Content revised 20 October 2026.
Inbound links are links from other websites to yours. Growing useful references takes clear information, appropriate promotion and ongoing maintenance rather than a promise that every new article will attract links.
Know which links you're reviewing
An inbound link points to your website from another site. An outbound link goes from your site to another one, while an internal link connects your own pages. Keeping those categories separate makes a link report easier to interpret and avoids confusing activity you control with another publisher’s choice.
Invest in information people can cite
Publish a focused explanation, original example or genuine case study with permission to share the details. Explain the methods and limits behind any result. Regular publishing is not enough by itself; a reader needs a reason to refer someone to that specific page.
Build appropriate relationships
- Offer useful context to relevant publications.
- Contribute an original article when it fits an editorial brief.
- Participate in a genuine supplier or customer story with agreed attribution.
- Share knowledge with communities that welcome it.
Avoid guaranteed-link assumptions
A professional relationship, interview or case-study contribution doesn't entitle you to a ranking link. Agree factual approval and usage rights, then leave the editorial decision clear. If money or another commercial arrangement is involved, represent the relationship appropriately.
Maintain the destination
Keep the page accessible, correct outdated details and plan changes to established URLs. Review actual linking pages and useful referral activity rather than treating every new domain as equally valuable. A growing link count is an observation, not proof of a corresponding ranking or revenue increase.
Official guidance: Google’s link best practices.