Not every backlink carries the same weight. Understanding the main types of backlinks helps you prioritise which ones are worth chasing, and which ones are only marginally useful.
A link a writer adds naturally because your content or product is genuinely relevant — the gold standard. Hardest to get, most valuable, because it can't be bought or automated.
Links from business or product directories. Lower individual value than an editorial link, but fast, safe, and predictable — the foundation layer of any backlink strategy.
A link included in an article you wrote for someone else's site. Valuable when the site is genuinely relevant and the post is original — low value when it's a thin, templated post placed purely for the link.
A link from a curated "best tools" or "resources" page. Strong signal because a human deliberately chose to include you alongside other credible resources.
Links left in forum posts, blog comments, or Q&A sites. Generally low value on their own, and overuse can look spammy — treat as a minor supplement, never a strategy.
A "nofollow" tag tells search engines not to pass ranking credit through that link. Directory and citation links are increasingly a healthy mix of both — a natural profile isn't 100% dofollow, and an all-dofollow profile can itself look manipulated. Read more in our nofollow vs dofollow guide.
For a new site: directory and citation links first (fast, safe, foundational), then resource pages and guest posts as your content and relationships develop, with editorial links as the long-term goal once you have real traction.
Yes, especially early on — they're the fastest way to build a base of referring domains safely, even though each individual link carries less weight than an editorial one.
No — a natural mix matters more than covering every category. Most sites benefit most from directory/citation links plus a steady trickle of editorial and resource-page links over time.
We submit your product to vetted directories by hand and send proof of every listing.
See pricing →A beginner's explanation of link building: what it means, why backlinks affect rankings, and the main types of link building you'll come across.
Read the guide →What a referring domain is, how it differs from a backlink, and why the number of unique referring domains matters more than total link count.
Read the guide →A step-by-step walkthrough for finding your backlinks in Google Search Console for free, including how to export the full list and what the report does and does not show.
Read the guide →