Links still matter – and relevancy is crucial. Additional insights could transform your approach to link building and digital PR.

Many insights and opinions have already been shared about last week’s leak of Google’s

Content API Warehouse documentation, including fantastic write-ups from:

• Rand Fishkin
• Mike King (on the iPullRank site and here on Search Engine Land)
• Andrew Ansley

But what can link builders and digital PRs learn from these documents?

Since the news of the leak broke, Liv Day, Digitaloft’s SEO Lead, and I have spent considerable time investigating what the documentation reveals about links.

Our analysis aimed to uncover insights around a few key questions:

• Do links still matter?
• Are some links more likely to contribute to SEO success than others?
• How does Google define link spam?

To clarify, the leaked documentation doesn’t contain confirmed ranking factors. It provides information on more than 2,500 modules and over 14,000 attributes. We don’t know their weight, which is used in production, or which might exist for experimental purposes.

However, the insights we gain from these documents are still valuable. As long as we view any findings as potential indicators of what Google might reward or demote rather than definitive factors, we can use them to guide our tests and conclusions about ranking factors.

Below are the key points from the documents that link builders and digital PRs should pay close attention to. These insights are based on my interpretation of the documentation and 15 years of experience as an SEO.

1. Google is probably ignoring links that don’t come from a relevant source:

Links from sites that are not relevant to your site’s content are likely being devalued by Google. If your site is about tech and you get a link from a cooking blog, Google might ignore it. Relevancy plays a crucial role in how Google evaluates link quality.

2. Locally relevant links (from the same country) are probably more valuable than ones from other countries:

Links from websites within the same country as your target audience are more beneficial. For instance, a UK-based site will benefit more from links on other UK-based sites than from links on sites based in the US or elsewhere. This localization enhances the relevance and trustworthiness of the link.

3. Google has a sitewide authority score despite claiming they don’t calculate an authority measure like DA or DR:

Although Google publicly states it doesn’t use metrics like Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR), the documentation suggests it has a form of sitewide authority scoring. This hidden metric could influence how much weight links from different sites carry in the ranking algorithm.

4. Links from within newer pages are probably more valuable than those on older ones:

Fresh content is more valuable, and links within new pages likely have a more substantial impact on SEO. This indicates that Google sees current, updated content as more relevant and authoritative.

5. The more Google trusts a site’s homepage, the more valuable links from that site probably are:

If Google highly trusts a website’s homepage, links from within that site are likely to carry more weight. The site’s history, content quality, and user engagement metrics can infer this trustworthiness.

6. Google specifically tags links that come from high-quality news sites:

Google gives links from reputable news sources special consideration. These links are often seen as more credible and authoritative, significantly boosting the linked site’s SEO value.

7. Links coming from seed sites, or those linked to from these, are probably the most valuable links you could earn:

Seed sites are highly trusted websites used by Google to help determine the trustworthiness of other sites. Links directly from these sites, or from sites they link to, are precious because they are part of a trusted link ecosystem.

8. Google is probably using ‘trusted sources’ to calculate whether a link is spammy:

By cross-referencing links with trusted sources, Google can determine the likelihood of a link being spam. Trusted sources benchmark quality and trust, against which other links are measured.

9. Google is probably identifying negative SEO attacks and ignoring these links by measuring link velocity:

Google can detect unusual spikes in link acquisition that suggest negative SEO tactics. By monitoring the rate at which links are built (link velocity), they can identify and ignore links that are part of a spam or attack campaign.

10. Link-based penalties or adjustments can likely apply either to some or all of the links pointing to a page:

Google can apply penalties or make adjustments based on the quality of links referring to a page. These penalties can affect specific links or be applied more broadly, impacting the overall link profile of a page.

11. Toxic links are a thing, despite Google saying they aren’t:

Despite Google’s public stance, there’s evidence suggesting that toxic links exist and can harm a site’s SEO. Toxic links might come from spammy, low-quality, or malicious websites and must be monitored and managed.

12. The content surrounding a link gives context alongside the anchor text:

The context in which a link is placed is just as important as the anchor text itself. The surrounding content helps Google understand the link’s relevance and value, contributing to its overall impact on SEO.

Key Learnings & Takeaways for Link Builders and Digital PRs

Do links still matter?

Absolutely.

There’s significant evidence suggesting that links remain essential ranking signals. However, it’s not just about the quantity of links but the quality of those links.

Key points to consider:

• Relevancy is Crucial: Google likely ignores links from irrelevant pages, making relevance a top priority for link builders and digital PRs.
• Quality over Quantity: High-quality, relevant links are more likely to influence organic visibility and rankings positively.

 Should these findings change your approach to link building or digital PR?

• Outdated Tactics: If you still use outdated methods to earn low-quality links, it’s time to update your approach.
• Modern Tactics: If your strategy involves earning links through PR tactics from reputable publications, ensure your pitches are relevant to maximize their impact.

For many, this confirmation means continuing with current strategies but with a sharper focus on relevance. Consider our monthly SEO packages for expert assistance if you find this challenging.