What’s the secret to making Google love your website? The answer: external backlinks.
These little links are like popularity votes for your site, telling search engines that others trust and value your content.
Want to know how to use them to skyrocket your SEO ranking?
Keep reading for our top tips and tricks.
Table of Contents
What is an External Link?
An external link is a hyperlink that points to a page on another website.
For example, if you include a link in your blog post that directs readers to a source on another website, that link is considered an external link.
External links are essential because they help to establish your website’s credibility and authority by linking to reputable sources.
7 External Linking Best Practices for SEO
- Choose relevant websites – Choose websites that are relevant to your content to ensure that your links are useful and valuable to readers.
- Use varied anchor text – Use varied anchor text to make your external links look natural and avoid over-optimization.
- Avoid broken links – Broken links can hurt your website’s credibility and damage your SEO efforts.
- Don’t overdo it – Too many external links can make your content look spammy and hurt your SEO efforts.
- Use “nofollow” tags when necessary – Use “nofollow” tags to tell search engines not to follow the links, preventing potential penalties.
- Monitor your external links – Regularly monitor your external links to ensure they remain relevant and high-quality.
- Avoid link farms – Avoid link farms, which are websites that exist solely to host external links.
What is the difference between External Links and Backlinks?
External links and backlinks are often used interchangeably, but they are different.
External links refer to links on your website that point to another website, while backlinks refer to links on another website that point to your website.
Both types of links are crucial for SEO, but backlinks are particularly important because they signal to search engines that your website is credible and authoritative.
What are External Links and How can I use them correctly?
External links are links on your website that point to another website.
To use external links correctly, you should choose reputable websites that are relevant to your content, use varied anchor text, and avoid broken links.
You should also avoid overdoing it and using too many external links, which can harm your SEO efforts.
Do Backlinks Matter for SEO?
Yes, backlinks matter for SEO.
Backlinks signal to search engines that your website is credible and authoritative, and they can have a significant impact on your website’s rankings in SERPs.
However, not all backlinks are created equal.
Quality backlinks from reputable websites are more valuable than low-quality backlinks from spammy websites.
Can External Links and Backlinks Work Both Ways?
Yes, external links and backlinks can work both ways.
If you include an external link to another website, that website may link back to your website if they find your content valuable.
Similarly, if another website links to your website, you may choose to include an external link to that website in your content.
Why are External Links Good for SEO?
External links are good for SEO because they help to establish your website’s credibility and authority by linking to reputable sources.
They also signal to search engines that your website is well-researched and informative, which can improve your website’s rankings in SERPs.
Build a Successful External Linking Strategy
To build a successful external linking strategy, you should choose reputable websites that are relevant to your content, use varied anchor text, and avoid broken links.
You should also regularly monitor your external links to ensure they remain high-quality and relevant.
Are There Other Types of Links to Consider for Content and SEO?
Yes, there are other types of links to consider for content and SEO, including internal links and nofollow links.
Internal links are links on your website that point to another page on the same website.
They are important because they help to establish the structure of your website and make it easier for users and search engines to navigate your content.
Nofollow links are links that include a “nofollow” tag, which tells search engines not to follow the link.
Nofollow links are often used for sponsored content or user-generated content to prevent potential penalties from search engines.
Similarities Between External Links and Backlinks
External links and backlinks are similar because they both involve linking to another website.
However, backlinks are more valuable because they signal to search engines that your website is credible and authoritative.
When Should You Link to Other Sites in SEO?
You should link to other sites in SEO when it adds value to your content and helps to establish your website’s credibility and authority.
For example, if you are writing a blog post about a specific topic and want to provide readers with additional resources, you may include external links to reputable sources.
What is External Linking Strategy?
An external linking strategy is a plan for using external links to improve your website’s SEO.
A successful external linking strategy involves choosing reputable websites that are relevant to your content, using varied anchor text, avoiding broken links, and regularly monitoring your external links.
Four Benefits of External Linking
- Improves your website’s credibility and authority – By linking to reputable sources, you can establish your website’s credibility and authority in your industry.
- Helps to improve your website’s rankings in SERPs – External links signal to search engines that your website is well-researched and informative, which can improve your website’s rankings in SERPs.
- Provides additional value to your content – By including external links to reputable sources, you can provide readers with additional resources and information.
- Helps to establish relationships with other websites – By including external links to other websites, you can establish relationships with other websites in your industry, which can lead to future collaboration opportunities.
Outsource Your Link Building
If you don’t have the time or expertise to build external links yourself, you may want to consider outsourcing your link building efforts to a reputable SEO agency.
An SEO agency can help you build high-quality external links that improve your website’s SEO and drive traffic to your site.
Use Effective Link Building Strategies
Effective link building strategies involve choosing reputable websites that are relevant to your content, using varied anchor text, avoiding broken links, and regularly monitoring your external links.
You should also focus on building relationships with other websites in your industry to establish yourself as an authority in your field.
FAQs About external backlinks
What is an External Link Example?
An external link is a link that goes from one website to another.
Examples of external links include links to other websites, social media profiles, and online directories.
What is Internal vs External Backlinks?
Internal backlinks are links that go from one page on your website to another page on the same website.
External backlinks, on the other hand, are links that go from one website to another website.
What are External Links?
External links are links that go from one website to another website.
They are important for SEO because they can improve your website’s credibility and authority.
Which Links are External Links?
External links are links that go from one website to another website.
They can include links to other websites, social media profiles, and online directories.
Why External Links for SEO?
External links are important for SEO because they signal to search engines that your website is well-researched and informative.
They can also improve your website’s credibility and authority, which can improve your website’s rankings in SERPs.
What are Internal Backlinks?
Internal backlinks are links that go from one page on your website to another page on the same website.
They are important for SEO because they can improve your website’s structure and make it easier for users and search engines to navigate your content.
How Many External Links for SEO?
There is no set number of external links that you should have for SEO.
Instead, focus on using high-quality external links that are relevant to your content and add value to your readers.
What are the Three Types of Links?
The three types of links are external links, internal links, and nofollow links.
External links go from one website to another website, internal links go from one page on your website to another page on the same website, and nofollow links include a “nofollow” tag that tells search engines not to follow the link.
What is the Function of External Links?
The function of external links is to provide readers with additional resources and information that is relevant to your content.
They can also improve your website’s credibility and authority, which can improve your website’s rankings in SERPs.
How Do I Add an External Link?
To add an external link, simply highlight the text that you want to link and click on the link button in your content editor.
Then, paste the URL of the external link that you want to include and click save.
Make sure that the external link is relevant to your content and adds value to your readers.
Final Thoughts About external backlinks
In conclusion, external backlinks are a crucial component of SEO that can have a significant impact on your website’s rankings in SERPs.
By using external links correctly and building a successful external linking strategy, you can improve your website’s credibility and authority, drive traffic to your site, and establish relationships with other websites in your industry.
