Backlinks, backlinks, backlinks.
It’s a term you’ve probably seen everywhere, but the difference between quality and quantity is often misunderstood.
Backlinks are one of the strongest ranking signals in SEO, which makes earning the right ones a critical part of any effective strategy. In simple terms, links act as signals to search engines like Google that one website trusts another. And when that trust comes from a high-authority site, the impact on visibility can be significant.
Today, we’re breaking down some of the most common and important types of backlinks you should know about if you’re aiming for a top-tier SEO strategy.
Get comfortable. Let’s get into it.
Always, quality over quantity
Years ago, link building was largely about volume. The goal was to acquire as many links as possible, with very little consideration given to where those links were coming from or how relevant they were.
That all changed in 2012 with the release of Google’s Penguin update. This update was designed specifically to stop search results from being manipulated through tactics like buying links, link farming, and generating large volumes of spammy or low-quality backlinks.
Penguin reshaped how SEO works. Sites relying on these tactics saw rankings drop overnight, and in some cases disappear entirely.
Since then, professional SEO has evolved to align with Google’s preference for relevance, quality, and trust. Today, earning links from authoritative, contextually relevant websites is far more important than sheer quantity, and it is this approach that drives sustainable, long-term results.
What are the different types of backlinks?
There are more than 20 different types of backlinks you can use to increase your website’s visibility. Below are some of the most common ones, how Google views them, and whether they are worth pursuing as part of a sustainable SEO strategy.
Guest post backlinks
Guest post backlinks are earned by writing an article as a guest contributor on another website, with a link back to your own site. This can also be in the form of digital PR.
Google does not discourage guest blogging when it is done properly. If the content is genuinely valuable, relevant, and helpful to users, guest posts can be a legitimate way to build authority and earn links.
However, Google has been very clear about one thing. High volume, low quality guest posting done purely for links violates their guidelines. This type of activity is considered link scheming and can lead to penalties.
If you want to build guest post links the right way, focus on creating high quality content that educates readers and fits naturally on the site you are contributing to.
Paid links
Paid backlinks are links that are acquired in exchange for money.
This practice goes directly against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Google classifies paid links as link schemes, and websites caught engaging in this behaviour risk manual actions and ranking penalties.
Google’s algorithms continue to become more sophisticated, making it increasingly difficult to hide paid link activity. While buying links may seem like a shortcut, it is a black hat tactic that almost always causes more harm than good in the long run.
For that reason, we strongly recommend avoiding paid backlinks altogether.
Social bookmarking links
Social bookmarking involves saving and sharing links on public bookmarking platforms.
From an SEO perspective, these links carry very little weight. Google has stated that social bookmarking is not a strong link building tactic, and in many cases, these links are ignored entirely.
Most social bookmarking links are nofollow, meaning they do not pass link equity. As a result, this tactic offers little to no SEO value today and is generally not worth the effort as part of a modern link building strategy.
Directory page links
Web directories, sometimes called link directories, are online catalogues of websites or businesses.
In the past, submitting your site to large numbers of directories was a common link building tactic. Today, however, using masses of low quality directories can lead to penalties rather than benefits.
Links from web directories are significantly less influential than contextual links placed within relevant content. Because they carry limited SEO value and higher risk when abused, it is generally best to avoid directory links altogether, especially low quality or generic ones.
Editorial links
Editorial links are earned naturally when other websites choose to link to your content because it is genuinely useful, informative, or authoritative.
From Google’s perspective, these are the gold standard of backlinks. Editorial links are exactly the type of links Google encourages webmasters to earn, and they are often used as examples of what a healthy backlink profile looks like.
The most effective way to earn editorial links is by investing in high quality content creation. This includes publishing unique, well written, and insightful content that other websites naturally want to reference and link to.
If you prioritise content quality, editorial links tend to follow.
Social media links
Most social media platforms allow you to include links to your website through profiles, posts, and shared content. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn all make it easy to link out to external pages.
That said, Google has not indicated that social media links directly contribute to search engine rankings or link equity. In most cases, these links are nofollow and do not pass authority.
While social media links are not a direct SEO link building tactic, they are still valuable. They help reinforce brand legitimacy, improve visibility, and support trust signals around your business, which can indirectly support SEO efforts.
Website footer links
Footer links are links placed in the footer section of a website. When overused, especially as sitewide links, they can raise red flags for Google.
Google’s general stance is that footer links are often acquired rather than earned, making them unnatural in many cases. Because of this, they typically do not provide positive ranking benefits and can sometimes contribute to link related penalties if abused.
Footer links carry very little SEO weight overall, and sitewide links are generally discouraged. As a result, footer links should be used sparingly and only where they genuinely improve user experience rather than for link building purposes.
You’ve come so far!
Well, that wraps up our super succinct, super summarised breakdown of the many moving parts behind different types of SEO backlinks.
Some backlinks are genuinely beneficial. Others, not so much. Yet all of them are commonly discussed and used in the SEO world. Whether they should actually be used is a completely different question.
If backlinks still feel confusing, or you are looking for that extra edge, we can help.
At Local Digital, we offer premium, full service link building focused on earning high quality, relevant links that actually move the needle. When combined with a comprehensive SEO strategy tailored to your business, the result is sustainable visibility and long term growth on Google.
If that sounds like something your business could benefit from, get a free proposal with Local Digital today and see how we can help take your SEO to the next level.
