The Kate Show

Episode 296: Backlinks—Everything You Need to Know

Host: Kate, Socialite Agency
Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kate delves into the mysterious world of backlinks—what they are, why they matter for interior designers, home stagers, organizers, and window treatment specialists, and what strategies are actually effective in 2025 and beyond. With major Google core updates having “gotten rid of the cheat codes,” Kate dispels myths, shares actionable tips, and emphasizes the importance of authentic, quality content and relationships in building your website’s authority.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Backlinks Demystified

• Definition & Importance (01:50)
  • Backlinks are simply hyperlinks from a different website to yours.
  • They act as “a signal to search engines that your site is credible and relevant because other people are linking to it.”
• Quality vs. Quantity (02:40)
  • The focus should be on acquiring quality links from trustworthy, relevant sources—not amassing hundreds of low-value links.

2. Industry Context

• Collaboration in the Home Industry (03:20)
  • The industry has shifted to be more collaborative, with business owners linking, referring, and forming relationships that boost all involved.

3. Why Backlinks Matter Now More Than Ever

• Building E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) (05:30)
  • Backlinks help strengthen your E-E-A-T profile, which Google now prioritizes for rankings.
  • “It makes you easier for potential clients to find you. Moreover, it also strengthens the E-E-A-T profile your business is inevitably building online.”
• Local Legitimacy (06:30)
  • Links from trusted local sources (news outlets, industry directories, colleagues) confirm community legitimacy.

4. Understanding & Auditing Your Backlinks

• Auditing Steps (08:15)
  • Use Google Search Console to find out who is linking to your site.
  • Instructional quote:
    “Go to Links and then go to External links, click on more and then go to Top Linking Sites. This will show you the top websites that are linking to you...” (09:40)
• Dealing with Spam (10:20)
  • Don’t worry about strange or spammy websites linking to you; Google is “smart enough to ignore most of those spammy backlinks.”
  • Only worry if you receive a “manual penalty” in Google Search Console.

5. How to Get More (of the Right) Backlinks

• Low-Hanging Fruit (11:30)
  • Revisit past press and features; request that your business name be hyperlinked if not already.
  • Set up Google Alerts for your business and request links for unlinked mentions.
    • "That’s a really handy, smart, free way to take control of your backlink situation." (13:10)
• Proactive Seed Planting (13:40)
  • Write reviews/testimonials for vendors—many will link back to you for the visibility.
  • Get listed on relevant directories and associations (e.g., NARI, WCAA, NKBA, ASID, RISA, ihosp).
• Reciprocal Linking (15:00)
  • Link out to partners, vendors, or colleagues in your blog posts to enrich your own content and encourage reciprocation.
    • Pro tip:
      “Make sure that when you’re linking out to other people, you link naturally within context…” (16:45)

6. The Core of a Sustainable Backlink Strategy

• Create Content Worth Linking To (17:10)
  • High-value, in-depth blog posts, case studies, and guides naturally attract legitimate backlinks.
    • “Create content that is worth reading. Create content that people want to link to. Create content that is genuine, authentic and relevant to your ideal client.”
  • There is—by Kate’s repeated emphasis—no shortcut or black hat hack anymore; Google 2025 updates have killed all cheats (18:30).

7. Backlinks and SEO Best Practices in 2025

• Don’t Buy Backlinks (20:50)
  • Buying backlinks will almost certainly trigger Google penalties, bringing irrelevant or spam traffic.
    • “Don’t buy links, okay? It’s kind of like buying email lists. Don’t do it. That is so 15, 20 years ago. It doesn’t work.” (21:10)
• Stay Genuine and Local (22:00)
  • Focus on your niche, get listed in local directories, and create good content.

8. Quick Recap & Action Steps

• Backlinks, Locally and Globally (23:00)
  • Audit current backlinks.
  • Start with low-effort links (press, directories).
  • Continually create high-quality content for long-term organic backlinks.
• Blog-Driven Organic Growth
  • “You need to create valuable blog content that others will naturally want to reference... and you have to earn that. It doesn’t just happen.” (24:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Backlinks are not like magic little golden tickets that will make your business suddenly found everywhere online.” (00:15)
• “If you had a hundred people tell you, go follow this one person... you might get a little suspicious—and so does Google.” (04:45)
• “Not all links are created equal... they should come from relevant, legitimate sources in your industry with content authored by real people.” (07:30)
• “The age of messing around online is over and it’s time to get serious.” (27:10)
• On content and AI:
  “Not that you can’t use AI, but you shouldn’t be using it to write something from start to finish. There has to be human oversight. It has to meet Google’s standards or it’s not going to fly anymore.” (08:05)

Key Timestamps

• [00:00] – Introduction to Backlinks & Industry Mindset Shift
• [01:50] – What is a Backlink?
• [05:30] – Backlinks and the E-E-A-T Framework
• [08:15] – Auditing Your Backlinks with Google Search Console
• [11:30] – Getting High Quality Backlinks: Press, Google Alerts
• [13:40] – Proactive Strategies: Reviews and Directories
• [15:00] – Reciprocal Linking and Content Partnerships
• [17:10] – Creating Linkworthy Content
• [20:50] – Why You Shouldn’t Buy Backlinks
• [23:00] – Recap and Next Steps
• [24:40] – The Power of Blogging for Backlinks
• [27:10] – Final Thoughts: “The age of messing around online is over...”

Final Takeaways

• Backlinks, when high-quality and relevant, are crucial for improving SEO, building community credibility, and establishing authority—especially in the relationship-driven home industry.
• The 2025 Google Core updates demand authentic content and real-life connections; old black hat tactics or buying links will only hurt you now.
• Action steps:
  1. Audit your current backlinks in Google Search Console.
  2. Request links from press/features/directories that already mention you.
  3. Produce “link-worthy” content regularly.
  4. Build relationships and offer reciprocal value through outbound links.
• Don’t waste resources buying spammy links—they won’t bring real clients or results.
• As Kate puts it, “Create genuine, authentic content and the right backlinks will follow.” (24:50)

For more guidance, Kate recommends checking out her previous episodes on post-E-E-A-T Google updates, and trying her upcoming Socialite app for streamlined content marketing.

[Ads, seasonal greetings, and non-content sidetalk have been omitted for clarity.]