A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Google treats good backlinks like recommendations, so they are one of the strongest signals for ranking. But not all links are equal, and some can hurt you.
What makes a good backlink
- Relevant: from a site related to your industry or location.
- Trusted: from a real business, publication or organisation with its own audience.
- Natural: given because your content or business is genuinely useful.
- Placed in content: a link within an article is usually worth more than a footer or directory link.
Bad links to avoid
- Bulk packages promising hundreds of links cheaply.
- Private blog networks and link farms.
- Links from unrelated, spammy or foreign-language sites.
- Paid links disguised as articles, without proper labelling.
These break Google’s spam policies. At best they are ignored; at worst your rankings drop.
Safe ways to earn links
- Business directories: trusted local and industry listings.
- People you work with: suppliers, distributors, partners and associations often list their partners.
- Local press: openings, milestones, events and community work.
- Useful content: guides, data and tools others want to reference.
- Guest articles: genuinely helpful articles on relevant sites.
How many links do you need?
There is no magic number. Look at the sites ranking above you: you need a similar quality of links, not necessarily the same quantity. For local businesses, a modest number of good local links is often enough.
See our link building service for how we earn links safely.
Want the full picture? This article is part of SEO: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
