Backlink
A link from another website pointing to yours. Still one of Google's top ranking factors. Quality matters far more than quantity - one link from a real publication beats 100 from junk directories.
Why It Matters
Backlinks are votes of confidence. When a reputable site links to yours, it tells Google that your content is worth referencing. This has been a core part of Google's algorithm since PageRank, and despite years of algorithm updates, links remain one of the strongest ranking signals.
The key word is "reputable." A backlink from the BBC carries vastly more weight than a link from a random blog with no traffic. Google evaluates the authority, relevance, and trustworthiness of the linking site. Ten quality links from relevant, authoritative sites will outperform thousands of low-quality links every time.
In Practice
Focus on earning links rather than building them artificially. Create content worth linking to - original research, useful tools, comprehensive guides. Then promote it to people who'd genuinely find it valuable.
Monitor your backlink profile with Ahrefs or Google Search Console. Look for toxic links from spammy sites and disavow them if necessary. Track your competitors' link profiles to find opportunities they're getting that you're not.
Guest posting, digital PR, and broken link building still work when done with genuine value. What doesn't work: buying links, PBNs, link exchanges, and mass directory submissions.
Related Terms
Glossary
Anchor Text
The clickable words in a hyperlink - a relevance signal Google actually uses.
Glossary
Link Building
Acquiring backlinks from other sites to build authority - effective when done right.
Glossary
Link Equity
The ranking value passed through links from one page to another - also called link juice.
Glossary
PageRank
Google's original link-based algorithm for measuring page importance - still a factor.
Glossary
Domain Authority (DA)
Moz's third-party metric predicting ranking potential - useful, but not a Google factor.
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