Link building then and now

25.11.202404 min
eology   eo:news   Link building then and now

In the past, link building mainly focused on the number of links – the more backlinks a website collected, the higher its ranking rose. To achieve this, website operators used simple, often manipulative methods such as link farms, forum links or web rings in which websites linked each other. At that time, quality and thematic relevance were of secondary importance.

Today, link building is a strategically more demanding discipline. Google no longer evaluates links only by number, but also places great emphasis on the quality and authenticity of the links. Updates such as ‘Penguin’ recognise and even penalise inferior links. The focus is now on organically grown, thematically appropriate links from trusted sites.

Backlinks are still a key ranking factor for Google, as they act as recommendations and signal the relevance and trustworthiness of a website. A recent study confirms that backlinks are given significant consideration in Google’s algorithm. High-quality links from recognised, thematically relevant sites add value to a website and ensure that it is perceived as an important source for certain search queries.

Backlinks boost rankings and brand awareness by increasing visibility and trust. Regular links from recognised platforms increase reach and create a positive image that encourages users to revisit the site or recommend it to others. This strengthens the brand’s organic awareness in the long term.

Today, however, Google relies heavily on quality and thematic relevance when evaluating backlinks. Links must come from trustworthy websites that are relevant to the topic in order to positively influence the ranking. Links from expert sites, industry portals or news sites are particularly valuable, while low-quality or unnatural links can even lead to penalties.

The E-E-A-T concept (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is a key factor in link building today. Google uses these criteria to evaluate the quality of content and links and only displays the most relevant and trustworthy pages at the top of the search results.

Backlinks from sites with high E-E-A-T standards, such as industry experts or news sites, strengthen a site’s ranking because they signal to Google that the linked page is also trustworthy. This creates a network of credible links that sustainably increases a website’s visibility and online reputation. Particularly valuable are links that demonstrate strong content relevance and expertise in the subject area.

Success factors for modern link building

Modern link building is characterised by a long-term, quality-oriented approach. This focuses on sustainable success rather than quick results. The following describes the key success factors to consider when building high-quality backlinks:

SUCCESS FACTORDESCRIPTION
High-quality content as a basisHigh-quality, relevant content is the basis for successful link building. Websites with unique, informative or entertaining content naturally attract more attention because other websites want to point their users to this valuable content by linking to it. Content formats such as studies, instructions, infographics and interviews are particularly effective for generating natural backlinks because they offer readers real added value.
Relevance and topicBacklinks from thematically appropriate and industry-relevant websites are far more valuable than links from unrelated sources. Google rates links from thematically appropriate contexts higher because they represent a stronger signal of a website’s relevance and trustworthiness. To achieve this, you have to purposefully build relationships with websites. These must operate in the same industry or a similar field and appeal to a comparable audience.
Relationship building and networkingLong-term relationships with bloggers, journalists and other website owners are essential for sustainable link building. Establishing these contacts lays the foundation for future collaborations and link opportunities. Regular communication and sharing useful information builds trust and increases the chances of these contacts willingly linking to your content. Professional and continuous networking is therefore an important part of any modern link building strategy.
Compliance with E-E-A-T criteriaIt is essential to follow the E-E-A-T concept in order to obtain high-quality links. Google prefers links from websites that represent trust and authority in their subject area. Accordingly, link building measures should aim to establish links to pages with a high E-E-A-T rating. Such links strengthen your own position as a credible source and have a positive effect on your ranking.
No manipulative techniquesWhile manipulative methods such as buying or spam links used to be widespread, they are now strictly penalised by Google. Sustainable link building is based on authenticity and quality. The focus is on organically grown links that arise from genuine relationships and valuable content. Such links are relevant for search engines and users, which increases their long-term effectiveness.
Diversity of the link sourcesHealthy and natural link building includes links from a variety of sources such as blogs, news portals, specialist websites and social media. This diversity shows Google that the links have been created organically and not artificially. A varied link profile appears more natural and signals to Google that the content is relevant to a wide range of target groups.
Regular monitoring and optimisationRegular analysis and evaluation of backlinks is another factor in the success of modern link building. Tools for monitoring link quality and relevance help to identify and, if necessary, remove low-quality or potentially harmful links. Equally, successful link strategies can be further expanded on the basis of monitoring results, so that the link profile is continuously improved and optimised.

Table 1: Overview of success factors in link building

Modern link building is a strategic, sustainable discipline that relies on authenticity, quality and relevance. Successful link building strategies go beyond simple SEO tactics and consider the development of relationships, the E-E-A-T concept and continuous optimisation to be central elements. Websites that consistently implement these success factors create a strong foundation for long-term visibility and credibility on the internet.

  1. Publish guest posts on topic-related pages
    Search for websites and blogs in your industry that accept guest posts. A well-researched, valuable article on an external platform provides you with a high-quality backlink and at the same time reaches a target group that is interested in your topic. Guest posts also strengthen your authority and promote brand awareness.
  2. Interviews and expert opinions
    Position yourself as an expert by offering to be interviewed or to provide opinions for other people’s articles. Journalists and bloggers value reliable sources and often link back to the experts. This type of link also strengthens trust, as you are perceived as a specialist and others recognise your expertise.
  3. Create useful content
    Invest in creating content that offers real added value to other websites. Examples include comprehensive instructions, checklists, infographics, white papers and studies. Such content is often cited or linked to by others as it summarises complex topics in a clear and understandable way.
  4. Use social media as a distribution channel
    Share your content regularly on social media platforms to increase its reach. If your content resonates and is shared on social networks, it is more likely to be picked up and linked to by other websites. Social media can also help you build relationships with influencers or multipliers in your industry.
  5. Identify broken links and offer replacements
    Regularly analyse relevant websites in your industry for potentially broken links. If you come across any, you can politely alert the website owners and suggest your own, thematically appropriate content as a replacement. This technique is an effective way to get natural backlinks while helping other website owners.
  6. Regularly check and optimise existing links
    Analyse your existing backlinks at regular intervals to check their quality and currency. You can replace links that now point to inactive pages or content that is no longer relevant with up-to-date content or optimise them. This helps you maintain the quality of your link profile while also strengthening your position as a reliable and well-maintained source.

Aylin Frick is part of the content outreach team at eology GmbH and supports customers in the national area. In addition to her role as content marketing manager, the trained businesswoman for office communication writes blog posts on current SEO topics.

Aylin
Frick, Outreach Expert +49 9381 5829021
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