3 Types of Backlinks: The Good, Bad, and the Worst

Google has never provided a comprehensive list of elements that influence search engine rankings in a particular order. However, based on several announcements and studies, we are aware that backlinks are among the top 3 elements that affect search engine rankings (content and RankBrain are the other two search engine ranking factors).

Backlinks are extremely valuable, as all webmasters, content marketers, as well as SEO specialists are fully aware of. However, the majority of them are unclear of what makes a good, strong backlink that elevates their website in the SERPs (SERPs).

Understanding the distinctions between quality backlinks and those that could harm your website is important. Additionally, you must be very certain of the kinds of backlinks you should seek out and the ones you should avoid when developing a link-building Service.

The differences between quality backlinks and those that harm your website will be emphasized in this blog article.

Backlinks can be categorized into three groups-

Best Backlinks- These Backlinks are good for Website.

Bad Backlinks- Bad backlinks that you should try to avoid.

Worst Backlinks- Google and other search engines can punish your website as a result of these backlinks.

Good Backlinks

A backlink has several characteristics that define it as a “good” backlink. But bear in mind this straightforward guideline if you want to keep things simple:

A good backlink is often any connection that naturally leads to your website from a reliable and relevant source.

This method is also known as “organic link building.”

Building organic links raises your ranking in the search engine results pages and increases the authority and credibility of your website in the eyes of search engines. Furthermore, organic link building service is also the most time-consuming and difficult method of building backlinks. That is why so many SEOs choose to accomplish that via spammy and “easier” methods.

Editorial Backlinks

The most prevalent kind of good backlinks are editorial links. In this instance, a journalist, publisher, or blogger adds an authoritative connection to your website (publication or a well-established blog).

This kind of link-building procedure shares the trait of taking place spontaneously and organically. For instance, until the connection to your website is created, you won’t even be aware that the journalist has done so. They only act in this way because they are so impressed by your website and the information on it.

Google as well as the rest of the search engines adore this kind of backlink the most!

Relationship-Based Backlinks

A modified version of “editorial backlinks” is relationship-based backlinks. In this instance, the backlink-creation process is sparked by a personal connection.

An introduction to a journalist, blogger, or content provider could help establish this connection. A backlink to your website is made by the blogger after finding a source that truly adds value.

The crucial thing to keep in mind is that the backlink must still have the same level of worth and sincerity even though it was produced as a result of a relationship with the blogger. The backlink won’t be useful if it’s not.

Guest Blogging

Although it isn’t as effective as it previously was, guest blogging is still a very real and effective approach to create tier-one backlinks of the highest caliber.

Google has recently taken severe action against guest posting websites that just used this approach to build backlinks rather than offering visitors true value. Keep in mind that building backlinks isn’t the main goal of guest posting. To truly benefit the blog’s followers is the goal.

The greatest approach would be to just use guest blogging as a way to grow your brand and connect with more people, as opposed to doing it to obtain backlinks. Think of backlinks as a secondary benefit of guest writing rather than the main benefit.

Niche Directories

Niche directories are a good way to build high-quality backlinks to your website.

Particularly when it comes to local SEO, niche directories can be a useful resource. A few excellent specialized directories are listed below:

• Yelp
• All Business Now
• Clasione
• Yellow Pages.com
• Best of the Web
• Hotfrog.com
• Vlib
• Seek On
• Health Fitness Nutrition
• Medline Plus

Make sure to include a variety of descriptions that customers would find valuable, according to the advice. Automated directory submissions should not be used as they could provide links that look spammy. The identical method of using word-for-word descriptions is one that Google detests and would penalize.

Bad Links

The kinds of backlinks you should normally avoid are the bad ones. Your organic results aren’t significantly improved by them, and we anticipate that Google will soon devalue them.

We have found that time spent on bad backlinks isn’t value that much, but it’s OK if you have a chance of getting many of these links with little work.

Guest Posting at Scale

It takes a lot of time and work to write and submit guest post. To obtain backlinks, some people, however, may make an article, have it published on a website, and then “spin” it by creating dozens of changed versions and publishing them on various other websites.

As you might expect, reliable websites wouldn’t allow such recycled stuff. Therefore, people contact low-quality, frequently irrelevant websites that only include a plethora of advertisements.

This tactic has the drawback of not benefiting your brand in any way. Second, it produces a pattern that is simple to recognize and that Google can track using AI. It is therefore advised to steer clear of this tactic.

Header, Footer, and Sidebar Links

Google doesn’t value links from sidebars, footers, or headers. Sitewide links should be avoided because of this.

Worst Backlinks

These are worst Backlinks which make the Website Penalized. The search engine results pages will punish your website if you build these kinds of hyperlinks.

Paid Links

Paid links are bad idea links or a bad idea that you should avoid it.

Because, let’s be real, It’s reasonable to think that a website owner would be selling a lot more backlinks to a lot more people even if they are only selling you a few. By doing so, you become a part of a network you don’t want to be a part of.

Paid links are easily recognizable by Google’s algorithms. Even if you only purchased a few backlinks, if you are working with the same network, they will still consider you to be at fault.

Comment Spam

With comment spam, you can create tens of thousands of backlinks, but it will do you absolutely no good.

The majority of hyperlinks from comment areas are no-follow, which means they don’t increase value naturally. However, they still have the potential to subject you to a link-based punishment.

Furthermore, spamming other websites’ comment areas can quickly enrage website owners, who will be pleased to report you to Google.

General Directories

General Directories should be avoided since, as was already indicated, they tend to be spam-filled. They would accept anyone as long as they are prepared to pay their price. That is merely one more illustration of purchased links.

It is also simpler for Google to track any bought links flowing from such generic directories to your website because they are clearly identified.

Backlinks from Irrelevant Websites

Tier-2 backlinks were previously responsible for irrelevant website backlinks. We had to drop them to tier 3 after the Google Penguin change, though.

Because they truly benefit the viewers of the original website, backlinks are built to other websites. With that in mind, it is easy to see why a connection from a website devoted to drones to a website for a divorce attorney wouldn’t make much sense.

No matter how simple it is to obtain those backlinks, avoid using them on websites that are not relevant to your business. As can be seen in the following figure, Google Penguin primarily targets websites that have an excessive number of backlinks from irrelevant websites.

Conclusion

Having backlinks is important. They boost your web pages in the SERPs and give your website more authority and credibility in the eyes of search engines.

But it’s also important to pay attention to the kinds of backlinks you are creating. Not every backlink will improve your position in search results. You would even be punished for the Bad ones.