SEO
What Is a Backlink?
A backlink is a link on another website that points to a page on your website. Search engines use relevant backlinks from trusted sites as one sign that a page is useful and worth ranking.
What a backlink means in plain English
If a trade association's member directory links to your homepage, that link is a backlink for you and an outbound link for them. Google uses links in two ways: to discover new pages to crawl, and as a signal of how relevant a page is. The clickable words in the link, called anchor text, also tell Google what the linked page is about.
Why backlinks matter for a business website
A backlink works like a referral. A mention from a respected local newspaper, supplier or industry body tells search engines that real organizations know and trust your business, which helps pages rank for competitive searches. Good backlinks also send visitors directly: someone reading a supplier's list of approved installers can click straight through to your contact page.
An example of earning a backlink
A roofing contractor becomes a certified installer for a shingle manufacturer. The manufacturer lists certified installers on its website, each with a link. The contractor asks to be added, checks the link points to the right page, and adds the certification to its own site. Later, a local news story about storm damage quotes the owner and links to the company's emergency repair page.
Backlinks that break Google's rules
- Paid links that pass ranking credit, unless they carry a rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" attribute.
- Link exchanges arranged purely so two sites link to each other.
- Links created by automated programs or bulk link-building services.
- Guest posts, advertorials or press releases with keyword-rich anchor text that pass ranking credit.
- Low-quality directory and bookmark links, or links hidden in widgets and footers spread across many sites.
Copy this link request email
Subject: Listing for Northside Roofing on your certified installer page
Hi Jordan,
Northside Roofing became a certified installer for your shingles in
August 2026 (certificate no. 4471). Your certified installer page lists
other Colorado contractors, and we would like to be added.
Details for the listing:
Business name: Northside Roofing
Area served: Denver metro
Web address: https://example.com/
Phone: (555) 010-0142
We already show your certification badge on our roofing page, and I can
send a copy of the certificate if that helps.
Thanks,
Alex Rivera
Owner, Northside RoofingHow to check which websites link to your site
- Open Google Search Console, choose your property and click Links in the left menu.
- Under External links, open Top linking sites to see which domains link to you most.
- Click a domain to see which of your pages it links to, then open Top linking text to see the words those links use.
- Visit two or three of the linking pages and confirm the link is still there and points to a live page, not a 404 or a redirect.
- Use the Export button to save the list, and repeat every quarter to spot new and lost links.
What good looks like: Most linking sites are real businesses, associations, suppliers or media related to your trade or area, and their anchor text is mostly your brand or natural phrases. A long run of unrelated directories or foreign-language sites you never contacted deserves a closer look.
Free tool: Google Search Console Links report
Questions to ask your web developer
“Where exactly will the links you build for us come from?”
A good answer: A named list of target sites, such as suppliers, trade associations, local press and partners, with the reason each is relevant. No private blog networks, link packages or bought guest posts.
“Will any link you get for us be paid, and how will it be marked?”
A good answer: Any sponsored placement carries rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow", as Google asks, and is reported separately from earned links.
“How will you report on links each month?”
A good answer: A list of each new live link with its address, the page it points to and its anchor text, cross-checked in Search Console, plus any referral visits or leads it sent.
Backlink: common questions
What is a nofollow backlink?
A nofollow backlink is a link marked with rel="nofollow", which asks Google not to associate the linking site with your page. Google also supports rel="sponsored" for paid placements and rel="ugc" for comments and forum posts. These links still send visitors and can bring awareness, even when they pass little or no ranking credit.
Is it safe to buy backlinks?
Buying links that pass ranking credit breaks Google's spam policies, and sites that violate those policies may rank lower or disappear from results. Paid placements are acceptable only when the link is marked rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". Earning links through real partnerships, press coverage and useful content carries none of that risk.
Do backlinks still matter for SEO?
Yes. Google's documentation says it uses links to find new pages and as a signal when judging relevance. Quality counts far more than quantity: a few links from respected, related sites usually help more than hundreds from unrelated directories, which Google may simply ignore or treat as spam.
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