August 29, 2024
It’s a discussion we often have with prospects and clients. Does link building really work? Although we as link builders see the correlation in rising rankings and a strong link profile, we have never taken the time to do thorough research on the correlation between link building and ranking in the SERPs. In this blog, we’ll delve into the correlation between link building and search engine rankings, supported by research and real-world data.
What is Link Building?
Link building involves earning backlinks from other websites to your own. These links act as votes, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and authoritative. High-quality backlinks can significantly impact your site's visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
The Importance of Backlinks
Search engines like Google use backlinks as one of the primary ranking factors. The logic is straightforward: if multiple reputable sites link to a particular page, it must offer valuable content. This endorsement increases the site's authority and trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines.
Research Methodology
To determine if link building truly works, we conducted a correlation study using data from various sources, including Moz and Ahrefs. For 10 top keywords, we researched big money keywords like ‘car insurance or car lease’ . We tracked the top 20 search results in three different markets. Our research involved analyzing websites across different industries, focusing on the following metrics:
- Domain Authority (DA): A score from Moz that predicts a website's authority based on its link profile.
- Domain Rating (DR): A score from Ahrefs that predicts a website's authority based on its link profile.
- URL Rating (UR): A metric from Ahrefs that measures the strength of a target URL’s backlink profile.
- Number of Referring Domains: The number of unique domains linking to a landing page.
- Keyword Rankings: Positions of targeted keywords on SERPs.
Key Findings
- Correlation Between Referring Domains and Position:
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- The correlation between the number of referring domains and positions is approximately -0.227. This indicates a weak negative correlation, meaning that as the number of referring domains increases, the position (which is better when lower) tends to improve.
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- Domain Rating (-0.199):
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- There is a weak negative correlation between Domain Rating and position, suggesting that higher domain ratings might be associated with better positions (lower numerical values in position).
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- Ahrefs Rank (0.190):
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- There is a weak positive correlation between Ahrefs Rank and position. Since a lower Ahrefs Rank indicates a better domain, this positive correlation indicates that higher Ahrefs Ranks (worse ranks) are associated with poorer positions.
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- Total Backlinks (-0.158):
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- There is a weak negative correlation between total backlinks and position, indicating that more backlinks might slightly contribute to better positions.
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- Total Keywords (-0.190):
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- There is a weak negative correlation between the number of keywords a site ranks for and its position, indicating that sites ranking for more keywords might tend to have better positions.
Additional Correlations
- Total Keywords vs Total Backlinks (0.870):
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- There is a strong positive correlation between the number of keywords a site ranks for and the total number of backlinks. This suggests that sites with more backlinks tend to rank for a larger number of keywords.
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- Total Traffic vs Total Keywords (0.962):
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- There is a very strong positive correlation between total traffic and the number of keywords a site ranks for. This indicates that sites with higher traffic also tend to rank for more keywords.
Limitations
While our findings suggest that link building can positively impact search rankings, it's important to note that correlation does not imply causation. Other factors, such as content quality, on-page SEO, and user engagement, also play significant roles in determining search rankings. Additionally, the study focuses on correlation, not causation, and further research could involve more sophisticated statistical analyses, such as multivariate regression, to isolate the effects of link building from other variables.
Practical Recommendations
- Focus on Quality Over Quantity:
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- The quality of backlinks matters more than the sheer quantity. Links from authoritative, relevant sites had a more significant impact on rankings compared to numerous links from low-quality sources. A strategic approach to link building should focus on earning links from reputable sites within your industry.
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- Diversify Your Link Profile:
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- Aim to acquire backlinks from a variety of sources. This diversity can help build a more robust link profile that is less susceptible to algorithm changes.
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- Monitor Your Progress:
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- Use tools like Moz and Ahrefs to regularly monitor your link profile and search rankings. Adjust your link building strategy based on the data to continuously improve your SEO performance.
Conclusion
Our correlation research indicates that link building does indeed work. It plays a critical role in improving domain authority, organic traffic, and keyword rankings. However, the success of link building depends on the quality and relevance of the backlinks. A well-executed link building strategy, focusing on earning high-quality links from authoritative sources, can yield substantial SEO benefits and drive meaningful business outcomes.
This article has been produced with the help of our partners at De Nieuwe Zaak.
Chief Executive Officer
Dennis Akkerman is the Chief Executive Officer at Seeders Zwolle. With a strong background in online marketing, Dennis leads the team in developing effective strategies for clients to grow their online presence. He is dedicated to delivering results and ensuring the success of every campaign. Dennis' expertise and leadership drive Seeders' mission to help businesses in the digital world.
