Is the significance of backlinks still crucial for SEO ranking in 2024? – This question concerns almost every blogger because of the constant algorithm changes.
I would not say there’s no role or importance of backlinks in SEO, but the game isn’t simple anymore. The type of backlinks that used to work before won’t work in 2024 and onwards.
So, you really need to learn about the new strategies, which is what this blog post is about.
Today, I’ll break down:
- The role of backlinks, and whether they’re still important in 2024?
- What does Google think about backlinks?
- Factors you should keep in mind when creating backlinks.
The Role Of Backlinks In SEO in 2024
Backlink building is still an important part of SEO in 2024, and it will remain a ranking factor in the future.
Every website needs backlinks to rank, but not irrelevant and low-quality backlinks. Google now favours only the type of backlink that adds value and isn’t just made for boosting rankings. According to Google: [Source]
“Google uses links as an important factor in determining the relevancy of web pages. Any links that are intended to manipulate rankings in Google Search results may be considered link spam.”
So the role is clear: you can create backlinks as long as they’re necessary and help the user. If any content includes links that are spamming, your website is in danger and might hit in the Google update.
Google 2024 Latest Updates About Backlinks
Contrary to popular narrative, Google has nothing against link-building strategy. Instead, Google has confirmed that backlinks remain one of the most important search engine ranking factors that helps generating traffic fast.
To Google, contextually relevant backlinks are like signals that show search engine algorithms how relevant the web page is. [Source]
“Google uses links as a ranking signal when determining the relevancy of pages and finding new pages to crawl.
How relevant the backlinks are depends on various factors. A few years back, the relevancy of backlinks was only based on the total number of backlinks; the more backlinks your website had, the better it ranked.
Since things have changed, the rules are too. In one of the Google SEO office-hours hangout sessions, John Mueller explained how Google weighs the links.
“The total number of links doesn’t matter at all. Because you could go off and create millions of links across millions of websites if you wanted to, and we could just ignore them all.”
John Mueller suggests high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites:
“Or there could be one really good link from one website out there that is, for us, a really important sign that we should treat this website as something that is relevant because it has that one link. I don’t know, maybe from like a big news site’s home page, for example. So the total number essentially is completely irrelevant.”
5 Factors to Consider While Acquiring Backlinks in 2024
Now, the question that might be ringing the bell to your mind is how to determine which site is best for link building and what type of links are considered quality backlinks. Let’s find out!
1. The Website Must Have Original Content, not AI / Spun Content.
According to SEO professionals, the first important point you should consider while creating backlinks is the content of the website. The website you’re selecting for the acquisition of backlinks must have original content, not AI/ spun content.
The problem with AI or spun content is that it always end up not making sense. Many AI websites have blog posts that don’t provide value; some websites don’t even get traffic because of this reason. And to generate income, the website owner offers backlinks in exchange for money. If you see this type of website, be alert because it’s not good for SEO.
2. Website Backlink Profile Must Be Clean
Check the website backlink profile. It means the links the website has given to other websites. Carefully check out the anchor text and the pages it’s leading to. Find out whether the content of the backlinks is good and relevant.
If the content is irrelevant, it indicates they’re not natural backlinks but solely created to spam. Hence, always go with the website where you see the quality and relevance of backlinks to protect your site from upcoming updates. Also, make sure the website has not been hit by any recent Google algorithm updates.
3. Must Be Related to Your Niche or Shoulder Niche
For best results, ensure the backlinks you’re getting are related to your niche or a closely related one. Suppose you have a website in the “German Shepherd” niche; the backlinks should be from the same niche or an overall dog or pet niche.
Never get backlinks from the “fashion” or “lifestyle” website to your “pet niche” blog. Links from sites in your industry or a related field help determine the quality of backlinks.
4. Shouldn’t Have High Outbound Links
Apart from getting backlinks from sites related to yours, also look at how many links the site has given to other sites. If there are many outbound links, it suggests the website might be part of a link farm, whether it’s a guest post or a PBN farm.
A link farm is a network of websites created mainly to sell backlinks. They’re not good for SEO because they never focus on content and SEO. If you see a website with too many outbound links, be cautious— links from these sites can become the reason for de-ranking.
5. Organic Traffic Trends
Consider the trends in organic traffic when building high-quality backlinks. There are many websites that are solely made for the purpose of selling backlinks. These websites don’t focus on generating good content.
You can easily find these websites by checking the organic traffic (SEO trend) in any SEO tool. If the website’s main traffic comes from search engines like Google and Bing, the website is safe to create backlinks. Don’t select websites that get traffic mainly from social media and from any other source.
Backlinks Role in 2024: Final Words
Backlinks are still important in the world of SEO for 2024 and beyond. However, the links I’m discussing here are backlinks from reputable websites. Here are the things to check to make sure a website is good for creating backlinks:
- Make sure the website hasn’t been affected by any recent Google updates.
- The blog should have high-quality content.
- The website shouldn’t have too many outbound backlinks to other sites.
- It should be related to your niche.
- The website should be authoritative.
If a website meets all these points, you can create backlinks without worrying about the safety of your site.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a backlink valuable in 2024?
A valuable backlink in 2024 is one that comes from a reputable and relevant source. Quality matters more than quantity, and links from authoritative sites within your industry or niche carry more weight.
Are all backlinks equally beneficial for SEO?
No, not all backlinks are equally beneficial. Quality matters more than quantity, and links from authoritative sites within your niche or industry have a more positive impact on SEO.
What are PBN link farms and guest posting farms?
PBN link farms and guest posting farms are not good for SEO. Guest post link farms are websites created just to sell links and usually don’t have good content. PBN link farms are also similar—they’re a bunch of websites that link to only one site to boost its ranking. Both of these things can hurt your website’s reputation with search engines.
Are no-follow links valuable for Google and other search engines in 2024?
Yes, no-follow links are still one of the important ranking factors in Google’s SEO. They can drive traffic to your website, but they don’t pass on SEO juice. So, if your priority is to get traffic, no-follow links are valuable.
How do authoritative backlinks affect Google’s ranking?
Authoritative backlinks give Google the signal that the website is good, as well as the content, and provides value. As a result, Google considers your website more relevant in your niche and ranks it better.
