Types of Backlinks in SEO: Complete Guide for Beginners

Infographic showing various types of backlinks including dofollow, nofollow, guest post, and editorial links, designed in green and black theme

July 7, 2025

Types of Backlinks: A Complete Guide for Beginners

Introduction

Backlinks form a vital part in off-page SEO due to their significance. Search engines rely on backlinks to determine the credibility or otherwise of your content. However, not all backlinks are created equal. There are those that will enhance your website’s ranking and some may lower it.

Today we are going to examine different kinds of backlinks in details through this blog. After reading this blog, you will know what kind of backlink is good for you and which one isn’t? Let’s get started!

What Are Backlinks?

Backlinks refer to links pointing from one website to another; they may also be termed as incoming or inbound links. These are comparable to votes. It tells Google that your page is relevant when another site links their content to yours.

Having many high-quality backlinks can improve your site’s position in search engine results pages.

Why Are Backlinks Important?

Backlinks are important for several reasons:

They increase the domain authority.
They allow Google to easily index your site.
Bringing referral traffic.
It helps improve search visibility.

But again, the type of backlinks you build matters a lot. So now we will see what every SEO expert should know about backlinks.

Types of Backlinks

1. DoFollow Backlinks

What are DoFollow Backlinks?

This is a simple DoFollow link that passes link juice – the way search engines determine which websites are important – from one site to another. These types of links are very important or high PR backlinks.

Example: Whenever your SEO improves as a trusted site links to your blog using a DoFollow link.

Why Are They Important?

To boost search engine rankings
The passing of domain authority
Enhances trust and relevance

Where Can You Get DoFollow Links?

Guest posts
High-quality directories
Niche blog mentions
Resource pages

2. NoFollow Backlinks

What Are NoFollow Backlinks?

A NoFollow backlink tells search engines not to pass any link juice. It includes a special tag: rel="nofollow".

Are They Still Useful?

Yes, but not for SEO directly. They still:

Bring referral traffic
Increase brand awareness
Help with link diversity

Common Sources of NoFollow Links:

Blog comments
Social media links
Forum posts
Press release sites

3. UGC Backlinks (User Generated Content)

What is a UGC Link?

UGC stands for User Generated Content. It uses the tag rel="ugc", which is a signal for content made by users, like forum posts and comments.

Why Are UGC Tags Used?

To avoid spam
To mark user content separately from editorial content

Are They Helpful?
Not always for SEO, but they are useful for traffic and brand presence.

4. Sponsored Backlinks

What is a Sponsored Backlink?
A sponsored link is a paid link. It includes the tag rel="sponsored" to inform Google that it’s a promotional link.

When to Use Sponsored Tags?

Affiliate links
Paid ad placements
Paid guest posts

SEO Tip: Use this tag properly to avoid Google penalties.

5. Editorial Backlinks

What Are Editorial Links?
These are natural backlinks placed by writers and editors because they trust your content.

Benefits of Editorial Backlinks:

High authority and trust
Pure DoFollow value
Great for long-term SEO

How to Get Editorial Links?

Write helpful, unique content
Get featured in top blogs
Build relationships with editors

6. Guest Post Backlinks

What Is Guest Posting?
Guest posting means writing content for another website and adding a link to your own.

Advantages:

Builds authority
Gets DoFollow links
Reaches new readers

Caution: Avoid spammy guest post networks. Always write for quality sites.

7. Comment Backlinks

What Are Comment Links?
You can leave a link in blog comments. Most of these are NoFollow, but they still serve a purpose.

Why Use Them?

Drive traffic
Build relationships
Stay active in your niche

SEO Advice: Don’t spam. Leave thoughtful comments on relevant blogs.

8. Forum Backlinks

What Are Forum Links?
These come from posting in discussion forums. You can include your link in a profile or thread.

When Are Forum Links Helpful?

When the forum is niche-specific
When you contribute real value
When your link fits the topic

Avoid This: Don’t join forums just to drop links. Be an active member.

9. Profile Backlinks

What Are Profile Links?
These are links you add when creating a profile on websites like business directories or online tools.

Example Sites:

About.me
Crunchbase
Behance
Medium

Do They Work?
Yes, they help build link diversity and brand awareness, especially for new websites.

10. Image Backlinks

What Are Image Backlinks?
These are links earned when someone uses your image and links back to you.

SEO Tip: Always use branded images or infographics with watermark and ALT text.

How to Earn Them:

Share original infographics
Submit to image-sharing sites
Use Pinterest and Flickr

11. Directory Backlinks

What Are Directory Links?
These links come from submitting your site to business directories.

Good Directories To Consider:

Yelp
JustDial
Clutch
IndiaMart

Tip: Choose niche and local directories only. Avoid spammy ones.

12. Social Media Backlinks

What Are They?
These are links you share on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Most are NoFollow.

Benefits:

Improve visibility
Drive traffic
Signal popularity to Google

13. Press Release Backlinks

What Are PR Backlinks?
These links come from news publications when you distribute press releases.

Use Case:

Launching a product
Sharing company updates

Note: Overuse of PR backlinks can trigger spam filters. Use wisely.

14. Infographic Backlinks

What Are They?
When other websites embed your infographics and link back to your site, it creates a backlink.

Why They Work:

Easy to share
Visually appealing
Good for link baiting

Strategy Tip: Make original data-based infographics to attract editorial links.

15. .Edu and .Gov Backlinks

What Are They?
These are links from educational (.edu) or government (.gov) websites.

Why They Matter:

Very high authority
Trusted by search engines
Hard to get

How To Get Them:

Offer student discounts
Create scholarship pages
Share free resources

Which Backlinks Are the Best?

Not all backlinks are equal. Here is a simple guide:

Type of Backlink	Value
Editorial	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Guest Post	⭐⭐⭐⭐
DoFollow	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Infographic	⭐⭐⭐
Profile	⭐⭐
NoFollow	⭐
Spam/Unnatural Links	❌

How to Build Quality Backlinks

Below is a guide on how you can create backlinks of high quality which are also secure:

Produce original, useful content
Emphasize white-hat SEO
Stay away from bad neighborhoods (spammy directories) or buying links
Socialize within your niche
Monitor your backlink profile using Ahrefs and Ubersuggest tracking tools.

Conclusion

In conclusion, knowledge of various kinds of backlinks is crucial for enhancing one’s SEO. A combination of both follow and no follow links that are high quality should be used. Concentrate on adding value rather than just increasing the number. It may take time, but with some patience and a sound plan, inbound hyperlinks will increase your traffic as well as exposure.

Disclaimer — This blog is for informational purposes only. WiseEra Learning cannot assure that SEO will improve through this or any kind of link building strategy. Remember to adhere to Google’s policies and recommended approaches for linking at all times.