Backlinks are one of the strongest signals search engines use to discover, trust, and rank your website. This guide explains what backlinks are, how they work, and how a simple logo-and-link exchange (including your Google Business Profile link) can benefit both partners with rankings, traffic, and credibility.
What are backlinks?
A backlink is a hyperlink from one website to another. When a reputable site links to yours, it acts like a vote of confidence. The higher the quality and relevance of that link, the more value it can pass to your pages.
How backlinks work in search
Search engines discover pages by crawling links. They use links to:
- Find new pages to index
- Estimate a page’s authority (popularity and trust)
- Understand topical relationships between sites and pages
Not all links are equal. Authority, relevance, placement, and link attributes determine how much value a link can pass.
Types of backlinks (and when to use them)
- Follow (default): Passes ranking signals when earned naturally from relevant, trustworthy pages.
- rel=”nofollow”: Used when the link is not an editorial endorsement (e.g., user comments, paid placements). See Google’s guidance on qualifying outbound links.
- rel=”sponsored”: Discloses paid or sponsored links.
- rel=”ugc”: For user-generated content (forums, comments).
What makes a high-quality backlink?
- Relevance: The linking page/site covers topics related to your business.
- Authority: The site is trusted and has its own strong backlink profile.
- Placement: Links within the main content usually carry more weight than footers or sidebars.
- Anchor text: Descriptive, natural text helps search engines understand the destination page (avoid keyword stuffing).
- Indexability: The linking page is crawlable and indexed.
For a foundational overview, see Moz’s guide to backlinks.
White-hat vs. risky link building
Ethical (white-hat) link building earns links by providing value—useful content, tools, or partnerships. Avoid manipulative tactics like buying links, link farms, or excessive reciprocal linking. Google’s policy on link spam explains what to avoid.
Proven ways small businesses earn backlinks
- Local citations: Ensure consistent NAP listings on reputable directories and industry associations.
- Partnerships: Suppliers, partners, and community organizations often have “Partners” or “Supported by” pages.
- Testimonials: Offer short, authentic testimonials that vendors can publish and link back to your site.
- Resource pages: Create helpful, link-worthy resources (buying guides, checklists, templates).
- PR and community: Sponsor events, donate services, or host workshops to earn press mentions.
Step-by-step: Earn your first 10 quality backlinks
- Map assets: List your best pages (service pages, case studies, guides) and their ideal anchor text themes.
- Fix foundations: Ensure fast load times, HTTPS, mobile usability, and clear contact details—so earned clicks convert.
- Create a partner page: Publish a “Partners & Community” page that showcases collaborations and provides clear guidelines for logo and link usage.
- Outreach to existing network: Email suppliers, chambers of commerce, local charities, and complementary businesses with a simple value-first pitch.
- Offer a testimonial: Share a 2–3 sentence testimonial to vendors; include your name, role, company, and URL.
- Pitch a resource: Find 5–10 industry resource pages that list tools or guides and pitch your best asset.
- Leverage local news: Send a short press note about a community project or event you support.
- Publish a stats page: Curate 10–20 stats in your niche; journalists and bloggers love citing statistics.
- Track links: Monitor new backlinks and referral traffic in Analytics and Search Console.
- Iterate: Double down on what earns the most quality links and traffic.
Share a logo and link to benefit both of us
Co-marketing with a logo-and-link exchange can drive real-world benefits:
- Mutual trust signals: Each partner associates with a credible brand, improving visitor confidence.
- Referral traffic: Visitors click through partner badges to learn more or contact you.
- Local SEO lift: When relevant, these mentions reinforce your entity across the web.
How to implement the badge and links (mutual benefit)
- Create a Partners page: Add a short paragraph about the collaboration and place the SVG badge near a short description.
- Link to the right destination: Choose either your homepage, a relevant service page, or your Google Business Profile (GBP) for local credibility. If you need help locating your GBP link or short name, see Google’s SEO starter guide and Business Profile support resources.
- Use descriptive anchor text: For example, “Digital marketing partner” or “Local web design partner in City, State.” Keep it natural and relevant.
- Disclose sponsorship when applicable: If anything of value is exchanged, add
rel="sponsored"to comply with Google’s link qualification guidelines. - Track results with UTM tags: Add campaign parameters so you can measure clicks and conversions from the partner page.
Measuring backlink impact
- Organic traffic: Track growth to the linked pages and overall.
- Rankings: Monitor target keywords associated with newly linked pages.
- Referral traffic: Check the volume and quality of visits from partner sites.
- Coverage: Count unique referring domains, not just total links.
Common backlink mistakes to avoid
- Buying links or participating in link schemes (violates Google’s spam policies).
- Over-optimized, repetitive anchor text that looks unnatural.
- Irrelevant links from low-quality sites.
- Links on pages blocked from indexing or hidden behind logins.
Backlink FAQs
Do nofollow links matter?
Yes. While they’re not intended to pass ranking signals, they can bring referral traffic, diversify your link profile, and sometimes get copied as follow links elsewhere.
Is reciprocal linking safe?
Moderate, relevant cross-linking rooted in real partnerships is fine. Excessive, irrelevant link exchanges at scale can look manipulative.
How many backlinks do I need?
Quality beats quantity. A handful of relevant links from trusted sites can outperform hundreds of weak links.
Next steps
- Identify 10 partners, suppliers, or community groups for mutually beneficial logo-and-link placements.
- Create or refine a link-worthy resource on your site.
- Document your outreach, track links, and review impact monthly.
Backlinks compound over time. Focus on partnerships, helpful content, and clean link practices to build durable visibility in search.