A backlink (also called an inbound link or incoming link) is any hyperlink on an external website that points to your site. Search engines like Google treat backlinks as votes of confidence — the more high-quality backlinks a page has, the more authoritative and trustworthy it appears, which helps it rank higher.
Dofollow vs Nofollow
- Dofollow — The default link type. Passes PageRank/link equity to the linked page.
- Nofollow (
rel="nofollow") — Tells search engines not to follow the link or pass equity. Common for user-generated content and paid links. - Sponsored (
rel="sponsored") — Identifies paid or sponsored links. - UGC (
rel="ugc") — Marks user-generated content like comments and forum posts.
What Makes a Good Backlink?
- Comes from a high-authority, reputable domain.
- Is topically relevant to your content.
- Uses natural, descriptive anchor text.
- Appears in the main content, not the footer or sidebar.
- Is a dofollow link.
Link Building Strategies
- Create linkable assets (research, tools, infographics).
- Guest posting on relevant industry blogs.
- Broken link building — replace dead links with your content.
- Digital PR — earn coverage in online publications.