What is a backlink?
A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Search engines treat relevant, credible backlinks as signals of authority and trust, which is why they sit at the heart of link building and off-page SEO.
Every backlink is essentially a recommendation. When a trusted site links to a page, it tells both readers and search engines that the page is worth visiting. Google’s SEO Starter Guide explains how links help engines discover and evaluate pages.
Why backlinks matter
Backlinks do three jobs at once. They pass authority, helping a page rank for competitive terms. They aid discovery, since search engines follow links to find new pages. And they drive referral traffic, sending real visitors from the linking site.
Because links are hard to earn, they are also hard to fake at scale without risk. That difficulty is exactly why search engines still weigh them heavily as a trust signal.
Types of backlinks
Not every link behaves the same way.
- Dofollow links pass ranking signals and are the default for most editorial links.
- Nofollow and other tagged links tell engines not to pass full signals, and are used for ads, sponsored, or user-generated content.
- Editorial links are earned within real content, and carry the most weight.
- Non-editorial links, such as directory or footer links, carry far less.
A natural profile includes a mix, and that mix looks organic rather than engineered.
What makes a quality backlink
Quality beats quantity every time. The strongest links share a few traits.
- Relevance to your topic or industry.
- Authority of the linking site, often estimated with domain authority.
- Editorial placement within genuine content.
- Descriptive, natural anchor text.
One relevant link from a respected industry publication can outweigh dozens of low-quality links.
Common backlink misconceptions
- More links always win. Quality and relevance matter far more than raw count.
- All links are good. Spammy links can be neutral or harmful, not helpful.
- Nofollow links are worthless. They can still drive traffic, brand awareness, and a natural profile.
- You control your backlinks. You earn and influence them, but the linking site decides.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get backlinks?
You earn them by creating link-worthy content, running digital PR, and doing selective outreach. Our link building guide covers the strategies in detail.
Do nofollow links help SEO?
They do not pass full ranking signals, but they still drive referral traffic, build brand awareness, and keep your overall link profile natural, which all support SEO indirectly.
Can backlinks hurt my rankings?
Manipulative or spammy links can. Earning quality links and auditing your profile helps you catch and address harmful ones before they cause problems.
Part of our complete link building guide.
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