Links are a way for users to get relevant information on the internet. They are also a ranking factor for your pages. Of the 200+ ranking factors[1], Google is known to use, links share the top three spots with content and RankBrain[2].
However, having links is not enough. Their quality matters. Google takes into account not only the number of backlinks a web page has but their quality as well. Sadly, some SEOs, in the rush to make their sites appear popular to search engine crawlers, invest in low-quality links. High-quality link building, however, is the only way to get desirable results.
Chasing the quickest and cheapest results, some SEOs resort to the wrong methods of generating backlinks. These are often blackhat techniques[3] that could lead to Google penalties and destroyed reputations. What’s surprising is that even SEO agencies employ poor link-building techniques. A 2018 study conducted by Assertive Media of 230 UK link-building agencies found that nine out 10 used unscrupulous techniques[4].
To avoid their fate, you need to know what makes a high-quality link.
So, what determines high-quality links?
Below are three factors that determine the quality of the link.
a) Authority of the linking page
The authority of the page linking to you is important to Google. The logic is that if an authoritative page has noticed your content, it must be impactful and relevant. This authority, referred to as PageRank[5], shows Google how authoritative the page that noticed you is, signaling your own authority.
b) Authority of the linking site
The site-wide authority of the linking website is also an important indication to Google that your