Online Authority: 3 Types of Backlinks That Boost Your Web Content

Ryan Stack • August 4, 2020

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In a digitally-oriented landscape that pits businesses in a tight competitive environment online, fighting to stay on top of the ranks in search results is a crucial factor in any brand’s marketing funnel. Search engine optimization (SEO) has proven to be an essential strategy that helps drive traffic to your website, but there are various moving pieces that contribute to your online success.

Part of the factors that impact the health and strength of your SEO strategy is link building. Backlinks make the world wide web go ‘round as it helps search engine crawlers determine the quality of your website. While it’s easy to overlook, backlinks can have significant contributions in generating traffic to your site and building your authority.

Adding the right backlinks to your website involves identifying the three major types, such as the following: 

Organic Link Building 

The best backlinks are those that involve high-quality content and reliable websites. Organic link building generally describes links that come from authoritative sources, which can do wonders in catapulting your brand forward in search results. Some forms of organic backlinks include: 

  • Editorial Backlinks - when an authoritative source like a journalist, publisher, or blogger creates a post from a publication or established site that links back to your page or article.

  • Relationship-Based Backlinks - similar to editorial backlinks, wherein you can exchange backlinks from reputable content contributors inside your networking circle.

  • Niche Directories - arguably one of the most effective forms of backlinks, niche directories can be a powerful tool that can direct organic traffic to your website, especially when it comes from high-quality directories like Yelp or Better Business Bureau.

Header, Footer, and Sidebar Links (Sitewide Links)

These describe links that appear on every page of your website, which is commonly placed in the header, footer, or sidebar. While it’s easy to think that you’re doing your website a favor by linking important pages of your website, most of the time these types of links don’t have any additional value and can often be seen as spam by Google’s bots. 

You can set a better example by ensuring your sitewide links are highly relevant to each other. However, it’s easier said than done, which is why it’s not worth the effort for most businesses seeing as it doesn’t have as much of a positive impact to your SEO. 

The Bottom Line: Exploring the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Backlinks For Your Website 

Looking to boost your online presence with results-oriented web design? Our expert and family-run digital design and marketing agency in Agawam, Massachusetts can help enhance your website and put your brand on the map in more ways than ever. 

Our SEO ranking services, for instance, can help improve your link building strategy to build your online authority. Get in touch with us today and let’s see how we can help you stay on the cutting edge in a saturated digital landscape. 
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