Link Building Myths and Misconceptions

Think you know everything there is to know about link building? Think again. This dynamic, ever-changing field is riddled with misinformation, leading many webmasters down the wrong path. In an effort to separate the fact from the fiction, we’re going to debunk some of the most common link-building myths.

Link Building Is For Spammers

While there are plenty of spammers who do it, link building isn’t restricted to spammers only. Some of the world’s biggest brands are constantly building links in an effort to maintain their search engine rankings. Google even cites backlinks as being one of the many signals it uses to determine a website’s ranking, so don’t assume this tactic is used strictly by spammers. Webmasters and marketers of all shapes and sizes build links.

All Links Are The Same

It’s a common assumption that all backlinks have the same search engine optimization (SEO) value. In reality, though, there’s a huge different between a “quality” backlink and a generic backlink. Quality backlinks come from relevant, authoritative sources with a low number of outbound links. Low-quality/generic links, on the other hand, come from irrelevant sources with a high number of outbound links. Keep this in mind when building links to your website.

The More, The Better

In the past, Google placed an emphasis on backlink quantity, meaning a website with a high number of backlinks would rank higher than a similar website with a low number of backlinks. The Mountain View company has since updated its search ranking algorithm to focus on quality over quantity. You will now find a couple of high-quality backlinks are far more beneficial than hundreds or even thousands of low-quality backlinks.

There’s No Way To Remove A Bad Link

If you come across a bad backlink, try not to panic, because nine out of ten times it can be removed. First and foremost, contact the webmaster to see if he or she is willing to remove the link. Most webmasters will gladly oblige if you ask them politely. In the event that the backlink remains, you can add it to Google’s Disavow tool, which tells Google to ignore the link. This is particularly effective when you come across dozens of poor-quality backlinks in your portfolio. Just add the links to the tool, or upload a document containing the links, and it does the rest.

Links Are For Search Engines Only

Yes, search engines pay close attention to backlinks and the context in which they are used. However, human visitors also use them to access information. When a visitor wants to learn more about a particular word or topic, he or she may click the anchor text. This is why it’s important to interlink your content together, thereby promoting a more positive experience for the end user.

Did we leave out any other link building myths? Let us know in the comments section below!