Link mass: how to get high-quality backlinks without risks

Without a well-thought-out link building strategy, including proper directory submission, even the best content will not be able to break into the TOP search results, and chaotic backlinks can lead to sanctions from Google. In this article, we will find out what an array of external links is and why it is critical for a website; we will talk about preparing a resource for safe link building and effective mechanisms for building quality backlinks, from sambit to business directories to guest posts and crowd marketing. To get even more benefit, we’ll look at a scheme for building a balanced link structure and regular auditing, and finally summarize the key steps for stable and risk-free growth of your link landscape.

What is link mass and why it is important for a website

Link mass is the total amount of all external backlinks that lead to your website. It includes different types of links: dofollow and nofollow, anchor and anchorless, from different donor domains. Each link transfers part of its trust (link juice) to your profile, increasing its authority in the eyes of search engines.

Why is link mass important for a website?

Any promotion in the search engines is impossible without a solid external foundation – this is exactly what a properly built backlink mass and well-thought-out sambit provide. In this part, we will look at the key reasons why diverse and authoritative links add so much weight to a profile.

1. Improved rankings: Each backlink from an authoritative resource adds weight to your website, signaling to Google that your content is useful and boosting your search rankings.
2. Faster indexing: Google bots will find and index new pages faster through external links, which is especially important for resources with regular updates.
3. Increased organic traffic: Relevant backlinks bring targeted visitors who are already interested in the topic, increasing conversion and engagement.
4. Strengthening the profile: a mix of exact keywords, branded and nofollow links helps to avoid penalties from Penguin and SpamBrain algorithms, ensuring stable growth.

So, without a properly built volume of external links, including effective sambit, any SEO strategy will be incomplete and less effective, and the risks of losing positions increase significantly.

Preparing your website for link building

To make backlink building really beneficial and not lead to sanctions, you must first make sure that your website is technically and content-wise ready to receive an additional flow of links. Let’s take a look at the key aspects of preparation.

Technical readiness of the site before link building

First of all, the resource must be perfectly configured from a technical point of view. Any errors in server performance, security, or indexing can negate all efforts to increase the number of links. Only after a comprehensive technical audit should you start active link building.

1. HTTPS and security.

Before you launch sambit and start receiving backlinks, make sure that your entire website works exclusively via HTTPS without certificate errors. For example, if a donor has a link to http://ваш_сайт.com, browsers and bots will detect a mixed content error and may reject the transfer of the trust. Use automatic certificate updates (Let’s Encrypt, Cloudflare Origin CA) and configure HSTS for secure connections.

2. Loading speed.

Long page load times degrade the user experience and can make Google bots crawl the site less often. Use a CDN (e.g. Cloudflare or Fastly) to cache static resources, minimize JavaScript and CSS files with Gulp or Webpack, and optimize images with WebP or AVIF formats and lazy-load. Check Core Web Vitals in Google PageSpeed Insights and fix critical errors (LCP, FID, CLS).

3. Mobile adaptation.

Today, the mobile version of a website is no less important than the desktop version. Use a responsive design or a separate mobile template with the correct viewport meta. Make sure that the buttons and links are large enough to be clicked with a finger, and that all elements are scaled correctly at different resolutions. Google primarily analyzes the mobile version when ranking.

4. No duplicates.

Duplicate content or incorrectly configured redirects destroy indexing and smear the volume of external links. Use the <link rel= «canonical»> tag to indicate the main URL version of the article, especially if the same text can appear under different parameters (for example, product filters). For multilingual sites, use hreflang to help Google understand the geographic or language version of the page. Transfer all old or irrelevant URLs to new ones using 301 redirects, avoiding chains or redirect cycles.

Content as a basis for link building

The quality and structure of the text directly influence the decision of donors to place backlinks. Before you ask for links, make sure that each page brings value to the reader and has a clearly defined logic of submission.

1. High-quality, unique text with correct anchors.

Search engines increasingly favor useful, in-depth content. Before asking donors for backlinks, create an article that solves a specific user problem: market analytics, step-by-step guides, or case studies. At the same time, each anchor text should logically fit into the article: instead of «click here», it is better to use «read more about SEO backlinks». This will provide a smooth transition for the reader and a user signal for the algorithms.

2. The optimal length of articles with internal links.

Long texts (1500-3000 words) show expertise and provide more opportunities for natural anchors within one site. For example, in an article about making homemade baked goods, you can mention a post about choosing the best type of flour and insert an internal link with the anchor text «the best flour for baking» to the corresponding page. This approach not only improves UX and retention on the site, but also distributes the «weight» of the pages among themselves.

3. Clear H1-H3 structure with keywords.

Each article should have one H1 with a headline that clearly reflects the essence of the material, and several H2s for the main sections below it. For example, for an article on choosing a bike, the H1 might look like this: «How to choose the perfect bike for city commuting», and H2 – «Types of city bikes», «Choosing a bike frame size», «Equipment and accessories». H3 and H4 are used to elaborate on each point (e.g., «Hybrid vs. classic models», «How to measure frame height», «Useful safety accessories»). Subheadings should include keywords such as «bicycle», «frame», «tire», «accessory», etc. to help the reader immediately see the relevance of the section and make it easier to find the information they need.

When to start link building

Strategic link building does not start immediately after the website launch, but requires a certain maturity of the resource and a clear understanding of business goals. As we have already mentioned, link building should be started when your website is ready not only to receive but also to convert new traffic efficiently, and you have a clear strategy for resource allocation. So, what is important to pay attention to?

1. Achieving the basic content volume.

Launch link building when your website already has at least 10-15 full-fledged information or product pages with a deep study of the topic. For example, an online store with a collection of products in several categories will benefit more from backlinks to pages with detailed descriptions and reviews than from links to empty «categories».

2. Tangible initial traffic and audience retention.

If you see the first signs of organic growth – for example, a stable monthly increase of 10-20% of visitors – this is a signal that the site is already proving its value to search engines and is ready for external support. In this case, even a small wave of high-quality backlinks will help to accelerate the growth of positions and traffic.

3. Peak season or launch of a marketing campaign.

For e-commerce resources, the best time is before active sales (Black Friday, New Year’s season), when competitors are also building links. In SaaS projects, link building before a major product update or the launch of a new feature allows you to create additional excitement and attract the attention of the target audience.

4. Competitive benchmarking.

Analyze the backlink profiles of the three main competitors. If their resources have an average of 200-500 donors, and your site has only a few dozen, it’s time to intensify sambit campaigns and guest posts. This will help narrow the gap and improve visibility in the niche.

5. Have a budget, processes, and responsible persons.

Link building is a long-term investment. Sambit campaigns require coordination between an SEO specialist, content manager, and possibly the PR department. A clear budget for purchasing quality links or paying for the work of specialists ensures that you don’t get stuck halfway through and get a steady increase in links.

Effective link building mechanics to increase backlink mass

In this section, we’ll look at four proven tactics that will help you get high-quality external links and gradually build a healthy backlink mass without violating Google’s rules.

Guest articles with high-quality backlinks

Publishing guest articles on reputable platforms remains one of the most effective ways to promote your business. To get started, choose sites with high Domain Rating (from 40) and Trust Flow (from 20) according to Ahrefs or Majestic. For example, an IT agency can post a post on the DOU.ua blog (DR≈60), where more than 100,000 users read it every month. Next, create an anchor list with three groups: precise key phrases (for example, «SEO backlinks»), branded mentions, and neutral wording (such as «learn more»). And finally, take care of unique content that solves a real problem for the reader: for a marketing agency website, a guest article can include a case study of how you increased traffic by 40% through crowd marketing, supplemented with screenshots of analytics.

Crowd marketing and comments with links

Interacting on forums and in thematic communities helps to get backlinks with a large number of relevant donors. First, find active platforms with more than 500 members. Always start with a useful contribution: give advice, answer questions, and add a link to a more detailed guide at the end. To make the anchor look natural, alternate the wording («read more here», «full checklist», URL without anchor text). And don’t forget about regularity – a few comments a week will maintain your authority in the community and create a steady stream of backlinks.

Link Insertion and affiliate agreements

This method allows you to revive already published articles on relevant websites by inserting your link into them. Use search operators (for example, site:domain «keyword») to find articles where it is appropriate to supplement the material with information from your case study. Then offer the author to update the publication in exchange for a mutual backlink or payment (from $30 to $100, depending on the site traffic). After posting, check that the anchor text matches the agreement and that the link is dofollow. Keep a record in a spreadsheet: URL of the donor, date, anchor, DR/TF – this will allow you to replace or delete the backlink in time if the donor loses its quality.

Earned media – mentions without a direct link

Organic mentions in the media and on reputable platforms form a powerful structure without active sambit. Send press releases to MyNews, Business.ua, or industry publications: for example, an announcement of the launch of a new SaaS tool can be published with a biographical note and the URL of your website. Invite an expert to comment on articles about industry trends – even if there is no direct link in the text, the mention of your company increases credibility. Finally, publish research or infographics on LinkedIn and Twitter with tags of influential bloggers: when they repost the material, you get organic mentions that can be easily turned into backlinks by asking the authors to add the URL to the text.

Building a website link profile: strategy and tactics

Building a link profile requires a thoughtful approach to the selection of donors, the distribution of link types, and the rate of link acquisition. Let us consider the key elements.

1. Types of donors for backlinks:

• thematic blogs: look for resources where the audience actively discusses your niche. Check traffic and interaction indicators (average time on the site, number of comments) and agree on regular publication of guest articles or columns.
• news portals: placing mentions in articles from the «Industry News» or «Analytics» section builds trust. Be sure to consider the speed of indexing: the faster the portal indexes, the faster you will see the result. Prepare press releases or expert comments to earn a mention from journalists.
• educational resources: backlinks from .edu or academic sites carry high trust. Offer webinars, free courses, or research materials that can be mentioned in curricula. Also look for opportunities to publish an article as a «guest lecturer» on professional online courses.
• directories and directories: local business directories (Google My Business, Yelp) and industry aggregators (Clutch, GoodFirms). Use them for the first wave of sambit – low entry threshold and fast indexing. And update your profile once a quarter to keep the information up to date.
• proportions of dofollow and nofollow in the link mass.

Maintain a balance of 70-80% dofollows to transfer weight and 20-30% nofollows to avoid an artificial profile. Nofollow sources include blog comments, sponsored content, and social media share buttons. Make sure that during periods of intense activity (for example, during a major PR campaign), one of the groups does not prevail.

3. Anchoring strategy in the backlink profile:

• exact match (exact keys, up to 10%). Use only in authoritative publications (for example, guest articles on DR > 50).
• partial match (partial keys, up to 20%).
• branded anchors (≈ 40%). Something like «VashBrand.com», «VashBrand company», «OurBrand blog».
• URL links and common words (≈ 30%). Anchorless format («https://yourbrand.com»), phrases like «details at the link», «more details here».

4. Link velocity (mass growth rate):

You should keep the systematic growth rate of backlinks within 5-15 new links per month, taking into account seasonal peaks and your own marketing activities. You should regularly check the dynamics in Ahrefs – any sharp jumps can trigger a Penguin flag and attract unwanted attention from the algorithms. Even during large-scale campaigns, it is important to distribute backlinks evenly over 4-6 weeks, rather than concentrating all activity in a few days to make your profile look natural. It is also useful to monitor the actions of competitors to maintain stability and avoid risks.

Main services for monitoring link profile

Before you start a regular link profile audit, you should choose a set of tools that allow you to track all key changes, quickly respond to potentially toxic links, and evaluate the quality of donors.

Ahrefs

One of the most powerful services for analyzing backlinks. Ahrefs allows you not only to find out the total number of donors, but also to sort them by Domain Rating (DR), URL Rating (UR), country, language, link type (dofollow/nofollow), and anchor text.

For example, in the Backlink profile tab, you can quickly identify which pages of your site are most often cited and understand where you should strengthen internal linking.

SEMrush

The Backlink Audit module in SEMrush automates the search for toxic links: you set the Toxic Score threshold, and the service marks all suspicious links. You can immediately generate a Disavow file and import it into Google Search Console. SEMrush also helps to restore the volume of external links and shows where competitors get backlinks and how fast their number is growing.

Majestic

A specialized tool for evaluating donor trust through Trust Flow (TF) and Citation Flow (CF) metrics. Trust Flow shows how much «quality» links your site receives, and Citation Flow displays the total volume of links. An important feature is Link Context, which allows you to see in what environment the backlink is placed (in the text, footer, sidebar) – this helps to prioritize those donor placements that provide the most value.

Google Search Console

A free and official tool from Google that shows the backlinks that the search engine considers the most important. In the Links report, you can see a list of external links, the number of donors, and the pages with the highest number of links. With this data, you can compare it with Ahrefs and SEMrush data and find blind spots – links that are not tracked by these services but are taken into account by Google.

Linkody

An ideal tool for real-time monitoring: by setting up notifications, you will instantly know when a new backlink appears or an existing one is lost. In addition, Linkody automatically analyzes the status of links (HTTP response codes), allowing you to immediately identify broken links in your profile.

The most common mistakes and how to avoid them

In the process of link building, many specialists are tempted by quick and easy solutions, but this is exactly what leads to the most destructive mistakes. Bulk link purchases on cheap exchanges often give a short-term surge in the SERPs, but Google soon recognizes unnatural link flows and can impose severe penalties that are difficult to recover from.

Repeating the same anchor is equally dangerous: algorithms notice the pattern and interpret it as manipulation, subtracting part of the profile’s «weight» or even lowering the rankings. It is equally important to monitor the thematic relevance of donors: a backlink from a site that has nothing to do with your niche conveys almost no useful weight and can even harm your reputation.

Similarly, links from low-quality or outright spammy resources quickly «pollute» your profile, reducing its trust. And if you do not conduct regular audits – do not check new and lost links, do not analyze anchor distribution, and do not respond to suspicious signals – errors accumulate unnoticed, and it is much more difficult to correct the situation later.

Impact of the latest Google algorithmic updates

Over the past few years, Google has been actively improving its algorithms to better distinguish natural links from artificial schemes. The most important updates include:

• Penguin – it was the first «anti-spam» filter that began to penalize purchased or too many links of the same type, forcing SEOs to look for more ethical approaches;
• SpamBrain (2023) – Google’s first large-scale AI model capable of recognizing template and automated link building schemes, cutting off low-quality donors at the indexing stage;
• Helpful Content Update (2023-2024) – this update has shifted the emphasis to the usefulness and naturalness of content and related mentions; links from materials that do not provide real value to users are now almost not taken into account.

Conclusions

Without a well-thought-out link building strategy, any promotion efforts remain incomplete: technical readiness of the website, various sources of backlinks, and a balanced anchor profile create the basis for stable growth. Regular analysis with the help of professional tools helps to identify and eliminate potential risks in time, and adapting tactics to the latest Google algorithmic updates ensures that your profile will remain healthy even after the innovations.

The most promising are long-term investments in high-quality backlinks: guest articles on reputable platforms, partnership agreements with expert resources, and earned media allow not only to increase search rankings but also to strengthen the brand. It is this quality-oriented approach that will provide your website with a competitive advantage and steady growth in organic traffic.

Oleksandr Romanenko

Team Lead/Senior SEO specialist

Author's page