Forget surface metrics. At Kraken Dev Co, we engineer search engine optimisation (SEO) like infrastructure. Backlinks aren’t noise—they’re routing protocols. Just like code dependencies, backlinks either power performance or break systems.
Backlinks are links from external domains pointing to your site. Search engines see these as trust signals—like votes of confidence from authoritative websites. Done right, backlinks shape your domain authority, organic traffic, and search engine rankings. Done wrong, they create vulnerability, penalties, and decay.
We don’t guess. We build backlinks the way developers build systems: with precision, performance, and scalability.
Why Do Backlinks Still Matter in SEO?
Search engine algorithms still rely on backlink profiles to interpret credibility and relevance. Despite evolutions like BERT, RankBrain, and artificial intelligence integrations, backlinks remain a core SEO ranking factor.
Backlinks Drive:
- Organic traffic by improving visibility on search engines
- Domain rating and authority, especially through high-authority websites
- Search engine standings across key queries and long-tail keywords
- Crawlability, enabling bots to discover deeper content
- SEO performance, especially when internal links distribute the equity correctly
Without backlinks, your SEO strategy is incomplete. With toxic backlinks, it’s actively harmful.
The Core Types of Links in SEO
Understand the ecosystem before you optimise. SEO consists of:
- Internal links: Navigate users and equity inside your site. Essential for crawl paths and content structure.
- External links: Links you place pointing to third-party domains. Useful to signal contextual relevance and avoid content isolation.
- Inbound links (Backlinks): Links from other domains to yours. These are your leverage in Google Search.
Among all SEO techniques, building backlinks is the single most impactful off-page SEO tactic. No other link type carries as much authority.
What Makes a Backlink High Quality?
Not all backlinks have equal weight. Google doesn’t just count links—it evaluates them across dozens of dimensions. A strong backlink profile depends on:
1. Domain Authority
Links from high-authority sites like industry publishers, respected forums, or government pages hold more value than backlinks from spammy links or low-authority blogs.
2. Topical Relevance
A link from a reputable site in your niche (say, DevOps, SaaS, AI, or real estate tech) is gold. Links from unrelated sites dilute your SEO ranking.
3. Anchor Text Usage
Contextual and varied anchor text helps Google understand content intent. Use relevant keywords, avoid keyword cannibalization, and skip generic phrases like “click here.”
4. Dofollow vs Nofollow
Dofollow backlinks pass link juice—SEO equity that influences rankings. Nofollow backlinks don’t pass equity directly but still add to your backlink profile diversity, referral traffic, and click-through rates.
5. Link Placement
Backlinks embedded in body content carry more weight than those in footers or sidebars. Google values visibility and relevance.
6. Diversity of Referring Domains
More unique referring domains = stronger trust signals. Ten backlinks from ten different authoritative sites beat one hundred from the same low-quality domain.
The Right Backlink Strategy for SEO Growth
A robust backlink profile isn’t luck—it’s engineered. Kraken Dev Co applies advanced SEO strategies based on hard data and technical execution. Our link building strategies focus on:
- Building links from respected sites through white-hat, editorial, and guest post placements
- Avoiding link schemes, low-quality links, and unnatural link spikes
- Maintaining a clean backlink profile with regular audits and disavows using Google Search Console and Backlink Checker tools
- Analysing link authority, domain rating, and referring domain context using Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and Semrush
Strategic Backlink Types That Work
Here’s what we target for scalable, lasting SEO results:
🔗 Editorial Backlinks
Natural mentions in high-quality content. Often earned through thought leadership, original content, or valuable linkable assets like APIs, tools, or research.
📝 Guest Posts
Content contributed to relevant blogs in your vertical. Requires strategic targeting—not spam outreach.
📚 Resource Page Links
Links from curated lists like “Best DevOps Tools” or “Top AI SaaS Platforms.” These are powerful for building authority and attracting targeted referral traffic.
🗂 Niche Directories
Useful for location-based or industry-specific SEO. Kraken Dev Co avoids general directories and PBNs that offer no value.
🧵 Forums & Communities
While typically nofollow backlinks, posts on Stack Overflow, Reddit, or specialised dev communities improve search visibility and brand recognition.
📣 Brand Testimonials
Review your partners. Submit case studies. These often earn backlinks from official vendor sites and tools pages.
Link Building Tactics That Don’t Rely on Spam
Kraken Dev Co’s link building playbook is built on engineering principles. Here’s how we build links with lasting value:
1. Create a Linkable Asset
Useful content attracts backlinks. Build:
- Technical blog posts
- Interactive tools
- Code libraries
- Research-backed whitepapers
- Visual content like infographics optimised for mobile devices
If your piece of content solves a real problem, it will attract editorial backlinks naturally.
2. Fix Broken Links
Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to scan reputable sites for dead links. Offer your content as the updated replacement. This “Broken Link Building” method converts errors into equity.
3. Unlinked Brand Mentions
Run backlink audits for unlinked mentions using BuzzSumo or Google Sheets + custom crawlers. Reach out and convert them into backlinks.
4. Link Reclamation
Scan for lost links or removed mentions. These are often easy wins. Use Google Analytics 4 and Backlink Analytics tools to identify opportunities.
5. Moving Man Method
Find outdated content that still earns links. Replace it with your improved version. Outreach to sites still linking to the outdated source.
Backlink Monitoring: Non-Negotiable for SEO Health
You don’t set backlinks and walk away. You inspect, refine, and protect.
Monitor with:
- Ahrefs: For backlink profile changes and toxic backlink detection
- Google Search Console: Crawl stats, link overview, and disavow file uploads
- Semrush: Competitive gap analysis and historical tracking
- Yoast SEO Premium: For on-page SEO alignment
Watch Out For:
- Bad backlinks from spammy, low-quality sites
- Duplicate content issues
- Link velocity red flags
- Broken inbound links and irrelevant links
- Harmful links from link schemes or outdated link swaps
Kraken Dev Co performs regular audits to keep your link graph clean and high-performance.
Myths That Need Killing
Let’s clear the air:
- ❌ All backlinks are valuable – No, bad backlinks destroy SEO.
- ❌ Paid links are a shortcut – They’re also a Google penalty risk.
- ❌ Nofollow backlinks don’t matter – False. They influence user behaviour, brand recognition, and diversity signals.
SEO requires patience and precision. Not hacks.
SEO Built for Engineers. Results Built for Google.
Kraken Dev Co isn’t a content farm. We build SEO like a performance system. Every backlink is strategic. Every anchor text is deliberate. Every link source is vetted.
This isn’t off-the-shelf link building. This is infrastructure-grade SEO designed to withstand algorithm updates and grow organic search visibility.
Ready to Dominate Your Search Rankings?
We don’t sell backlinks. We build link architecture. Kraken Dev Co helps you attract valuable backlinks, create original content that earns trust, and scale search engine ranking factors that actually matter.
Backlinks aren’t accessories. They’re the backbone of digital marketing. If your SEO ranking is stuck, your backlinks are weak. Let’s change that.
Let Kraken Dev Co build your authority—link by strategic link.
👉 Contact Us to build a backlink profile that dominates Google Search.
