Grumpy SEO Guy Podcast: Episode 37 – The Difference Between Good Backlinks and Bad Backlinks
Episode Overview
In Episode 37 of the Grumpy SEO Guy podcast, released on January 3, 2024, host Grumpy SEO Guy delves deep into the intricate world of backlinks, differentiating between good and bad backlinks. Drawing from his 14 years of experience running an SEO agency, he provides listeners with actionable insights, debunks common SEO myths, and offers clear guidance on optimizing backlink strategies to enhance website authority and search engine rankings.
1. Introduction to Backlinks and SEO Philosophy
Grumpy SEO Guy begins the episode by addressing the prevalent confusion surrounding backlinks in the SEO industry. He emphasizes a core belief that contradicts conventional SEO teachings:
“Content is not king.”
[00:03:00] – Grumpy SEO Guy challenges the widespread notion that high-quality content alone guarantees top search engine rankings. Instead, he posits that authority, primarily derived from backlinks, is the true king in SEO.
2. Understanding Backlinks: Quality Over Quantity
A central theme of the episode is the paramount importance of backlink quality over quantity. Grumpy SEO Guy debunks the misconception that accumulating a large number of backlinks will inherently boost rankings.
“1,000 backlinks does not mean you will rank better than five backlinks. One high quality backlink will outrank thousands of spam backlinks.”
[00:07:58]
He underscores that poor-quality backlinks can be detrimental, whereas strategic, high-quality backlinks are invaluable for establishing website authority.
**3. Bad Backlinks: Types and Risks
Grumpy SEO Guy categorizes several types of backlinks deemed harmful to SEO efforts, explaining why they fail to deliver value and may even pose risks such as negative SEO attacks.
a. Blog Comment Backlinks
“Blog comment backlinks are pretty useless.”
[00:09:03]
These links are commonly automated and lack genuine engagement, rendering them ineffective and potentially harmful as they are often associated with spam.
b. Forum Profile Backlinks
“Forum profiles can be used for negative SEO your competition.”
[00:13:07]
Similar to blog comments, backlinks from forum profiles are easily automated and spammy, offering little to no SEO benefit.
c. Footer Links
“Footer links have been taken advantage of by spammers and therefore they have become devalued.”
[00:15:20]
Originally useful, footer links are now seen as spammy due to overuse, especially when they appear on every page of a website, diluting their effectiveness.
d. Blog Roll Links
“If somebody's selling blog roll backlinks, don't buy them. They're bad for the same reason as blog comment backlinks and forum profile links and footer links.”
[00:17:51]
Blog roll links, reminiscent of old web rings, are considered outdated and spammy, offering no real SEO advantage in modern search algorithms.
**4. Good Backlinks: Types and Benefits
Contrasting the bad backlinks, Grumpy SEO Guy highlights the types of backlinks that genuinely contribute to SEO success.
a. Citation Links
“Citation links are sources they cited while they were writing the article. Those are fine.”
[00:24:00]
These links occur when a website references your site as a source within relevant content. They offer contextual relevance and are typically high in quality without appearing spammy.
b. Contextual Links
“Contextual backlinks are always the best kind of backlink you can get.”
[00:25:00]
Contextual links are embedded within the content and are relevant to the subject matter. They provide significant SEO value as they are perceived as endorsements within a related context.
**5. Exceptions: When the General Rules Don't Apply
Grumpy SEO Guy introduces two critical exceptions that can override the standard classifications of backlinks.
a. Backlinks from Spammy Websites
“If you get a backlink from a spammy low value website, it doesn't matter what kind of backlink you have, you still don't want it.”
[00:27:00]
Even high-quality contextual backlinks from spammy sites are harmful. Therefore, maintaining the quality of the linking domain is essential regardless of the backlink type.
b. Backlinks from Highly Authoritative Websites
“If you get a backlink from a super high value website, like IBM.com, it's still beneficial even if it's not a perfect contextual backlink.”
[00:28:40]
Backlinks from highly authoritative sites can significantly boost your site's authority and rankings, even if they are not perfectly contextual. However, caution is advised as some purported high-authority backlinks may not be indexed, rendering them ineffective.
**6. Final Takeaways and Best Practices
Grumpy SEO Guy concludes the episode by reiterating the importance of prioritizing backlink quality over quantity. He advises against investing in spammy backlink services and encourages focusing on obtaining citation and contextual backlinks from reputable sources.
“We only build contextual backlinks, which means a backlink in the content that makes sense to be there to our clients. Why? Because they're so much more effective and so much better than literally everything else.”
[00:29:50]
**7. Conclusion
Episode 37 serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the nuanced landscape of backlinks in SEO. Grumpy SEO Guy effectively distinguishes between harmful and beneficial backlink strategies, providing listeners with the knowledge to optimize their SEO efforts intelligently. By emphasizing the critical role of backlink quality and offering clear examples of effective and detrimental backlinks, the episode equips both beginners and seasoned SEO professionals with actionable strategies to enhance their website's authority and search engine performance.
For further inquiries or to suggest topics for future episodes, listeners are encouraged to engage via the Grumpy SEO Guy subreddit or email.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
-
On Content and Authority:
“Content is not king. Authority is king, and authority comes from backlinks from authoritative websites.”
[00:04:30] -
On Backlink Quantity vs. Quality:
“1,000 backlinks does not mean you will rank better than five backlinks. One high quality backlink will outrank thousands of spam backlinks.”
[00:07:58] -
On Spammy Backlinks:
“Most backlinks for sale on the Internet are trash. They are not going to help you.”
[00:08:04] -
On Contextual Backlinks:
“Contextual backlinks are always the best kind of backlink you can get.”
[00:25:00] -
On Exceptions:
“If you get a backlink from a spammy low value website, it still won't help you.”
[00:27:00] -
On High-Quality Backlinks from Authoritative Sites:
“If you get a backlink from a super high value website, like IBM.com, it's not going to hurt you.”
[00:28:40]
For more in-depth discussions and future episodes, subscribe to the Grumpy SEO Guy podcast and join the community on Reddit. Support the podcast at Patreon.