Ask ten vendors which backlink type is best and you will get ten answers, each conveniently matching what they sell. Here is a straight one, with the reasoning, so you can judge any pitch yourself.
The short version: the best backlink is a relevant, editorial link on a real site with a real audience. The format matters far less than that. But the formats do differ in risk and value, so let us rank them honestly.
What you’ll learn
- Why “best type” is the wrong first question
- The backlink types, ranked by value and risk
- How to choose for your specific site
Why “best type” is the wrong first question
Buyers fixate on format because vendors sell formats. But Google does not rank a link because it is a “guest post” or a “niche edit.” It weighs relevance, the linking site’s quality and audience, the context around the link, and whether the link looks earned.
So the useful question is not “which type is best.” It is “which link is most relevant and most genuinely editorial.” Once you internalize that, the ranking below is really a ranking of how likely each format is to produce that kind of link.
The backlink types, ranked
| Rank | Type | Value | Risk | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Editorial (earned) | High | Low | Best. Relevant, in-content, durable |
| 2 | Digital PR coverage | High | Low | Authority + brand, but spiky |
| 3 | Journalist / expert source | Medium-High | Low | Great for new sites, no authority needed |
| 4 | Resource page | Medium | Low | Steady, safe base layer |
| 5 | Guest post | Medium | Medium | Fine on relevant sites, risky at scale |
| 6 | Niche edit | Medium | Medium | Value depends entirely on relevance |
| 7 | Directory / citation | Low | Low | Fine for local, weak for ranking |
| 8 | PBN / link farm | Negative | High | Avoid. A link scheme Google targets |
The top of the list shares a trait: the link is placed because it helps a reader. The bottom shares the opposite: the link exists only to move rankings. That is the entire spectrum, from white-hat to black-hat.
A closer look at the top and bottom
Editorial links win because you do not control them: a publisher chose to include you, which is exactly the signal Google wants. They are the subject of our full editorial link building guide.
Digital PR and journalist sourcing rank high because they earn genuine coverage. PR reaches the biggest publications; expert sourcing works even for brand-new sites, since you trade expertise, not authority.
Guest posts and niche edits are neutral tools that live or die on relevance. A relevant one is fine; bulk exact-match versions are exactly what gets penalized. We compare them in guest posts vs niche edits.
PBNs sit at the bottom for a reason. They are a link scheme built to manipulate rankings, and Google treats them accordingly. The value is negative once you account for the risk, as we explain in what PBNs are.
How to choose for your site
- New site, no authority: journalist sourcing and unlinked mentions, then a linkable asset.
- Local business: relevant editorial links plus legitimate directories and citations.
- Content or SaaS site: linkable assets, digital PR, and editorial outreach.
- Any budget: spend on relevance and real audiences, never on volume or price per link.
Whatever your situation, apply the same filter to every link on offer: is it relevant, is it on a real site with a real audience, and would an editor keep it if Google vanished. If yes, the format barely matters. If no, no format saves it. That filter, plus the red flags for vetting a vendor, will keep you out of trouble.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best type of backlink?
A relevant, editorial link on a real site with a real audience. Editorial links top the ranking because a publisher chose to include them, which is the signal Google rewards. Format matters far less than relevance and intent.
Are dofollow links always better?
No. A natural profile mixes dofollow, nofollow, and sponsored links. Chasing only dofollow is itself a red flag. Relevance and editorial context matter more than the follow attribute.
Are directory links worth it?
For local SEO, legitimate directories and citations help. For ranking a content site, they are weak. Do not build directory links in bulk expecting a ranking lift.
What is the worst type of backlink?
Links from PBNs and link farms. They are a link scheme Google is built to catch, and their value is negative once you account for the risk of neutralization or a penalty.
Wrapping up
There is no magic backlink type, only a best principle: relevance and editorial intent win. Editorial links, digital PR, and expert sourcing top the ranking because the link is earned and helps a reader. PBNs sit at the bottom because they exist only to game rankings.
Stop shopping by format. Judge every link by whether it is relevant, real, and genuinely editorial. Do that, and you will pick better links than any vendor’s pitch.
Want the best kind of links, earned editorially, with a refund for any that don’t go live? Start with a free audit.
