Thread by @semrush

4 Ways to Determine Backlink Quality:

Having dealt with countless DMs trying to sell me #backlinks, I can now say:

All backlinks aren’t made equal.

As with many things in #SEO

Quality > quantity

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So what actually makes a quality backlink? Here are a few methods for determining this:

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Method 1: Avoid Paid Backlinks

I want to make it absolutely clear that you should NEVER buy backlinks!

If someone is offering that to you, RUN for the hills!

Not to mention that it’s actually against Google guidelines.

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In fact, Google can identify toxic links and punish those mistreating backlinks for quick gains.

You can check your website’s backlink profile using Semrush to identify any toxic links.

Paid = bad quality backlink

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Method 2: Focus On Relevance

For example, a nutritionist might is listed on a government healthcare website.

Both Google and users would identify that as a relevant backlink because they’re directly related.

Relevant = good quality backlink

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Method 3: Balance Domain Authority

This one’s tricky, because blackhat backlink sellers use this to point reel in unsuspecting victims.

Ideally your backlinks should come from high DA sites, but ONLY when they’re also relevant and trustworthy.

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For example, if your content explains how customers can benefit from a time tracking tool, then a high DA backlink from a gambling website will hurt much more than help.

If you have to choose, focus on quality and relevance, rather than DA.

#SEOthread @adrianakstein

When it comes to considering DA, use this rule of thumb:

High DA + relevant website = good backlink quality

Low DA + irrelevant website = bad backlink quality

Low DA + relevant website = good backlink quality

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Method 4: Review Toxicity in an SEO Tool

It’s good to run a backlink profile toxicity analysis at least once a year.

This way, you can check whether or not spam websites have been trying some weird stuff (who knows why, but they do).

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If your SEO tool identifies toxic links, then review them and create a disavow list.

BUT: proceed with absolute caution.

Google and SEO tools have come a long way, but they don't always have the full scoop of whether a backlink is truly toxic.

#SEOthread @adrianakstein

I recommend ONLY disavowing backlinks that are obviously toxic.

If you get rid of too many backlinks, you can unfortunately decrease your DA, which can affect keyword rankings across your entire website.

A huge no-go!

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Aaaaand that’s all folks! Happy backlinking!

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