Backlinking: An SEO classic has come to an end - backlinks have mutated into a commodity

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a dynamic field that is constantly evolving. A central aspect of this field has always been backlinking. However, the role and importance of backlinks has changed significantly in recent years, especially when looking back to 2024. While backlinks were often considered the ultimate SEO strategy in the past, today a more complex and nuanced picture emerges.

The commercialization of backlinks and its effects

One of the most striking trends of recent years is the increasing commercialization of backlinks. In the early days of the internet and search engine optimization, backlinks were a kind of "currency" for relevance and authority. A website that received many high-quality backlinks from other relevant sites was considered important and trustworthy by search engines. This led to a relatively organic system in which websites were linked to primarily based on the quality of their content.

Over time, however, the online world recognized the monetary value of backlinks. Major magazines, news portals, and influential publications increasingly began to view backlinking as a business model. The focus shifted from the relevance and quality of the linked content to financial incentives. This led to a veritable "market" for backlinks, where they are bought and sold, often without regard for context or the actual value of the link.

The consequences of this development are far-reaching.

Devaluation of the backlink

The sheer volume of bought and sold links diminishes the actual value of a single backlink. Search engine algorithms are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their ability to detect and penalize manipulated link profiles.

Disadvantage to smaller websites and experts

While large publications benefit from commercialization, smaller websites and independent experts often lose out. Their content or ideas are copied without proper linking or attribution, depriving them of the recognition and reach they deserve. This phenomenon is known as "content theft" and is unfortunately widespread online.

Search result distortion

When backlinks are primarily acquired for financial gain, the ranking in search results no longer necessarily reflects the actual quality or relevance of a website. This leads to a distortion of the search landscape and can negatively impact the user experience.

The neglect of expert knowledge and the “token mention”

Another worrying phenomenon is the lack of recognition of expert knowledge online. Large publications and media companies often draw on the expertise and ideas of independent specialists, whether through interviews, articles, or studies, without properly acknowledging them. Instead of providing a clear backlink to the original source, they frequently limit themselves to a mere mention of the name, which appears more like a superficial justification than genuine appreciation.

This practice undermines the credibility and visibility of experts who often invest considerable time and effort in creating and disseminating their knowledge. They are deprived of the recognition they deserve and the opportunity to increase their reach and authority through link building. In the online age, where reputation and visibility are crucial, this kind of "token mention" can have significant negative consequences for the careers and influence of experts.

Reactions from the SEO community and the changing nature of backlink strategies

The SEO community has not passively accepted these developments. In response to increasing commercialization and the associated problems, several counter-trends are emerging:

Be cautious when setting backlinks

More and more website owners and SEO experts are becoming more cautious about placing external links. They carefully consider whether a link actually offers added value for their readers and contributes to the quality of their own website.

Increased use of “nofollow” links

The “nofollow” attribute is a way to tell search engines that a particular link should not be included in the ranking calculation of the linked website. Website operators increasingly use “nofollow” to try to minimize the influence of purchased or low-quality links. However, search engines like Google now tend to interpret the use of this attribute more as a “hint” and less strictly.

Focus on alternative SEO strategies

Given the vulnerability of backlinks to manipulation, other SEO strategies are gaining importance. These include, for example, optimizing website structure and speed, improving user experience (UX), and creating high-quality content that is naturally shared and linked to.

Quality over quantity: The new benchmark for backlinks

Despite the challenges described, it's important to emphasize that backlinks still play a role in search engine optimization. However, the focus has shifted significantly: quality is more important than ever. Search engines, especially Google, increasingly value the quality and relevance of links. A single backlink from a thematically relevant and trustworthy website can now be worth more than dozens of low-quality links from irrelevant sources.

The following aspects are crucial when evaluating the quality of a backlink:

relevance

The linking content and the linked content should be thematically related. For example, a backlink from a website about gardening to a website about car repairs would be pointless.

authority

The linking website should itself possess a certain level of authority and credibility in its subject area. A link from a reputable news website is generally more valuable than a link from an unknown blog.

trustworthiness

The linking website should be trustworthy and secure. Links from websites with questionable content or spam can negatively impact ranking.

context

The backlink should be placed in a meaningful context and offer added value to the reader. A link that is simply inserted somewhere in the text without any discernible connection to the topic is less valuable.

Suitable for:

• Content is king, but context is emperor.

Anchor text

The anchor text, i.e., the visible, clickable text of the link, should precisely describe the topic of the linked page.

The future of backlinking: EEAT, content quality, and natural links

The future of backlinking lies in a more holistic approach that goes far beyond simply counting links. Google has introduced the concept of EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), which underscores the importance of these factors in evaluating websites. Websites that excel in these areas are more likely to be rewarded with good rankings and receive more natural backlinks.

Suitable for:

• Is EEAT, due to AI development, the solution of the future for search engine results and rankings?
• Marketing crisis – advertising overload: Is EEAT the key to better business models?

Content quality

High-quality, informative, and unique content is the key to successful backlinking in the future. Content that offers genuine added value, solves problems, and answers questions is more likely to be shared and linked to. The days when success could be achieved with low-quality content and aggressive link building are definitively over.

Suitable for:

• Content is king, but context is emperor.

Natural links

Building relationships with other website operators, influencers, and opinion leaders in your industry is a key factor in acquiring natural backlinks. Participating in discussions, sharing content, and collaborating with other stakeholders can increase your website's visibility and foster organic link building.

Adapting to a changing SEO landscape

Backlinks haven't completely lost their importance as an SEO factor, but their role has fundamentally changed. The trend is moving away from purely quantitative approaches that focused solely on the number of links, towards qualitative strategies that prioritize relevance, authority, and user experience. Businesses and SEO professionals need to adapt to this evolving landscape and adopt more holistic approaches that prioritize EEAT (Effective Ease of Access), content quality, and relationship building.

In a world of ever-increasing information overload, standing out through high-quality content and a strong online presence is more important than ever. Only those who can build trust, demonstrate authority, and offer genuine added value will be successful in search engine optimization and online marketing in the long run. The future of backlinking lies in quality, not quantity, and in the ability to adapt to the constantly changing demands of search engines and users.

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Backlinks have long been a cornerstone of search engine optimization (SEO). They were considered an important signal for search engines like Google to assess the relevance and authority of a website. However, in recent years, more and more voices have been predicting the demise of backlinks as an SEO factor. Studies show that major magazines seem to be "stealing" topic ideas from experts and, as a thank you for the inspiration, no longer provide backlinks. Instead, if they link at all, it's only by name, which looks more like a token gesture and a sign of guilt.

So, is the backlink really dead? In this article, we analyze the evolution of backlinks as an SEO factor, examine the opinions of SEO experts, and discuss alternative strategies that are gaining importance.

The development of backlinks as an SEO factor

Backlinks have played a crucial role in search engine optimization since Google's inception. Google's founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, based their approach on the principle of citations in academic work: the more a work is cited, the more important and relevant it is considered. They applied this principle to the internet: the more backlinks a website receives, the more trustworthy and relevant it appears to search engines.

Another important aspect of backlinks is the anchor text, which is the text that links to the target page. Search engines use the anchor text to understand the context of the linked page. Relevant and descriptive anchor text can therefore help increase the relevance of the target page for specific search terms.

However, it's important to note that not only the number of backlinks but also their quality plays a role. A backlink from a thematically relevant and trustworthy website with high domain authority is significantly more valuable than many backlinks from low-quality sites. Furthermore, too many backlinks from irrelevant or disreputable sources can even negatively impact ranking, as search engines may interpret this as spam.

Another factor that has often been overlooked in the past is the time required to build backlinks. Obtaining high-quality backlinks from relevant websites takes time and effort. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan and prioritize link-building resources.

It's also important to note that internal links are a significant component of SEO. Internal links not only help users navigate the website, but they also contribute to strengthening the website's link structure and making it easier for search engine crawlers to index the pages. A well-thought-out internal linking strategy can complement the effectiveness of backlinks and improve overall SEO performance.

Over time, Google's algorithm has evolved. Today, the focus is increasingly on user experience and content relevance. While backlinks remain an important factor, quality is no longer the sole determining factor. A single backlink from a thematically relevant and trustworthy website is significantly more valuable than numerous backlinks from low-quality sites.

This development shows that while backlinks are still relevant, their importance has changed over time. Simply collecting as many backlinks as possible is no longer sufficient. Instead, website operators should focus on a high-quality link-building strategy that prioritizes relevant and trustworthy sources.

“Backlinks at the end” – What do SEO experts say?

Given these changes in the SEO field, it is not surprising that the role of backlinks is a subject of controversial discussion in the professional community.

Ato Herzig, SEO expert at Beyondweb, emphasizes that backlinks are still relevant in 2024, as they serve as a sign of trust and a recommendation. However, he concedes that their meaning and function have changed over time.

The experts at DieWebag.de also continue to see backlinks as an important ranking factor. They point to their own experience where websites have improved their ranking by building high-quality backlinks.

Claneo, an SEO agency, emphasizes the importance of backlinks in the context of the EEAT concept (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). High-quality backlinks from trustworthy websites signal to Google that the linked website is also trustworthy and relevant, and therefore possesses expertise, experience, and authority. This increases the website's credibility in Google's eyes and can lead to a better ranking.

Risks of backlink trading

Trading backlinks is a widespread phenomenon. Many website operators try to improve their ranking by buying backlinks. However, this practice is risky and can lead to penalties from search engines.

Google penalizes manipulative link-building practices that aim to trick its algorithm. These include buying backlinks from link farms, participating in link exchange programs, or hiding links in footers or inconspicuous areas of the website.

Furthermore, trading in follow links is prohibited in most cases under the German Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG). Anyone who violates these regulations risks receiving a cease-and-desist letter and facing legal action.

Those who want to play it safe when building backlinks should rely on natural link-building strategies. These include, for example:

• Create high-quality content that people like to link to.
• Publish guest posts on relevant websites.
• List your business in industry directories and relevant online portals.
• Cooperate with other website operators.
• An alternative to buying "normal" backlinks are so-called "premium backlinks." These are provided by reputable companies that prioritize quality and relevance. While premium backlinks are generally more expensive, they offer a lower risk than buying low-quality backlinks from dubious sources.

Nofollow links: curse or Segen?

Nofollow links are links marked with the attribute “rel=nofollow”. This attribute signals to search engines that they should not follow the link and should not pass on any “link equity”. Link equity refers to the value or authority that a backlink passes on to the linked page. Dofollow links, i.e., links without the “nofollow” attribute, pass on link equity and contribute to improving the ranking of the linked page.

For a long time, nofollow links were considered worthless for SEO. However, it is now known that Google also considers nofollow links when crawling websites. They contribute to the naturalness of the link profile and can indirectly influence ranking. For example, a nofollow link from a well-known website like Wikipedia can increase traffic and brand awareness.

In 2020, Google introduced two new link attributes: “sponsored” and “ugc”. The “sponsored” attribute identifies paid links, while “ugc” stands for links in user-generated content, such as blog comments or forum posts. These new attributes provide search engines with additional information about the type of link and help them better assess its relevance and value.

While dofollow links are the stars of the SEO show, nofollow links play a crucial supporting role. They help build a natural and balanced link profile and can indirectly have positive effects on SEO.

Alternative SEO strategies

Besides backlinks, there are a number of other SEO strategies that are gaining in importance. These include:

High-quality content

High-quality content is the foundation of any successful SEO strategy. It offers users added value and encourages them to stay on the website longer. Search engines recognize this as a positive signal and reward the website with a better ranking. High-quality content can also help generate natural backlinks, as other websites are happy to link to informative and relevant content.

Technical optimization

Technical website optimization encompasses measures such as improving loading speed, mobile optimization, and ensuring a flawless website structure. A technically optimized website offers a better user experience and is ranked more favorably by search engines. This can indirectly increase the effectiveness of backlinks, as search engines consider links from technically optimized websites to be more valuable.

On-page optimization

On-page optimization refers to optimizing the content and code of a website. This includes using relevant keywords, optimizing meta tags, and structuring the content. Good on-page optimization ensures that search engines better understand a website's content and can rank the page for relevant search terms.

Content marketing

Content marketing aims to engage the target audience by creating and distributing relevant content and building a long-term relationship with them. Content marketing can help increase brand awareness, drive traffic to the website, and build trust with potential customers. This can also indirectly lead to more backlinks, as interesting and relevant content is readily shared and linked to.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing uses social networks to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to a website, and interact with the target audience. Social media can help increase the reach of content and improve website visibility. Even though links from social media platforms are often marked with the "nofollow" attribute, they can still generate valuable traffic and boost brand awareness.

From links to experiences: What modern SEO is really about

Backlinks aren't obsolete, but their importance has changed. High-quality content, good technical optimization, and a natural link profile are more important than ever. The focus is on user experience and content relevance.

Those who want to be successful in the long term should rely on a holistic SEO strategy that takes various factors into account. Buying backlinks is not a sustainable solution and, in the worst case, can lead to penalties from search engines.

The future of backlinks will likely also be influenced by the further development of AI and machine learning. Search engines are becoming increasingly adept at evaluating the quality and relevance of backlinks and detecting manipulative practices.

To remain successful in the future, website operators and SEO experts should heed the following recommendations:

• Focus on creating high-quality content that offers real added value to users.
• Build a natural link profile by focusing on relevant and trustworthy sources.
• Use a variety of link building strategies to achieve a balanced link profile.
• Monitor developments in the SEO field and adapt your strategy to current requirements.

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