Recently, I attended a search conference and had the chance to engage with attendees from various fields, all with different SEO backgrounds and experiences. After numerous engaging conversations, a common takeaway emerged:
People are overly focused on technical SEO metrics.
I heard multiple questions like, “What’s your minimum threshold for Trust Flow?” or, “Okay, you get relevant links, but what is the average Domain Authority?”
When I shared my observation with our sales team, they confirmed it was a recurring theme among their contacts. It seems that many in the SEO industry recognize this trend.
While metrics like Domain Authority or Trust Flow are important and useful, they require context. There is more to evaluating link prospects than just these numbers.
Link acquisition is a nuanced and difficult practice. Here, I want to share my perspective on the link metrics that lead to securing real links that make a lasting difference.
Relevance
The most important factor in acquiring worthwhile links is relevance.
Relevance should be the starting point for evaluating your campaign and a continuing guide. Above all other factors, relevance must be the North Star of your link campaign.
SEOs can often get caught up in technical metrics like Domain Authority, PageRank, Trust Flow, anchor text, co-citation, and only consider Google’s algorithm. However, if you pursue links purely from an SEO perspective, you’re likely to make significant mistakes.
For example, Domain Authority (DA) from Moz is a helpful metric that provides a gauge for the perceived authority of a site. However, Moz is not Google and has a much smaller index of the web. Domain Authority does not directly correlate to PageRank or the other hundreds of factors Google uses to evaluate a site. Judging sites solely by Domain Authority is a mistake.
Domain Authority should not be conflated with site quality. Instead, as Nick Eubanks points out, it works best as an indicator for ranking potential. Moz agrees that DA is a high-level metric for gauging ranking potential.
Domain Authority is valuable and worth considering in your link acquisition strategy, but don’t discard potential link prospects just because they have a low DA. Relevance should always trump other metrics, especially concerning your audience. As my colleague Nicholas Chimonas stated, “I will never avoid a site that is under DA 25 if it is highly relevant, high-quality, and my target audience is there.”
Technical metrics like Domain Authority, Page Authority, Majestic Trust Flow, SEMrush traffic levels, and others, are helpful tools that provide indications of a site’s authority and reputation. However, relevance should ultimately guide your decision-making process in link building.
The goal is to attract relevant traffic to your site—people who are interested in your company and who might become clients/customers. Building links where your audience lives is the best way to achieve this.
Human Value
Links should be, first and foremost, for people, not robots and search crawlers.
As SEOs, we aim to influence rankings and search visibility, but those rankings should come from building real human connections. Otherwise, you’re building rankings on a fragile foundation.
Build a real network for your website. Links represent a digital network of connections tying your site to others.
Build links you would want even if they didn’t increase rankings.
Trust and authority metrics shouldn’t be ignored—they play an important part in evaluating sites—but sites with an active audience and community shouldn’t be ruled out.
When judging a link prospect, consider whether someone would actually click on your link. Gauge user engagement on the site through methods like:
- Finding the actual person/people behind the site and seeing if they have an active presence in the niche and on social media.
- Checking the comments section in blog posts.
- Reviewing social media activity surrounding the site.
- Analyzing traffic via SEMrush.
- Examining post frequency and content freshness.
Sites with low authority signals but high engagement can still be viable link targets.
Human value is also significant when Google evaluates sites and links. Google has always advocated focusing on users, and they uphold this principle when assessing links. With another Penguin update on the horizon, aligning with Google’s guiding principle in your link development seems wise.
Links should be built by humans, for humans. Every link should add value to the web.
Goals
Every campaign needs clearly defined goals.
Establishing goals and expectations at the onset of a campaign provides an overarching guide for all aspects of your project. Every link you secure should, in some way, contribute to your campaign’s larger goals.
Without clearly defined goals, the odds of achieving success are minimal. And even if you succeed, you might not appreciate it or be able to communicate it effectively to your client/boss. Setting specific goals with timelines allows for measuring progress and reporting accurately.
Whether your goal is to improve traffic, increase conversions, support a new initiative, or grow brand exposure and affinity, each link should be acquired with that specific goal in mind.
This doesn’t mean every individual link will directly lead to more conversions or increased rankings. Rather, the collective effort should develop a diverse link profile that helps achieve your objectives.
Different links serve different goals, such as:
- Links on industry-leading sites building authority and tapping into new audiences.
- Links on hyper-relevant forums or communities directing qualified traffic.
- Links on partner sites bolstering relationships and creating marketing opportunities.
- Links on local/niche directories and trusted review sites building brand affinity and offering targeted exposure.
Each link should build toward your greater business goals. A diverse mix of links is necessary to achieve the specific goals of your campaign.
Tracking progress ensures you’re employing effective tactics and building the right types of links. Metrics worth tracking include:
- Organic traffic to the site.
- Organic traffic to selected pages.
- Increases in traffic site-wide.
- Thematic keyword rankings.
- Key head terms and rankings.
Monitoring these metrics will show whether your project is achieving desired results.
Adding other KPIs can provide a more complete picture. For example, if one goal is to improve engagement, you might track bounce rates, average time on page, pages per session, and returning visitors.
Determining appropriate KPIs for your campaign ensures you stay on track to reach your goals.
Industry Opinions
This post reflects my views on what metrics matter. However, many in the industry share similar opinions.
Julie Joyce:
Having more authority links means better rankings and traffic, but relevance and potential for conversion matter more.
Jon Cooper:
Focus on relevance above all else. It influences the algorithm moving forward and increases the chances of the webmaster agreeing to your link request.
Nick Eubanks:
Domain authority is a directional measure of trust and authority, but it should not be used in isolation. Other link strength and contextual signals need to be considered.
Eric Ward:
The process of sharing an incredibly useful piece of content that resonates with someone will never be obsolete. The end game is getting in touch with the person who will most care about what you’re sharing or seeking links for.
In conclusion, while technical SEO metrics are useful, relevance, human value, and defined goals are crucial for effective link building.
