DPS.MEDIA has supported hundreds of SMEs in leveraging backlinks to double their search rankings.
Understanding how to find and utilize backlinks helps increase sustainable marketing effectiveness.
The importance of quality backlink sources in modern SEO strategies
Quality backlinks: The core factor in today's SEO
Search engines like Google highly value backlinks from authoritative sites. According to Ahrefs (2023), over 90% of websites with no organic traffic lack quality backlinks.
- Backlinks from reputable sites help increase trust flow
- High industry relevance contributes to improved search rankings
- Natural links create positive signals for Google's AI algorithm
Real impact from quality links
A business in the real estate sector (anonymous) in Ho Chi Minh City grew 160% organic traffic within 6 months after building 20 backlinks from industry news sites. According to Semrush (2022), pages in the top 3 search results have on average 3.8 times more backlinks than other positions.
| Position on Google | Average number of backlinks |
|---|---|
| Top 1-3 | ~350 |
| Top 4-10 | ~90 |
Checklist: Building & evaluating quality backlinks
- Check DA/DR index ≥ 40
- Ensure the linked content is relevant to your field
- Avoid backlinks from spam sites, catalogs, PBNs
- Prioritize backlinks from original articles, not footer/sidebar
Key message
Quality backlinks not only improve rankings but also increase brand credibility in the long term. Investing in the right links, in the right way, always brings sustainable value and safety against algorithms.
Methods for evaluating and selecting suitable backlink sources for SMEs
Criteria for evaluating quality backlinks
A backlink not only needs to come from a high DA/DR page, but also must be relevant to the business's field of operation. Basic criteria include:
– Trust Flow: Indicates the trustworthiness of the site placing the backlink (can use Majestic to check)
– Content relevance: Backlinks from websites in the same niche help increase ranking potential by over 32% (Moz, 2023)
– Natural anchor text ratio: Avoid overusing main keywords as anchor text
Tips: Prioritize backlinks from industry news sites (e.g., local business association information pages) instead of spam forums or unknown PBNs.
How to identify potential backlink sources
SMEs can start with low-cost channels while still ensuring quality control:
– Place backlinks on partner or supplier websites
– Take advantage of guest posts on industry blogs – free or through “content exchange”
– Use the Ahrefs tool to analyze competitors' backlinks and filter out feasible backlink sources
Example: An HR SaaS startup reached out to 5 industry websites to publish guest posts. The result after 3 months was an 18% increase in organic traffic, according to data from Google Search Console (2023).
Pre-implementation checklist
- ✔️ Does the website placing the backlink have DA > 30?
- ✔️ Is the content related to your product/service?
- ✔️ Is the link placed in the main content (not in the footer/side bar)?
- ✔️ Is the site free from spam signs (broken favicon, duplicate content)?
- ✔️ Does the site owner allow anchor text editing?
Sample evaluation table: Selecting potential backlinks
| Website | DA/DR | Field | Cost | Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hrvietnam.com | 45/52 | Human Resources | 0 VND (guest post) | ✅ |
| topmarketing.vn | 31/38 | Marketing | 1.2 million VND/link | ✅ |
| link4seo.net | 15/20 | Multi-industry | 500k VND/link | ❌ |
Risks of choosing the wrong backlink sources
If SMEs build backlinks from sites with spammy content, Google may penalize domain (severely reduce rankings). According to Google's Spam Update report (2023), over 45% of affected sites had backlinks from PBNs or fake traffic pages.
Note: Always monitor the impact of each backlink with tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs Site Explorer.
Key takeaway
Backlink selection should be based on the principle of “quality over quantity.” SMEs should focus on building a backlink network from sites in the same field, with transparency, instead of chasing cheap backlinks of unknown origin.
Strategies for building sustainable relationships to leverage natural backlinks
Why do relationships affect backlinks?
Building relationships with professionals helps brands easily gain natural backlinks from reliable sources. According to Aira’s 2022 report, 74% of marketers succeeded in their link building strategy thanks to personal and professional networking.
When you have the trust of the industry community, sharing your content becomes more natural – instead of mass outreach with low response rates.
Steps to building effective relationships
Below is a specific checklist you can start applying:
- 🎯 Identify influencers (bloggers, web admins, SEO experts in the same field)
- 🗣 Engage on social media (valuable comments, share content, tag them appropriately)
- 🤝 Join webinars, seminars – seek opportunities for content collaboration or cross-interviews
- 📩 Send personalized emails – do not send mass identical templates
- 🧾 Invite them to contribute content to your blog to create two-way connections
Real example: Backlinks from the WordPress community
A Vietnamese design agency joined a Facebook group about WordPress development, regularly sharing real case studies. After 3 months, they were mentioned in 16 personal blogs – resulting in a total of 27 backlinks from 7 different domains (Ahrefs, 2023). They did not pay for any of these links.
Content collaboration tracking table
| Potential partner | Collaboration type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Blog SEO Vietnam | Cross-interview | Contacted |
| WP Expert Nguyen T. | Guest post | Awaiting response |
| Forum Agency Hub | Share case study | Completed |
Challenges in building SEO relationships
– Not everyone responds: The average personalized email response rate is only about 8.51% (Backlinko, 2022).
– Requires time & persistence: Building trust in the community takes at least 2-6 months of regular activity.
– Easily judged as spam if approached incorrectly (too quickly or out of context).
Brief takeaway
Focus on building genuine, long-term relationships – not only will this help you gain natural backlinks, but also expand your professional network, leading to sustainable SEO growth.
How to leverage content channels and communities to increase quality backlinks
Posting guest posts on industry blogs
Writing for blogs in the same field allows you to both share expertise and earn high-quality backlinks. Prioritize websites with DR > 30 and stable organic search traffic.
Some suitable platforms to find guest post opportunities:
– Medium, GrowthLab, Vietmoz Blog
– Industry-specific community forums (e.g.: Vietnam SEO Community)
– Partner or former client websites
Share content on community channels and social networks
Many communities on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Reddit are ideal places to share valuable content and attract natural backlinks. However, spamming will easily get you blocked or damage your reputation.
Suggested actions:
- Only post content with real insights (guides, case studies)
- Leave valuable comments and quote content with source links
- Share exclusive infographics or checklists
According to HubSpot (2023), content shared in groups has a 67% higher lead backlink rate than single posts.
Content channel deployment checklist for backlink creation
- Research the top 10 domains in your industry to see where their backlinks come from
- Plan 3 long-form content topics (>2000 words) each month
- Join at least 5 professional communities on Facebook or LinkedIn
- Post weekly on a partner blog or reputable publisher
Suggested community channel table
| Group/channel name | Content types | Note |
|---|---|---|
| SEO Community VN (Facebook) | Q&A posts, sharing tips | Do not insert links if not relevant |
| Product Manager VN Group | Case study analysis post | Content must include specific data |
| LinkedIn Post | Storytelling, industry reports | Use relevant hashtags to increase reach |
Notes when building backlinks from the community
Avoid groups or blogs with poor moderation, as Google may easily consider backlinks from there as spam (toxic). Also, do not rely on just 1-2 channels – diversify your traffic sources to avoid algorithm risks.
Community backlinks may not bring immediate traffic, but can help increase E-E-A-T (experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness) scores if cited in many reputable discussions.
takeaway
To effectively leverage content channels & communities, you need to choose the right platform, create real value, and consistently follow up. A synchronized content strategy can bring hundreds of quality backlinks without buying links.
Use backlink analysis tools to optimize campaign effectiveness
Reasons to use backlink analysis tools
Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Majestic to help you evaluate the quality and origin of backlinks pointing to your website. This not only prevents risks from bad links but also helps discover new opportunities.
According to a report by Backlinko (2023), websites with strong backlink profiles see an average increase of 43% in organic traffic after 6 months when properly optimized.
Quickly check backlink quality
Below are the criteria you can monitor periodically using analytics tools:
- DR/DA (Domain Rating/Authority) of the linking source
- Number of do-follow vs. no-follow links
- Whether the anchor text is natural or overused
- Frequency of new backlinks appearing (weekly/monthly)
Ensure backlinks come from content-relevant sources, avoiding spam sites or link farms—which can lower quality scores in Google's eyes.
Monitor competitors and identify opportunities
A real-life example: A Vietnamese fashion brand used Ahrefs to analyze the backlinks of 3 competitors. After 2 weeks of monitoring, they discovered 41 links from reputable blogs that had not been utilized. Result: they sent emails introducing new content and gained 14 quality backlinks in 1 month.
Tip: Use the “Link Intersect” feature to find domains linking to multiple competitors but not to you—a huge potential area to tap into.
Periodic backlink optimization checklist
- Analyze backlinks every 2 weeks using Ahrefs or SEMrush
- Remove or disavow toxic backlinks (via Google Search Console)
- Monitor the increase/decrease in the number of backlinks by specific content
- Send outreach to 2-3 potential sources each week
Quick backlink check table by group
| Criteria | Priority level | Supporting tool |
|---|---|---|
| DA/DR > 50 | High | Ahrefs |
| no anchor spam | Average | SEMRush |
| Content relevance | Very high | Google Analytics |
Note when implementing: don't let “quantity” overshadow “quality”
Focusing too much on increasing the number of backlinks can get you penalized by Google algorithms (like Penguin) for link manipulation. Instead, treat each backlink as a relationship that brings long-term value.
Short takeaway: Actions are more effective when you clearly know which backlinks actually contribute to SEO. Spend time analyzing—it's smarter than just mass building.
Common mistakes when building backlinks and how to avoid them
Placing backlinks indiscriminately without quality control
Many businesses, especially SMEs, often make the mistake of trying to get as many backlinks as possible. However, backlinks from low-quality websites can cause Google to give a negative evaluation.
- Only choose backlinks from websites with a DA score > 40 (according to Moz, 2023).
- Prioritize backlinks from articles related to your specific industry/niche.
- Do not use PBNs (Private Blog Networks) if you cannot control the quality of the sites.
Using duplicate content to build backlinks
A common habit is to “spin” or repost the same content to build links in bulk. This causes your entire website to be seen as spam, directly affecting sustainable SEO rankings.
Tip: Invest in in-depth content of 700-1200 words and customize each article for every site you post on. “Unique” content is three times more powerful than spun content (Ahrefs SEO Study, 2022).
Not tracking the effectiveness of each backlink
Backlinks do not have an immediate effect. Many people overlook tracking metrics, leading to wasted costs without knowing the reason.
📋 Monthly backlink effectiveness checklist:
- ✔️ Number of link crawls by Googlebot (via Google Search Console)
- ✔️ Have the DA, DR metrics of the backlink site improved?
- ✔️ Has referral traffic increased from newly placed backlinks?
- ✔️ Have links been lost or redirected?
Overusing exact match keyword anchor text
Google is increasingly sensitive to anchor text spam. Using too many anchor text matches the keyword will be considered as intentional algorithm manipulation, easily leading to a Penguin algorithm penalty.
| Type of anchor text | Recommended ratio (%) |
|---|---|
| Exact-match (exact keyword) | 5 – 10% |
| Branded (brand name) | 30 – 40% |
| Generic (click here, see more…) | 20 – 30% |
| Naked URL | 10 – 15% |
Example: Mistake from an automated backlink campaign
An anonymous client in the furniture industry used an automatic backlink generator on 500 domains in 1 week. Result: DR dropped from 48 to 33, organic traffic decreased by 45% in the next 2 months (data from Ahrefs, 2023).
Suggestion: You should only create a maximum of 5-10 high-quality backlinks per week with natural distribution.
Takeaway
Don’t sacrifice your website’s reputation just to quickly increase the number of backlinks. Instead, invest strategically, prioritize quality, and continuously measure to maintain sustainable SEO stability.
Future backlink development trends and advice from DPS.MEDIA experts
Backlinks are shifting towards quality over quantity
During the 2024-2026 period, Google continues to prioritize natural, content-relevant backlinks with high authenticity. Links from industry press, blogs with domain authority >60 are proving to be more effective than “mass” backlinks from forums or satellite sites.
According to Ahrefs (SEO Industry Study Report 2023), 91% of top 3 pages on Google have fewer than 100 backlinks – proving that quality > quantity.
Checklist for building a safe and sustainable backlink system
Below are suggestions from SEO experts at DPS.MEDIA to help you be more proactive in backlink acquisition:
- ✔️ Analyze competitors via Ahrefs or Semrush: see where they get their backlinks from
- ✔️ Priority for guest posts on sites with actual traffic >2,000 visits/month (according to SimilarWeb)
- ✔️ Avoid building many backlinks with the same anchor text in a short period
- ✔️ Check the outbound links of the page placing the backlink – a maximum of 30 is a safe level
Comparison table of popular backlink platforms today
| Platform | Quality | Average cost (VND) |
|---|---|---|
| Industry-specific news guest post | High | 3.000.000 – 8.000.000 |
| SEO Forum | Low | Free – 500,000 |
| Private Blog Networks (PBN) | Average | 1.000.000 – 3.000.000 |
Real-life example: Case study in the furniture industry
An SME in the interior design field increased organic traffic by 78% in 5 months by focusing on building just 15 backlinks from reputable architecture and construction sites such as kientrucmoivn.com, hoidongkientruc.org. Instead of chasing quantity, each link was carefully selected based on relevance and actual traffic.
This result proves that content relevance and source quality are more important than ever.
Warnings and challenges in modern backlink building
– Google's AI tools can now detect paid backlinks if the content is unnatural.
– Spamming backlinks from PBNs or spammy sites can cause your website to be sandboxed or suddenly drop in rankings.
It's better to invest your budget in creating valuable content and PR collaborations instead of buying links from unclear sources.
Takeaway:
An effective backlink strategy should be based on thorough research, relevance, and sustainability. Don’t chase quantity – slow and steady is the way smart businesses go.
A person's perspective in life
Quality backlinks not only help improve rankings but also build lasting credibility. Selecting and leveraging the right sources will create long-term advantages for SEO.
Start with relevant, trustworthy sources in your industry. Regularly check effectiveness to adjust your strategy in time.
You can also learn more about building natural anchor text or optimizing your guest posting campaign. These are the next steps for a comprehensive SEO strategy.
Do you have questions or experiences to share? DPS.MEDIA looks forward to receiving your feedback in the comments section below!
