Link quality and nature are more important than the number of links In the old internet where SEO was synonymous with technical optimization and various typhoon, the link construction was the main factor in getting a website high up in the Google search. Although links remain among the three main ranking factors at Google (http://searchengineland.com/now-know-googles-top-three-search-ranking-factors-245882), the current situation is paradoxically enough to link build per se works badly. On the contrary, unethical link builds (link schemes) may damage the organic ranking of the website.
The reason lies in Google’s ability to judge quality on the links pointing to your website. It is important to remember that Google uses links as an indicator of how well your page is fit to answer a given question or to solve a need, and if you pay for a link, or by other means demand links from the other website, this is probably not a quality indicator. If you are using an SEO advisor who is above all focused on: build links, This is a sign of out-of-date expertise.
What is a good incoming link? How do you know that a link transfers real quality to your site, and that it helps to strengthen rankings and increase organic traffic rather than to cause damage to the website?
1. Will the link from an authority within the specific theme come from your own? The link should come from an authority within the search phrase and the area you want to rank. If you sell slalomski, a link from a website that has a lot of good and relevant content about alpine and winter sports, such as a ski magazine, will weigh far more than a link from a blog that also writes about lifestyle and food. The reason is simple: Google is looking for “votes” from experts, not necessarily bloggers with many followers and high market value. So the link should come from a page that is about a lot of the same team that your page does.
2. Is the link coming from a high traffic page and a known name? If you compete for a Google ranking on a search phrase related to outdoor life, a link from the Norwegian Tourist Association will weigh significantly more than a link from a less known outdoor blog. Although this blog is well written and well run, and has many incoming links, the weight from dnt.no (link) will send you further on the way to Google's mountain top.
Three. Which other places links the page that links to you? If Google sees that it has also released links either in cab and rifle, or that it links to more shady pages, such as online betting and viagra, this can place you in a poor digital neighborhood since you want to be associated with these pages. In such cases, this new link may harm you by getting further down in Google's search results.
4. Does the link have the character of being editorial or paid? If it is clear to Google that the link has been purchased and paid, it will be considered less as a genuine quality indicator than if the link is naturally found in an article. What about blogs? Here we see that it is often linked in a natural way even though they are frequently sponsored! Links that come from a blog often keep much of their full value much because of the editorial style and expression a blog has. It should nevertheless be noted that if you buy blog links through advertising networks, applications like Adblock can make these invisible to users who have this installed. A link in the form of a banner advertisement has, of course, little SEO value, as it is very obvious that this one has been paid.
5So let's say that this is the same thing as that. Is the page that links to you relevant to what your page is about? If you sell consumer loans, and you get a link from a ferry company, this will give you close to zero value because these two have nothing to do with each other.
In summary, links have the same importance for Google as in the past, but now it's the link quality and Google requirements that matter today, and not the number of links.
Rand Fishkin from Moz gives you a comprehensive and explanatory summary of the types of links that contribute to increased ranking (and who does not):