What is a Balanced Backlink Profile & How do You Build One?
Links or backlinks are still one of the top-ranking factors. However, not all backlinks are equal and to rank higher, you need to build up a strong yet balanced backlink profile.
So, what is a good backlink profile? Well, in search engine terms, a good backlink profile is a natural looking one. Harvesting too many links of the same type is always fishy to Google. And if they suspect that you are using paid backlinks, all your efforts can go down the drain.
In this article, we’ll discuss what is a backlink profile and why it is important to have a balanced one. Let’s begin.
What is a Balanced Backlink Profile?
Simply put, a balanced backlink profile is both the quality and quantity of links and anchors directing to your website. This has a more direct impact on your site than anything else because search engine crawlers look for these links.
By assessing the quality and quantity of the overall backlink profile, Google decides whether your website has enough authority on the topic. And of course, there are ways to improve backlink profiles to make them more balanced.
However, Google doesn’t like when you manipulate the algorithm. So, the most important thing here is to look natural. A natural-looking backlink profile can make all the differences between ranking at the top or going down the abyss.
The Importance of a Balanced Backlink Profile
So now that we know what backlink profiles are, let’s get through the importance of building one.
Proof of Quality to Search Engines
When other pages link back to you, it sends off a signal to search engines that your page has something worth sharing. Therefore, you must have some authority on the subject. Or, you simply did something that the other website wants its users to look into. Search engines pick this up and use this to rank websites.
It Increases Traffic
Another obvious benefit of a good backlink profile is that it simply increases your chance of getting organic traffic. Ahrefs, one of the most popular and complete SEO tools out there stated that “the more backlinks a page has, the more organic traffic it gets from Google.” It’s as simple as that.
It Can Build Trust and Authority
Good backlinks increase PR (page rank), we all know that. But when coming from a page with a good DR (domain rating), it also increases your website’s trust and authority on the subject. If you are endorsed by a trusted source, more people are going to trust your website as well, which in turn will get you more brand recognition.
It’s a Promotion for Your Website or Business
It’s a no-brainer that when other reputable businesses and websites link back to you, you simply get more visibility throughout the year. So, by building a better backlink profile, you get some free promotion along the way.
How to Build a Balanced Backlink Profile?
Much like competing for keywords, a balanced backlink profile is difficult to achieve. It takes consistent effort along with a good game plan. So, here are our top five tips on how to build a balanced backlink profile.
Develop Quality Contents That Are Linkable
The best way to earn backlinks naturally is to provide high-quality and thoroughly-researched contents that other websites want to link to. Developing in-depth content and how-to guides is a good technique to get links organically.
Another easy way to create linkable content is to find what contents are ranking top in your niche and try to one-up them by improving on them. Then you can ask around to link your content.
Use Guest Blog Posts from Relevant Sites
To get backlinks from blog posts, you need to research relevant websites in your niche and reach out to them with your pitch. Offer to share the unique insight you’ve gained over the years with your business.
Sometimes, partnering with other digital marketing organizations can give you the slight nudge you need in your backlink-building endeavors.
Connect with the Community
This is one of the easiest ones. You can secure backlinks from people whom you are already connected with. Your industry partners, customers, and vendors, all can help you in this regard. They can share the content they’ve found helpful, and so can you. It’s a win-win situation for both of you.
Use Natural Anchor Texts
One of the most important things to keep in mind when using anchor texts is not to get too greedy. Don’t overdo it. Because, although a bunch of blog posts linking back to you is how you build a balanced backlink profile, too many links with the same anchor text or from the same sources can look a wee bit suspicious to Google.
So, instead of forcing anchor texts, make it all look natural. Input keywords wherever you can but avoid being repetitive at the same time.
Build Better Links
So, building better links is not just about being resourceful, it’s about being natural as well. Using a wide variety of anchor texts is a good way of avoiding repeating yourself over and again. Here’s how you build better links in three easy steps.
Use Varieties of links
Use various links like dofollow and nofollow, essentially telling Google how to associate both websites. While dofollow links pass on the SEO juice, nofollow links don’t. Maintaining a good dilution is always necessary because, with too many dofollow backlinks, you risk getting flagged by Google.
Maintain Link Velocity
Link velocity is the rate at which you add links to your website. Adding a vast number of backlinks over a short period of time is always suspicious. On the other hand, increasing your backlinks over time is considered a positive link velocity.
Use Different Domain Authorities
While it’s always great to get backlinks from websites with good authority like news and academic sites, too many backlinks from them aren’t natural-looking either. So, try to mix it up and use backlinks from websites with different domain authorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of backlinks are important in SEO?
It depends on the type of your website. Generally, the most important types of backlinks are the following: editorial backlinks, guest blog posts, business-profile backlinks, acknowledgment backlinks, etc.
What are Tier 3 backlinks?
Tier 3 backlinks are essentially the low-quality backlinks that are coming from blog post comments, social media platforms, web forums, etc. They are mostly nofollow links that point to tier 2 backlinks.
Which is the most powerful type of backlink?
The most powerful backlinks are dofollow backlinks. They pass their SEO juice onto the website they are giving backlinks. This dramatically boosts the backlink value.
Final Thoughts
Always be natural, we can’t stress that enough. Being unnatural can throw all your efforts down the window. When that backlink profile has been created, audit those backlinks regularly to maintain relevancy. Remember to disavow any unwanted backlinks. Thanks for reading.