What is a good backlink?

Backlinks have been an important onder part of search engine optimisation for years, but the concept of a good backlink has changed over time. Where once it was mostly about quantity, now it's all about quality, relevance and credibility. In this article, we dive deeper into what makes a backlink valuable, why context matters and how to avoid getting caught up in an outdated link game.

Not every link counts the same

Simply put, a backlink is a reference from another website to yours. But that does not mean that every link also carries equal weight. In fact, Google looks at more than just the existence of a link. The context in which the link appears, the authority of the website on which it appears and even how people land on that page all play a role.

A good backlink comes from a reliable source. That is, a website that itself has strong content, attracts relevant visitors and is known as an expert within a particular domain. A link from a page that is about a totally different onderopic than your website will hardly add any value - or even do damage if it is a spammy domain.

Relevance above all else

Say you have a webshop in sustainable cleaning products. Then a link from a sustainability blog or a platform about household products makes much more sense than one from a gambling website or an online forum about sports betting. The degree of thematic similarity weighs heavily. Google wants to see that links make sense - that they fit the onderwerp and target audience of both sites.

This does not mean that you should only have links from sites within your niche, but there should be some content overlap. The better that match, the more natural the backlink will come across.

A link zonder value: when a backlink does little

Sometimes it feels like you have 'a backlink' when in fact nothing is being transferred. Think of links appearing in footers of templates running on honderden sites. Or links on pages where dozens of other companies also have listings, zonder context or content. In those cases, the signal disappears among the noise, and chances are that Google barely counts it.

The same goes for sponsored links that are not marked with proper attribution, such as 'rel=sponsored'. Google has gotten better and better at recognising these kinds of link patterns. If your link profile suddenly shows a spike in paid or irrelevant links, it could even lead to a downgrade.

Quality cannot be enforced

Those who frantically try to collect backlinks by dumping links all over the place in comments, or by using link exchange networks, will sooner or later run into trouble. Google increasingly values natural growth. That means: you earn links because your site adds something. Because you share knowledge, publish something new, or offer an original tool.

For those who want to understand why backlinks play such a central role in SEO, it is good to also consider the bigger picture. In this piece on what link building is and why it is important read how backlinks contribute to the authority of your website and how search engines interpret these signals. So you see that a good backlink does not stand alone, but is always onder part of a broader SEO strategy.

Links with context are more powerful

A link embedded in a substantive article, mentioning your website as a source or example, has much more value than a bare mention. Especially if the article also attracts traffic and ranks well in search engines. Contextual links show Google that your site plays a role within a broader conversation or onderwerp.

The anchor text (the words being linked to) also plays a role in this. A link on the words 'click here' tells Google little. But a link on 'SEO agency specialising in technical optimisation' gives much more direction.

The future of backlinks: less volume, more meaning

Backlinks are no longer a gimmick that you briefly buy or automatically collect. They are part of a broader strategy that combines brand recognition, valuable content and user experience. That is why you see modern link building increasingly resembling PR and content marketing.

A good backlink is not an end in itself, but the result of doing something right. And that means building your authority starts with your own website, your knowledge, and your relevance to your target audience.

Want to know how to get started with SEO yourself and build a strong foundation for your findability? The SEO training for beginners of Onder shows you step by step how to get started - with onder other content optimisation, technical basics and, of course, link building.