When we talk about link value, we’re referring to the value that a particular website holds. This is the value that online search engines like Google use to determine which website should rank higher in Google. This link value primarily indicates the importance and relevance of the URL in question. A tricky aspect of this is that this value isn’t always exact and isn’t “fixed” by default. The link value of a URL is, in fact, variable. Moreover, the value depends on the specific situation and context.
In the following paragraph, we’ll discuss the factors that can influence link value (sometimes also referred to as SEO value). Building more link value is covered in the paragraph after that.
What determines link value?
The value of a particular URL depends on various factors. For example:
- The number of inbound links. This essentially refers to the number of external websites that link to the URL in question. Links can, of course, also originate from other internal pages.
- Where the inbound links come from. The fact is that the more external sites link to your website, the higher your website’s link value. Variation in this regard is therefore very important.
- Websites with high domain authority that link to a website, but that is not always enough, as it also depends on relevance and quality.
- The quality of inbound links. This is perhaps the most essential aspect influencing link value. For example, inbound links from rarely visited websites (which may also be subpar or irrelevant) are worth far less than a link from a high-quality website that shares common ground with your field and receives frequent traffic.
- Speaking of relevance; that also plays a significant role in link value. By relevance, we mean that there must be common ground between, on the one hand, your website, your field of work, and your products or services, and, on the other hand, the external site from which your site is linked.
How to build link equity?
There are various ways to build more link equity over the long term. This is sometimes referred to as building a richer link profile. Why would you do this? Well, link value has a substantial impact on your SEO—that is, your online discoverability—and thus also on the number of potential customers who will be able to find your website.
Working on optimal link value is largely synonymous with link building. Link building refers to the collection of backlinks, i.e., links from external websites that point to your site. You can do link building yourself or, for example, use a link building platform where various websites are aggregated. Links from link building and other sources are evaluated by online search engines primarily based on the criteria mentioned above.
Finally, regarding the collection of backlinks and thus the building of more link equity, we have the following tips for you:
- Try to collect as many easily obtainable links as possible. For example, sign up with business websites and homepages, create social media accounts, and always include your website at the bottom of your emails. Also post forum messages and comments, including the link to your site, of course.
- Ask family and friends if they can place a backlink somewhere.
- Consider setting aside a budget for link building and explore the possibilities through a link building platform.
- Do you want to further enrich your link value, particularly through high-quality websites with high authority? Then it’s wise to partner with an online marketing agency with proven expertise in this area.
