We have bought links for over $100,000 in the last 10 years. There are many variables and even more opinions. But let's try to keep it simple. Let's take a closer look 🔎
Is every link good?A clear no. If you buy a link from a casino site (for example), that's bad.
Should I worry about having a bad link?
Having a few bad links is likely not a problem. If you have hundreds of them, we have seen that you will lose positions in the search results.
Links from low-quality websites are often not a threat to your website. Google will disregard them, and your budget is simply wasted.
So... What makes a strong Link?
Let's pretend you run a travel agency in Dallas.
Relevant to your niche:
If you get a link from a travel website (skyscanner.com), that's great. Google will start to see you as a relevant company in the travel space.
A link from a cycling gear vendor in Spain will not help you much.
Link profile:
It's best if the domain has a high Domain Rating (DR). A high domain rating means that many other websites link to that domain. Ideally, the website has backlinks from Agoda, Skyscanner, etc. This shows that the website is every relevant to the niche.
We consider a DR30+ a good starting point.
The website has organic traffic a commercial term in your niche:
If the website that links to you is ranking high for (e.g.) "flight from NY to Paris", that'd be great. This is a commercial term (people are ready to buy) and a lot of people are searching for it every day.
If a domain has no traffic or only gets visits for keywords like "Kim Kardashian net worth," the website owner might be trying to fake relevant organic traffic. The "power" of the link is weak.
(Ideal) The page that links to you has organic traffic:
If the page from which you get the link (referringwebsite . com/best-travel-agency-in-dallas) has organic traffic, that'd be even better.
Likely you can get leads from it if you're in the top position of that page.
These links can cost $1,000-$10,000/year, but they can be worth a lot. If you get a steady stream of leads from the website and you can close the deals, the return can be great.
Placement of the Link
Should be at the top of the article
Should be in contextually relevant area of the text.
Should be do-follow
I have just started my website / I have never built links before.
We suggest that you start to build your link foundation first. Using the SEOCopilot App to create 1,000 foundational links is a smart, budget-friendly start. Once you're at DR20+, you can consider to build high-quality links.
Is a link from the main newspaper in my area a bad link?
For most niches, there are only a handful of relevant websites. Once you have secured these links, you can target very high DR websites that have a lot of authority in your area. Also, a link from a very strong, international website move the needle.
How much is a good link?
As a rule of thumb, a good link usually starts at $200 per link. There exist links that are cheaper but 9/10 times there's a problem with the domain that is linking to you.
Good links can cost up to a few thousand dollars per link. Buying these expensive links is usually necessary only in highly competitive, nationwide markets.
Bottom line:
You need a mix of strong and weak links for a natural and effective link profile.
A strong link profile includes relevant rankings, internal links, and external links. If possible, it should also consider traffic. This combination leads to long-term SEO success.
