Backlink
A link from another website pointing to your site, acting as a vote of confidence.
A backlink is a link from someone else's website to yours. When another site links to your page, it's essentially telling search engines "this content is worth referencing." The more quality backlinks you have, the more authoritative your site appears.
Not all backlinks are equal. A link from The New York Times carries way more weight than a link from a random blog with three readers. Quality matters more than quantity. One link from a highly relevant, authoritative site can be worth more than hundreds of low-quality links.
Backlinks have been a core part of Google's ranking algorithm since the beginning. The original PageRank algorithm was built around the idea that links are votes of confidence. While the algorithm has evolved dramatically since then, backlinks remain one of the top ranking factors.
You can earn backlinks naturally by creating great content, through outreach and relationship building, or by being a source that journalists and bloggers want to reference.
Why It Matters for SEO
Backlinks are one of Google's top three ranking factors. Sites with strong backlink profiles consistently outrank those without. They drive referral traffic, build domain authority, and signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy and valuable.