Backlinks: The Backbone of the Web
If you’ve done any research on SEO, the you’ve probably heard the term “backlink” and that they’re very important (which is true – they are!). But if you’re still wondering what exactly backlinks are and how to go about acquiring them, then please read on dear reader….
What is a backlink?
Basically, a backlink is an inbound hyperlink to your website from another online source. And the more links directed to back to your website, the more important you appear to the search engines. A backlink is like an endorsement; it says to Google, hey this Word Refuge site must be really important because Smashing Magazine linked to their site (true story 🙂 ). So counting backlinks is one of the primary methods search engines use to establish relevancy and authority for websites.
However, not all links are created equal. Make sure to avoid link farms and black-hat backlinking tactics.
It’s crucial to note that not all backlinks equate to a powerful SEO boost. The more trusted the site is that’s linking to yours, the more valuable the backlink is. If CNN finds an article you’ve posted, likes it and wants to share it with their viewers (thus linking to it), chance are you’ll see huge search engine gains.
Yet, in the same respect, poor quality, spammy sites linking to your website can really hurt you. For many years, spammers created “link-farms” in the hopes of tricking search engines into believing that a website was an authoritative source that deserved high-rankings because it had thousands of backlinks. These tactics may have worked for a short time in the beginning, but the engines are much too smart for those shenanigans now. They have smart filters built into their algorithms to recognize cheeky tactics. So don’t fall victim to sites promising 1000 backlinks – it’s total BS.
Go organic! SEO Copywriting and link building o’naturale…
Seriously? Yes, even the web’s gone organic. I know, I know – you’re tired of the word. But it’s the truth of it; organic SEO techniques are just as good for your website as milk without hormones is for your bod. Organic search results merely mean that you’re not paying for results (through “Pay Per Click”) and you’re not taking part in any black-hat, spammy tactics. You’re simply following the Web Master Guidelines’ for good SEO practices and watching your site rise up through search naturally. That’s what we did at Word Refuge, and now we’re 4th on Google for “Creative SEO Copywriting Services”. It works!
So what does organic backlinking mean then?
It means that you build an awesome website and begin promoting it to a wide variety of portals and blogs to get featured. It means that you write high-quality, informative articles and blog posts that people love and want to share with their following – thus linking to you (you should also send your articles to directories where you’re allowed a backlink). It also means building a big social media campaign where you can share new posts and articles by linking to it. And it means reciprocal link sharing – aka “link love”.
Yep, share some link love. A lot of smart webbies ask friends from trusted sites to link to them and return the favor. Win-win! Link love is cool, but make sure you actually want the inbound link – and that it’s not actually coming in one of those farms that breed unnatural links like those poor KFC chickens with no heads. Yikes. Go organic!
In the end, you pretty much need to do develop excellent work that people are genuinely going to want to share with their followers. It’s the best way; and in reality, it’s the only way.
And we can help you create an excellent website and online marketing campaign too. So don’t hesitate to drop us a line and ask how we can build a powerful online presence for your company. It’s what we do! Contact us today!