Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites to yours, used by search engines as one signal of a page's significance.
In detail
Relevance and credibility of the linking page matter far more than raw counts, and anchor text gives context about the subject.
The durable way to earn them is to publish something worth referencing: original data, a genuinely useful tool, or a clearer explanation than what exists.
Example
A trade publication linking to your benchmark study when quoting a figure from it.
Why it matters
In competitive markets, links often decide which of several equally good pages ranks.
Common mistakes
- Buying links in bulk from unrelated sites.
- Chasing volume while the linked pages are thin.
Related questions
Related guides
- The Complete SEO GuideGuide
A cornerstone guide to organic search: technical foundation, on-page work, content, internal linking, authority and measurement — in the order that pays off.
Related terms
- Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO covers signals from outside your site, above all links and mentions from other credible sources.
- E-E-A-T
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness — the qualities Google's raters use to judge content quality.
- Internal Linking
Internal linking is the network of links between your own pages, which helps discovery, distributes importance and explains topics.
Related questions
- How long does SEO take?
Technical fixes can change results quickly: a page that was blocked from indexing or returning an error can reappear in search within days of being crawled again.