What were the early days of Google SEO like ? The algorithm that determined the order of search results was simple, and positioning was determined by the number of links to a page. Today, web crawlers are no longer so kind, and a website's position is determined by many more factors. However, this doesn't mean that links have lost their value! Quite the opposite! Where should you link to a page , and how should you do it for maximum effectiveness?
What did linking look like in the early 21st century?
Before SEO became a refined art, SEO specialists didn't dwell on conventions. Search engine optimization was simplified, and keywords practically flowed from every line of code. User needs weren't particularly addressed, stemming not only from a lack of technical capabilities (these developed with the growing popularity of HTML5 and CSS3), but also from the smaller number of internet users.
How did we link those few (or a dozen) years ago? I think the term "without moderation" is most apt here. Initially, quantity was the primary factor, which is why spammy sites sprang up like mushrooms after the rain, instantly becoming a resource for various services. These types of sites were called " presell pages " – however, Polish SEO jargon coined a more familiar-sounding term – " pretzels ." These types of sites were the perfect answer to the question "where to link to a website?" Some of them weren't moderated or thematic – all you had to do was find access to the site, create an account, sometimes pay a few zlotys, and prepare text suitable for use in a blender. Such programs allowed the creation of synonymous texts, which could be used on a larger scale. The texts were similar, but the use of synonyms gave the illusion of uniqueness. Unfortunately, reading them was not recommended – written in "Polish," they contained no valuable information, and were merely carriers of links to the sites being positioned.
Over time, the importance of links changed – links from educational (edu) and government (gov) websites secured high positions, and the role of blogs cluttered with junk articles began to decrease.
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Penguin – the Google update that turned the SEO world upside down
In 2012, the search engine's algorithm was updated to end the golden age of carefree link building. The update, dubbed "Penguin," reduced the importance of links from spammy sites and significantly limited the possibility of black hat link building practices.
"Penguin" analyzed incoming links to a website and assessed their authenticity. Links from cluttered pretzels, low-quality forums, and other sources of questionable reputation received very low scores, which often resulted in a drop in the website's Google rankings . Its work also included detecting repetitive linking patterns, suggesting the presence of scripts adding links on a massive scale.
Initially, the Penguin update was released periodically, most often resulting in a dramatic change in website visibility and a drop in traffic. The Penguin filter forced SEO specialists to rapidly "clean" their inbound link profiles. Removing low-quality links allowed for a steady increase in rankings, but returning a domain to its former glory wasn't always possible. In some cases, a banned site returned to Google search results only after several months, when a new version of Penguin was added to the algorithm.
The update that wreaked havoc on Google's links debuted in late March 2012, and its effects were seen in subsequent iterations in October 2012, May and October 2013, and October 2014. In September 2016, Penguin joined the search engine's core algorithm and has operated in real time since then. Its constant activity allows for a faster response to the negative effects of ineffective linking, without having to wait for the next update. Furthermore, the version of the update that has become a permanent part of the search engine's repertoire seems to be more lenient towards reckless linkers – questionable links are usually simply ignored. However, this doesn't mean that linking is permitted everywhere – sites engaging in spammy tactics can still be punished by being removed from search results.
Anatomy of a Link – How to Link?
Linking, while different from what it was in Google's early days, is still very important. Therefore, it's worth taking a closer look at proper link construction.
A link, also known as a page reference, is one of the fundamental elements of HTML, a markup language commonly used to describe web pages. A hyperlink is an element that links from one document to another, typically displayed by clicking on a designated tag. The structure of the global internet is based on links.
What does the link look like?
– tag
href – an attribute containing the link's target page address
anchor – (in the example “Verseo”) the link text visible on the website.
The link can lead to documents within the same document (href=”#”), within the same domain (href=”/about-us/”) or to any document on the Internet (href=” https://inna-strona.de ”).
The <a> tag can also include a title , which will be displayed when the cursor hovers over the link, and a target , which will determine whether the document opens in a new browser tab, for example. The hyperlink tag can also include guidelines for web crawlers, for example, prohibiting them from navigating to the specified URL.
In the context of SEO, the importance of the anchor link element is often emphasized – this is where you can place a keyword, which will serve as the "title" of the link pointing to your website. When planning a link-building strategy, choosing the right anchor will be one of the key elements that will allow you to give your efforts a natural feel. Diversification, meaning the use of different link labeling methods, is crucial here:
- address URL – An anchor is a website address pasted into the text of an article or post. It looks most natural – after all, who among us wants to describe a link posted in a forum post or comment? Hyperlinks with an anchor containing a URL are often created automatically, for example, by pasting the address into text in Google Docs.
- Italian and international brands – the name of the company or website we're linking to. This is a safe way to name links, allowing for brand promotion,
- keyword – a riskier form of linking, which, if used carelessly, can be penalized by the search engine. A link with an anchor containing a keyword looks the least natural. Linking to a keyword phrase helps in website positioning, however, it should be used in moderation, as one of many solutions,
- images – A link to a website can also be placed within a photo or file with a company logo. It must then be described according to the tag requirements. .
Links can be placed in any section of the website – in the menu (top, side), in the body of text , in comments, in the footer. They can be located on a single subpage of the website or repeated within a category or an entire domain – in which case they are referred to as site-wide.
High-quality links – how to find them?
With the advent of the Penguin era, collecting links to a website has become a more demanding task. Finding a good link source requires more selective work, eliminating sites of questionable quality—for example, pretzels dominated by chaotic, keyword-heavy text.
So where should you link to your website? It's worth seeking out link sources with high authority, meaning a good Google rating. The search engine doesn't officially report a website's ratings, but there are external tools that can help determine their level. One such tool is Ahrefs, which uses the Domain Rating metric to assess the number and quality of links.
When searching for the perfect place to place your link, you should also consider the number of users visiting your website. High organic traffic is associated with a high level of domain visibility, which in itself speaks volumes about the domain's rating by Google. This type of information can be obtained using programs like SEO Surfer.
Another element worth considering is the link profile of the website that will serve as the carrier of our hyperlink. The number of outgoing links is also important – too many weakens the "link juice" directed towards our website. What is "link juice"? This term describes the power (authority) transferred from one domain to another. Too many links to external sites "dilutes the juice" and reduces the value of the acquired link.
Beyond these technicalities, link hunters should focus on websites thematically related to the content of the linked page. Obtaining links from local websites promoting activities in your country, province, municipality, or city will also be helpful. Links pointing to a Polish-language domain should be placed on native websites, and similar links in other languages should be placed on their corresponding portals.
Where to link the page?!
Acquiring links is a tedious process that requires attention as long as the concept of good online visibility is essential to our business. Activities in this area should be planned wisely and take into account other aspects of marketing activities undertaken under our brand.
So let's discuss the most popular link sources:
NATURAL
Natural links arise without any involvement of interested parties – internet users spontaneously share interesting links in comments, on forums, or on their blogs. These types of links demonstrate the high quality of the content on our pages, and sharing it with others can generate significant traffic to our website.
Gaining links this way will require significant commitment to website content. Elements that are readily recommended by users include advice, rankings, summaries, and attractively presented smaller doses of knowledge, for example, in infographics. In some industries, it's also possible to prepare humorous material that has the potential to go viral, quickly reaching a large audience. This type of online fame will likely yield links that will complement the domain profile we're aiming for.
OUT
Online forums have lost popularity in recent years, favored by Facebook groups, but those that remain online are a source of high-quality links. Adding links in these places must, however, align with the forum's theme and its rules, which mostly limit spam. Links posted in response to another person's question have the greatest chance of escaping the harsh judgment of administrators and supporting the site long-term. It's worth linking from places where you already have an account and have previously participated in discussions.
COMMENTS
Some websites and blogs allow you to comment on articles and even add active links to them. Links left here should be thematically relevant to the post. Adding a link in a comment does not imply its approval by the webmaster. Additionally, these links will often be marked with the rel="nofollow" parameter, which prevents web crawlers from reaching your site, but users can still click on the link.
CATALOGS
This is one of the oldest forms of link acquisition, allowing for a significant increase in the number of links in a relatively short time. However, modern directories boast significantly higher quality and require greater commitment from the link provider. A good directory will require the entry to be supplemented with basic information about the company's activities, a unique description, and sometimes even graphics. Directories allow for additional promotion of the business, for example, by promoting the entry higher in the search engine for a given service or by placing a link to the entry on the directory's home page.
GUEST ARTICLES
A fairly popular method of gaining links and new readers is publishing articles outside of one's own website, for example, on a blog. Guest articles allow blog owners to obtain new, valuable content. It is generally accepted that such publications are not advertising in nature, but rather focus on providing information and exchanging knowledge. Adding an active link to the content depends on the goodwill of the website owner.
SPONSORED ARTICLES
Sponsored articles are designed to promote a website, although the content published this way doesn't necessarily have to be strictly advertising. Articles typically allow for one to two links, usually with an anchor text of your choice. This service is paid, and the cost depends on the website's reputation – the higher the traffic and size of the site, the higher the price.
Sponsored content collaboration can be initiated in person, through the website admin and marketing department. Services specializing in mediating between publishers and those seeking content marketing opportunities are also very popular.
BACKGROUND
A good source of links are your own backends – websites, mostly thematic, where you'll place links to the promoted pages. Backends require purchasing a domain, server space, and setting up a CMS or other solution that will allow for easy article posting. Additionally, content creation costs must be factored in – especially if you don't plan to do it yourself.
When building a backend, it's worth choosing older domains that can be snapped up when they expire. Those with a good track record are especially valuable – the content previously hosted on the domain aligns with the theme of your website, the site hasn't been penalized by Google, and the incoming links come from trusted sources.
High-quality resources can also be the subject of other marketing efforts – well-written, widely read articles can become an additional source of traffic and an element of building an expert position.
PARTNER SITES
Collaboration between two companies can be expressed in many ways, including by mentioning partners or contractors on the website. Most often, the partner's logo is placed on the page, within the <a> tag. When analyzing your marketing efforts , it's worth reviewing the list of places where your business name appears and asking for a link to your website to be added next to it.
It's also worth approaching other sites in a similar manner – for example, lists of companies offering specific services in the province, prepared by an independent entity. It's worth finding those that have been operating for a while and providing information about your company.
OFFLINE ACTIVITY
One effective way to acquire high-quality links is to expand your reach offline. Such efforts are particularly effective in local SEO – social engagement, participation in meetings, or financial support for events typically result in mentions of your brand on event pages. These "a few words about us" can always be supplemented with a link to your website (usually with an anchor text), which will perfectly complement your link-building efforts. Biographies are also worth mentioning, for example, on university websites or conferences you're participating in.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media links don't accelerate our website's climb in the SERPs, but they do help increase traffic. Social media profiles are an excellent channel for communicating with customers, and it's here that links to compelling content are usually shared most quickly.
Other linking ideas
Obtaining valuable links is no easy task and often requires creativity. Some methods will be effective within one industry, while others may prove impossible. An example is trying to obtain a link from Wikipedia. When promoting the website of celebrities, athletes, politicians, etc., publishing an entry with a short biography and description of their business will not be hindered by online encyclopedia editors. Attempting to obtain a link to the website of a company specializing in screw production will require considerable effort, such as creating a source that complements Wikipedia content, and will likely be rejected anyway.
It's also worth looking for inspiration from competitors – tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, and SEO Surfer allow you to preview links pointing to their sites. Note that these tools certainly won't provide information about all links! Some sources may block bots that collect this type of data. "Patterning" linking sites allows you to obtain a good link to your website and weaken the one pointing to your competitor – based on the previously mentioned "juice dilution."
When looking for places to link to, it's worth paying attention to the quality of the links and emphasizing their naturalness. Intrusive, rapid link building is usually counterproductive for a website. As with some on-site activities, off-site activities also pay off thanks to systematic work, monitoring, and analyzing the results.
FAQs about linking to websites
External links (backlinks) are links placed on other websites that direct users (and Google's crawlers) to your site. In the eyes of search engine algorithms, each such link is treated as a "vote of support." The more valuable websites link to you, the higher the authority your domain gains, which translates into better rankings in search results.
An effective link profile should be diverse. The best and safest places include:
- Sponsored and expert articles: Published on thematically related, large news portals or blogs.
- NAP listings (business directories): Places where you list your company name, address, and phone number (e.g., Panorama Firm, Zumi). These are crucial for local SEO.
- Discussion forums and comment sections: As long as the link is a natural response to the user's problem (i.e., word-of-mouth marketing) and not blatant spam.
- Social Media: Although most of these links are nofollow, they help diversify your profile and generate real traffic.
Definitely quality. Gone are the days when adding thousands of links from automated link farms and cheap directories boosted a site's rankings. Today, a single link from a strong, trusted, and highly-visited portal with high authority (e.g., a national news site) will significantly outperform 500 links from sites with questionable reputations.
This is a key technical division:
- Dofollow: These are the links that Google robots are most interested in. These links impart SEO power (link juice) and directly build your website's ranking.
- Nofollow: This tells the crawler, "Don't follow this link, don't give it any power." Still, they're necessary because they make your company's entire link profile look natural to Google.
Google looks at context. A link is most valuable when it comes from a site with a similar theme. If you run a sneaker store, a link from a running blog or fitness portal will be logical and valuable to the algorithm. A link from a tractor repair website will have negligible SEO value for a shoe store.
Absolutely not. Linking solely to the home page is one of the most common beginner mistakes. Your strategy should incorporate deep linking. This means that some links should lead directly to subpages of specific services, product categories, and even valuable blog posts. This allows you to uniformly increase the visibility of your entire website.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Link building evolved from a quantitative, pretzel-based spamming approach to a qualitative approach after the 2012 Penguin update, which penalized low-quality links and enforced a natural link profile.
- High-quality links are acquired from sites with high authority, high traffic and topical relevance, avoiding too many outbound links that dilute link juice.
- Effective sources include natural links from users, forums, directories, sponsored articles, your own resources, partner websites and offline activities with anchor diversification.
