The role of links in improving a site’s position in Google’s SERP deserves proper attention. To grasp their potential, though, it helps to dig deeper and understand what they really are.

In practice: what is link building? Link building, as the name suggests, is the building of connections between a specific site and other sites. Links are the backbone of the Internet, which is in fact one large network made up of connections. They also play a key role in how search engines work, using them as a direct lane to the site they point to.

Google treats links as a primary factor, above all because they underpin how it works: it is thanks to links that Google can respond to its users’ queries quickly and effectively. In practice, when a user chooses a given link it is as if they were voting for that connection based on the content it refers to, highlighting the chance that the same content could be of interest to other users.

Google and backlink quality.

As a complex system built to perform at its best, Google’s algorithms can work out how the various pages connect to one another, then develop their ranking on both the quantity and the quality of those connections. In the past, the search engine let you grow your popularity and improve your ranking simply by using a high number of links pointing to a specific page. With these evaluation criteria, applied both to the linked pages and to the sites hosting them, it soon became clear that creating quality content was not required. The only goal to pursue was to secure a high number of users or sites pointing to that page.

To avoid losing credibility over how it worked, from 2012 Google rolled out an update to its algorithms: the main aim was to curb spam and link buying and selling, and to rein in the network exchange schemes whose only purpose was to force the ranking evaluation system. A landmark moment for the search engine, a sea change after which Google began to treat as violations every manipulation of a specific site’s position within search engine results.

Worth stressing: despite the constant evolution of the algorithms Google uses, links still play a key role when you set out to improve your ranking.

How to get started with link building.

Link building is one of the activities to consider for a solid SEO-based strategy, for example to launch a website. This is one of the most important practices among the off-page activities aimed at optimizing a site’s ranking, which combines with on-page work such as caring for content and its quality. The goal of link building is to build a strategy that sets off growth in the number of inbound links to a given site, in turn raising its credibility and standing in the eyes of the search engine. Among the aspects Google weighs in its analysis are the quality, nature, relevance and pertinence of a given link and of the sites those links come from.

Backlinks and their value.

With this in mind, it is essential that the site the link comes from is recognized as trustworthy: a link from an established site known for “honest” practices is considered valuable. Conversely, links from unreliable sites are viewed negatively and, in certain specific cases, could lead to penalties for your site’s ranking.

In practice, an irregular activity does more than fail to bring any positive result to your strategy: it could also cost you positions. For a realistic read on a site’s credibility, many platforms exist that, by analyzing specific parameters, will give you an accurate assessment of your particular case.

The best link building strategies.

When it comes to SEO and ranking, there is never a single, perfect technique. With link building too, a strategy can take different directions. One of the most common approaches involves the use of articles (SEO copywriting) that are optimized using keyword analysis specific to the topic: choosing common keywords that stay close to the themes covered in the text and on the site can do a lot to boost traffic. Thematic forums can be a good solution when the topics discussed are the same as those the site covers: in forums you can, where appropriate, refer to the site’s content or the products it offers, aiming to link to them legitimately.

Earn natural backlinks.

As you will have gathered, it is important not to force how Google works with borderline practices just to get a higher number of links, a practice known as link earning. Earning them naturally is instead the principle at the heart of link building, and it is a technique that, while it takes more time, leads to better results.

The best strategy to reach this goal is to publish quality content on your B2B blog, well-built and worth being cited and linked by other users and sites. Google looks favorably on natural links, especially when they are added by a site’s staff within one of their pages, without pressure from the owner of the linked page or site. As with other SEO strategies, content therefore needs to be unique, credible and specific enough to earn popularity naturally.

Professionals in the field manage to combine the traits of link building with those of link earning, creating content that Google’s algorithm recognizes as natural despite its primary promotional function.

What sets a quality link apart?

A link can be considered high quality based on several characteristics:

Even social media marketing adds value, but under the algorithms’ current rules it is a factor to treat as secondary.

Which factors to look after in link building?

As with every aspect of an SEO strategy, some elements deserve particular care even though they are not among the first to be considered. With links, there are characteristics that professionals take into account when building the strategy: although it is still up for debate, placement within the page has some influence, a link set high on the page is generally seen as more beneficial than one placed further down in the text; anchor text, the portion of a page’s text that is linked to another piece of content, is instead a factor whose importance every expert in the field recognizes.

Anchor text itself, easily recognizable as those parts of the text that are underlined or marked in a different color from the rest, is a very important element for improving the ranking. Here too, though, overusing these elements not only fails to improve the strategy’s performance, it can also fall into the practices that draw penalties from the search engine. For them to be truly effective, it is important that every anchor text is used consistently: the text should match the linked content and the keyword you want to give prominence to.

Expert help for your link building.

As you will have gathered, link building is an integral part of SEO and Digital PR and, like all other related activities, it needs to be handled in detail to avoid wasting time and money. One key factor is tailoring your strategy, and only skilled, experienced professionals can help you choose a strategy suited to your needs. Ask for a consultation and find out how to get the best results from promoting your company and your products.