What are backlinks
16 / 11 / 2021

What are backlinks and how do I get them?

Bruno Díaz Marketing Manager
Bruno Díaz
Marketing Manager
SectorLet's talk about

Backlinks are a practically indispensable element to achieve success in organic positioning.

When we talk about SEO, we are referring to a concept that encompasses a whole world of sub-disciplines which, through proper planning and implementation, aim to position the pages of a website through different keywords.

Generally, we can divide organic positioning strategies between on-page and off-page. In the latter we can find linkbuilding and its derivative backlink acquisition, an almost indispensable practice to be placed in the first positions of Google.

In this article we will see what backlinks are, how to get them and what they are for, among other details.
Without further ado, let's get down to business!

What are backlinks and what are they for?

Without further complication, a backlink is a link from a web page to another web page of a different domain that pursues different objectives.

From a user experience (UX) perspective, the goal of links is to guide users through different pages of related content that may be of interest to them, thus enriching their experience.

However, from the SEO point of view, the objective of backlinks is to increase the authority of the different pages of our website through link juice. This practice is of great relevance, because the higher the authority of a page, the greater the chances of ranking among the first results.

Types of backlinks

According to their characteristics we can make a distinction of 4 types of backlinks. Next, we will see what types of backlinks we are talking about and we will make an approach about each one of them.

Backlinks Follow or DoFollow

Before proceeding to its description, it should be clarified that the "follow" attribute does not exist as such, but is a term which is popularly used among specialists to refer to links that lack the "nofollow" tag.

Having made this clarification, follow backlinks are those that transmit authority from the source page to the target page, allowing to improve the PageRank of the target page and increasing the chances of obtaining a good ranking in the SERP.

The html code of the follow links looks like this:

Backlinks qué es: enlace dofollow

Backlinks NoFollow

Unlike follow links, nofollow links are those that indicate to search engines such as Google that they should not convey authority.

This indication used to be a command for Google. However, since March 2020 the algorithm takes this attribute as a mere suggestion, deciding for itself what action to take on the link in question. This way, it now uses nofollow attributes as clues to crawl and index if it deems it appropriate, and it is even speculated that it may even convey authority in some cases.

The html code for nofollow links is the same as for follow links, adding the attribute rel="nofollow" and resulting in the following structure:

Backlinks qué es: enlace nofollow

Backlinks Sponsored

These backlinks appeared at the same time as the reconsideration of the nofollow attribute and the creation of UGC links (which we will see in the next point). All this announced by Google in September 2019 and put into effect in March 2020.

The appearance of sponsored links has a curious history behind it. According to Google's guidelines, buying links is a prohibited practice. However, it is an open secret that it is a widespread practice.

For this reason, Google decided to allow it as long as it was informed by means of the attribute rel="sponsored". Thus, we can now pay a media outlet to publish an advertorial and include a link without violating Google's best practices.

The html code of the sponsored backlinks looks like this:

Backlinks qué es: enlace sponsored

Backlinks UGC (user generated content)

As previously mentioned, the UGC links began to be implemented in March 2020.

The purpose of the rel="ugc" attribute is to identify links that come from comments made by users on blogs. In this way, Google is made aware that these links have been entered by users and not by webmasters.

The html code of the ugc backlinks is as follows:

Backlinks qué es: enlace ugc

9 effective tricks and techniques to get quality backlinks

How to make quality backlinks? This is a question that has no single answer. There are several effective techniques to get backlinks, although not all of them are as "clean" as we would like.

It is important to know that Google wants websites to link to each other in a natural and unrewarded way. However, in practice not everything is so nice, which is why it is sometimes necessary to resort to not too clean techniques to get backlinks.

Next, we will see how to make a backlink using different techniques:
  1. Generate quality content (or link baiting): The link baiting technique consists of generating high quality content that provides value to the audience and, in this way, generates so much interest that other media decide to talk about it and reference our content through a link in a natural way.

    Some of the best content to be successful with this strategy is to interview experts, conduct studies and statistics or develop guides and tutorials, among others.

    The truth is that this is a rare methodology and difficult to perform successfully, as it is not compatible with many page contents that are trying to be positioned, such as e-commerce pages. However, it is a possible technique and forms the first answer on how to get dofollow backlinks.

  2. Guest blogging: Guest blogging is a great option on how to make quality backlinks. This technique consists of identifying blogs with topics related to our website and then requesting the option of providing them with a post already written with content of value to their audience in exchange for embedding a link to our website.

    On paper it is a win-win agreement, since the blog in question receives a quality post without requiring the effort of its elaboration while we receive a quality backlink, since it comes from a page closely related to our website, a fact that Google values very positively.

    Although it is a much more feasible technique than link baiting, the truth is that we are once again facing a strategy in which it is difficult to succeed, as many blogs usually ask for an additional consideration in exchange.

  3. Customer recommendations: It consists of requesting a backlink to those customers who have been satisfied with our product or service. This action is particularly suitable for B2B companies, since it is more likely that their customers have a blog where they can make such a recommendation.

    Clients are usually offered the option of having the content already written, so that they do not have to go to the "trouble" of writing it.

    This is an effective strategy on how to find quality dofollow backlinks for the B2B sector, although it requires resources and effort, as well as the predisposition of customers.

  4. Competitor replication: A good answer to the question of how to find backlinks is to review the link profile of our competitors.

    If we extract the backlinks of our competitors that are placed in the first positions (later we will see how), we will have access to backlinks that are proven that Google considers in a positive way, because they are serving our competition to be placed among the first results.

    For this reason, this is a good technique to capture interesting links and match our competitors. However, it will always be necessary to capture different links, in addition to the common ones with other projects, in order to differentiate ourselves and have a more complete backlink profile than our rivals in the SERP.

  5. Social network links: This methodology for finding backlinks consists of creating profiles on as many social networks as possible. This is because, usually, social profiles allow you to add a link to your website (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc).

    In this case we will be capturing nofollow links, that is to say, they will not transmit authority. However, these are very interesting backlinks for newly created projects as they help Google to receive the first signals about the existence of our project.

  6. Registrations in directories and forums: Registrations in directories and forums are a curious trick to get backlinks. In a way, it is a similar technique to social network links, only this time we will be completing registrations in different forums and directories.

    The big difference between these two strategies is that, in many platforms of this type, the link that can be integrated is dofollow, so it transmits authority.

    However, it should be noted that forums and directories usually have an oversaturation of outbound links, which gives them a bad reputation in the eyes of Google.

    This fact could be detrimental, although if you are careful, they are ideal links to form a first base of dofollow links to new or recently created projects that do not yet have a very extensive backlink profile.

    Although it does not clash head-on with the best practices recommended by Google, this technique is not entirely clean and can be considered as a black hat practice.

  7. Comments in blogs: Through blog comments we can capture backlinks, although it should be noted that they will be UGC and nofollow.

    The crux of the matter in this technique is to find blogs that deal with topics related to our website. Once located, the most common is that at the end of each article there is a space to add comments where you can also add a web page.

    It is important to keep in mind that the anchor text of the link will correspond to the name field, so it is convenient to fill this field with a keyword that we are interested in positioning instead of writing our real name.

    Here is an example of how to do it.

    First we fill in the fields paying attention to the name and URL.
    Ejemplo de backlinks en comentarios de blogs
    Once published, our name will be the anchor text of the link.

    Backlink conseguido en comentario de blog
  8. PBN: A PBN (Private Blog Networks) is a private network of blogs of our property that aims, through links between them, to create a spiral of authority that is ultimately transmitted to our website through a link, thus enhancing specific keywords that we want to position.

    It should be noted that PBNs are part of black hat SEO and require a high cost both financially to maintain the hosting of all the blogs, as well as human capital to keep the content of each of them updated.

  9. Buying links: Finally, we refer to another black hat practice prohibited by Google, although in this case it is a very frequent and widespread technique since it is very difficult to be detected by the algorithm.

    From the moment that websites with high authority realized the importance of their links to other websites, the world of linkbuilding became completely corrupted and stopped being a natural practice to become a business (this is one of the reasons why guest blogging is not usually successful).

    For this reason, nowadays most companies choose to carry out paid linkbuilding campaigns, as it is the easiest, fastest and most common way to get good quality and authoritative backlinks (although this is not always the case).

    In fact, there are dozens of sophisticated platforms dedicated to the sale of links (we will see some examples below).

Where to buy quality backlinks

As we have already mentioned, buying links is a practice totally forbidden by Google. However, it is a very widespread and popular practice, to the point that there are dozens of platforms where you can buy quality backlinks.

Below, we will show some examples of the main platforms where to buy backlinks.

Where to buy backlinks: LeoLytics

logotip leolytics

LeoLytics is one of the most popular platforms where you can buy backlinks. You can find links on websites from different countries and languages, as well as filter the results according to your interests.

It stands out for its Smart Leo Tool, which allows us to enter the data of our project so that the platform itself will make us a proposal of high affinity backlinks.

Where to buy backlinks: Publisuites

Logotipo de Publisuites

Publisuites is another platform to buy backlinks. Here we can buy both dofollow, nofollow or sponsored backlinks.

In the same way as LeoLytics, in Publisuites we can buy backlinks for different countries and languages, which is ideal for projects with presence in several countries.

A point in favor of this platform is its simplicity and ease of use, as it is very intuitive to use its search tool and filters to find the best links for our project.

Where to buy backlinks: Prensarank

Logotipo Prensarank
Prensarank is a platform very similar to Publisuites in all functions. However, it clearly stands out for its functionality to vitaminize the link at the time of purchase.

Vitamining means buying clicks for such a link, thus increasing the signals that the link emits to Google. Thus, on paper, the effect that the backlink will have on our organic positioning is improved.

Where to buy backlinks: Unancor

Logotipo UnancorFinally we find Unancor, a Spanish platform where to buy dofollow links. Here we can find and buy backlinks for our project.

Although its interface and catalog are not as developed as the other platforms in this article, interesting links can be found in Unancor.

 
These are just some of the many platforms to capture paid backlinks. Within all the possibilities, the most usual thing is that each platform has some factor different from the others, so the choice of platforms when it comes to paid linkbuilding is usually taken according to the comfort that each one feels when working with them.

How to know and check the backlinks of a website

How can I know how many backlinks my website has, and from the competition? Next, we will see how to check the backlinks of a website, either for our own project or for benchmarking:
  1. Google Search Console: Starting with our own projects, to know the incoming links of our website we can use the Google Search Console tool.

    We must go to the "links" section to access a view with general information about the links that concern our project. To expand it and check all the backlinks, click on "export project links".
    Comprobar backlinks con Google Search Console
    This tool is the most accurate tool to know the backlinks that Google detects from our website, and we will not always see them all, because it is possible that some are not detected.

    However, it should be noted that it is only used to check the backlinks of your own website and to investigate those of your competitors you will need third-party tools.
  2. Ahrefs: In the section on third-party tools, Ahrefs is considered one of the most powerful digital marketing software on the market and, more specifically, in the link function.

    To check the backlinks of any website, either your own or your competitor's, you must first enter the URL or domain in the top bar.

    Comprobar backlinks con Ahrefs

    Then we must go to the links section. In it we can see all the links that refer to us, as well as a large volume of information about each backlink. We can also download all the data to work on them on our device.

    It should be noted that third-party tools do not always show us all the links, although Ahrefs has a very high and reliable percentage of effectiveness.

    Another information to note is that this program is paid, and not exactly cheap. Therefore, below we show you a free tool with which you can find out how many backlinks any web project has.

  3. Backlink Shitter:Backlink Shitter is one of the most popularfree backlink extraction tools in the industry. Although it has a poorly developed interface, it allows us to obtain some backlinks from our competitors.

    To do this we must enter our domain or URL in the bar and we will have four options: get the backlinks of the specific URL, get the referrer domains of the specific URL, get the backlinks of the whole domain or get all the referrer domains of the domain.

    For each backlink, it will allow us to see the source URL, the destination page or the anchor text, among other information.

    Saber enlaces de una web con Backlink Shitter

    Although it is not the most accurate tool, it is a free option that is perfect for specific queries.
    These are just three tools to check the backlinks of web projects, although there are dozens of them such as SEMrush, Sisitrix or SE Ranking, among many others.

In conclusion, this post has highlighted the relevance of backlink acquisition for the success of any SEO project.

If you have any questions regarding the referral links for your project do not hesitate to contact us.
In LA TEVA WEB we are specialists in SEO and we have 20 years of experience in the sector, we will be happy to help you!
Bruno Díaz Marketing Manager
About the author
Bruno Díaz — Marketing Manager
Professional with a long career as a communication and digital marketing consultant, specializing in SEO, SEM and web projects. As Marketing Manager of the agency, I coordinate a great team of digital marketing technicians of which I am very proud.

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