One of the oldest debates in the field of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is whether you should prioritize building backlinks or creating quality content. As an entrepreneur without a large team and constantly juggling multiple roles, my time and energy are limited. SEO is a must, but where should I focus my efforts? Drawing insights from various reputable sources, I'll share my take on what should come first: backlinks or content.
Understanding Backlinks and Content
What are Backlinks?
Backlinks are inbound links from other websites that point to your website. They act as endorsements, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and credible. High-quality backlinks can significantly elevate your site's authority, improving your search engine ranking. According to Verpex, backlinks are seen by search engines like Google as votes of confidence that impact your website's authority and search engine ranking.
What is Quality Content?
Quality content refers to well-researched, well-written, and engaging material that addresses the needs and queries of the target audience. In essence, it's content that provides genuine value to users. According to expert opinions compiled by Moz, high-quality websites with original content are expected to be the clear winners in the evolving SEO landscape.
The Case for Prioritizing Content
User Engagement and Retention
Creating stellar content provides an immediate and direct benefit: it engages and retains users. Useful and engaging content can encourage visitors to spend more time on your site, which positively impacts your SEO. As mentioned by HubSpot, focusing on the user first is paramount in the ever-evolving search landscape of 2024.
Establishing Authority and Trust
Content is the foundation of establishing authority and trust. Without quality content, there’s little to attract backlinks in the first place. High-quality content demonstrates expertise, which is crucial for long-term success, particularly in an SEO environment that increasingly values E-E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Digital Nomad Wannabe emphasizes the importance of relevancy and quality content in increasing page views and authority.
Natural Backlinks
When you produce valuable content, it naturally attracts backlinks over time because other websites want to reference credible and useful information. This phenomenon is supported by Ethan Lazuk, who advocates for passively building backlinks through the merits of a website’s content and its distribution.
The Argument for Prioritizing Backlinks
Immediate SEO Boost
Backlinks provide an immediate boost to your website’s authority and ranking. They signal to search engines that your site has valuable content worth directing users to. As noted by Backlinko, link building is still incredibly important for ranking highly in Google.
Competitive Advantage
In competitive niches, having a robust backlink profile can distinguish your site from others. Competitors who are also publishing quality content might outshine you in search rankings if they have a stronger backlink profile. HubSpot highlights that quality backlinks play a critical role in boosting your content over the competition.
Quality and Relevance
Effective backlink strategies focus on obtaining links from high-authority, relevant sites which can leverage not only SEO but also direct referral traffic. Verpex outlines that relevance and authority are key components of an effective backlink strategy.
Balancing Both: A Strategic Approach
Initial Focus on Quality Content
Start with high-quality content to build the foundation of your SEO strategy. Useful content resonates with users, keeping them engaged and promoting organic growth. Highly useful, relevant content has an evergreen value, providing sustained traffic long after its initial publication. She Knows SEO successfully showcased how a blog was grown to 1.7k pageviews with 12 posts and minimal backlinks, underlining the power of well-crafted content.
Gradual Integration of Backlink Strategies
Once you have a library of quality content, you can gradually integrate backlink strategies. Targeted efforts to secure high-authority backlinks can amplify the reach and credibility of your content. Building relationships within your industry and leveraging guest blogging can secure valuable backlinks as pointed out by Verpex.
Case Studies and Real-World Examples
Digital Nomad Wannabe
Digital Nomad Wannabe shares an impressive growth story from 0 to 500,000 page views. The primary strategy revolved around creating relevant and keyword-optimized content that organically attracted traffic and backlinks over time.
She Knows SEO
Another compelling example is the blog by She Knows SEO, which achieved 1.7k pageviews with only 12 posts and minimal backlinks. The success was primarily due to strategic internal linking, high-quality content, and a solid site architecture. This underscores that quality content can achieve significant growth even with fewer backlinks.
Brendan Hufford
Brendan Hufford argues that focusing on ranking for SEO “trophy keywords” is a waste of time. Instead, he emphasizes the value of quality content and thought leadership for long-term SEO success, a strategy that can naturally attract high-quality backlinks.
My Perspective
Based on the evidence, it's clear that both quality content and backlinks are crucial for a successful SEO strategy, but content should come first. Here’s why:
- Foundation: High-quality content provides a solid foundation for your SEO efforts. It engages and retains users, establishes authority, and naturally attracts backlinks.
- Natural Growth: Content-centric strategies lead to organic backlink acquisition, proving the content's value and credibility.
- Sustainable Impact: Quality content offers long-term value, keeping the audience engaged and steadily driving traffic.
Once you have a library of valuable content, incorporating backlink strategies can amplify your site's reach and authority. This balanced approach ensures you’re not just focusing on quick wins but also building a sustainable and authoritative online presence.
Prioritize creating exceptional content first, and let your backlink strategy be a natural extension of the value your content provides. By doing so, you'll foster an SEO strategy that is robust, user-focused, and sustainable, ensuring long-term success in the ever-changing digital landscape.
But I'm not great at writing SEO articles myself, so my usual situation is this: I have an idea or a question I want to express, but I struggle to put it all together. Plus, writing SEO articles means following certain rules to get noticed. So, initially, I tried using GPT to help me write, but the results weren't up to scratch. There were outdated or incorrect information, no external links, and so on. That's why my partner and I created Writify AI. We're users of our own product now. It bypasses a lot of those issues—articles it generates reference external links, have the latest reliable information, and come with a solid structure. You might wonder: will AI-generated content get penalized by Google? It's more about the content quality and relevance than whether it's AI-generated. Our articles have been indexed by Google in as fast as 6 hours.
Anyway, wishing you success in your SEO journey no matter what!