Forum Backlinks for Website Traffic: The Comprehensive Guide

Imagine scrolling through online communities and forums while scoring some cool backlinks for your website along the way. It’s as easy as exploring reels on Instagram or TikTok, setting up your online persona, and casually dropping your links into profiles or comments.

But here’s the twist; most of the SEO experts believe that those forum backlinks, despite their simplicity, isn’t the elixir that your website needs to get on top of the search rankings.

In fact, if you play it sketchy, you might end up causing harm to your website rankings.

But before you wave goodbye to forum backlinks, hold on a second and check this out;

This is the DA (Domain Authority) graph of a new website that was created a month ago:

Notice the sudden increase in DA? That might not look like a ‘drastic’ improvement but what if I tell you that this was the result of only 1 forum backlink? (More details later)

Surprising, isn’t it?

After all DA of a website directly signifies it’s ranking potential. Higher the DA, better will be the ranking potential.

Does that mean forum backlinks do have a big impact over search rankings? and after all this time are they finally becoming relevant?

So why is it that only a few SEO professionals include forum backlinks as their primary link building strategy? Only about 1.33 % SEO professionals picks up forums and directory backlinks as their go-to link building strategy.

I can’t deny that outreaching, guestposting and others are all very helpful link building strategies, but I am amused by the fact that people still think forum backlinks have little to no affect on their website’s search rankings.

So, wasting no time I will list out the pros and cons on forum backlinks in SEO in depth and I am gonna show you how google’s algorithm works in case of these forum backlinks.

Let’s start with a brief intro of forum backlinks.

What are Forum Backlinks in SEO?

Forum backlinks are links leading to your website from forums or online communities. These links might appear in your user signature, be included in your profile, or take the form of a user comment.

Additionally, generating these backlinks is quite straightforward, as anyone can join a forum and share links to their own site.

Additionally there are two types of backlinks you can get from a forum. This is one of the most important part in understanding forum backlinks in SEO.

These two types of links are do-follow backlinks and no-follow backlinks. Now many of you might know about these two. But do you know how each of them affect your SEO?

Take a look.

DoFollow vs. NoFollow Forum Backlinks Impact on SEO

Both types of links defined in brief; DoFollow links tell search engines to count them as positive signals, enhancing the linked site’s authority. NoFollow links instruct to not count the link for ranking purposes, not considering it as a supportive reference.

But there’s more to this.

I have noted down the effects of DoFollow and NoFollow forum backlinks on key metrics like Domain Authority (DA) and search rankings. Think of this as dissecting the DNA of your website’s online presence.

DoFollow Forum Backlinks: The Heavy Hitters

DoFollow backlinks from forums are like the nutrient-rich soil for your website’s growth. Here’s how they impact various metrics:

1. Domain Authority (DA): DoFollow links pass ‘link juice’, directly contributing to your site’s DA. A link from a high-DA forum can give a notable boost to your own DA, enhancing your site’s perceived authority in the eyes of search engines.
2. Search Rankings: These links are gold for your search rankings. They signal to search engines like Google that your site is credible and valuable, potentially elevating your position in the SERPs.

NoFollow Forum Backlinks: The Subtle Supporters

NoFollow links, often underestimated, play a different but essential role:

1. Domain Authority (DA): Traditionally, NoFollow links don’t directly influence DA since they don’t pass link equity. However, they contribute to a natural and diverse backlink profile, which is favorable in the eyes of search engines.
2. Search Rankings: While NoFollow links don’t directly boost search rankings, they can indirectly impact them. They help in diversifying your backlink profile and can lead to SEO benefits like increased brand visibility and user engagement.

Other Metrics to Consider

Both types of links can influence user behaviour metrics, like bounce rate and time on site, especially if the traffic they drive is engaged and interested in your content. This can indirectly impact your SEO, as search engines consider user engagement as a ranking factor.

Now as we understand both types of backlinks and their effects, you must have guessed which type of single backlink increased the DA of that website from earlier.

Here it is again,

How Forum Backlinks effected Authority of a new website

Website #1 :

One single forum backlink helped increase the authority of this brand new website to 4 from a starting number of 0.

This is the DA increase graph,

It is the result of a do-follow backlink from a forum website which had a domain authority of 63.

DA is influenced by multiple factors like the quality of incoming links, the strength of your website’s content, its overall link profile, and more. So many people might argue that it’s a cumulative result of them all.

But I assure you that it’s not (in this case). We made sure that there was no major change in the website except the one backlink that was created.

So, it is fact that one backlink catapulted the authority of this website from 1 to 4 under a few days. But is this strategy sustainable like other off page SEO techniques (That’s one of my favourite articles btw) ?

Well, to understand this, take a look at this other website.

Are Forum Backlinks good for your Website in long term?

I dived into the data of a special website recently and this data made it clear whether or not forum backlinks are good in long term.

Why am I calling this website a special case? You will find it out soon.

Let’s get into it.

Website #2:

Objective:

Understanding the correlation between forum backlinks and DA and search rankings for a specific website over a period of time.

The Website in consideration:

This was a static 5 page micro-niche servicing website with no blog content. Domain authority was 1 and there was no traffic and no keywords ranking in the beginning.

The Data:

In late 2020, owner of this website created over 290 forum backlinks. Out of the forum backlinks created, all of them were do-follow backlinks as the owner was aware of their relevance.

After a few days, DA of this website climbed up to 35.

Then this happened,

The DA came crashing down after a few months. As of January 2024, the authority of this website is only 9.

This was because after sometime, the moderators of those forums found most of the created backlinks to be irrelevant and hence changed them to no-follow links.

This resulted in an instant decline of domain authority for the website.

Now, as DA is directly a measure of ranking potential of a website, does this mean that the ranking potential of this website shot up to a peak with those do-follows links and then came crashing down later when most of those links were converted to no-follow links?

If you think so, the answer might disappoint you. Take a look yourself;

There was no significant change in traffic even when DA shot up to 35. In fact, the traffic was at it’s peak in mid 2021 after DA went down and the do-follow backlinks were converted to no-follow ones.

Considering other similar websites with average DA of 35, this traffic and rankings were trivial.

There was not a significant change in ranking keywords too (shown below).

The Results:

So here’s the deal: this data dive reveals this startling truth about forum backlinks. While they can be champs at boosting Domain Authority (DA), when it comes to hiking up those search rankings? Not so much.

Sure, these do-follow forum backlinks gave a nice nudge to DA, but hold your horses if you’re expecting a traffic tsunami. The increase in site visits was there, but let’s be real – it’s not something to write home about.

Given the surprising disconnect between increased Domain Authority and lacklustre changes in search rankings or traffic, it certainly raises a question: Should Moz.com revisit its DA calculating metrics?

This intriguing scenario suggests a deeper analysis might be in order to align DA more closely with real world SEO performance (at-least in this case).

Now let’s take a look and understand how some websites out there have managed to win this forum backlinking game and what are the backlinking strategies they followed in the process.

Statistical Analysis of Successful Forum Backlinks Strategies

To put my research on forum backlinks in SEO, I bundled a few other similar websites together and here’s what I found about forum backlinks they created.

The Impact on Traffic and Rankings

First up, let’s talk traffic. In this study I conducted involving 28 regular content publishing websites across various niches, those that actively participated in relevant forums saw an average traffic increase of 17% over five months.

For example:

Website #3:

Moderators of this website started posting and engaging in forums in it’s niche actively.

This resulted in increased traffic and engagement on their website. The traffic change was massive, a staggering 1100%.

Why this result? These forums provided high quality referral traffic from engaged community members interested in the niche.

As for search rankings, the data is equally compelling.

Website in the study combined forum backlinks with a diverse backlink profile and hence climbed an average of 2-3 positions on Google’s first page for their targeted keywords.

This suggests that while forum backlinks can be effective, they work best as part of a broader backlink strategy.

Website #4:

Let’s dive into the success story of AV Parts Master. This website is a prime example of mastering the art of forum links to snag backlinks from sites with high domain authority.

Here’s how they do it: For example- Over at the One Plus Community forum, a user throws out a question about projectors.

This isn’t just any forum, though. It’s a hotbed for tech enthusiasts, buzzing with questions and recommendations on the latest tech.

What makes it a goldmine for backlinks? Its impressive Domain Authority (DA) score of 85.

Our website #4 has created thousands of forum backlinks from different forums and guess what? A hefty slice of these are forums, rocketing their DA to an impressive 38. They have been using this strategy for years now and the traffic keeps coming!

These numbers speak for themselves:

This isn’t just about stacking up backlinks. It’s about strategic growth. AV Parts Master’s trajectory is a clear indicator of the power of well-placed forum backlinks.

User Engagement

Here’s an interesting find: Websites with active forum backlinking strategies showed improved user engagement rate, measured by metrics like time on site, pages per visit and bounce rate. This indicates that traffic from forums is often more engaged and interested in the content, which is a big thumbs up in Google’s eyes.

Long-Term Value of Forum Backlinks

Longevity matters in SEO, and forum backlinks are no exception. In a longitudinal study over 12 months, websites with consistent forum engagement maintained higher search ranking stability compared to those that didn’t use forum backlinks. This suggests that forum backlinks can offer sustainable SEO benefits over time if your backlinking strategy is good enough.

But stop your horses right there and read this blog post if you are think that making quality backlinks everyday can do wonders for your site. In fact it can harm your rankings if you go overboard with it.

Now let’s see how you can really use these forums and what points you need to remember to make forum backlinks in order to improve your website’s SEO performance.

What Makes Forum Backlinks Special?

In the world of SEO, not all backlinks are created equal. Forum backlinks, when done right, can be gold mines even for search rankings and traffic.

The catch? As you already know it by now- It’s all about relevance and quality.

Strategies for Creating Effective Forum Backlinks in SEO

1. Find the Right Forums: The Targeted Approach

The first step is like finding a needle in a haystack, but the needle is gold. You need to scout forums that align with your niche. It’s not just about being relevant; it’s about being in a space where your contributions will resonate the most.

2. Establish Yourself: The Relevance of Contribution

Once you’ve zeroed in on the right forums, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get involved. But here’s the deal: don’t just jump in with your links blazing. Become a valued member first. Answer questions, offer insights, share experiences. Build a reputation as someone who’s there to contribute, not just to self promote.

When you do share a link, make sure it adds value to the conversation. It’s like being a good party guest, you want to add to the fun and not just show up for the free food.

3. Link Wisely

This part is more art than science. Your links should feel organic, almost like they’re a natural part of the conversation. Avoid the temptation to overdo it. A well-placed, contextually relevant link can do wonders compared to a barrage of forced links.

4. Diversify Your Portfolio: The Multiple Forum Strategy

Don’t put all your eggs in one forum basket. Diversifying your forum presence can help spread your reach and minimise risks. Participate in multiple forums but maintain the same level of quality and engagement in each. It’s like having multiple fishing lines in the sea, increasing your chances of a catch.

5. Quality Over Quantity: The Golden Rule

Let me emphasise something crucial here: quality trumps quantity. It’s a mantra worth repeating.

In the early days of SEO, you could scatter backlinks like confetti and watch your site climb the rankings. Not anymore. Today, a single, well placed forum backlink from a reputable site can outshine dozens of low quality ones. Google’s smarter now and values context and user engagement.

6. Monitor and Adapt: Continuous Improvement

Lastly, keep an eye on your forum backlinks. Use tools to track their performance. Are they driving traffic? How are they affecting your SEO? Adapt your strategy based on what’s working. SEO is a constantly evolving field, and flexibility is key.

Conclusion

The data speaks loud and clear, forum backlinks can significantly impact website traffic, search rankings, and user engagement. They’re not a one-off tactic but a strategic tool that, when used effectively, can contribute to your site’s long-term SEO success. Remember, it’s about quality, relevance, and engagement.

Also remember that both NoFollow and DoFollow backlinks play crucial roles. DoFollow links for boosting your site’s authority and search rankings, and NoFollow links for driving traffic and diversifying your link profile. Remember, in the world of SEO, diversity and quality trump all.

So that’s all on forum backlinks in SEO for today. If I find anything relevant and interesting in future, I will surely add to this article. Peace out.

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