Link building and the future

Let's refresh our memory. What exactly is link building? Link building involves referring to your website from other websites, also known as backlinks. In today's era, link building remains an effective strategy to rank high in Google search results. However, the narrative behind search engine optimization (SEO) is continually evolving. What will the link building strategy look like in five years? Below, we explain everything about the future of link building.

How it all began

When search engine optimization emerged, the focus primarily centered on keywords in the nineties. By strategically placing as many keywords as possible, website rankings could improve, attracting organic search traffic. A few years later, in 1996, a new search engine entered the market: BackRub. This search engine introduced inbound links. It was crucial for inbound links to be of high quality to ensure a higher ranking. BackRub is known today as Google. With Google's emergence, collecting links became pivotal for its algorithm. Thanks to their temporary collaboration with the search engine Yahoo!, the algorithm was enhanced.

Backlinks remain important

In a successful long-term strategy, backlinks continue to be crucial in the world of link building. It's essential to ensure that backlinks are of high quality and relevance. Initially, the quantity of backlinks was a significant factor. Having as many links as possible would suffice; however, spamming is now a thing of the past.

Additionally, it's essential to adapt to Google's ever-changing algorithm. Websites that haven't adapted to the algorithm over five years won't consistently achieve the same results. Therefore, it's crucial to keep adapting and monitor Google's updates. These updates can significantly impact your link building strategy. For instance, consider the significant Google Helpful Content update, emphasizing the importance of creating valuable content. Think about valuable content surrounding external links. The authority of the author is also crucial, as is unique content. Therefore, giving a personal touch to an article is vital. E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) goes hand in hand with this new update, which your content must meet.

Quality over quantity

Google has become an intelligent search engine, capable of analyzing websites thoroughly. Trustworthiness and authority play an increasingly significant role in SEO. Think about reliable content, as well as trustworthy links. Therefore, quality is paramount. A website must also consist of valuable and meaningful content. This can lead to a higher authority score for your website. Examples of sites with high authority include news sites.

If you have links from and to reliable sources, you can create a trustworthy link profile. This shifts the focus onto quality rather than quantity. But how does Google determine whether something is of high quality? Google does this based on websites with fast load speeds, clear navigation, valuable content, and availability across all devices. Quality and relevance are paramount.

Linking to the future

There's no denying it: link building remains interesting to invest in. It's and will continue to be one of the most important aspects of search engine optimization, and therefore, links remain relevant. However, several components are involved in link building beyond merely placing links. Links usually follow automatically if your website is otherwise in order. Nowadays, you must also pay attention to the quality of your website, the authority of the writers, services, products, and relevant content. Only then can you maximize your link building strategy.