Search engine optimization (SEO) can be a confusing process, especially for those building a website for the first time and in need of experience ranking their sites on major search engines.
For those unfamiliar with the process, search engines use an algorithm to decide which sites appear at the top of a results page for a particular keyword. Those algorithms may factor in aspects such as:
- Page load speeds
- Mobile Optimization
- Domain authority
- Backlinks
- Referring domains
- Keyword frequency
Backlinks and referring domains are two important but often misunderstood parts of SEO best practices. Read on to learn more about these two seemingly simple, though essential, pieces of the SEO equation.
What are Backlinks?
Also called inbound links, backlinks are hyperlinks that connect a web page on one domain to another web page on a different domain. The linking website can embed these links in their text, but they can also add them anywhere else on the page. Some examples of high-quality backlinks include the following:
- Guest posts
- Directories
- Editorials
- Blog comments
- Business profiles
- Business badges
You can also build backlinks with images, such as photographs, infographics, tables, and graphs.
Backlink Quality Matters
It’s important to understand that the quality of your site’s backlinks matters when it comes to Google’s search engine rankings. Build your backlinks naturally and from quality, relevant, trusted websites.
What Are Referring Domains?
A referring domain is another website that links to your website. Though that may sound the same as a backlink, it is not. You can have many backlinks coming from one website, but Google and other search engines will only count that site as a single referring domain.
Just as backlink quality matters, the quality of your site’s referring domains also matters. Quality referring domains tend to have a higher impact on SEO than backlinks: Your site will rank higher when high-authority websites act as your referring domains.
Why Do Backlinks and Referring Domains Matter, and How Can You Get More?
Backlinks and referring domains both matter because they significantly influence how highly your website will rank on major search engines such as Google. According to an Ahrefs study, over 90 percent of websites without referring domains do not receive organic search traffic. Additionally, in a study of nearly 12 million Google search results, top-ranking pages had more referring domains than lower-ranked pages.
In other words, both backlinks and referring domains are essential to any search engine marketing strategy.
How to Get More Backlinks and Referring Domains
A few strategies you can use to get more backlinks and referring domains are as follows:
- Create high-quality, helpful content that people will want to link to
- Reach out to other websites and blogs for guest posting opportunities
- Find new ways to share content that is already popular
Although the process of building backlinks and garnering referring domains may seem like a lot of work, it will be time well spent as you watch your website climb the search engine rankings for widely-searched keywords.
Creating an SEO Strategy that Truly Works
Proper SEO is about more than stuffing keywords into low-quality content or getting as many backlinks as possible. A working SEO strategy should focus on quality in all areas, and that includes the referring domains where your backlinks come from.
Contact one of the marketing strategists at Net Profit Marketing today to discover how we can help you build quality backlinks and increase referring domains the right way: avoiding search engine penalties, increasing your website’s authority and rankings, and getting your brand the attention it deserves.
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