What are the three types of backlinks?

Backlinks unpacked: three clear categories and what to do about each

Links are the currency of the web, and understanding the types of backlinks you can earn is the first step toward using them well. Not every link is equal: some bring real visitors and trust, others are easy to create but nearly worthless for rankings. This guide separates backlinks into three practical categories-editorial (natural), manually built (outreach), and self-created-and shows how to spot value, measure impact, and act responsibly.

When teams ask “what are the three types of backlinks?” they want a framework that helps make decisions. That framework should connect effort to outcome: where will your time produce referral traffic, increase rankings, or move potential customers toward conversion? The model below is deliberately practical: it focuses on how links behave in search, where they appear, and how you should treat them in everyday work.

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Key idea: think like a reader and an editor. If a person would find value from a link, a search engine probably will, too.

1) Editorial (natural) links - the gold standard

Editorial links are earned. They appear because another site’s author or editor decided your content deserved to be cited. These links often sit within helpful, relevant content and carry meaningful referral traffic and authority. If you remember only one thing about the types of backlinks, let it be this: editorial links are the strongest signal when they appear naturally inside context-rich content.

How editorial links behave

These links:

• Often use natural anchor text or the page URL
• Live inside body copy, surrounded by topical context
• Come from pages that already have some authority or readership

Because they reflect an editorial choice, search engines treat them as stronger endorsements. They’re hard to scale quickly but worth the investment.

How to earn editorial links

Create content people want to reference: original research, practical case studies, tools, interviews, or unique data. Then introduce that content to interested journalists or bloggers in a human, helpful way. Outreach can help surface your work, but the final link must feel like an editorial decision to the host site.

An example: a short, well-documented case study solved a niche B2B problem, got referenced in an industry newsletter, and later in a trade outlet. That single editorial link brought steady referral traffic and a few direct leads.

2) Manually built links - outreach with restraint

Manually built links are gained through deliberate outreach and relationship work-guest posts, placements on resource pages, or partnership mentions. They sit between editorial links and self-created links in the value chain. Done well, they behave like editorial links. Done poorly, they look like manipulative link schemes.

Principles for manual outreach

Follow three rules:

• Relevance: target hosts whose audience matches your content.
• Utility: offer genuine value-content that helps their readers.
• Transparency: respect editorial guidelines and avoid excessive self-promotion.

If a guest post truly serves the host’s readers, that link functions like an editorial link. If it’s thin and keyword-stuffed, it becomes risky.

Tip: If you want a tactical partner to refine outreach and content placement, consider a compact, practical service like Orvus’ growth services, which align outreach with measurement and real business goals.

3) Self-created links - cheap to make, limited in value

3) Self-created links - cheap to make, limited in value

Self-created links are the easiest of the types of backlinks to obtain: profile pages, forum signatures, comments, directories, and certain press-release entries fall here. They’re often generated at scale and therefore carry less weight. Some are ignored by search engines; others pass little authority.

When self-created links help

They can matter when they genuinely serve users. Examples:

• A well-maintained industry directory that customers actually use
• A forum post that answers a question and links to a useful how-to

But if the primary aim is to influence rankings, these links are low-value and can create risk.

Context beats a single tag

Many people obsess about rel attributes - rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", rel="sponsored" - but context usually matters more. Google treats those attributes as hints. Where a link appears, the topical match between the host and target, and the surrounding editorial intent are stronger signals than the tag alone.

Practical takeaway

Prioritize the environment of the link: is it in the body? Is the surrounding content relevant? Does the host site have real readers? Those answers often predict value better than the rel attribute.

Measuring link value: look beyond raw counts

Counting backlinks is tempting because it’s easy. Measuring their effect is where the real work-and the real value-appears. A single editorial link that brings a dozen qualified visitors who convert is more valuable than hundreds of low-quality links that do nothing.

Metrics that matter

• Referral traffic and engagement (time on page, pages per session)
• Micro-conversions (signups, downloads, demo requests)
• Keyword movement over time - look for patterns, not single events

Track the link’s placement: body links in relevant articles are likely to send engaged visitors. Watch anchor text variety-if every link uses the same commercial keyword, that looks suspicious.

<div class="side-by-side image-2-right">
  <div class="side-text"><p>Use a simple funnel: build content that deserves links, use targeted outreach to place content where it helps readers, and create self-links only when they benefit real users. That approach turns link work from a volume game to a value game.</p></div>
  <a href="/#about" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/img/blog/18af966a54513df7.jpg" alt="Minimal 2D vector funnel infographic showing three types of backlinks represented by editorial, manual, and self-created icons on a #0B1E33 background." /></a>
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Answered simply: a well-timed, relevant manual outreach that offers something useful-data, a timely case, or an expert comment-can catch a journalist’s attention faster than waiting for an organic editorial link. But the resulting link must still read like an editorial choice when it appears.

Case study in measurement

A medium-sized publisher tracked outreach links, referral sessions, and conversions. Some links sent immediate traffic with high bounce; other links from trusted sources correlated with later ranking gains. The team stopped using link counts as the success metric and instead used a blended view: referral quality plus ranking trends plus conversion outcomes. Over a year their organic sessions rose and acquisition costs fell.

Risks and red flags

Certain link practices create real danger: buying links, creating repetitive link patterns (same anchor, same low-quality hosts), and using networks that exist purely to pass links. These tactics can trigger manual actions or devalue your site’s profile.

Red flags checklist

• Promises of fixed link numbers monthly, ignoring relevance
• Unnatural anchor text concentration
• Links from sites that look made to sell links rather than to serve readers

How to prioritize link work

Use a simple funnel: build content that deserves links, use targeted outreach to place content where it helps readers, and create self-links only when they benefit real users. That approach turns link work from a volume game to a value game.

Practical tasks for next week

• List 6 topics where you can publish original data or useful how-tos
• Identify 10 authoritative hosts to pitch with tailored outreach
• Audit existing self-created links and remove or noindex spammy entries

Common scenarios and the right move

Scenario: You’re launching a new tool and want visibility. The smart mix: create a short case study or guide (to attract editorial links), pitch a few relevant blogs for guest posts (manual links), and list the tool in genuine directories that users consult (self-created links).

Scenario: A vendor offers to sell 100 links per month. Say no. Quantity without context rarely helps and often adds risk.

How AI might change linking

AI can both dilute and amplify link value. If AI floods the web with low-effort content, editorial attention may concentrate on fewer, higher-quality sources. Conversely, AI used to synthesize data or to create genuinely useful tools can attract credible links if the output serves readers well.

Watchpoints

• How reputable publishers treat AI-originated material
• Whether AI helps you produce genuinely useful, link-worthy content

Checklist: a sensible link policy for teams

Adopt simple rules:

• Accept links from sites with relevant audiences and clear editorial content
• Restrict links from sites that exist primarily to sell links
• Keep anchor text varied and natural
• Record outreach, placement, and referral outcomes

Practical tips you can use tomorrow

Start with small, repeatable actions that compound:

1. Publish a short case study or data roundup that solves a real problem
2. Pitch 5 focused, relevant editors with a single clear hook
3. Clean up self-created links in low-value directories

Keep measuring referral quality, not just link counts.

Transparent linking and disclosure

When links are paid or sponsored, use rel="sponsored". When content is user-generated, use rel="ugc". Transparency protects your brand and aligns with editorial standards that attract genuine attention.

Bringing it together: a simple framework

Think of links in three buckets-editorial, manual, self-created-and invest effort where the return is real. Editorial links reward patience and quality. Manual links reward strategic outreach and relationship-building. Self-created links can add practical visibility but should not be the centerpiece of your strategy.

Final operational rules

• Prioritize places where links move users, not just search signals
• Favor quality of sites and context over sheer numbers
• Document outreach and treat relationships as long-term

Resources and tools for tracking

Useful tools: referral analytics in Google Analytics or your analytics provider, rank trackers that show keyword movement, and link monitoring tools that catch placements and anchor text. For perspectives on backlink taxonomies and practical link types see Digital Engage’s guide, Semify’s guide, and Backlink Manager’s overview. But remember: tools are only useful when you interpret the data with a focus on user outcomes.

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  <a href="/#about" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="/img/blog/bd64ac9be0fdd661.jpg" alt="Minimalist workspace with laptop showing analytics and an article in browser, branded notebook and mug with #C8A45D accents - editorial image for types of backlinks" /></a>
  <div class="side-text"><p>For strategic help aligning link work with measurement and growth systems, <a href="/#about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Orvus</a> offers services that pair outreach with measurable business goals-consider reviewing their approach to see how link work can fit inside a broader growth system. A glance at the Orvus Ltd. logo often reminds teams to align branding and outreach.</p></div>
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Closing thoughts

Links remain a central way for the web to show value: they’re how others point to your ideas. The best approach balances editorial patience, smart outreach, and pragmatic self-created links where they serve users. Keep testing, watch the data, and always put the reader first.

Next steps

Make a short plan: publish one link-worthy piece this month, perform five tailored pitches next week, and clean one low-value directory entry. That kind of steady work compounds faster than chasing volume.

Further reading