# Backlink A backlink is a link from another site to a page on your site. It can help search rank, send referral users, and build trust. Here is what that means for a small site, how to read it, what to do, and what to avoid. Updated 2026-09-13 · Source: https://porteur.ai/glossary/backlink ## What a backlink means for a small site Each backlink is a vote of confidence, but not all votes weigh the same. A relevant link from a credible site can help the linked page rank and can send visitors who convert. Expect a slow build. New SaaS sites and stores tend to earn links first to helpful content, not to /pricing. Aim to get your first few links to pages like /guides/getting-started or a case study that others want to cite. ## How to read and measure backlinks - Google Search Console shows a Links report with top linking sites and top linked pages. Use it to see what already earns links and spot odd spikes. - Track referring domains as a count, not only total links. Ten links from ten sites usually help more than ten links from one site. - Sample the actual linking pages. Click through and check the anchor, the context, and if the link is visible to users. - Use third party link indexes to compare with rivals. They crawl the web on their own, so numbers will differ from each other and from Search Console. A fixed page tends to show a handful of relevant anchors, steady new referring domains over months, and no sudden bursts from unrelated sites or languages. ## Dofollow and nofollow, and other attributes Links can carry rel attributes. If none are set, search engines usually treat the link as a normal signal. People call this dofollow, though it is not an official attribute. - rel="nofollow": a hint that the link should not pass ranking signals. - rel="sponsored": marks paid or sponsored links. - rel="ugc": marks user generated content links, such as forum posts or comments. All three tell search engines to be cautious. A nofollow link can still send users and may be discovered and crawled. Do not chase attributes, chase relevant mentions that real people click. ## What to do to earn useful links 1. **Pick pages worth citing** Create one or two pieces others will reference: a clear benchmark, a teardown, a checklist, or original data. Put them at simple URLs like /guides/benchmark. 2. **Find relevant sites and pages** List blogs, documentation pages, directories, or newsletters in your niche. Prioritise pages that already link to similar resources. 3. **Offer a clear reason to link** Pitch a precise update: show where your guide fills a gap, or where you fixed an error. Keep the ask small: one sentence, one URL. 4. **Fix your internal links** Link from your homepage and /blog to the asset. Use plain anchors like "SaaS onboarding checklist" so visitors, and crawlers, can find it. 5. **Monitor and follow up** Check new links monthly. Thank genuine mentions, correct broken links, and ask for brand mentions to be turned into links when it helps the reader. ## Traps and bad bets - Paying for links that pass PageRank risks penalties. Sponsored placements should use rel="sponsored". - Sitewide footer links rarely help and can look manipulative. - Worrying about exact match anchors. Use natural anchors that fit the sentence. - Chasing volume from unrelated sites. Relevance of the linking page and site matters. - Submissions to low quality directories or link farms. They waste time and can harm you. - Giving up too soon. Earning a handful of good referring domains can take months. ## Questions ### What is a backlink in SEO? It is a link from another site to a page on your site. Search engines can use it as a signal of trust and relevance, and it can send referral traffic. ### How do I get backlinks for SEO? Publish something worth citing, then tell the right people. Start with one strong guide or dataset, place it somewhere visible on your site, and pitch relevant pages that already link to similar resources. ### Can you give me an example of a backlink? A blog post on fintechnews.example links to yourproduct.com/guides/fraud-rules with the anchor "fraud rules checklist". That is a backlink to your guide. ### How do I view backlinks of a website? In Google Search Console, open Links to see top linking sites and pages. Third party link indexes also show backlinks they have found, and are useful for comparing with rivals. ### Do nofollow links help SEO? They are marked as hints not to pass ranking signals. They can still bring users, help discovery, and build relationships that later lead to followed links. ### How many backlinks do I need? There is no fixed number. Aim for a steady gain in relevant referring domains to the pages that matter, not a target count across the whole site. ## Read next - [How to get backlinks for a small product site](https://porteur.ai/guides/how-to-get-backlinks-for-a-small-site): What to build, who to ask and how to measure. A founder’s plan to earn backlinks without spam or spend, with examples and a checklist. - [Backlink gap: the sites that link to your rivals and not to you](https://porteur.ai/guides/backlink-gap): Find the sites that link to rivals and not to you. Read the page, make the ask, and track new links. A practical backlink gap workflow. - [Broken backlinks: the links you are losing to pages that are gone](https://porteur.ai/guides/broken-backlinks): Links point to deleted pages, wasting authority. Learn how to find broken backlinks, map redirects, when to restore pages, and what not to redirect. - [Referring domains: what the count means and what moves it](https://porteur.ai/guides/referring-domains): Learn what referring domains are, how they differ from backlinks, why breadth beats volume, how tools count them, and what actually moves the number. - [Referring domain](https://porteur.ai/glossary/referring-domain): A referring domain is a unique site that links to yours. Here is why the count matters more than backlink totals, how to check it, and what to do. - [Internal linking for a small site: which pages link to which](https://porteur.ai/guides/internal-linking-for-seo): Decide which pages rank. Build hubs, write clear anchors, fix orphans, and crawl your site to map links you control. - [Nofollow link](https://porteur.ai/glossary/nofollow-link): What a nofollow link is, what changed in 2019, how to check rel values, when to use nofollow, sponsored or ugc, and the traps to avoid. - [Dofollow link](https://porteur.ai/glossary/dofollow-link): A dofollow link is a normal link without rel values. Here is how to tell, what it means for rankings, and where small sites can earn them. Want to know which pages on your site are most linkable, and who already links to rivals? Paste your URL and get three findings in about thirty seconds. Free check: https://porteur.ai/