Backlinks: Domain Authority, Page Authority, Spam, # Root Domains, Total Links?

[giannid]

I'm looking to join some local chambers of commerce for some decent backlinks. My competitors have them who rank better than I do so I figured I'd get some of there backlinks. My question is what is the most important thing when it comes to the backlink, Domain Authority,page authority,spam score,number of root domains and total links. The ones I'm looking at are all providing a follow link with a chamber membership. I'm just trying to hand pick the best.

 

[bhartzer]

Keep in mind that there's really no such thing as "domain authority". The link value comes from the actual page that's linking to you. So, evaluate the actual page that is going to link to you.

I have links from a popular University because I speak every semester to their internet marketing classes. I have plenty of links from this .EDU site. But where I'm linked on the site (class curriculum pages) isn't linked from the rest of the public facing site. They're just orphan pages. I don't get much value, if anything at all, from those links. Even though those links are on an .EDU site and it's a popular, authoritative university, because "domain authority" doesn't exist, the links are pretty much useless to me when it comes to search engine rankings.

 

[giannid]

Well these links I'm looking into from the Chambers of commerce are coming back as follow links so I imagine they have to have some effect on engine rankings. My onpage seo seems to be better than the competitors i'm researching so I believe the link juice is giving them the boost.

 

[bhartzer]

Even if the links are 'nofollow' links, what's important is that real people will actually click on them and come to your website. Get the links based on whether you'll get business from it rather than just the "link value" of the link.

 

[giannid]

I completely understand that, I'm just trying to cover all bases. The BBB is a very popular non follow link but I'm still on the fence with it with it's $500 price tag. Paid for it last year and from my research, didn't get much business from it. And being it's a no follow link, I think the seo value is very minimal.

 

[bhartzer]

Yes, BBB links are nofollow links. But, I do think that it's valuable to have, as I've seen cases where Google ignores the nofollow link attribute. Especially on sites that are trusted.

 

[giannid]

Well that's news to me. From everything I've read a non follow link does nothing from an SEO perspective.

 

[djbaxter]

Googlebot follows and indexes the target pages for nofollow links but those links do not add to PageRank and therefore do not increase search ranking.

That is what Google has said for some time about nofollow links.

There are some who dispute that - e.g., https://www.searchenginejournal.com/10-common-misconceptions-backlink-profiles/182318/ - but there is really no sound evidence to support such views that I'm aware of. They cite anecdotal "evidence" but with search engine ranking there are so many variables now (100s) that opinions based on anecdotal observations really don't count for much.

That doesn't mean they do not have some value for your site and it's overall backlinks profile though. See https://searchengineland.com/bloggers-guide-no-follow-links-240373 for examples

 

[DMG]

Yes, BBB links are nofollow links. But, I do think that it's valuable to have, as I've seen cases where Google ignores the nofollow link attribute. Especially on sites that are trusted.

Can you provide an example, please?

It seems that, with so many websites going nofollow, there won't be many dofollow links left. It just makes sense that nofollow links will need to be a direct ranking factor at some point.

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks!

 

[Eric Rohrback]

why would no-follow be a "direct ranking factor" for Google? The entire point of no-follow is to indicate that search engines should now follow it https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/96569?hl=en

In the case of sites like BBB, that usually indicates a paid link or user generated (eg, created by the person placing the link).

While nofollow links are useful as long as they are driving referral traffic to the site, they are not useful if you are hoping for SEO value.

Look at sites like this for either Trust Value (passing trustworthy business data to Google/users), or will send good traffic to the site (traffic that may convert).

 

[DMG]

why would no-follow be a "direct ranking factor" for Google?

If every link becomes nofollow, then you'd either have to eliminate links as a ranking factor, or consider nofollow links a signal of some kind.

Slowly, nofollow is becoming the preferred way for the toughest websites to publish on.

It's practically a matter of common sense that nofollow links have to account for some symbol of authority. The same can be said for mentions or co-citations. They may not be as powerful, but maybe nofollow is the new dofollow with a new calibration towards ranking? What do you think, Eric?

Food for thought:

https://searchengineland.com/nofollow-links-not-useless-earning-central-good-seo-285412

https://moz.com/blog/seo-value-nofollow-links

https://moz.com/blog/the-hidden-power-of-nofollow-links

 

[Eric Rohrback]

I still say no. That's not the way those types of links were intended.

The real value of no-follow links is the benefit of traffic, awareness, and brand-trust building as I mentioned. No-follow links were designed to indicate they are not trustworthy or not a true editorially placed link (eg, paid). Google should not (and probably will not) make those a direct ranking factor for that reason.

The true power is not ranking. It's driving traffic to your website that could convert. I have no problem with getting no-follow links, as long as the sites are relevant.

If I get a link on Forbes that is a relevant article, creates a ton of buzz, and I can see it's driving relevant traffic to my site... why would I care if it's no-follow? Sure it doesn't help my site rank better, but ill take sales > ranking any day.

Trust and authority does not necessarily correlate with ranking. Think of all the spammy niches that blast PBN links. They rank better because they have a solid system (for now) of flooding their sites with do-follow links, not because they actually did any real marketing for their business.

My argument in a nutshell is that no-follow links can still have significant value... just not as a direct ranking signal.

 

[DMG]

I 100% agree!

My point is that many websites are going nofollow specifically because they don't want to provide the carrot for link builders to place paid links.

If everyone is nofollow, I have a difficult time believing that Google won't revise it's algorithm to place some weight on nofollow links.

Although, it may well be that they do this exclusively through RankBrain, in which your theory of referral traffic (through nofollow linkage) would be the actual cause of ranking increases.

 

[djbaxter]

If everyone is nofollow, I have a difficult time believing that Google won't revise it's algorithm to place some weight on nofollow links.

But not all links are nofollow. There are still some legitimate reasons for using dofollow links.

 

[DMG]

But not all links are nofollow. There are still some legitimate reasons for using dofollow links.

Correct. I'm anticipating this will be the status quo within 5 years, though.