In the late 1990s, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page wrote their first Web search algorithm.
It was based on the concept that when a website links to another, it needs to be high quality and authoritative.
The algorithm has been updated thousands of times since then.
For instance, Google reported it altered its algorithm 3,620 times in 2019 alone!
The algorithm has changed, but the importance of backlinks remains despite some notable changes over the years.
If you’re interested in improving your site’s rank with SEO optimization, below are the types of backlinks you should know.
Table of Contents
Backlink Overview
Backlinks come in many forms, each with varying levels of authority, relevance, and SEO impact. Broadly speaking, backlinks fall into categories such as editorial (earned) links, outreach-based links, relationship-driven links, and self-created links like those from profiles, directories, or forums. High-quality backlinks—such as those from reputable news outlets, government sites, or contextual mentions in third-party blogs—can significantly boost a site’s credibility and rankings. Others, like paid or PBN links, carry risk and often violate Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
Meanwhile, technical links (e.g., redirects, image links) and creative formats like infographics or tools provide additional pathways for earning authority. However, not all links are created equal—toxic or low-quality backlinks from irrelevant or spammy sites can harm your site’s SEO if left unchecked. Understanding the full spectrum of backlink types is essential for building a natural, diversified, and sustainable link profile that supports long-term search visibility.
Editorial Backlinks (Earned)
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Natural Editorial Links – Mentions from high-authority sites referencing your content without solicitation.
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Contextual Backlinks – Links embedded within the body of relevant content.
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Citation or Attribution Links – Given as a source for data, quotes, or studies.
Outreach-Based Links (Built)
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Guest Post Links – Placed within content published on third-party blogs.
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Niche Edits (Curated Links) – Links inserted into existing content on relevant sites.
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Link Insertion (Link Placement) – Similar to niche edits, usually paid.
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HARO Links – Links earned by responding to journalist queries via Help A Reporter Out.
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Manual Outreach Links – Acquired through personalized emails requesting inclusion in existing content.
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Expert Roundup Links – Earned by contributing quotes or insights to multi-expert blog posts.
Relationship-Based Links
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Reciprocal Links – “You link to me, I link to you” arrangements (use cautiously).
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Partner or Client Links – From vendors, suppliers, or clients who link back to you.
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Alumni or Member Links – From organizations, universities, or groups you’re affiliated with.
Self-Created or Profile Links
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Business Directory Links – From platforms like Yelp, BBB, and local chambers.
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Social Profile Links – From LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram bios, etc.
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Forum Signature Links – From community profiles or post footers (largely devalued).
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Comment Links – From blog comment sections (often nofollow or spammy).
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Profile Links – On sites like Gravatar, About.me, or GitHub.
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Web 2.0 Links – From free blogging platforms like Medium, WordPress.com, Tumblr.
Paid Links (Against Google Guidelines)
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Sponsored Posts / Paid Placements – Direct payment for link insertion.
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Advertorial Links – Links within paid media disguised as editorial.
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PBN (Private Blog Network) Links – Links from a network of owned or controlled sites.
Context-Specific Links
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Resource Page Links – Links from curated “top tools” or “useful links” pages.
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Content Aggregator Links – Sites like Alltop or Flipboard linking to fresh content.
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Infographic Links – Earned by distributing well-designed infographics.
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Image Attribution Links – Earned when your photos/images are used and cited.
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Podcast or Interview Links – Links from guest appearances on audio content.
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Event Links – Earned by hosting or sponsoring conferences/webinars.
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Scholarship Links – Created via scholarship donation programs aimed at EDU backlinks.
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Tool or Widget Links – Embedded tools that include a link back to your site.
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Case Study Links – Earned when you provide a case study or testimonial for a product/service.
High-Authority Link Types
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.edu Backlinks – From educational institutions.
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.gov Backlinks – From government sites.
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News Site Links – Earned from coverage in media outlets.
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Wikipedia Links – Generally nofollow, but still carry authority and visibility.
Technical/Structural Links
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Canonical Links – For SEO consolidation, not ranking influence.
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Image Links – When an image itself links to your domain.
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Redirected Links – From 301 or 302 redirections.
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JavaScript-Rendered Links – May or may not pass link equity depending on implementation.
Toxic or Low-Quality Links
(Important to monitor or disavow)
39. Spammy Blog Network Links
40. Irrelevant Foreign Links
41. Sitewide Footer or Sidebar Links
42. Link Farms
43. Comment Spam
44. Forum Spam
Dofollow
Generally, there are two sorts of backlinks to know: dofollow and nofollow. The guy reading your site won’t see any difference between the two links. But the code for each type is written differently. There’s an HTML tag in the code that dictates how Google sees that backlink. It also will dictate how the backlink affects your site’s SEO.
These are the most common and essential SEO backlinks. When you place the dofollow link on your site, you’re telling the search engine that it’s an organic link. This means that the website it goes to didn’t purchase the link. As the site owner, you vouch that the content on the other end is accurate.
A dofollow backlink tells the search engine that the content on the page’s link leads to value. Dofollow links are used the most because they’re easy to put into the source code.
Nofollow
These links are not used as much and don’t carry as much value. They tell Google to ignore the link. According to Google, a nofollow link gives a site owner a way to say to the search engine that it shouldn’t follow that link.
Google wants to see a healthy mixture of dofollow and nofollow links on your site. Google stresses the importance of dofollow links, which means they work well for SEO. Nofollow links are ignored, so they don’t do a lot for your SEO.
Why Do People Use Nofollow Links and Where Are They?
Site owners don’t use nofollow links as much as dofollow. But there are many places online where you can get these links. Usually, you’ll see these links on sites where you have the option to upload your content. These sites aren’t vouching for the quality or accuracy of your content.
Some places you can get nofollow links include:
- Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites
- Comments on blogs
- Quora and similar question-and-answer sites
- News releases
- Content aggregation sites
Now that you know about dofollow and nofollow links, here are types of backlinks you should know for 2021:
Content and Editorial Backlinks
These are some of the best backlinks you can have on your website, so you should target them as you devise your link-building methods. When a writer creates original content that links to your site within the content, that’s known as an editorial backlink. A quality editorial backlink tells Google that your site should be trusted in a particular subject area.
How do you get the best editorial backlinks? By writing engaging, shareable, high-quality, unique content that other sites in your industry would love their audiences to see. Some editorial content that does well includes how-to’s, case studies, and tutorials. But make sure there is plenty of unique content that gives readers something they cannot get elsewhere.
Infographic and Image Backlinks
Writing a high-quality white paper or case study that solves a significant issue for your readers can take days. But how about getting double the backlinks with 50% of the work? You can do just that by creating images and infographic backlinks.
Everyone likes to share helpful infographics with bold colors and innovative designs. They’re easy to read, and when done right, provide a lot of helpful information in a short time. When you make infographics, focus on making the design as fun and engaging as possible. You can have the best content ever, but if the design is dull, it won’t work as well.
How valuable can infographics be to your website? One study found that articles with an infographic produced 175% more inbound links!
Guest Blogging Backlinks
These are popular and effective backlinks to shoot for any time you’re building links. Here’s what you need to do:
- Email the site owner of a high-authority domain in your industry.
- Offer to make original content for the site if they’ll give you an editorial backlink to your site.
- The site gets new, unique content, and you have a quality backlink from a high-authority site. What’s not to like?
Business Profile Backlinks
Directory listings are an easy way to get backlinks but don’t list on spam directories, or Google will ding you. The best places to list your website are:
- Google My Business: This is the most extensive online business directory.
- Bing Places For Business: This smaller search engine is still worth it as there are 12 billion searches each month.
- Yahoo Localworks: Lets marketers manage many directory listings on one interface. Some links might be for local SEO, like in local directories, while others would have a much broader audience.
Social Profile Backlinks
It’s wise to establish social media profiles for your company and use them to gain more backlinks. When you create your social media page, you’ll have somewhere to provide a link to your business website. When a reader gets to your business profile, they might click on your site. Also, you’ll boost your backlink profile with authoritative social media links.
To boost the impact of your social media profiles, you need to get consumers talking about your brand. You can get a backlink from Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin when you set up those profiles. Then, have several workers in your company update their social media pages with a hyperlink to your business website.
Diversify Your Backlinks
From high-authority editorial links to profile-based citations and niche edits, each backlink type plays a unique role in shaping your site’s authority, trust, and rankings. While some links are earned through great content and strategic outreach, others require careful planning—or careful avoidance, in the case of toxic or spammy sources. The key to long-term success lies in building a diverse, high-quality backlink profile that aligns with Google’s guidelines and enhances your site’s relevance across the web. By understanding the different types of backlinks and how they impact SEO, you can make smarter link-building decisions and stay ahead of the competition.
Now that you have the skinny on which backlinks are the best and how to get them, you should be able to improve your site’s SEO. By tweaking your site’s search engine optimization, you’re sure to climb Google search results with time, so just keep at it!
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Tim holds expertise in building and scaling sales operations, helping companies increase revenue efficiency and drive growth from websites and sales teams.
When he's not working, Tim enjoys playing a few rounds of disc golf, running, and spending time with his wife and family on the beach...preferably in Hawaii.
Over the years he's written for publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur, Marketing Land, Search Engine Journal, ReadWrite and other highly respected online publications. Connect with Tim on Linkedin & Twitter.
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