Table of Contents
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist, which gives you all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
Everyone knows Google patents hold a lot of secrets.
But let’s face it, none of us are decoding these legal puzzles for fun!
So, I spent the last few weeks digging into 104 high-value Google patents to see how Google uses backlinks for rankings, what I found was eye-opening!
I’ve broken down all my findings into actionable steps you can use right now:
- 11 strategies for quality link acquisition and optimization
- 10 techniques to leverage velocity and authority signals
- 9 ways to optimize for Google’s advanced algorithms
- 10 methods to analyze and refine your link building strategy
- 8 tactics to future-proof your link profile
Remember, if you’re going to follow any SEO strategies online, it makes sense to do it from Google right?
If you’re short on time, grab the checklist below and save it for later:
Let’s dive right into building links that work!
Focus On Contextual Link Quality Over Quantity
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Ranking Based on Reference Contexts
- Patent Number: US8577893
- Patent Summary: Quality links that are contextually relevant contribute more to SEO than a large number of unrelated links, enhancing search ranking.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Contextual Link Quality Patent, Simplified.
Google’s patent on Ranking Based on Reference Contexts is quite a significant shift for link building.
It’s not just about how many links you have anymore. It’s about how good those links are and how well they fit with your content.
Patent Image: Flowchart of the process for ranking a document based on context, including hashing and context identification
Think about it like this…
If you’re running a fitness blog, which do you think Google would prefer:
- 100 links from random websites
- 10 links from fitness and sports science sites
That makes sense, right…
Google wants to see relevant links. That means you want to be more strategic in your link building and selective about where your website is mentioned.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
Your entire link building strategy should be built around acquiring quality backlinks that are contextually relevant to your website.
What does that mean?
Google’s system is smart. It evaluates links by considering the topical relevance between the source and target pages.
The algorithm then assigns weighted scores based on the thematic relevance of linking clusters.
Google gives more value to links from:
- Editorial sites: news, respected blogs, industry publications, ect.
- Authoritative sources: expert sites, branded publications. ect.
These are the types of links you really want to build.
Real World Example: If you have a cooking blog, aim for links from popular food websites, cooking magazines or news sites that cover recipes. One good link from a site covering topics similar to yours is worth more than ten links from random sites.
The ‘Link Graph’ concept means Google doesn’t view links in isolation but considers the overall link profile of the source page or site.
That means if you receive a backlink from a website that regularly links to low-quality sites, Google might devalue your backlink.
This is why Google is so good at assessing whether a link is quality.
You must go beyond metrics like Domain Rating and Domain Authority.
Look at the quality of the websites from which you build links – How To Do A Backlink Audit In Under 45 Minutes.
6-Steps To Contextual Link Quality
✅ 1. Build A Prospect List
- Identify sites with DR30+ and high relevance
- – Paid: Use Ahrefs or Semrush
- – Free: Google your target keywords, scrape the top 100 results
- Filter for relevance
- – Paid: Check if they rank for similar keywords with Ahrefs/Semrush
- – Free: Use “site:domain.com + keyword” in Google to check content relevance
✅ 2. Qualify Prospects
- Check Domain Rating (DR)
- Assess content quality and relevance
- Verify organic traffic (500+ monthly) with a tool like Ahrefs or Semrush
- Check the backlink profile for any red flags
- Check what types of sites the target website links out to
✅ 3. Find Contact Information
- Find contact information for the website with email search tools like Hunter.io or FindThatLead
- Check the ‘Contact’, ‘About Us’, or ‘Team’ pages
- Search LinkedIn for company employees in relevant positions
✅ 4. Prepare Outreach Strategy
- Develop personalised email templates to reach out
- Write a follow-up sequence (2-3 follow-ups)
- Prepare content ideas or collaboration proposals
✅ 5. Execute Outreach Campaign
✅ 6. Track And Analyse Results
- Monitor response rates and successful placements
- Use a spreadsheet or CRM to track progress
- Analyse which approaches are most successful
Diverse Inbound Links Maximize Link Votes
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Ranking Nodes in a Linked Database Based on Node Independence
- Patent Number: US8719276
- Patent Summary: Diverse inbound links from independent sites are more valuable for ranking than those from affiliated networks.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Inbound Links Patent, Simplified.
Ever wondered why some sites rank with ease while others struggle?
Well, Google has a secret weapon: the Ranking Nodes in a Linked Database Based on Node Independence patent.
This patent isn’t just about counting links; it’s about independence. Google’s system can spot clusters of sites controlled by the same entity. And what happens?
It doesn’t care about your internal linking within that network; it’s all about diverse, independent links from authority sites.
But here’s the thing…
Patent Image: Shows how the ranking engine is implemented in an internet search engine.
The patent introduces a voting system where sites vote based on their own rank. So a link from a high quality site is worth its weight in gold!
The system limits the ranking influence one site can have on another. Why? So you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
Ranking with this patent in mind is pretty simple. Just get diverse inbound links from independent and authority sites.
Real World Example: Let’s say you have a fitness blog. Instead of just linking with other fitness sites you own or have relationships with, you could:
- Guest post on a nutrition blog about the link between diet and exercise.
- Write for a parenting site that covers family fitness activities.
- Contribute to a business journal with categories on workplace wellness.
Instead of building a network of affiliated sites or always landing links in the same PR publication… You need to branch out.
Guest posting on various authority blogs? That’s right up Google’s alley.
But here’s the thing…
It’s not just about getting links from anywhere, you want links from trusted authorities. These are the sites that can give full votes in Google’s ranking system.
In short: natural link building is more important than ever.
See the difference? You’re getting links from diverse, independent sources all within your niche.
4 Ways to Get Diverse Inbound Links
✅ 1. Find Independent and Authority Sites
- Research top ranking sites in your niche and related industries
- Look for sites with strong domain authority, traffic, brand searches and diverse link profiles
- Make a list of potential relevant link sources from various sectors
✅ 2. Pitch for Guest Posting
- Write personalized pitches highlighting your expertise
- Suggest unique content ideas for each site
- Follow up professionally and build relationships with site owners
✅ 3. Create Linkable Content
- Produce high quality, original content that’s valuable
- Include data, insights or perspectives only you have
- Make sure your content fits the host site’s audience and tone
✅ 4. Check the Diversity and Quality of Inbound Links
- Use SEO tools to audit your backlink profile
- Monitor the number of domains linking to your site
- Check the authority and independence of your link sources
- Adjust your strategy based on the diversity and quality of your inbound links
Focus On High-Quality Backlinks
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Predictive Searching and Associated Cache Management
- Patent Number: US20100318538A1
- Patent Summary: Authoritative backlinks boost content’s credibility, making it more likely to be included in predictive search results.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Predictive Searching Patent, Simplified.
Google is better at evaluating backlinks than you might think. That’s why quality control is so important!
Their patent on Scoring Documents In A Linked Document Database provides some interesting insights into how they evaluate backlinks.
Patent Image: Outlines the system architecture, showing the interaction between the query manager, document manager, predictive result manager, predictive cache, and search engine.
The key takeaway?
Quality and relevance trump quantity every time. This isn’t exactly groundbreaking information in and of itself.
But the interesting part is that Google’s algorithm is sophisticated enough to distinguish between high-value editorial links and low-quality artificial ones.
It even further breaks these down into different link types (citations, endorsements, brand mentions etc).
Crazy, right?
The best way to boost your backlink profile is to acquire backlinks from websites that carry more weight in Google’s eyes.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
Research high-quality websites in your industry.
Real World Example: If you run a fitness equipment ecommerce store, aim for a product review on a popular fitness blog or a feature in a ‘top gym equipment’ list on a respected sports news site.
You want to look for sites that have a branded presence online with high domain authority and have been featured on other major sites.
These sites can be as simple as an authority blog or as big as a well-known publication.
The key here is quality.
Google’s link graph assigns higher scores to authoritative and relevant websites.
Links from these high-scoring sites carry more weight in Google’s eyes. Think of it like getting a vote of confidence from the most respected players in your field.
Here’s why this matters:
- Links from high-scoring sites can significantly boost your own site’s authority
- Relevant links signal to Google that your content is valuable within your niche
- Editorial links, like mentions in industry publications, are particularly powerful
Bottom line: Focus on building relationships with authoritative publications in your industry.
Then, look for opportunities to build links!
Ideally, this is done through a win-win situation. Links from these sites are worth far more than a bunch of low-quality backlinks.
4-Steps To Predictive Search Domination
✅ 1. Identify High-Authority Sources
- Use Ahrefs or Semrush to find high-domain rating sites in your industry
- Focus on trusted sources within your niche (e.g., academic institutions, industry publications, authority blogs, relevant news sites)
✅ 2. Create Quality, Relevant Content
- Develop high-quality, credible content that your target sites that your target sites will be interested in
- Include unique data, research, or insights to increase link appeal
- Use this content as the basis of your outreach
✅ 3. Outreach And Relationship Building
- Offer mutually beneficial opportunities (guest posts, collaborations, free infographics, unique research)
- Craft personalised pitches highlighting your content’s value
- Focus on the benefit your content offers the target site
✅ 4. Maintain Backlink Quality And Focus On What Works
- Regularly audit your backlink profile
- Remove or disavow low-quality links to maintain a strong backlink profile
- Work out what links are boosting your rankings the most and focus on acquiring more of them
Leverage Machine Learning Ranking With Quality Backlinks
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Identifying a synonym with N-gram agreement for a query phrase
- Patent Number: US8321201
- Patent Summary: High-quality backlinks are a significant factor in the machine learning model’s ranking algorithm, indicating trustworthiness and authority.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Machine Learning Patent, Simplified.
Google’s Machine Learning Ranking patent introduces a new level of complexity to using links in the ranking algorithm.
But this is the interesting part…
The system analyses link structures and patterns, distinguishing between high-quality and low-quality links.
Patent Image: Likely depicts the process of feature generation from documents and queries.
It values backlinks from reputable, authoritative sources within relevant industries more. And Google has the capability to analyse all of these factors.
That means earning diverse, high-quality and natural backlinks from respected websites in your field is likely more important than ever.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
The machine learning algorithm doesn’t just look at individual links in isolation.
It considers the overall link structure, the link’s authority, how it relates to your content, and how users interact with your site after following these links.
Impressive, right?
That means you need to develop a holistic link building strategy that goes beyond just building the same types of links.
Focus on diversifying your link building, but ensure that you are only building quality links from quality websites.
Real World Example: If you run an ecommerce store for home office furniture, getting a link from a well-known home design magazine is ideal. It’s authoritative, diverse, and niche-relevant, making it more valuable to Google than a content site with a simillar domain rating
The more links you get from “authority sources”, the more Google will associate your website as an authority source.
That’s exactly what you want!
4 Machine Learning Authority Strategies
✅ 1. Research Authority Trusted Sites And Qualify
- Research sites Google likely views as authorities (e.g., magazines, publications, news sites, branded authority sites)
- Look beyond your immediate niche for authoritative sites that cover similar topics
- Check the backlink profiles of these sites for links from other authority sources
✅ 2. Create Engagement-Focused Content
- Develop content that encourages longer site visits and interactions
- Implement SEO copywriting strategies, use images and videos
- Think about content that would be very shareable
- Focus on creating link-worthy content (original research, statistics posts, infographics, complete how-to guides, trending topics)
✅ 3. Reach Out To Let Them Know About Your Content
- Reach out to prospects and try to win a link by offering value
- Personalise your outreach for each high-authority target
- Propose creative collaborations (e.g., original research) instead of standard guest posts
✅ 4. Monitor Link Impact
- Regularly audit which links boost rankings and user engagement
- Adjust strategy to acquire more of these high-impact links
Boost Predictive Search Relevance With Quality Backlinks
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Predictive Searching and Associated Cache Management
- Patent Number: US20100318538A1
- Patent Summary: Authoritative backlinks boost content’s credibility, making it more likely to be included in predictive search results.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Patent Image Outlines the system architecture, showing the interaction between the query manager, document manager, predictive result manager, predictive cache, and search engine.
Google’s Predictive Search Relevance Patent, Simplified.
Google doesn’t evaluate every relevant site for every search.
The patent shows that Google “pre-computes” the search results for common search queries.
This simply means that Google pre-prepares the search results ahead of time, and the rankings only change periodically.
Think of it like how caching works for a website.
Google calculates the rankings for a search query and stores them on the server. When someone searches for that query, the page loads fast because the algorithm has pre-calculated the order of website rankings.
But here’s the thing:
This system favours high-quality, authoritative content that frequently receives backlinks from reputable sources.
Backlinks are a significant factor in whether your content makes it into predictive searches.
It also suggests that fresh and regularly updated content has an advantage. Once you’re in, it will likely provide a massive boost to your traffic!
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
Start by creating authoritative content that is likely to get new backlinks naturally and regularly.
This is especially important for competitive keyword searches!
Let me explain…
Real World Example: If you run a home gardening blog, getting links from agricultural research institutions, gardening magazines, and authoritative gardening blogs is a signal that your content is quality. This boosts your chance of being added to the “cache”.
The patent shows that Google scores a document’s (pages) relevance.
If a page has links from well-known sources, Google scores it higher. This works the same for freshness and quality content.
Creating link-worthy, well-researched and valuable content will position the page to be included in predictive searches.
3 Ways To Trigger Predictive Search Relevance
✅ 1. Create High-Quality, Link-Worthy Content
- Develop comprehensive, in-depth articles on your core niche topics
- Include unique insights and practical takeaways
- Add images, videos, tables, call-out boxes, bullet points and more
- Regularly update content to maintain freshness and relevance
✅ 2. Target High-Quality Backlink Sources
- Identify consistently top-ranking sites in your industry
- Focus on obtaining links from authoritative, niche-relevant websites
- Aim for diverse sources (e.g., academic institutions, industry publications)
- Use your favourite link building strategy to build backlinks to your authority content
✅ 3. Monitor And Optimise For Predictive Cache
- Track correlations between new backlinks and increased rankings
- Analyse the types of links most improve your rankings
- Adjust content and outreach strategies based on what works
Link Velocity Also Triggers Content Freshness Scoring
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Document Scoring Based on Link-Based Criteria
- Patent Number: US8407231
- Patent Summary: Prevents the document from being classified as ‘stale’ and maintains or improves its ranking based on natural link growth.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Document-Based Scoring Patent, Simplified.
Ever noticed how some sites age like fine wine while others go stale faster than yesterday’s bread?
Well, Google’s Document Scoring Based on Link-Based Criteria patent isn’t just about counting backlinks.
It’s about the growth of those backlinks over time.
Patent Image: Outlines the processing steps for scoring documents based on link data.
Google can monitor the rate of new links to your site; it’s about steady growth, not bursts.
Nothing we didn’t know? Well…
The patent considers the inception date for link growth and uses this to determine whether your content is “fresh” or “stale.”
Meaning it’s processed with the content freshness algorithm for quality scoring.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
Ranking with this patent in mind is all about playing the long game. The key is to focus on building high quality backlinks over time not in bursts.
Let me explain:
Instead of trying to game the system with quick link building schemes, you need to build relationships. Think marathon, not sprint.
Building connections with industry influencers? That’s music to Google’s ears.
Real World Example: Building relationships with industry influencers to get natural backlinks.
Let’s say you run a tech review blog. Instead of buying a bunch of backlinks all at once, you could:
Build relationships with tech influencers and get mentioned in their content regularly Create valuable, shareable content that attracts links over time Engage in industry events and get cited in event wrap-ups and reports
But here’s the thing:
It’s not just about getting any old links. You want high quality backlinks from reputable sources. These are the links that will keep your content fresh in Google’s eyes.
In short… Natural link growth is more important than ever.
See the difference? You’re getting high quality backlinks over time not in bursts.
4 Steps to Build High Quality Backlinks
✅ 1. Identify Backlink Sources
- Research high authority sites in your niche
- Look for industry publications and influencer blogs
- Create a list of backlink sources to target over time
✅ 2. Engage with Influencers
- Follow and interact with influencers on social media
- Comment on their blog posts and content
- Offer value to build relationships
✅ 3. Create Content for Backlinking
- Develop high quality, original content that’s valuable
- Include data, research or unique perspectives in your content
- Create different content types (blog posts, infographics, videos) to target different audiences
✅ 4. Monitor Link Growth
- Audit your backlink profile with SEO tools
- Track new links pointing to your site over time
- Assess the quality and relevance of your backlinks
- Adjust your strategy based on your link growth and freshness score
Leverage Source Authority To Boost Site Credibility
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Method and Apparatus for Clustering News Online Content Based on Content Freshness and Quality of Content Source
- Patent Number: US9361369B
- Patent Summary: Associating content with authoritative sources enhances its credibility and can lead to improved search engine rankings.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Source Authority Patent, Simplified.
Google’s patent on clustering news content reveals a crucial aspect of evaluating and ranking content based on source quality.
How does it work?
Patent Image Illustrates the overall environment and system architecture where these processes are executed making it the best fit for this section.
Google’s system evaluates the quality of content sources using metrics like circulation statistics, views, and links.
They also look at source metadata, including:
- Author information
- Publication date
- Citations
- References
- Content type
…and more.
This helps them work out which sources are trustworthy and authoritative.
That means collaborating with well-branded, large, reputable sites considered authority sources can significantly boost your website’s credibility.
But that’s not all…
Even linking to well-known and trusted sources in your own content can potentially improve your site’s perceived authority in Google’s eyes.
Think of it as an association through outbound links.
The key point of this patent is that being grouped with high-authority source sites is likely to improve your content’s visibility significantly.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
This is a two-step SEO action:
- Build links and brand mentions from well-known and respected sources in your industry
- Link out to well-known and respected sources in your industry from your own content
Both work hand in hand to boost your website’s credibility.
Let me explain:
Google’s system evaluates sources using several key metrics:
- Circulation Statistics: Unique visitors, pageviews, brand searches, and more.
- Views: The number of times content from a source is accessed or read.
- Links: The quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to the source.
- Metadata: Author information, publication date, citations, references, content type
These metrics help Google determine which sources are most authoritative and trustworthy.
Real World Example: Let’s say you run a finance content site. Quoting analysts from financial publications, referencing major reports, and collaborating with respected financial news journalists are all great ways to boost credibility.
Building links and gaining mentions from high-quality sources can increase your website’s authority.
Additionally, linking to these reputable sites signals to Google that your content is trustworthy.
This combined approach enhances the authority and credibility of your website.
4 Ways To Leverage Link Source Authority
✅ 1. Identify High-Authority Sources
- Research the top websites in your industry (high traffic, DR 80+, strong brand)
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to verify metrics
- Focus on sources Google likely considers authoritative
- Analyse key engagement and traffic stats for these sites
- List all of these sites in a document that you can keep for later
✅ 2. Build Authority Backlinks And Collaborate
- Reach out for collaborations (expert interviews, joint projects)
- Aim for backlinks or brand mentions from authority sites
- Contribute guest posts or expert opinions to high-quality publications
✅ 3. Optimise Your Website Content
- Create high-quality content worthy of authoritative links
- Include outbound links to the authority sites you listed earlier (when relevant)
- Ensure Google can associate your content with authority sites that cover similar topics
✅ 4. Monitor And Adjust Your Strategy
- Track ranking and traffic changes after collaborations/references
- Identify which authority associations have the most impact
- Refine your strategy based on successful partnerships
Diversify Link Contexts To Avoid Spam Patterns
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Ranking Based on Reference Contexts
- Patent Number: US8577893
- Patent Summary: Diverse link contexts help prevent spammy patterns and ensure that links are seen as relevant and trustworthy by search engines.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Diversify Link Contexts Patent, Simplified.
The Ranking Based On Reference Contexts patent shows that Google evaluates the relevance of each link by examining the words and phrases surrounding each link.
Google looks at the “context” of the link in the content.
Patent Image Diagram of network configuration, essential for understanding document parsing and context analysis.
Context simply means that Google can easily identify if the link was naturally placed based on the content around it.
More relevance typically means a more valuable link.
That’s why context is so important!
This is also probably why Google has become very good at identifying spammy, unnatural links.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
Place links within varied and relevant contexts (words/phrases) across different pages to avoid spammy patterns.
But diversifying your link contexts isn’t just about avoiding spam flags – it’s also about creating rich, varied signals of relevance and authority.
Real World Example: If you are building links to your article ‘The Benefits of a Balanced Diet,’ you can vary the words, phrases, and anchor text to cover different benefits.
Here’s what I mean:
Using different contexts can increase the value of both internal and external links.
That means that the words and phrases around your links are crucial for determining each link’s value to your site.
What’s more?
Google’s algorithm creates hash-based identifiers for each link context.
These identifiers help Google understand the uniqueness and relevance of each link placement.
The big takeaway is that you must ensure that your links are surrounded by relevant, unique and descriptive content.
This will help you avoid spammy link patterns and as a bonus…
Squeeze the most “juice” from each link.
For example:
- A balanced diet helps you lose weight and improve overall health.
- Discover the benefits of a balanced diet and how it can change your mood and mitigate stress.
4 Strategies To Avoid Spam Patterns
✅ 1. Review Current Links
- Check the text around each link on your site
- Make sure it’s relevant and describes the linked content well
- Look for links that have similar or repetitive surrounding text
✅ 2. Mix Up Your Link Descriptions
- Use different words to describe the same link on different pages
- Try to include unique or specific terms related to the topic
- Explain different aspects of the linked content each time
✅ 3. Spread Out Link Variety
- Change up your anchor text for each link
- Make sure the text around the link fits naturally in the content
- Place links within detailed, relevant discussions when possible
✅ 4. Check And Improve
- Keep an eye on how your pages rank after changing link contexts
- Note which types of descriptions work best for your rankings
- Adjust your approach based on what you learn
Optimise For Search Engine Snippets Via Link Quality
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Generating Synthetic Descriptive Text
- Patent Number: US9208232B1
- Patent Summary: High-quality backlinks contribute to the credibility of your content, and when these links are contextually relevant, they enhance the quality of descriptive text generated by search engines.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Patent Image Illustrates a search system interacting with user devices, which directly aligns with the description of the system identifying and working with linking resources.
Google’s Optimise For Snippets Patent, Simplified.
Google almost always rewrites your meta-descriptions to display whatever they think is most likely to win the click.
Sometimes, this is text pulled from your page, other times the description you write and more often than not…
It’s the text they generate themselves.
Where does this generated text come from?
Well, Google often uses the content of websites linking to you to create templates for search result snippets.
Basically the content used around the links to your site are taken by Google and plugged into their templates.
These text phrases are then shown in the SERPs in place of your meta descriptions.
Crazy, right?
This means the quality and relevance of your backlinks directly impact how your content is represented in search results.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
Build high-quality and contextually relevant backlinks to your site. This is especially important for your content pages.
Real World Example: You run an online store selling handmade pottery. Many of the high-quality sites linking to your pottery shop describe your products as “excellent handcrafted ceramic pieces with unique glazes.” Google might use this phrase as a template to generate your search snippet.
Google’s algorithm analyses the content of the linking website to create templates for descriptive text.
This is the text that often replaces your meta description.
High-quality, contextually relevant backlinks provide better data for this process. That means they have the potential to improve the accuracy and appeal of your content in organic search results.
The better your website is presented in the SERPs, the more clicks you’ll get.
5 Steps To Win Snippets With Links
✅ 1. Audit Current Backlinks
- Identify high-quality, relevant sites linking to you
- Review the context and anchor text of these backlinks
- Write down descriptions that you’d like to see in your search snippets
✅ 2. Improve Your Existing Backlinks
- Reach out to current linking sites and asked to update the surrounding content and anchor text
- You can pitch it like a free refresh to their content
- Focus on descriptive, industry-specific language that accurately describes your linked page
✅ 3. Build New Quality Backlinks
- Identify authoritative websites in your niche
- Create valuable content that attracts links
- Look to build guest post links or niche edits
✅ 4. Optimise Link Context
- Ensure new backlinks use descriptive, relevant anchor text
- Use industry-specific terms that accurately describe the content around your links
✅ 5. Monitor And Refine
- Regularly check your search snippets for improvements (incognito tab + VPN)
- Track click-through rates for pages with new or improved backlinks
- Adjust your strategy based on which backlinks lead to better snippets
Enhance Link Surrounding Text Unique Relevant Words
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Ranking Based on Reference Contexts
- Patent Number: US8577893
- Patent Summary: Including specific, less common words around links helps create a clearer context, which improves the relevance of the linked content.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Reference Contexts Patent, Simplified.
We all know that Google wants unique content.
But the Ranking Based On Reference Contexts patent showed that they have a particular interest in what they call “rare” words.
Patent Image: Shows the creation of context identifiers using rare words around the link
This is especially true for words surrounding links.
Google calls these “context identifiers.”
Context identifiers give Google more context about the link and the linked page. This helps the algorithm understand whether the link is relevant or not.
The patent seems to show that using unique and rare context words around your links can increase the link’s value on your website.
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
This is actually pretty simple…
Include relevant, less common words around links to create a strong context identifier.
Real World Example: Instead of writing: “For more information about gardening, click here.”
You could write: “Explore advanced permaculture techniques for sustainable urban gardening.”
Let me explain:
Using less common (rare) relevant words, you can create unique hash-based identifiers for each link context.
This is something your competitors won’t bother doing.
The patent shows this could improve the rankings of the linked page. It applies to both the surrounding words and the anchor text itself.
5 Ways To Enhance Link Surrounding Text
✅ 1. Audit Existing Links For Surrounding Text
- Review your existing links for generic surrounding text
- Identify opportunities to add more specific, relevant words
- Make a list of links that need improvement
✅ 2. List Unique And Relevant Terms For Your Industry
- Identify industry-specific or niche terms related to each link
- Look for less common synonyms or more detailed descriptors
- Consider using tools to analyse word rarity in your content
✅ 3. Optimise Your Link Context
- Replace generic phrases like “click here” with specific descriptions
- Add unique, relevant words before and after the link
- Ensure the new context aligns with the linked content
✅ 4. Enhance Your Anchor Text
- Use descriptive, less common terms in the anchor text
- Incorporate industry-specific terminology where appropriate
- Avoid overusing common jargon
✅ 5. Monitor Performance And Refine Your Strategy
- Track ranking changes for pages with updated link contexts
- Analyse which unique terms seem to have the most positive impact
Optimise Anchors With Query Matching Synonyms
Google Patent Reference:
- Patent Name: Document-Based Synonym Generation
- Patent Number: US8762370B1
- Patent Summary: Titles and anchors are crucial for synonym generation, affecting how documents are retrieved during searches.
- FREE Resource: Download The Google Patent Checklist
Google’s Query Matching Synonyms Patent, Simplified.
We’ve talked a lot about how Google uses the content surrounding your links to better understand them.
But with this next patent – We are about to go up a level!
Google’s patent on document-based synonym generation shows that they don’t just look at exact keyword matches for rankings.
It describes a system that generates synonyms by examining words used in your page titles and link anchor text.
The algorithm also analyses their correlation with the page’s content.
Patent Image Related to the process of generating altered queries.
Sound complicated?
It’s actually pretty simple…
This synonym generation process allows Google to understand the broader context of your content and create semantic relationships between linked pages.
This potentially enables your page to rank for more related keywords.
Here’s the cool part:
Just by being strategic with the words used in page titles and anchor text, you can increase the number of keywords a linked page ranks for.
Crazy, right?
✅ Download The Google Patent Checklist – Get all 88 actionable optimization tips from Google’s Patents.
What This Means For Your Website
Here’s what you need to do…
Ensure titles and anchors include important keywords to trigger Google’s synonym generation process.
Real World Example: Let’s say you have content about “Best Running Gear.”
To optimise for related queries, you could use anchor text like “top rated running shoes” when linking to this page.
You could also include phrases like “athletic footwear” or “jogging equipment” in the page’s headings and subheadings that link to that content.
This mostly applies to internal links and pages on your own website.
Including relevant synonyms in these areas allows you to expand the range of queries the linked content ranks for.
Don’t just plug your main target keyword into the anchor text. Use related terms that help Google understand the broader context of your content.
4 Ways to Optimise For Query Matching Anchors
✅ 1. Audit Current Titles And Anchors
- Review existing page titles and internal link anchor text
- Identify opportunities to include relevant keywords and synonyms
- Write down pages that could rank for multiple keywords
✅ 2. Research And Incorporate Synonyms
- Google your main target keyword for the page
- Use the “People also ask” and “People also search for” to find synonym ideas
- Update page titles with relevant synonyms and keywords
- Modify internal link anchor text to include varied, related terms
- Ensure anchor text aligns with the content of both source and destination pages
✅ 3. Check For SEO Best Practices
- Use SEO analysis tools to avoid any keyword stuffing
- Make sure that content reads smoothly and easily
- Ensure the changes align with your overall SEO strategy
✅ 4. Monitor And Adjust
- Track rankings for primary keywords and new related terms
- Looking for changes in any keyword rankings
- Scale successful strategies to other site content
Wrapping It Up
There is a ton of information in this post.
To help you implement these strategies effortlessly, we’ve created a downloadable PDF checklist covering just the practical takeaways.
The truth is that backlinks do more than just increase your site’s authority. They play a significant role in various aspects of Google’s algorithm.
The biggest takeaway is that you can optimise your links.
Don’t just build as many links as you can. Invest in the right link building strategies and ONLY build quality links that boost your rankings and traffic.
At the end of the end day, that’s the whole goal of link building!
What was your biggest takeaway? Drop it in the comments below!
