There is a lot of debate regarding backlinks vs external links. Which one matters more? What’s the difference? We all tried to rank our websites high in the search engine results pages (SERPs) using various methods.
Some of these methods include backlinks and external links. But what exactly are backlinks and external links, and which is more important when improving your website’s ranking? This blog post will discuss backlinks and how they differ from external links. We will also explore which is more important for your website and offer tips on getting backlinks and external links.
So, let’s get started! by defining them,
What Are Backlinks?
Backlinks, also known as inbound or incoming links, are links from other websites back to your website. These backlinks act as a vote of confidence for search engines, showing that your website is credible and has valuable content.
- Editorial backlinks: These are gained through earning mentions or being referenced by reputable sources within your industry.
- Guest blogging backlinks: Gaining backlinks through publishing content on another website in your industry, with a link back to your website.
- Broken link backlinks: Gaining backlinks by finding broken links on other websites within your industry and offering a working link to replace it with a backlink to your website as thanks.
- Image backlinks: Gaining backlinks by having others use an image from your website, with proper attribution and a link back to the source.
- Resource page backlinks: Gaining backlinks through being listed as a valuable resource on another reputable website within your industry.
Well, there are several backlink-building techniques. But those mentioned above are only a few. Now, let’s discuss External Links.
What Are External Links?
External links, also known as outbound or outgoing links, are links on your website that lead to other websites. These links show search engines that you are citing reputable sources and add value to your content by providing additional information for your readers.
Types Of External Links
- Affiliate links: links to products or services that you recommend and may receive a commission for if someone purchases through your link
- Sponsored links: links to a website or product that has paid you in exchange for promoting them
- Relevant resources: links to websites that may provide valuable information or additional resources for your readers
- Citations: links back to sources used within your content
Now that you have understood what backlinks and external links are? Now let’s dive more into them.
Backlinks vs External links
Well, Answering this question is not easy. Backlinks and external links play a significant role in SEO and should be a part of your overall link-building strategy.
Reasons To Differentiate Backlink vs External Links
Here are the top reasons to answer this question:
- Backlinks show search engines that your website is credible and has valuable content, while external links demonstrate that you cite reputable sources and provide additional information for readers.
- Backlinks can directly impact search engine rankings, while external links may not directly impact rankings but can improve overall website authority.
- They are typically harder to acquire, requiring other websites to link to your website, while external links can easily be added.
- They have the potential to drive more referral traffic to your website, while external links provide value for readers and can keep them on your site longer.
- It Offers more opportunities to optimize anchor text (the clickable text in a link), while external links may not have optimized anchor text.
- They come from high-authority websites within your industry and can significantly benefit your search rankings, while external links from low-authority websites may not have as much impact.
- Backlinks should come naturally through valuable content and promotion, while external links can be intentionally added to your website.
- It may take longer to acquire and see results while adding external links to your website can offer immediate value.
- They are often more valuable in terms of SEO than external links.
- The best approach is to focus on backlinks and external link-building for a well-rounded strategy.
Does External Link Passes Authority?
This is a difficult question, as there is no definitive answer. Some experts believe that external links do not pass authority or “link juice” to your website, while others believe they can help boost your search engine rankings and overall website authority. It depends on the backlink quality, source, and other ranking factors.
Ultimately, the best approach is to focus on backlinks and other link-building strategies to improve your SEO and build your website’s authority over time.
Ways To Earn Quality Backlinks and External Links.
There are many ways to earn backlinks and external links for your website. Some of the most effective approaches include:
Ways to Earn Quality Backlinks
1. Create High-Value Content
- Write in-depth blogs, original research, or how-to guides that people naturally want to link to.
- Use visuals like infographics or charts – they attract links easily.
2. Guest Posting
- Contribute articles to relevant industry blogs or websites in your niche.
- Add your website link naturally in the content or author bio.
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to find mentions of your brand without links – and politely ask them to add your link.
4. Broken Link Building
- Find broken links on websites in your niche.
- Suggest your similar content as a replacement. (Win-win!)
5. Skyscraper Technique
- Find popular content with lots of backlinks.
- Create an even better version and reach out to those linking to the original post.
6. Build Relationships
- Connect with bloggers, journalists, and influencers.
- Networking often leads to natural link mentions.
7. HARO (Help A Reporter Out)
- Answer journalist questions.
- If your quote is featured, you get a backlink from trusted media outlets.
8. Testimonials and Reviews
- Offer testimonials for tools or services you use.
- Many companies link back when they showcase client reviews.
Ways to Earn Strong External Links
While these don’t boost your rankings directly, smart external linking builds trust and content depth.
1. Link to Authoritative Sources
- Refer to official data, research, or well-known industry blogs.
- Example: Google, Moz, HubSpot, Statista, etc.
2. Mention Tools or Platforms You Use
- If you talk about software/tools (like Canva or Ahrefs), link to their homepage or feature page.
3. Support Your Claims with External Proof
- Add external links when stating facts, studies, or stats.
- This makes your content more trustworthy.
4. Link to Related Blogs (That Aren’t Competitors)
- Help readers learn more by linking to other useful articles.
- It improves user experience and can start link partnerships.
5. Use External Links Strategically
- Only link when it adds value.
- Avoid linking to competitors or irrelevant pages.
Which Matters The Most For Google: Backlinks Or External links
Backlinks
These are very important for Google. Here’s why:
- They act like votes of trust – when other sites link to you, Google sees your content as valuable.
- They improve rankings – strong, relevant backlinks from authoritative websites can push your site higher in search results.
- Backlinks are a key ranking factor – Google’s algorithm has historically relied on them (like in PageRank).
The more high-quality backlinks you have, the better your chances of ranking well.
External Links
These are also important, but in a different way:
- They help Google understand your content better (by connecting it to other trusted resources).
- They build credibility when you cite good sources.
- They can boost user experience by guiding readers to more information.
But overusing or linking to bad sites can actually hurt your SEO. External links do not directly improve your rankings the way backlinks do.
At the end of the day, backlinks and external links are both essential for SEO.
FAQs
Q- How Do I Get Backlinks?
There are a few ways to earn backlinks, such as creating valuable content that others will want to reference and share, guest blogging, broken link building, image backlinking, and getting listed as a resource on other websites.
Q-How Do I Add External Links To My Website?
You can add external links by simply including the full URL within your content and making it clickable, or you can use HTML to create a hyperlink. But you can control whether the link should be dofollow or nofollow by adjusting the HTML code.
Q- Which One Hurts The Most, the Backlink Or The External Link?
In most cases, backlinks significantly impact search engine rankings, but in some rare instances, having too many low-quality backlinks can hurt your website. But, As external links are not directly tied to search rankings, they would not have as much of an impact on your website’s ranking.
Overall, backlinks and external links play an essential role in a solid link-building strategy. Focus on creating valuable content, promoting it to earn backlinks, and intentionally adding reputable external links to offer value for readers and improve credibility.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have a better understanding of backlinks vs. external links, it’s essential to focus on building both for a well-rounded link-building strategy. Don’t forget to monitor your backlink profile regularly and remove any low-quality backlinks that could harm your website’s search rankings.
If you have any questions regarding backlinks vs. external links, then feel free to leave your questions in the comment section. We will be happy to answer you.
Thanks for reading 🙂
