What are Backlinks (and Why you Need Them)? (SEO Made Easy)
Backlinks are a great tool in your SEO/blog writing strategy, yet so many business owners overlook them. So, below we walk through what backlinking is, why it's important and strategies to improve your backlinks. Not a reader? Tune into the Being Better Everyday podcast linked on youtube or from my podcasting platform below and listen into my conversation with Eden from Maven Made Copy.
56 \\ SEO and Backlink Building Strategies with Eden from Maven Made Copy
Think of backlinks as the internet’s version of a referral. When another website links back to your website, it’s essentially saying, “Hey, this content is legit, and you should check it out.” It’s like your website getting a glowing recommendation from a trusted friend. Search engines notice this, too. When reputable sites link to yours, it signals to Google that your content is valuable and worth ranking higher on search results. When you grow your back-links you then grow your Domain Authority which is ultimately what we are after.
What is domain authority?
Here’s the thing about SEO—it’s all about building authority. One way to measure that is through a score called domain authority (DA) - check out your Domain Authority for free here: Free Domain Authority Checker by Moz
Developed by Moz (an SEO tool you need on your radar), domain authority is a score between 1-100 that predicts how well your website will rank on search engine results pages. The higher your DA, the better. But let’s keep it real—domain authority isn’t the end-all-be-all. It’s just one of many tools to help you track your progress and pinpoint where to improve.
So how does Moz calculate your DA? Here’s the breakdown:
Quality of backlinks: Links from reputable, authoritative sites carry more weight.
Quantity of backlinks: While quality is more important, having a higher number of good backlinks helps.
Link diversity: A wide range of links from different domains boosts your score.
Internal linking: Don’t forget about your own site! Smart internal linking spreads authority across your pages.
External links: The sites you link to from your domain matter, too.
Domain age: Older domains tend to score higher because they’ve had time to build credibility.
Content quality: High-quality, valuable content naturally attracts more backlinks.
On-page SEO: Proper keyword usage, meta tags, and responsive design play a role here. Learn more about best practices for on page SEO at this blog: SEO for Entrepreneurs: On-Page SEO Best Practices
Bottom line? Focus on creating valuable content, earning quality backlinks, and following SEO best practices to keep growing your domain authority.
Why are backlinks a big deal for SEO?
Imagine you recommend a friend to your favorite coffee shop. You wouldn’t vouch for them if you didn’t trust their lattes, right? Backlinks work the same way. When someone links to your site, they’re essentially vouching for you. And search engines LOVE that. It’s like a little vote of confidence saying, “This website knows what it’s talking about.” That is also why buying backlinks or having low quality back links can be detrimental to you because it can cause your website to be flagged as spam and you don't want that!
Here’s the kicker: studies show backlinks are a major ranking factor. Neil Patel from Ubersuggest (a tool I use ALL THE TIME) points out that 96% of sites in Google’s top 10 positions have 1,000+ backlinks from unique domains. If you want to boost your rankings, building a backlink strategy is non-negotiable.
How to increase backlinks to your site
On the podcast, we talk about the ways you can grow your backlinks that represent quality not just quantity.
1. Guest blogging
Find blogs in your industry and pitch a guest post. Most blogs allow you to include a link back to your site within your bio or the article itself. Here's an example of this. One of my clients, Pilatesbody by Kayla, guest blogs on the Minnesota Parent website. This is a recent example: The Best Pelvic Floor Exercises After Pregnancy - Minnesota Parent
2. Guest podcasting
Being a guest on podcasts (like Eden was on mine!) is another way to earn backlinks. Your site or offers will typically be linked in the show notes. Here is another example where I was a guest on a recent podcast: The Best Strategies for Building a Sustainable Business
3. Networking
Start connecting! Attend events, build relationships in your industry, and let people know about your expertise. The more visible you are, the more likely others will link to your site and again, then you can employ ideas like guest blogging or blog swaps from there.
4. Online directories
Join directories or online communities in your niche. Many offer a member profile with a link to your website. I myself am on a couple of directories thus far. Not sure where to start? Think about local small business groups, or your chamber of commerce.
5. List posts
Reach out to creators of list posts (e.g., "Top 10 Business Tools") and suggest they add you to the list. Eden recently did a blog post about Show it web designers and I was lucky enough to be included as an example. This does take some research to find the right lists but could be well worth it!
6. Offer testimonials
One we didn't talk about on the podcast but that can be super helpful is writing testimonials for brands or services you love and ask for a link to your site when they publish it. Are they posting your review? Make sure you get a link! Simple, effective and often overlooked.
Will spam backlinks hurt your SEO?
The short answer? Probably not. Spammy backlinks can happen—they’re often out of your control. If you notice them, you can always reach out to the website owner and ask for the link to be removed. You can also asked for them to be removed on your Google Search Console if they really bother you. But here’s the good news: Google knows you can’t monitor every link to your site. As long as the majority of your backlinks are high-quality and earned through legit strategies, spam links won’t ruin your SEO.
Backlinks and Blogging go hand in hand
Backlinks are a great way to improve your website’s visibility. The more high-quality links you earn, the stronger your authority becomes, which means better rankings, more traffic, and more business.
If backlinks feel overwhelming or you’re unsure where to start, contact Eden at Maven Made Copy! Whether it’s creating content worth linking to or building your backlink strategy, she's there to help you grow your business. Now, if you don't have the overall website SEO foundations, that's where I come in! I can help audit your website and suggest ways to improve your main pages and overall strategy to ensure you have the write foundation before you even lean into blogging. To check out my SEO services, head over to: Organic Marketing: SEO Audit & Optimization for Small Businesses
