Backlinks.
They’re one of the most important—and often misunderstood—factors in search engine optimization (SEO).
If you’ve been hearing that “content is king,” that’s true—but backlinks are queen, and they play an equally crucial role in your SEO strategy.
Here’s why:
Backlinks signal to Google that your website is trustworthy, authoritative, and relevant.
When another reputable website links to your content, it’s like a vote of confidence. Google sees it as an endorsement and gives you a higher ranking in search results.
But here’s the kicker:
Not all backlinks are created equal.
In this blog, I’m going to walk you through:
What backlinks are and why they matter
How Google uses them to rank websites
What makes a quality backlink
How you can start earning backlinks (without buying them)
How MSW handles backlink strategy for our clients inside the Performance Marketing Program
And actionable steps you can take right now to build a strong backlink profile
Let’s dive in.
A backlink is simply a link from one website to another. When Website A links to Website B, that’s a backlink for Website B.
But why does it matter?
Google sees backlinks as votes. When another site links to yours, it’s essentially saying,
“We trust this site. It’s authoritative. You should rank it higher.”
In the early days of SEO, backlinks were a simple popularity contest. The more backlinks you had, the higher you ranked. But over time, Google became much more sophisticated. It doesn’t just count backlinks—it measures their quality.
According to Moz, backlinks are one of the top 3 ranking factors Google uses to determine your position in search results.
Without backlinks, Google can’t gauge the authority of your website. But with a healthy backlink profile, your site becomes much more likely to appear in search results when someone searches for keywords related to your business.
Not all backlinks are created equal. In fact, some can hurt your SEO.
These are links from websites that are:
Relevant to your industry
Authoritative (meaning they have a strong reputation with Google)
Natural (not bought or manipulated)
Example:
A local newspaper linking to your business because you were featured in an article. Or an industry blog linking to your post because it’s helpful.
These types of backlinks send a strong signal to Google that your site is worth ranking.
These are links from websites that:
Aren’t relevant to your niche
Are low-quality, spammy, or have a bad reputation
Are part of paid link schemes or link farms
Example:
A directory website with hundreds of irrelevant businesses or a site with little authority linking to you. Google can easily spot these links and may penalize you for them.
Google’s algorithm looks at several factors when determining which pages to rank. Backlinks help signal that your site is trustworthy, authoritative, and useful.
Here’s how backlinks fit into the equation:
Relevance:
Google looks at whether the linking site is relevant to yours. If a high-quality blog about local home improvement links to your “Home Renovation Services” page, that’s a good signal.
Authority:
Google prioritizes backlinks from authoritative sites. A link from a government site or well-known industry blog carries more weight than a link from a low-traffic, unrelated website.
Anchor Text:
The text used to link to your site is important. If the anchor text is descriptive and matches your target keywords, that boosts your rankings for those terms.
Trustworthiness:
Google also factors in the trustworthiness of the linking site. Links from sites with high domain authority (DA) have a much more significant impact than those from low-quality sites.
Now that we know why backlinks are so important, let’s get practical. Here’s how you can start building high-quality backlinks for your site—without resorting to spammy tactics.
The best way to earn backlinks is by creating high-quality, useful content that others want to link to.
This can be:
How-to guides
In-depth case studies
Comprehensive resource pages
Infographics
Video content
When your content solves a problem or provides value, other websites or influencers will naturally want to link to it.
Example:
Let’s say you’re a local plumber. You could create a comprehensive guide like, “The Ultimate Guide to Winterizing Your Plumbing System.” This kind of content is not only valuable to your visitors, but it’s likely to be linked by local real estate agents, home improvement blogs, or even local news outlets.
One of the best ways to get quality backlinks is through guest blogging—writing articles for other websites in your industry.
In a guest post, you can include a link back to your site. Just make sure the content is high-quality and the site is reputable.
Pro tip: Look for websites in your niche that accept guest posts or collaborate on content partnerships. Offer to contribute valuable content in exchange for a backlink.
Networking with others in your industry is a powerful way to earn backlinks. Build relationships with influencers, bloggers, and other business owners. When you collaborate, partner, or provide value, people will often link to your website.
Example:
Let’s say you own a local bakery. You might partner with a wedding planner to create a post about wedding cakes. They’ll likely link back to your website in their article or blog.
Being listed in high-quality, relevant directories can also help build backlinks. But don’t just submit your site to any directory—focus on niche-specific, authoritative directories that are relevant to your business.
Example:
Local Chamber of Commerce sites, business associations, or trade groups often provide high-quality backlinks.
Local newspapers, magazines, and online publications are often looking for stories, quotes, or expert advice from local businesses. When they feature you, they’ll usually include a link back to your website.
Find a website in your industry with broken links to content you’ve created (like a blog post, guide, or product page). Reach out to them and suggest they replace the broken link with one to your relevant content.
It’s a win-win: They fix a broken link, and you earn a quality backlink.
One of our clients—a local attorney—was struggling to get any traction in organic search. They had good content but lacked backlinks.
Here’s what we did:
Created helpful guides, including: “How to Choose the Right Divorce Lawyer in Lake of the Ozarks”
Submitted their website to local legal directories and trusted local business associations
Helped them collaborate with a local real estate agency for a guest post
Reached out to local news outlets for quotes and coverage on their work with the community
Result?
They earned backlinks from 15+ high-authority sites, and within 90 days, their site was ranking for 8 competitive keywords, leading to a significant increase in consultations.
At MSW, we don’t just write content—we strategically build backlinks that support your SEO goals.
Here’s how we do it:
Content Creation: We create valuable, shareable content that naturally earns links from other websites.
Outreach: We build partnerships with influencers, bloggers, and industry leaders to secure guest posts and collaborative articles.
Directory Submission: We submit your business to local and industry-specific directories for high-quality backlinks.
Link Auditing: We regularly audit your backlink profile to ensure everything is relevant, high-quality, and free of penalties.
You can have the best content in the world—but if no one knows it exists, it won’t help you.
Backlinks give your content the visibility it needs.
They signal to Google that your website is trustworthy, relevant, and worth ranking.
And the more quality backlinks you have, the more your website climbs in the rankings.
Start earning your backlinks today by creating valuable content, networking in your industry, and focusing on building relationships.
We’ll help you create a backlink strategy that aligns with your business goals—and put it into action.
📞 Call us at 573-552-8403
Or book your free backlink strategy session at:
https://mswinteractivedesigns.com/pages/request-a-quote
Let’s get your content the backlinks it deserves—so you can finally rank where it matters most.
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Sandy Wardenburg Waggett is the Founder & CEO of MSW Interactive Designs, a premier digital marketing agency specializing in SEO, AI-powered content strategies, and website optimization. With over a quarter century of experience (eek!), Sandy has helped thousands of business owners increase visibility, generate leads, and dominate their local markets through strategic online marketing.
As a Certified High-Performance Coach, Certified Maxwell Leadership Coach, and LXCouncil Moderator, Sandy is not just a marketing expert—she’s a trusted mentor and business strategist who equips entrepreneurs with data-driven insights and future-proof tactics. She leads AI & Marketing Mastery Training and exclusive CEO mastermind groups, helping business leaders stay ahead in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Sandy is also the author of the upcoming book, The Future-Proof SEO Blueprint: AI, AEO, and SEO Tactics for Small Business Dominance—a must-read for business owners looking to outsmart competitors and win in the new era of search marketing. The book provides cutting-edge strategies on AI-driven SEO, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), and how to leverage AI tools to future-proof your digital presence.
When she’s not crafting game-changing marketing strategies, Sandy enjoys coaching entrepreneurs, speaking at business conferences, and empowering leaders to make bold moves in their industries.
🚀 Want to take your digital marketing to the next level? Connect with Sandy at MSWInteractiveDesigns.com or call 573-552-8403.
