20 Types of Backlinks — the cinematic guide
Every link is a vote. But not all votes are equal. Here’s the field guide to the 20 types every SEO needs to know — by power, risk, and how to earn them.
Backlinks are still SEO’s strongest signal.
But Google now grades them by trust, relevance, and intent.
This lesson breaks down all 20 types — what they are, how strong they are, and how to earn them safely.
Lesson 01 of 20
Resource Page Backlinks
Links from curated lists of useful resources on a topic.
Resource pages are hand-picked collections of the best content on a niche. Getting listed signals to Google that your page is genuinely helpful — these are some of the highest-trust links in SEO.
Pages like “Best SEO Tools 2025” or university libraries linking to industry guides.
Build a truly useful asset (tool, guide, calculator), find resource pages with `inurl:resources + your topic`, and pitch why your link belongs.
Lesson 02 of 20
Editorial Backlinks
Natural links earned when others find your content valuable.
The holy grail of SEO. A journalist, blogger, or expert links to you because your content is the best answer — no outreach, no exchange. Google weighs these the heaviest.
Forbes citing your study, Search Engine Journal linking to your research.
Publish original data, contrarian takes, or definitive guides. Promote in newsletters and X/LinkedIn so writers find them.
Lesson 03 of 20
Guest Blogging Backlinks
Links from articles you write as a guest author on other sites.
Write a high-quality article for a relevant site, include a contextual link back to yours. Powerful when the host site is authoritative and the content is genuinely useful — spammy when farmed.
Writing a deep guide on a marketing blog with a link to your case study.
Target sites with real audiences (not link farms). Pitch unique angles, never duplicate content, and keep links contextual.
Lesson 04 of 20
Influencer Backlinks
Links earned through collaborations with industry influencers.
When a respected voice in your niche mentions or recommends your work — newsletter, blog, podcast notes. The trust signal is enormous because the audience already trusts the influencer.
An SEO expert linking to your tool from their weekly Substack.
Build genuine relationships first. Send free access to tools, contribute to their work, then ask only when you have something truly useful.
Lesson 05 of 20
Broken Link Building
Find broken links on other sites, offer your content as the fix.
You help a webmaster (their broken link hurts UX), and you get a link in return. Win-win. Requires patience and outreach skill but the success rate beats cold link requests by 3-5×.
Finding a dead 404 link on a university page and pitching your live alternative.
Use Ahrefs/Semrush broken link checker on relevant pages. Email politely with the broken URL, the page it’s on, and your replacement.
Lesson 06 of 20
Social Media Backlinks
Links from social platforms via shares, mentions, profiles.
Most social links are nofollow, but they drive traffic, brand awareness, and discovery — which leads to real editorial links. Treat them as amplification, not direct ranking power.
A LinkedIn post about your study going viral, journalists pick it up.
Post your best work on LinkedIn, X, and niche communities. Include the link, optimize the preview card, encourage shares.
Lesson 07 of 20
Comment Backlinks
Links left in blog/article comments that point to your site.
Almost universally nofollow now. Spammy comments get you flagged or even penalized. Used right (genuine, on-topic, signed with your name), they can drive niche traffic but not rankings.
A thoughtful comment on a blog post that adds real value plus your name + site.
Only comment when you genuinely add value. Never use exact-match anchors. Sign with your real name and link to your homepage.
Lesson 08 of 20
Forum Backlinks
Links shared in forum discussions or signatures.
Niche forums (Reddit, Stack Exchange, industry-specific) can drive targeted traffic. Most are nofollow, but quality discussions still build authority and brand recall.
Answering a Reddit question with a detailed reply linking to your in-depth guide.
Become a recognized member first. Answer questions thoroughly. Link only when it’s the most relevant answer.
Lesson 09 of 20
Directory Backlinks
Links from reputable online directories or business listings.
Quality directories (Clutch, G2, industry-specific) build trust and local SEO. Avoid generic “web directories” — they’re a relic of 2010 SEO and can hurt you.
Listing your agency on Clutch or your local business in your city’s chamber of commerce.
Pick directories with editorial review and real traffic. Skip anything with “submit your URL” forms and 1000+ unrelated sites.
Lesson 10 of 20
Profile Backlinks
Links in your profiles on social, forums, and industry sites.
Free, easy, but low individual value. Useful for brand consistency, NAP (Name/Address/Phone) signals, and a foundation layer of links. Don’t overdo it on low-quality sites.
Adding your URL to LinkedIn, GitHub, About.me, AngelList profiles.
Stick to authoritative platforms you actually use. Keep brand info consistent across all profiles.
Lesson 11 of 20
Image & Infographic Backlinks
Links earned when others embed your images or infographics.
Create a data-rich, shareable infographic and people embed it on their sites — usually with a credit link. Reverse image search lets you chase down un-credited uses and request links.
An SEO industry stats infographic getting embedded by 50 marketing blogs.
Visualize unique data. Provide an embed code with attribution. Use Google reverse image search monthly to claim missing credits.
Lesson 12 of 20
Testimonial Backlinks
Links from testimonials you give for products/services you use.
Companies love showcasing customer testimonials — and most include a link to your site as proof. Easy, white-hat, and high authority since these pages get prominent placement.
Writing a short review for a tool you genuinely use; they put it on their homepage with your link.
List the SaaS, tools, and services you actually use. Email a 2-3 sentence honest testimonial offering it for their site.
Lesson 13 of 20
Press Release Backlinks
Links from PR distributions on news outlets.
Most PR-wire links are nofollow now, but a great press release picked up by real journalists generates editorial links and brand awareness. The PR itself is a launchpad, not a destination.
Launching a product, a journalist at TechCrunch picks it up and writes a real story.
Only PR newsworthy events. Pair with personalized journalist outreach. Skip cheap PR-wire packages.
Lesson 14 of 20
Interview Backlinks
Links from being interviewed on websites, podcasts, media.
When you’re the expert being interviewed, the host site nearly always links back to your site/profile. Builds authority + E-E-A-T + relevant traffic. One of the most underused white-hat tactics.
Being a guest on an industry podcast — show notes link to your site.
Pitch podcasts with a unique angle, build a media kit, deliver high value, and the links follow naturally.
Lesson 15 of 20
Scholarship & Sponsor Backlinks
Links earned by offering scholarships or sponsoring orgs.
Universities (.edu) and nonprofits often list scholarship sponsors with backlinks. Powerful trust signal but Google penalizes obvious schemes — only run a real scholarship if you genuinely want to.
Funding a $1,000 student scholarship; 30 university .edu pages link to your site.
Offer a real, fairly-judged scholarship. Submit to scholarship listing pages. Keep it sustainable, not a one-off SEO trick.
Lesson 16 of 20
Event Backlinks
Links from event listings, conference pages, sponsor pages.
Speak at, sponsor, or organize industry events — your site gets listed on the event page, often with a follow link. Combines SEO authority with real-world networking.
Speaking at a marketing conference; their site links your bio + company.
Pitch yourself as a speaker. Sponsor when budgets allow. Host meetups or webinars and submit them to event aggregators.
Lesson 17 of 20
Partner & Vendor Backlinks
Links from partnership or vendor pages of related businesses.
Many companies list partners, integrations, or trusted vendors. If you genuinely work together, a link exchange is natural and valuable. Keep it relevant or Google sees it as a scheme.
A SaaS that integrates with yours linking to your integration page.
Build real partnerships. Ask for a listing on their integrations/partners page. Reciprocate when authentic.
Lesson 18 of 20
Educational Institution Backlinks (.edu)
Links from universities, colleges, schools.
Universities have massive trust with Google. Earning a .edu link via guest lectures, research contributions, or partnerships is one of the strongest authority boosts available — but it must be earned legitimately.
Co-authoring a research paper hosted on a university page.
Offer expert lectures, contribute data to academic research, sponsor real student initiatives.
Lesson 19 of 20
Non-Profit Organization Backlinks
Links from charities or NGOs that recognize your contributions.
Sponsor, volunteer, or partner with an NGO — they list contributors with backlinks. High trust, often .org domains. Real impact + SEO. The cleanest co-benefit play in link building.
A donation to a literacy NGO; they thank your company on their supporters page.
Find NGOs aligned with your brand values. Contribute money, time, or expertise. Ask politely to be listed on their supporters page.
Lesson 20 of 20
Local Business Backlinks
Links from local directories, event listings, partner businesses.
Critical for local SEO and Google Maps rankings. Citations (NAP consistency) on local directories, sponsorships of local events, partnerships with nearby businesses — all build local authority.
Being listed on your city’s chamber of commerce, local newspaper events, or partner shop pages.
Submit to Google Business Profile first, then top local directories. Sponsor a school event or local meetup. Cross-link with non-competing local businesses.
Overview
All 20 types at a glance
Three categories: safe white, gray middle ground, and risky black — every card's color reveals its class.
Resource Page Backlinks
Editorial Backlinks
Guest Blogging Backlinks
Influencer Backlinks
Broken Link Building
Social Media Backlinks
Comment Backlinks
Forum Backlinks
Directory Backlinks
Profile Backlinks
Image & Infographic Backlinks
Testimonial Backlinks
Press Release Backlinks
Interview Backlinks
Scholarship & Sponsor Backlinks
Event Backlinks
Partner & Vendor Backlinks
Educational Institution Backlinks (.edu)
Non-Profit Organization Backlinks
Local Business Backlinks
Quick check — did it stick?
5 questions. No timer. Pure understanding.
Backlink glossary — the terms you’ll see everywhere
- DADomain Authority
- Moz’s 0-100 score predicting how likely a domain is to rank in search.
- PAPage Authority
- Same as DA but at the page level — predicts a single page’s ranking strength.
- DRDomain Rating
- Ahrefs’ 0-100 score for a domain’s overall backlink profile strength.
- Anchor TextAnchor Text
- The clickable text inside a hyperlink — a strong relevance signal to Google.
- DofollowDofollow Link
- A link that passes ranking authority (link equity) to the destination page.
- NofollowNofollow Link
- A link with rel="nofollow" — tells search engines not to pass authority through it.
- Link JuiceLink Juice
- Slang for the SEO authority/value passed from one page to another via a link.
- TF / CFTrust Flow / Citation Flow
- Majestic’s metrics — TF measures trust quality, CF measures link quantity.
- Toxic LinkToxic Backlink
- A spammy or low-quality link that may harm your rankings if not disavowed.
- DisavowDisavow Tool
- Google Search Console feature to tell Google to ignore specific bad backlinks.
Lesson complete
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Exclusive SEO lessons — SEO Engineer & Growth Consultant