance of your comment

You can just go down at someone blogs and comment down your website link. To make a Good Comment Backlink you should follow the Following Steps:

1. Look For Blog with Relevant information to your website
2. Check its spam score
3. Read the whole article and write your thoughts about it in the comment
4. Write something which makes writer/Webmaster happy as well as it becomes useful for other reader
5. Add your website in a way that the webmaster and users can know it is important to add there.

Web 2.0

It is a type of backlink in which we discuss the whole topic and adjust our URL on a specific keyword. Such content is displayed on a website where users can generate and customise the content. Example: Blogger, WordPress, Wix, etc.

Tier 3 Backlinks

It is a lot like tier 2 Backlinks, the only difference is that the user has to contact the website owners and ask them to give your site a backlink.

There are different strategies which can use to get Tier 2 backlinks:

• Guest Posting
• Link Insertion
• Skyscraping
• Broken Link building

Guest Posting 

This strategy involves a user writing an article for a website and contacting the webmaster to have the article published along with a backlink. The article is published on a website for a fee which the user pays to the webmaster. There is a possibility that you don’t have to pay for guest posting: you can simply exchange backlinks. 

Link Insertion 

It is also like guest posting but instead of submitting the content to webmasters, users find the relevant content in the website and provide a paragraph or sometimes just a keyword to put a link on it.

Skyscraper Backlink Technique 

This strategy requires you to find the popular content which is being linked by multiple sites. You need to create more engaging and high-quality content than your competitors such as informative e-books and guides. Once you create better content, you can ask the resources to link out to it so that their users can access more up-to-date information.

Broken Link Building

We use this strategy to look for relevant content and broken links that have broken backlinks and then request that the webmaster replace our link with that specific Broken URL.

Bottom Line

Backlinks plays an important role in off Page SEO. There are multiple types of backlinks and you should know the right backlink strategy to rank your webpage on specific Keyword. In such a process each type of backlink plays its own role in it. That\’s why you should know every type of backlink and make strategy accordingly.