What is Backlink?
Definition
A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Search engines treat relevant backlinks from trusted sites as evidence that your page is useful and credible, which is why they remain one of the signals behind search rankings.
Last updated 2026-10-18 · Flowmatix
How backlinks work
When a respected site links to a page, it is effectively vouching for it. Search engines count those references, but they weigh them very differently. One link from a regional newspaper, an industry association or a well-known supplier can carry more value than hundreds from low-quality directories. The words used in the link (the anchor text) and the topic of the linking page also tell search engines what your page is about.
Example: a Toronto bakery is featured in a local food publication's guide to the best sourdough, with a link to its order page. That single editorial link tells search engines the bakery is real, relevant to sourdough and recognised locally, and it may send customers directly too.
Links can also carry attributes such as rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored", which tell search engines not to treat the link as an endorsement. Paid placements should use them.
Why it matters for your business
Two businesses with equally good pages rarely rank equally. The one other sites reference usually wins. Backlinks also feed third-party metrics such as Domain Authority, which many people use as a rough comparison against competitors.
The safest backlinks come from doing things worth mentioning: publishing useful data, sponsoring local events, joining industry bodies, earning press coverage. That is why link building often overlaps with digital PR. AI assistants also pay attention to how often your brand is mentioned across the web, a shift covered in our article on brand mentions vs backlinks.
Common mistakes
- Buying links. Google's spam policies define link spam as creating links primarily to manipulate rankings, and buying or selling links for ranking purposes is the first example listed.
- Chasing volume from irrelevant directories, foreign blog networks or comment spam.
- Using the exact same keyword-stuffed anchor text over and over, which looks engineered.
- Ignoring the links you already have. Broken pages that other sites link to waste that value until they are fixed or redirected.
Frequently asked questions
How many backlinks do I need to rank?
There is no fixed number. It depends on how competitive the search is and how strong your competitors' link profiles are. A handful of relevant, local links often moves the needle for small businesses in less crowded markets.
Should I disavow bad backlinks?
Usually not. Google's disavow guidance reserves the tool for sites with a considerable number of spammy or artificial links that have caused, or likely will cause, a manual action. That typically means links you or a past agency paid for.
Do nofollow links have any value?
They are not counted as endorsements in the same way, but they can still bring visitors, build brand recognition and lead to other people linking naturally.
How Flowmatix can help
Our SEO services work puts this into practice for businesses in Toronto and around the world. Get a personalised quote in about 3 minutes.
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