Note (October 2026): This guide has been updated to reflect Google’s current link spam policies. Since September 2016, Google’s Penguin system runs in real time and discounts spammy links rather than demoting whole sites, though manipulative link patterns can still lead to a manual action.
SEO-friendly backlinks are links from relevant, reputable websites that are earned editorially rather than bought or traded. Google uses link analysis to judge which pages are useful, so quality links can help rankings, while link spam (paid links that pass ranking credit, link schemes, keyword-stuffed anchors) is neutralized by Google’s SpamBrain system or can trigger a manual action.
Key Takeaways
- A backlink is an inbound link from another website; Google still lists link analysis and PageRank among its ranking systems (as of October 2026).
- Quality and relevance matter more than the number of links.
- Google defines link spam as links created primarily to manipulate rankings, including buying or selling links and excessive link exchanges.
- Paid links should carry rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow” so they do not pass ranking credit.
- The Links report in Google Search Console shows a sample of who links to you; the disavow tool is an advanced feature most sites do not need.
Considering its usefulness in the online corporate field, SEO is an ever-present phrase on the web. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves strategies aimed at improving a site’s visibility in search engines such as Google and Bing. Yahoo Search also shows results supplied by Microsoft Bing, under a deal the two companies announced in July 2009.
How to Establish SEO-Friendly Backlinks
As such, one of main features of a good SEO is backlinks. So, what are backlinks? Also called inbound links (IBLs), backlinks are links that point to your site from another blog or website.
If you have a site with a big amount of inbound links derived from high quality sites, there are greater possibilities of an enhanced performance in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
Let’s take for instance, you are personally known to highly reputed characters in your country, don’t you think people in your society will regard you with a lot of respect too? Sure. But if robbers and other types of wrongdoers are your friends, then you will be considered as being one of them as well.
In the same way, a site that earns links from high-quality websites is more likely to be treated as trustworthy by search engines. Conversely, spammy links from unrelated sites are unlikely to help: Google says its SpamBrain system works to neutralize unnatural links, and a pattern of manipulative links pointing to a site can lead to a manual action. For that reason, the most valuable backlinks usually come from relevant, reputable sites or blogs in the same field.
If you want to build backlinks safely, plan to earn them rather than relying on grey-hat or black-hat tactics. You can attract SEO-friendly inbound links by publishing strong posts, running influencer marketing and publishing infographics, among other things.
A backlink plan can also include detailed expert review posts and original case studies, among other SEO best practices. One third-party backlink checker is http://scanbacklinks.com/ – backlink checkers like it, and the free Links report in Google Search Console, show which sites already link to your blog or website, which helps when planning new high-quality backlinks.
Are backlinks still relevant?
Backlinks still matter. As of October 2026, Google’s guide to its ranking systems lists “link analysis systems and PageRank,” which it uses to understand how pages link to each other and which pages might be most helpful for a query. However, many website owners build links without understanding how to create high-quality, SEO-friendly backlinks safely.
Generally, what matters is not the number of backlinks your site has but quality. Whether you build links yourself or hire an expert, it is important to understand how to do it properly. The key is that your backlink building strategy must follow Google’s spam policies on link spam.
When creating backlinks, consider the following:
1) Avoid link spam
Google’s spam policies define link spam as creating links to or from a site primarily to manipulate search rankings, and sites that take part in it risk losing ranking credit or receiving a manual action. In the past, link builders often submitted their sites to large numbers of article directories, web directories and press-release sites, and for a time it worked. Today, Google lists low-quality directory or bookmark links, and links with optimized anchor text in press releases distributed on other sites, among its examples of link spam. Focus on earning links from genuine, relevant sources.
2) Avoid spammy anchor text
Early SEO focused on the number of backlinks a site could get from high-PageRank sites using one exact-match anchor text. That worked for a time, but Google’s Penguin update, first announced on April 24, 2012, targeted this kind of link spam. Since September 23, 2016, Penguin has run in real time as part of Google’s core algorithm and discounts spammy links rather than demoting the whole site. Using the same keyword-rich anchor text on many websites to build links goes against Google’s link spam policies, and a pattern of such links can lead to a manual action. Links that are earned naturally tend to use varied anchor text, such as brand names, page titles and descriptive phrases, and that is the pattern to aim for.
Bottom line
In order to stay at the top of search engine results, it is vital to apply a linking process that is safe. The point here is that all your backlinks should be natural if you want to rank high on search engines. One backlink-checking site is http://scanbacklinks.com/ – whichever tool you use, review your link profile regularly.
What Makes a Backlink SEO-Friendly?
An SEO-friendly backlink is one that a search engine can trust as a genuine recommendation. The questions below are a practical checklist for judging any link before you pursue it.
- Relevance: Does the linking site cover a topic related to your page? A link from a site in the same field carries more meaning than one from an unrelated site.
- Editorial choice: Did the site owner choose to link because the content is useful, rather than because they were paid or offered a swap?
- Placement: Is the link inside the main content, not buried in a footer, sitewide template or widget? Google lists widely distributed footer and template links, and keyword-rich links in widgets, as examples of link spam.
- Anchor text: Is the clickable text natural and descriptive? See this guide to what anchor text is and how it affects SEO.
- Correct attributes: If the link is paid or user-generated, is it marked with the right rel value?
Types of Backlinks and Link Attributes
Google documents three rel values that tell it how a site relates to the page it links to. As of October 2026, Google says links with these attributes will generally not be followed, although the linked pages may still be found and crawled through other means.
| Link type | rel attribute | When it is used | Followed by Google? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editorial link | None | A site links to you because it chooses to | Yes – this is the kind of link that helps SEO |
| Paid link | rel=”sponsored” | Advertisements or paid placements | Generally not – Google asks for paid links to be marked this way |
| User-generated link | rel=”ugc” | Comments and forum posts | Generally not |
| Nofollow link | rel=”nofollow” | When other values do not apply and the site does not want to be associated with the linked page | Generally not |
What Does Google Count as Link Spam?
According to Google’s spam policies (page last updated August 2026), link spam is the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily to manipulate search rankings. Google’s listed examples include:
- Buying or selling links for ranking purposes, including exchanging money, goods or services for links, or sending a product in exchange for a write-up with a link.
- Excessive link exchanges (“link to me and I’ll link to you”) or partner pages that exist only for cross-linking.
- Using automated programs or services to create links to your site.
- Text ads or text links that do not block ranking credit.
- Advertorials where payment is received for articles with links that pass ranking credit, or links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts or press releases distributed on other sites.
- Low-quality directory or bookmark site links.
- Keyword-rich, hidden or low-quality links embedded in widgets distributed across sites.
- Widely distributed links in the footers or templates of various sites.
- Forum comments with optimized links in the post or signature.
Google’s December 2022 link spam update used SpamBrain to neutralize unnatural links, and Google said that creating unique, valuable content that naturally earns links remains the most effective approach.
How to Earn SEO-Friendly Backlinks Safely
- Publish something worth citing. Original data, case studies, detailed guides and infographics give other sites a reason to link. This overview of balancing link building and content creation covers the trade-off.
- Build relationships, not swaps. Reach out to relevant sites, journalists and creators with content that genuinely helps their readers, rather than offering reciprocal links.
- Keep anchor text natural. Let linking sites describe your page in their own words instead of requesting one exact-match keyword.
- Mark any paid placement correctly. If you pay for a mention, ask for rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow” so the link stays within Google’s policies.
- Strengthen your own site. Fast, well-structured pages keep linked visitors engaged; see this guide to technical SEO skills. More tactics are collected in link building strategies and techniques.
How to Check and Clean Up Your Backlinks
Google Search Console’s Links report shows a sample of the external links to your site, including top linked pages, top linking sites and top linking text. Google notes that it is not a complete list and that its tables are limited to 1,000 rows.
If Google applies an “Unnatural links to your site” manual action, its recommended steps are:
- Download and review the links to your site in Search Console, starting with sites that link most often or most recently.
- Ask site owners to remove the violating links or add rel=”nofollow”.
- Disavow the links you cannot remove, after making a good-faith effort to remove them.
- Submit a reconsideration request that documents the links removed and explains any you could not remove.
Google describes the disavow tool as an advanced feature to use with caution: in most cases Google can assess which links to trust without help, and using the tool incorrectly can harm a site’s performance. A disavow file is a UTF-8 or 7-bit ASCII .txt file with one URL or domain per line (domains prefixed with “domain:”), up to 100,000 lines and 2MB. For a broader view of why links matter, read the importance of using backlinks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an SEO-friendly backlink?
An SEO-friendly backlink is a link from a relevant, reputable website that the site owner placed because the content is useful, not because it was bought or traded. It sits in the main content and uses natural anchor text.
Are backlinks still a Google ranking factor?
Yes. As of October 2026, Google’s guide to its ranking systems lists link analysis systems and PageRank, which help it understand what pages are about and which might be most helpful for a query.
Can bad backlinks get a site penalized?
Since Penguin became part of Google’s core algorithm on September 23, 2016, spammy links are discounted rather than used to demote the whole site. However, a pattern of unnatural or manipulative links can still lead to a manual action.
Is buying backlinks allowed?
Buying or selling links for ranking purposes is link spam under Google’s policies. Google recommends marking paid links with rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow”.
Do I need to disavow spammy links?
Usually not. Google says most sites will not need the disavow tool; it is meant for sites with considerable spammy links that have caused, or are likely to cause, a manual action.
How can I see who links to my website?
The Links report in Google Search Console shows a sample of external links, top linking sites and top linking text. Third-party backlink checkers can add more data.
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2 Comments
Hey Harshil ,
Thanks for the informative one, Your tips are really to be taken care of for creating SEO friendly links and your article of “back link building strategy” will also be very helpful in creating quality backlinks for any blogger.
Great Work!!
Hey Harshil,
If we want to grow our organic traffic, need to focus on building website backlinks. It’s the best way to generate more search traffic, even though it is hard work.
It helps to grow our personal brand and if done right can boost our search engine rankings. This tips really sounds effective in sense of building website backlinks. Eventually, thanks for sharing your experience with us.
With best wishes,
Amar kumar