What does "backlink" refer to in SEO?

A backlink refers to a hyperlink from one website to another. In the context of SEO, backlinks are crucial because they serve as votes of confidence from other websites. When a site links to another, it indicates to search engines that the content on the linked-to site is valuable and trustworthy. This can significantly enhance the authority and ranking of the linked site in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Backlinks contribute to a site's credibility and can drive referral traffic directly from the linking site. Therefore, building a strong backlink profile is a key strategy in improving a website's search engine optimization efforts. The quality and relevance of backlinks are essential factors in their effectiveness, as search engines prioritize links from authoritative and relevant sources.

In contrast, social media posts linking to a website fall under different forms of traffic and engagement that may not carry the same SEO weight as backlinks. Keywords are important for SEO but refer to the words and phrases users enter into search engines, not hyperlinks. A specific page within a website is a distinct concept that does not relate directly to external linking or backlinking strategy.