Link building is an important part of any SEO strategy. It helps to increase your website’s authority and can result in higher rankings in search engine results pages. But not all links are created equal. In order to get the most out of your link building efforts, you need to be aware of the different metrics that matter most in a backlink. In this blog post, we will discuss four of the most important metrics to consider when link building.
What are Link Building Metrics?
Every website has different metrics that should be taken into consideration when deciding if it is worth buying a link from that website. Failing to take into consideration the quality of the website you’re buying a link from can result in lower rankings and less traffic.
For example, although a website may have a high Domain Authority (DA), if the website has a low PageRank (PR) then the link is not going to be as valuable. On the other hand, even if a website has a great PageRank, if it does not bring in much organic traffic, then the link is also not going to be as beneficial. These are just a few examples of the different metrics that should be considered when link building.
The Four Metrics to Consider When Link Building
There are dozens of metrics that could be taken into consideration when link building. However, some are more important than others. For an SEO strategy, the four metrics discussed below are some of the most important factors to consider when determining the quality of a backlink.
Domain Authority (DA)
Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank in search engine results pages. It is based on numerous factors, including the number and quality of links pointing to the website, as well as other off-page SEO factors. A website’s DA can range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater ability to rank.
When looking at a website’s Domain Authority, it is recommended to look for higher scores. However, it is also important to consider the other metrics on this list, as a high DA does not guarantee a valuable link. Moreover, many websites will charge more for a backlink if they have a higher DA and as such, websites with high DAs might be out of your budget.
PageRank (PR)
According to Semrush, PageRank is a metric developed by Google that measures the quality of links pointing to a website. It ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater number and quality of links.
In the case of PageRanks, you will want to pay more attention to websites with higher PRs. However, as with Domain Authority, there are other factors to consider before buying a link from a website.
PageRank differs from Domain Authority in that it is a metric that is specific to Google. As such, it might not be as accurate in predicting how well a website will rank in other search engines.
Organic Traffic
Organic traffic is the number of visitors who come to a website from organic search results. This means that they have found the website through a search engine, such as Google, without clicking on an ad.
The organic traffic metric can be difficult to find, as many websites do not make this information public. However, there are some tools, such as SimilarWeb, that can help you estimate a website’s organic traffic.
Keep in mind that not all types of traffic have the same value. A website with a low organic traffic count is not ideal, even if its paid traffic is high since these visitors are less likely to be interested in the hyperlinks (backlinks) on that website.
When looking at organic traffic, you want to consider both the number of visitors and the quality of those visitors. A website might have a high organic traffic but if that traffic is not relevant to your website, then the link is not going to be as valuable, which leads us to our next point.
Relevancy
Relevancy is the degree to which a link is related to your website. This metric can be difficult to quantify, as it will vary from website to website. However, there are some factors you can look at to help determine relevancy.
The first factor is the content on the page where your link will be located. If the page contains content that is relevant to your website, then the link is more likely to be considered relevant by search engines. The second factor is the anchor text used for the link. Anchor text is the visible text that is hyperlinked. If the anchor text is relevant to your website, then the link is more likely to be considered relevant.
The last factor to consider is the topic of the website where your link will be located. If the website is about a similar topic to your website, then the link is more likely to be considered relevant. However, if the website is about a completely different topic, placing a backlink there could seem spammy to search engines, which could result in a loss of ranking.
Links from relevant websites are more valuable than links from irrelevant websites, as they are more likely to be considered by search engines and humans alike. However, relevancy is just one metric to consider when looking at a website’s value.
Need Help Link Building?
Now you know the most important metrics to consider when link building, and we know them too! If you are looking for help with your SEO strategy, contact us today. Like the gifts for content creators platform PopTribe.com, that use our team of experts, GetBacklinks will help you amplify your SEO strategy and get the results you want by choosing the most relevant and authoritative websites to link to your website.