Not all Links are Created Equal – Issue #026

Not all Links are Created Equal – Issue #026

Actionable SEO Tip of the Week

Great content is the foundation of a successful SEO strategy. And as you probably know, quality content will almost always outrank bad quality content.

But, what happens when your competitors also have good quality content? How can you catch up and surpass them in search results?

Good Quality Backlinks

It may be an unpopular opinion, but backlinks are still (and I’m sure they will continue to be) one of the top-ranking factors.

Previously, when we talked about the ideal word count for your content, I mentioned that high authority websites can get away with ranking with less content and rank much better for highly competitive keywords. That high authority is earned via backlinks

But, will any type of backlink work? No. As the title states, not all links are created equal!

Let’s go over 3 attributes that will help you identify a good backlink for your website:

Relevance

A backlink will be much stronger if it comes from a website that is relevant or related to the topic of your website.

For example, if you have a SaaS, it would be good to get a link from another SaaS website or from a technology blog. On the other hand, if you have a copywriting AI tool, getting a link from a weight loss blog won’t be of much help.

Focus on acquiring backlinks from websites that are closely related to your main topic.

Anchor text

The words that make up the link, which is what we call anchor text, should include the keywords you are trying to rank for.

For example, if your top keyword is “Twitter growth tool“, then those words should ideally be in the anchor text of the backlink: “discover an awesome Twitter growth tool made for content creators…

Of course, don’t overdo it. Make sure you use a good balance of backlink anchor texts that include not only keywords but also natural and branded anchors.

Authority

Backlinks that come from high-authority websites are much more powerful because they will transfer some of that “authority” to your website.

This is a good time to mention that Google does not use the mainstream authority metrics like Moz domain authority (DA) or Ahrefs domain rating (DR).

Google uses its own algorithm called PageRank, but they don’t make it public, so the best way to measure the importance of a website is by using DA or DR

When working on your backlinks, try to get them from websites that have a higher DA/DR than yours, ideally above 30 DA/DR.

With that said, don’t ignore backlinks from websites with lower metrics. As long as the topic is super relevant, they will help. Usually, getting a link from a low DA/DR website is easier, and it’s very likely that the authority of that site will increase over time.

Just like there are attributes that will help you identify good backlinks, there are other characteristics that can help you identify toxic backlinks, but we will talk about that in an upcoming issue. If you haven’t done so already, subscribe now so you don’t miss it!

If want to learn how to get good backlinks, check out this past article where I shared some ideas about that.

Are there any specific topics you want me to cover in the coming weeks? DM me on Twitter and let me know!

SaaS Showcase of the Week

Finding the best keywords for your content is crucial for your SEO strategy. Without the right keywords, you are going to be flying blind while trying to rank on Google.

Of course, you can use keyword research tools like KatLinks or LowFruits, but the truth is that as busy makers we don’t always have time to do proper keyword research.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a way to get a done-for-you professional keyword research? Well, let me tell you about this week’s SaaS showcase.

SEO Arcade is not actually a SaaS, but a productized keyword research service

All you have to do is provide a seed keyword and they will do the rest! You will get a custom keyword research and SEO ROI forecasting report with all the metrics you need to choose and discover the best keywords for your SEO and content strategy.

Depending on your needs, you can get one-off, bundles or unlimited reports, everything delivered in a simple to use Google Sheet

Do you want me to showcase your SaaS or digital product? Click here to learn about our sponsorship opportunities.

Product Shoutouts

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In Conclusion…

If you want to rank on Google, you are going to need backlinks, especially if you are trying to rank for competitive keywords. After reading this, you now know how to identify the best backlinks to improve your SEO!

If you found value in reading this, please consider sharing it with your friends and also on social media

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