Google determines their website ranking by Search Engine Optimization (SEO). One of the main factors in Google’s high SEO ranking is Backlinks. Sometimes backlinks are called Inbound Links. For this article, we will call them backlinks for the sake of simplicity.

1. What are Backlinks? The word itself is a hint to its meaning. A Backlink is an off-site Linkthat leads Back to your site. Here is an example: this article is posted on CoffeeHouseWriters.com, and I am providing you with a link back to my site here: waltzfreelance.com– boom, backlinked.

2. Images can be used as backlinks as well. Simply set the alt tag of the image with a URL link to your site.

3. Google sees your number of backlinks a little like votes–the more you have, the higher you rank.

4. However, unlike votes, the links are also ranked by quality. So, if The New York Times has a link on one of their articles or within their web copy to your site it will be seen by Google as more valuable than a link from, let’s say, Bob’s Carpentry.

5. Another aspect Google looks for in quality backlinks is how related the backlink is to your site. This might flip the script on point 4. If your site is about carpentry, then the link from Bob’s Carpentry will be more valuable than the link from a Media-Press site like The New York Times. Although the quality in this industry will still be a factor, the larger and more popular carpentry websites will rank as better backlinks to your site depending on how good their own SEO is and how much traffic they have. A little like a popularity contest.

6. Using the search method of high quality and related links allows Google to spot those of us who are purchasing links from Link-Farms. Link-Farms usually provide hundreds of links for a low price, but they are often low quality, broken, or from spammy sites willing to rent out link space to anyone who pays. These types of backlinks will have a negative effect on your site as they are usually not related to what you do.

7. Back to the popularity content from point 5–this is called the Domain Authority. The higher the domain authority, the better the backlink. Super high domain authority would come from high traffic sites such as Facebook.com, Youtube.com, etc.

8. Domain authority is ranked from 1 to 100. You can check a site’s domain authority on ahrefs.com– this is a paid tool.

9. Free domain authority check: Open Site Explorer.

10. Network your backlinks by writing blog posts about, or for, professionals and experts in your field. Email these pros and request they share your post on their social media outlets.

In a nutshell, here is your backlink building sequence to follow: related industry, high domain authority, and social networking. More high-quality backlinks leading users to your site will drastically raise your SEO ranking.