Backward Links

The Importance of Backward Links

Everyone wants to be top ranked at Google, Yahoo!, and MSN and developing links TO your website from other websites, known as backward links, or inbound links, is one of the most important factors related to your search engine optimization strategy.

Backward links are VERY valuable and have a double punch.

Not only do they deliver traffic but, more importantly, they will have a positive impact on your search engine ranking. Actually, I’m confident saying that without backward links you’ll (1) have a hard time getting good search engine positioning or (2) keeping it if you have it.

How does it work?

Search engines track who is linking to your website. Let’s use Google as an example. When search engines like Google see a lot of other websites linking to your website they say “hey, there must be something there worth looking at, if all these webmasters are linking to that page).

When they see that those websites are quality websites, not just websites just made for linking purposes (sometimes called link-farms) and that those sites have a relevant content and a matching theme, your website is gets a few extra points compared to your competition who doesn’t have backward links.

Backward linking is one way to improve what I call “Google Love.”

Put another way, without a solid number of quality websites linking to your website it’s highly unlikely you’ll achieve top ranking – particularly with Google.

So, how do you get backward links?

It’s difficult, time consuming, and a slow process.

You can (1) ask for them from people you network with, (2) write articles or tips for other websites and make sure they link back to your website, and of course (3) buy them.

One think you MUST know. In order to get backward link “value” from another website a search engine must be able to crawl or see that link and it must be a link that has your website address – NOT A SCRIPT OR COUNTER.

If you go to my popular Wedding Planning Links website (http://www.weddingplanninglinks.com) and look at the top of the page, “Some of Our Favorite Links”, you’ll see an example of directly passed backward links.

If your link is at a website that requires brides to register to use it, or see a listing of advertisers where your website link appears - you’re not getting any backward link value with your advertisement.

If the link is not a DIRECT link to your website or if it is passed through a counter script or uses a session ID variable, you’re also not getting any backward link value.

Anything that keeps a search engine from seeing your “pure” link is an obstacle to receiving backward link value.