The link mass of a website is the total number of all external links leading to the web resource (Backlink). In SEO promotion, it plays a key role, influencing the authority of the web resource and its positions in search rankings. Google and similar systems evaluate not only the quantity but also the quality of backlinks. The more relevant and trustworthy links, the higher the trust in the resource. Additionally, ranking improves, organic traffic increases, and the indexing of new pages accelerates. It is important not just to increase the number of links but to build a link-building strategy with a focus on quality.
Types of Links
All links are divided into external and internal. Each of these categories plays its role in SEO promotion. When it comes to external links, not all of them are equally valuable. Their weight depends on the quality of the donor resource, the naturalness of placement, and technical parameters. Only a high-quality link mass increases the chances of improving rankings and attracting additional traffic. Backlinks are classified into the following types:
➤ Active Links: These are clickable links, allowing users to easily navigate to them. They form the core of backlink profiles and significantly impact rankings. Active links consist of two parts: the URL of the page and the anchor text—the text that needs to be clicked. If the anchor contains keywords or relevant phrases, it is called an anchor link. For example, "You can order pizza delivery here." Non-anchor links are presented as URLs or neutral words like "here," "more details," etc. For instance, "Pizza delivery can be ordered here."
➤ Inactive Links: These are textual mentions of the website address without the ability to click through. They are commonly found on forums and social networks, where direct links are prohibited. Such backlinks have a positive effect on SEO, appear natural in the eyes of search engines, and help avoid penalties for unnatural backlink building. Ideally, their share should make up about 10-15%.
Today, search engines often perceive anchor links as artificial. Their use can influence a website’s ranking. Non-anchor links appear more natural and carry more weight in SEO. The optimal ratio for link mass is:
The correct distribution of different types of links helps create a natural link profile and avoid penalties from search engine algorithms.
Internal links, which lead to other pages within the same website, also play an important role in website promotion. Unlike external links, they help search engines better index pages and distribute "link weight" across the site. This affects page ranking. A well-structured internal linking system also improves usability. As a result, users spend more time on the site, and finding relevant pages becomes faster.
Preparing for link mass growth
Building link mass should be gradual, stable, high-quality, and creative. The process should begin with the technical optimization of the website. It is crucial to ensure there are no existing issues. Key aspects of this process include:
➤ Page loading speed optimization. A slow website lowers rankings in search results and worsens user experience. You can check speed using Google PageSpeed Insights.
➤ Proper functioning of the mobile version. Google prioritizes websites optimized for mobile devices (Mobile-first Indexing).
➤ Absence of broken links. Unavailable pages (404 errors) degrade SEO. You can find them using Screaming Frog SEO Spider or Google Search Console.
➤ Presence of convenient internal linking. It helps evenly distribute link weight across pages.
➤ Use of HTTPS. An SSL certificate increases trust from users and search engines.
To understand how to build link mass effectively, it is also essential to analyze successful competitor strategies. This helps identify which sites link to competitors and attempt to secure backlinks from the same sources. This approach also reveals the most popular anchor strategies in the niche and determines which types of content attract the most links. Specialized tools can be used to analyze competitor websites, including:
➤ Ahrefs. One of the most popular tools with the largest backlink database. It shows the number of domains, links, and IP addresses. It finds broken links and identifies their type (dofollow, nofollow). The service is paid.
➤ Serpstat. Allows comprehensive evaluation of competitors' backlink profiles. One downside is that analysis is only available for the last 3 months. The service is paid. A free plan with limitations is also available.
➤ Semrush. Analyzes backlinks in search engines like Google and Bing. It provides insights into view statistics and evaluates the relevance of links.
Preparation for link building helps avoid mistakes that could lead to penalties from search engines. This approach contributes to building the most effective strategy for website promotion.
Methods of building backlink mass
How to increase a website's backlink mass? To obtain high-quality backlinks, a comprehensive approach using various methods is applied. This will ensure the organic growth of backlinks.
| Method | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Quality guest posts | Publishing articles on authoritative niche websites with a link to your site. | ✓ high value for search engines due to natural placement; ✓ the ability to attract an interested audience; ✓ the ability to increase brand trust. | ✓ requires time to find platforms and agree on publication; ✓ placement on popular resources often requires payment. |
| Placing links in directories and listings | Adding the website to local directories and business listings. This method helps to increase the backlink profile on a regional site. | ✓ free method; ✓ ease of implementation; ✓ usefulness for local SEO. | ✓ most directories use nofollow links; ✓ low link weight requires time to find quality platforms. |
| Crowd marketing | Leaving links in discussions on niche forums, blogs, and "Question-Answer" services. | ✓ organic and natural appearance of links; ✓ additional targeted traffic; ✓ increased brand recognition. | ✓ high time costs for finding donors, writing persuasive text; ✓ risk of comment removal by moderators. |
| Link exchange platforms: Collaborator, PRPosting | Buying permanent and temporary links through specialized services. | ✓ rapid increase in backlink mass; ✓ ability to choose high-quality donors. | ✓ risk of penalties from search engines; ✓ high cost of quality links. |
| Participation in affiliate programs and collaborations | Mutual link exchange with partners and niche websites | ✓ the possibility of promoting for free; ✓ long-term effect, non-intrusiveness. | ✓ difficulties in finding reliable partners; ✓ risk of low effectiveness with a large number of partner links. |
| Creation of viral content | Developing unique and valuable content that naturally attracts links. | ✓ automatic link acquisition; ✓ high authority in the eyes of search engines. |
Analysis of donor quality
The effectiveness of a link profile directly depends on the donors. Therefore, it's better to have fewer, but higher-quality links. One link from a reliable, high-traffic trusted site is significantly more valuable than ten links from dubious sources. The key metrics for evaluation are:
➤ DR (Domain Rating). This is a metric from Ahrefs that shows the authority of a domain on a scale from 0 to 100. DR values between 50 and 80 indicate that the links come from strong domains.
➤ UR (URL Rating). This metric reflects the "strength" of a link or domain based on the quantity and quality of inbound links. A high URL rating indicates that the page has strong trust and is a valuable donor.
➤ Traffic of donors. This metric defines the number of visitors to a site. If the number is at least 20,000 users per month, the resource is considered a good donor. It can pass a portion of its traffic to your page. It's also important to consider the geographical distribution and traffic sources.
➤ Trust. This metric was developed by Majestic. It helps to assess the trust and authority of the linking domain.
It is important not to rely on just one metric or tool. For a more accurate assessment of the quality of donors, a comprehensive approach should be used, involving multiple methods of analysis. In addition to applying metrics, manual analysis should also be conducted. Attention should be paid to the quality of content, the presence of ads, as well as the design and navigation ease. It is crucial to avoid spammy and low-quality resources. Sites with artificially inflated DR should not be used. It is also important to check if dubious projects (such as casinos, microfinance organizations, or adult sites) are hosted on the donor site. Platforms where links are published in bulk and without moderation should be avoided. If a site has no organic traffic, it may be under search engine filters.
Common mistakes in link building
Building a link profile involves not only increasing the number of backlinks but also implementing them correctly. The most common problems include:
➤ Using low-quality donor sites. Such resources won't bring traffic and may even harm your site. It's essential to carefully check donors for authority, traffic, spam levels, and indexing before placing links.
➤ Too rapid link-building dynamics. A sudden increase in backlinks may lead to penalties from search engines. An effective link-building strategy involves gradual and natural growth.
➤ Mismatch in thematic relevance. Links placed on websites of companies operating in different industries lose their effectiveness. For example, a hyperlink to an auto repair site from a cosmetics-related resource will hardly improve search rankings.
➤ Ignoring link profile analysis. This should be done regularly to avoid the negative impact of irrelevant and spammy links.
➤ Overemphasis on expensive backlinks. A high price for a link does not always indicate its value. It's essential to analyze the donor's overall metrics rather than focusing solely on the cost of placement.
The text surrounding the link should be unique, useful, and relevant. It is important to avoid keyword stuffing, as search engines may impose penalties for this.
Using tools to manage backlink profiles
The backlink profile can be evaluated using various services. Some of the most popular include:
➤ Google Search Console. This is a free tool from Google that allows you to track your external backlink profile. In the "Links" section, you can see which websites link to your resource most frequently. The Disavow Links Tool feature lets you reject unwanted links.
➤ Ahrefs. This powerful service not only allows you to evaluate competitors, including the keywords they are targeting but is also useful for determining the quality of backlinks and their impact on rankings.
➤ Majestic SEO. This service analyzes the quality of your backlink profile using metrics like Trust Flow (website trust level) and Citation Flow (number of backlinks). The difference between these metrics should not be too large. A significant discrepancy may indicate poor-quality links.
➤ SE Ranking. This user-friendly service is for automatic backlink monitoring. It provides data on the frequency of new links, dofollow/nofollow distribution, donor geography, and anchor texts.
To control the quality of the backlink profile, it is important to regularly check whether the number of suspicious or spammy links has increased, and to ensure the balance between dofollow and nofollow links is maintained. It's also crucial to monitor the presence of issues with lost or deleted links.
Conclusion
Properly building a backlink profile is a long-term strategy that requires a comprehensive approach, from analyzing and choosing quality donors to creating valuable content that attracts organic links and developing partnership relationships. If you want to understand how to build a backlink profile for your site, start by analyzing your current backlink profile and systematically working to improve it. Consistent efforts will help strengthen your site's position in search engine results. Start today to achieve stable growth!
