In the digital world, “backlinks” get thrown around in hushed tones, treated like a mystical key to SEO success. The trouble is, plenty of people using the word don’t actually know what a backlink is or how it affects their online presence. That’s where we come in.
Our aim here is to lift the fog and break it all down into simple, useful pieces. By the time you finish this quick guide, backlinks should make a lot more sense, and you’ll have a clear idea of how they help your visibility in both traditional search and the AI answers people increasingly rely on. Let’s dig in.
What are backlinks?
Simply put, backlinks are like references or citations in the digital world. Think of writing a research paper and mentioning a source. Online, a backlink is when one website links to a page on another. So when website A links to website B, that’s a backlink from A to B. They show up all over the place: blog posts, website footers, forums, even social media. They’re the building blocks connecting all the sites on the web into one big, interconnected ecosystem.
Why are backlinks important?
Backlinks matter for a few reasons, and understanding them can make a real difference to your visibility. First, backlinks from reputable, relevant sites signal to search engines that your website is a credible, authoritative source. That recognition can lift your ranking on the search results pages and make your site easier to find. The same signal increasingly feeds AI search tools too, which lean on trusted, well-referenced sources when they decide which brands to mention.
Second, backlinks are pathways that lead traffic straight to your site. When someone clicks a backlink, they land on your page, which makes them more likely to engage with your content or buy from you. In that sense, backlinks act like free advertisements and organic traffic generators, growing your audience and your customer base.
Third, backlinks improve the experience for readers by pointing them to helpful resources and references. They enrich your content and position your site as a genuinely useful hub. That builds trust, brings people back, and gives your SEO another nudge along. Put simply, earning quality backlinks is like having a good word put in for you. It boosts your reputation, drives traffic, and lifts your search performance.
Types of backlinks
There are several types of backlink, and each carries different weight for your visibility and ranking. Knowing the difference is important for a strategy that actually works.
Not all backlinks are created equal. There are two big categories everyone should know: dofollow and nofollow. They’re fundamentally different, so it pays to understand how each one affects your SEO.
Dofollow backlinks
Dofollow backlinks are the golden ticket. They pass link equity, sometimes called “link juice”, from the referring site to yours. Search engines treat them as a nod of approval from another domain, which can meaningfully lift your rankings. They’re votes of credibility and authority, telling search engines the linked content is reliable, relevant and useful.
Quality is everything here. One dofollow backlink from a reputable, high-authority website is worth far more than a handful from low-quality sites. These are the links to aim for if you want your SEO to shine.
Nofollow backlinks
Nofollow backlinks work differently. They don’t pass on any link equity or ranking value. Introduced by Google in 2005, a nofollow link tells search engines not to follow it or count it towards rankings. That might sound less useful, but nofollow links still earn their place in a well-rounded strategy. They help diversify your backlink profile so it looks more natural, and they can still send real referral traffic your way. So don’t write them off.
How to earn backlinks to your site
Earning backlinks can feel daunting, but with the right approach and a bit of persistence it’s very achievable. Here are some straightforward ways to get started:
1. Create high-quality content. First and foremost, your site should offer valuable, original content that others genuinely want to link to. Think insightful blog posts, original research, engaging videos or useful tools.
2. Guest blogging. Contributing a post to a reputable website in your industry is a great way to earn a backlink. You provide the content, and in return you get to include a link back to your site.
3. Broken link building. Find broken links on other websites and suggest your relevant content as the replacement. It’s a win-win. They fix a dead link, and you earn a backlink.
4. The skyscraper technique. Coined by Brian Dean, this means finding a popular, link-worthy piece of content, creating something even better, then reaching out to the right people. It’s about improving on what already works and asking for the link in a polite, professional way.
5. Social media promotion. Sharing your content on social platforms increases its visibility, which lifts the odds of it earning backlinks.
Remember, patience is key with link building. It’s a long game and the results won’t appear overnight. Apply these techniques consistently, though, and your visibility will improve steadily over time.
Your backlink guide: the wrap-up
Backlinks are a key part of any effective SEO strategy. They’re essentially votes of confidence from one website to another, signalling relevance and quality, and those same signals help AI search tools decide which sources to trust. Follow best practice consistently and keep lifting the quality of your content, and your site will reap the rewards.
We get it. Juggling all of this can feel like a lot. That’s why our team at Team Empathy, an ethical search agency in Auckland, is here to help. We build personalised backlink strategies that follow best practice, so your website gets the attention it deserves. Get in touch and let’s start your backlink journey together.