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Content & Keywords

What are backlinks and how do I get good ones?

Updated April 19, 2026

Quick Answer

Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to your site. They remain one of the top three ranking signals. Quality matters far more than quantity — a single editorial link from a major Canadian publication is worth thousands of forum or directory links. Earned, relevant, contextual links are the only kind that move rankings.

Link types ranked by ranking impact

Editorial links from authoritative publications (Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, BlogTO, industry trade publications): highest impact, hardest to earn.

Resource page links from .edu, .gov, and industry association sites: high impact, moderate difficulty.

Guest posts on relevant industry blogs: moderate impact when the blog has genuine traffic and authority.

Local citations and business directories: low impact for ranking but important for local SEO trust.

Forum, comment, and footer links: usually no impact and often a negative signal at scale.

How to actually earn backlinks

Original research and data: produce a piece of unique research about your industry in Toronto, pitch it to journalists and industry blogs. Data-driven pieces attract links for years.

Digital PR: HARO, Connectively, and direct journalist outreach. Position yourself as a Toronto SEO expert with quotable insights and you'll earn links from major publications.

Linkable assets: free tools, calculators, ultimate guides, and templates. These attract organic links because they're genuinely useful.

Strategic partnerships: cross-promote with non-competing local businesses and industry associations.

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