Authority is the third of the “three pillars of SEO”. It refers to the perceived trust, credibility, and expertise of a website or webpage in the eyes of search engines such as Google.
Authority is an important factor that search engines consider when determining the rankings of web pages in search results.
A site or page’s authority level is measured by counting the number and quality of links of a page and is determined at both the domain and page level. It is therefore the sum of the link equity (or: ‘link juice’) that a site receives through inlinks and backlinks.
Authority and Visibility Audit
Using our Authority and Visibility Audit, our specialists can evaluate the quality, quantity, and characteristics of a site’s link profile, and establish potential ranking opportunities based on specific keywords. The Audit involves examining factors such as the number of backlinks, the diversity of linking domains and their IPs, keyword relevance, anchor text usage, the relevancy of the linking websites, and the overall trustworthiness of the backlink profile.
Implementing the advice given in the Authority and Visibility Audit will ensure that the site will be perceived as being more relevant by search engines and will be positioned higher within the organic search results on relevant search terms.
Link Building
Within the SEO pillar of Authority, link building acts as a validation and endorsement of your website’s content and expertise. A site’s backlink profile can best be compared to references on its digital curriculum vitae. When authoritative websites link to your pages, it indicates to search engines that your website is a reliable and credible source of information within your industry or niche. Backlinks thus serve as a vote of confidence, establishing your website’s online authority.
To built up a strong, healthy backlink profiles often requires link building activities. Link building is a crucial component of SEO. It involves the process of acquiring external links from other reputable websites to your own, signaling to search engines that your website is trustworthy, valuable, and deserves higher rankings for specific keywords. Effective link building strategies focus on acquiring backlinks from authoritative websites, industry influencers, and relevant sources.
Why is Link Building important?
Link building plays a vital role in increasing the Authority scores of your website. Here are some key reasons why link building matters:
Establishing Authority and Credibility
By acquiring high-quality backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites, you can establish your website as a trusted and authoritative source in your industry or niche. Each backlink acts as a vote of confidence from another site, signaling to search engines such as Google that your website is valuable and worthy of recognition. Building a strong link profile enhances your website’s credibility and boosts its overall authority, and thus, its rankings.
Improving Search Engine Rankings
Search engines consider the quantity and quality of backlinks when determining the ranking position of a website. When your site features a diverse and natural backlink profile, it signals to search engines that your website is popular, relevant, and deserving of higher rankings. Strategic link building efforts can lead to improved organic search visibility and increased website traffic. By using a diverse set of anchor texts to target specific keywords, link building can mark your site as an authority on those keywords.
Increasing Organic Traffic and Referral Visitors
Quality backlinks act as pathways that direct users from other websites to yours. When reputable sites link to your content, it generates referral traffic from their audience who are interested in your niche. Additionally, as your website gains authority and climbs search engine rankings, you attract more organic traffic from users actively searching for relevant information or solutions. Link building helps drive targeted traffic to your website, increasing the potential for conversions and business growth.
Enhancing Brand Exposure and Awareness
When your website is linked from reputable sources, it exposes your brand to a wider audience. Link building can result in increased brand visibility, as users encounter your brand through backlinks on various websites. This exposure helps to build brand awareness, familiarity, and trust among your target audience. Effective link building strategies can contribute to long-term brand recognition and establish your brand as an industry leader.
What are important aspects of Authority and Link Building?
- Referring Domains: the number of unique websites that link to your website indicates how many external websites endorse your content.
- Backlinks: incoming links from other websites to your website serve as a vote of confidence and authority, influencing your website’s search engine rankings and visibility.
- Anchors: the clickable text – or images – that contains a hyperlink are named ‘anchors’. Optimizing anchor texts with relevant keywords helps search engines understand the context and relevance of the linked page.
- Link Distribution: it is important to analyze the spread of backlinks across different pages and sections of your website. Natural backlink profiles contain a well-balanced link distribution, without being concentrated only on specific pages.
- Quality Distribution: acquiring backlinks from a diverse range of high-quality and authoritative websites helps to build a strong and credible link profile.
- Relevance: the best backlinks are those that align the linking website’s content and audience with your website’s niche or industry. Receiving backlinks from relevant sources strengthens the authority and relevance of your website.
- TLD Distribution: the distribution of backlinks from different top-level domains (TLDs), such as com, .co.uk, or .nl can add credibility to your site and signal a natural link profile.
- Growth Pattern: Growth sudden spikes or irregularities in the rate at which backlinks are acquired may raise red flags to search engines. A natural and gradual growth pattern is preferred.
- Internal Links: ‘inlinks’ connect different pages within your own website. They help search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your website, distribute authority, and enhance user navigation.
