Most marketers or SEO experts know that backlinks are a search engine ranking factor. However, few are aware of the factors that can influence a backlink’s impact on a website’s rankings. While the quantity of backlinks matter, high-quality ones seem to pack the most punch. And spotting top-notch links is what this article is all about.
Worth noting is that only the search engines know exactly how the quality of a backlink is measured. The information you’ll find here or anywhere else are based on in-the-field observations and experience.
1. Page Authority (PA) or Domain Authority (DA)
PA and DA are both metrics developed by Moz. DA predicts how well a domain will rank on the SERP (search engine results pages). PA predicts how likely an individual web page is to rank. The scores given are between one and 100, with higher numbers meaning more ranking strength. You can download the Moz bar to start using these metrics.
2. Relevance
Relevant backlinks are links from pages that cover the same or similar topic as your site. The context of the backlink also matters. For example, a link is relevant if the surrounding content discusses subjects related to your products or services. The domain doesn’t always have to be related to your niche.
3. Traffic
Generally, links that send traffic have more impact on SEO outcomes. More traffic can lead to more sales, leads, and backlinks. So consider acquiring links for more than direct SEO reasons, ensuring people can click-through to useful pages.
4. Uniqueness
The uniqueness of a backlink refers to how hard it is to get. When it’s too easy to obtain a link, then tons of other sites, including your competitors, likely have that backlink too. Therefore, easy links aren’t unique. An excellent example of a unique link is something from a niche-specific chamber of commerce directory. Not a lot of websites can obtain those links.
5. Dofollow or Nofollow
‘Dofollow’ and ‘nofollow’ are HTML tags used to control the amount of link equity passed on to other pages. Dofollow backlinks pass full equity, while nofollow links do not. So even though no-follow links are helpful, you should target dofollow backlinks.
6. Anchor Text
Several research studies like this one show that the text used to link to a website influences rankings. The anchor text and content surrounding a link should be topic-relevant to help search engines rank your pages appropriately. However, avoid using exact-match anchor texts if possible or risk triggering the Penguin algorithm.
Paying attention to all the aforementioned factors can ensure you’re always going after stronger backlinks.
The post 6 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE VALUE OF A BACKLINK appeared first on Red Canyon.
