Link building is everything you do to earn backlinks. Google writes in the SEO Starter Guide that links from other sites build up naturally over time, and names word of mouth as one of the most effective ways to make a site known. Good link building speeds that up: you create something others want to refer to, and you make sure the right people see it.
What fits within the rules?
- Creating content others want to cite, such as a clear explanation, your own overview or a handy calculator.
- Being listed by partners, suppliers, trade associations and local clubs you genuinely work with.
- Marking paid or sponsored links with
rel="sponsored"orrel="nofollow", as Google asks in its link guidelines.
Example
Suppose a bike shop sponsors the youth section of a cycling club. The club lists the shop on its sponsors page with a link. Because this is sponsorship, the link gets rel="sponsored". The listing shows local recognition and the link follows the rules.
What is link spam?
In its spam policies, Google describes link spam as creating links mainly to manipulate search rankings. Examples Google gives: buying or selling links for rankings, excessive link exchanges and links created by automated programs or services.
Common mistake
Signing up for a package with a fixed number of links per month without knowing where those links will be placed. Always ask which sites they will appear on and whether there is a real reason for them. More questions to ask are in Choosing an SEO and GEO agency.