A short history of links and SEO
Google's algorithm is based on links.
When the internet became popular in the 90s Google turned up as a great way to search the web. Google had figured out a way of ranking pages so that genuinely
good sites were ranked at the top. Instead of just counting how often a word appeared on a page, it looked at how many other websites linked to it. Each link acted like a vote. The more votes a page had, the more trusted it was. This system was called PageRank.
At the time, this approach produced far better results than anything else. That’s why Google quickly dominated the search market. But as with anything valuable, people started to manipulate it. Entire businesses were set up to sell links. Thousands of directories popped up overnight. Then came link exchanges and blog comment spam. It worked for a while, but not forever.
In 2012, Google released the Penguin algorithm update. It penalised manipulative link practices and wiped out a lot of the dodgy tactics that had been working. Since then, Google has refined how it judges links. Quality, relevance and editorial context all matter now. But make no mistake, backlinks still matter.
What is a backlink?
A backlink is any clickable link from another website that points to yours.
If another site includes a link that leads to your website, that’s a backlink. Some backlinks are labelled with rel="nofollow" which means Google may not count them. Most SEO campaigns focus on getting dofollow links. These are the ones that pass PageRank and influence rankings.
The link text matters too. This is called anchor text. If a site links to you using a particular phrase, it can help you rank for that term. But it can also cause issues if overused. Having too many of the same anchor text links can cause a penalty from Google. A natural backlink profile includes branded terms, generic anchors like "click here" and a few exact match terms where relevant.
It’s also worth noting that a link can bring direct referral traffic as well as help rankings. The best links do both. In fact a link that brings in traffic too is
likely safer than one that doesn't as traffic is a good sign that a site may be a "real" site and not just one created to sell links.
Why are links important for SEO?
Google still uses backlinks to judge a site's importance and authority.
There are hundreds of ranking signals in Google’s algorithm, but backlinks remain one of the most important. If two pages are equally strong in terms of content, the one with more quality backlinks will usually win.
Most pages don’t naturally get backlinks unless they already rank well. Pages at the top of search results are more visible. They get picked up by journalists, bloggers and other site owners doing research. These people often link to the first thing they find. To get into that position though, you usually need backlinks from somewhere else first.
Paid links
Although Google values links highly they don't want sites paying for them.
When attempting to rank at the top for a valuable keyword links are very important. Unless of course your site already has a ton of links and ranking strength already.
Simply going out and buying links is against Google's guidelines and being caught doing it can cause significant damage to search
engine rankings. If Google deems that links pointing to your site have been paid for your rankings will drop significantly.
Where do good backlinks come from?
There are dozens of ways to get good links, and not all of them are free.
Here are some common and legitimate link sources I’ve used over the years:
- Industry directories: These are sector specific and often have decent authority. Some are paid, some are free.
- Trade association sites: If your business is a member, you can sometimes get a listing and a link.
- Resource pages: These are curated pages linking out to useful tools or services.
- Guest blog posts: Writing for other websites in your industry can lead to solid contextual backlinks.
- News sites: Local press coverage, PR mentions or interviews can result in high quality editorial links.
- Testimonials and partner links: Leave a testimonial for a supplier, and they may link to your site in return.
- Manufacturer listings: Especially common in sectors like engineering where product distributors link back to manufacturers.
In many industries these aren’t just SEO tactics. These are normal business practices. The fact that they help SEO is a bonus.
Navigating grey areas
Some links are technically paid, but still entirely legitimate.
Let’s say you manufacture industrial tools. You pay to be listed on an industry site where customers regularly go to source suppliers. That listing includes a link. This is standard practice in that industry. Google may not love the idea of paid links, but context matters.
There’s a big difference between a relevant listing on a respected site and a £10 link buried on a blog network in another country. If the link exists to help users and would exist even if Google didn’t, it’s usually safe.
That's not Google's official line on the matter though. For them any links that pass PageRank go against their guidelines and should have a "nofollow" attribute added to the links so that they are discounted from passing PageRank.
What types of links no longer work?
Google’s algorithms have cracked down on low quality linking practices.
Here’s what you should avoid:
- Automated link building tools
- Blog comment spam
- Forum profile links
- Free for all directories
- Private blog networks (PBNs)
Most of these tactics either don’t work anymore or carry the risk of a penalty. Even if they boost rankings temporarily, they rarely stick long term.
Should you pay for links?
In general no, but there can be exceptions
There are many big respected sites with lots of traffic which will offer article publishing, press releases or other forms of content with links included. These
aren't free and often won't come with the "nofollow" attribute added. Most SEO consultants wouldn't consider
these kinds of links as paid placements. Google sometimes will. Use your own judgement as to whether links are safe or not. If a link negatively affects your site there is always the disavow tool.
What does a good backlink profile look like?
It’s all about balance, quality and relevance.
- A mix of link sources (news sites, blogs, directories, associations)
- Relevant anchor text spread across branded, generic and keyword terms
- Links from websites in related industries
- A natural growth pattern over time, not hundreds overnight
- More links to strong content pages, not just the homepage
Links and SEO for your business
Backlinks are still a massive part of SEO. They don’t work in isolation and on-page optimisation is still needed but the opposite is also true. The best content often sits buried on page two until something links to it.
If you want to rank in competitive markets, you will need backlinks. The challenge is getting them in a way that’s sustainable, scalable and safe. That’s what we help clients do every day.
Hire Big Surf Digital today
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