Without a doubt, content and links are the lifeblood of SEO. Building and earning backlinks is a vital piece of any successful SEO strategy. When other sites link to yours, it sends a signal to search engines that your website has credibility, authority, and valuable information worth sharing. Plus, backlinks from relevant, high-authority sites not only boost brand awareness and bring in referral traffic but also directly influence your site’s visibility.
Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity
Years ago, the typical link building agency focused more on the sheer number of backlinks without much thought about their quality. Back before Google rolled out the Penguin Update, building massive amounts of links—even from less-than-stellar sources—was a viable way to boost your ranking.
In 2012, Google released Penguin to weed out search results manipulated by these aggressive link-building tactics. This update specifically targeted link purchases, link farms, content farms, and other methods aimed at generating loads of low-quality backlinks. Since then, SEO professionals have shifted to prioritize relevant, quality backlinks over sheer quantity.
However, even today, navigating the world of link building can feel tricky without the right approach. Let’s explore a few types of backlinks, including the ones Google values most.
Types of Backlinks1. Guest Posts
What They Are
Guest posts are articles written by a guest author for another site, with a link back to the author’s own website. Quality guest bloggers typically contribute to sites within their niche, aiming to create content that’s genuinely helpful and insightful.
Google’s Take
Google doesn’t discourage guest blogging if it provides value to readers. However, Google has warned against high-volume, low-quality guest blogging done just for link-building. Spammy guest posts—sometimes referred to as contributor, partner, or syndicated posts—can be flagged as link schemes when the main purpose is to create backlinks rather than inform readers.
How to Build Guest Post Links
Effective guest posting is about quality, not quantity. Avoid creating connections solely to get backlinks—Google frowns on that. Instead, produce insightful, well-researched content that truly educates or helps the audience. Also, skip the temptation to pay for placements, and aim to build genuine, meaningful connections in your industry.
2. Blog Comments
What They Are
Commenting on blogs used to be a quick way to build links, with users leaving keyword-rich comments to link back to their sites. But after Google introduced the “nofollow” tag in 2005, automated comment spam became a major headache for website owners.
Google’s Take
Google doesn’t mind blog comments with links in moderation. Former Google Webmaster Matt Cutts shared that he sometimes leaves links in comments on relevant topics, but he cautions against using this as a main link-building method. Commenting for links alone can come across as spammy and won’t build credibility.
How to Use Blog Comments Wisely
Blog comments shouldn’t be abused as a link-building tactic. Instead, leave genuine, insightful comments if you’re engaging on reputable sites in your field. While this approach isn’t a direct SEO tool, it can still drive relevant traffic if your comments add value. Just make sure your participation is thoughtful and avoids contributing to manipulative link schemes.
3. Paid Links
What They Are
Paid links are links that have been purchased or traded in some way. Although it’s a common practice in some circles, paying for links is explicitly against Google’s guidelines and isn’t considered a valid SEO tactic.
Google’s Take
To Google, buying links falls under link scheming. Exchanging money, goods, or services for backlinks—or even offering a free product in exchange for a link—is seen as a violation of their policies. Google’s algorithms are getting more advanced at identifying these tactics, and sites caught in link schemes risk facing serious penalties.
Avoiding Paid Links
Steer clear of paid link schemes. Instead, focus on creating top-notch content that naturally attracts backlinks. This approach takes more time but is far more sustainable and valuable in the long run.
4. Social Bookmarking Links
What They Are
Social bookmarking involves saving or sharing links on public bookmarking sites. In the past, this strategy could drive traffic, as users would save and categorize useful links on these platforms.
Google’s Take
Google’s John Mueller has mentioned that social bookmarking links have little to no impact on search rankings today. It’s an outdated strategy, and Google has gotten adept at ignoring these types of links entirely.
Alternative Approaches
Instead of relying on outdated social bookmarking, consider getting involved in relevant online communities or forums where you can share your content in a way that engages your target audience.
5. Link Exchange Schemes
What They Are
Link exchanges, or reciprocal links, are arrangements where two sites agree to link to each other. Though this can seem like a harmless exchange, it actually falls into a black-hat SEO category.
Google’s Take
Google considers excessive link exchanges—like “You link to me, and I’ll link to you”—as a link scheme. This practice is against their guidelines and can lead to penalties for both sites involved.
Why to Avoid Link Exchanges
Link exchanges are risky, as Google views them as attempts to game the system. Instead, focus on building natural, one-way links that offer real value to users.
