Q 1. So, do backlinks still pull the biggest weight in Google rankings?
Pretty much, yes. Ask any seasoned SEO and they’ll tell you: a handful of solid, relevant backlinks can shift a page faster than most on-page tweaks. The trick is earning them, not buying them.
Q 2. Remind me—internal links vs. external links?
Internal links: your own pages linking to each other. Think of them as signposts that keep visitors (and Googlebot) roaming around your site.
External links (backlinks): other sites pointing at you. That’s social proof for search engines—like a public “thumbs-up” from the web.
Q 3. What makes one backlink better than another?
Relevance, authority, and context. A single link tucked naturally into a respected industry blog beats 50 spammy directory links every time. Google’s Penguin filter still has its claws out for shortcuts.
Q 4. Quantity vs. quality—where should I lean?
Quality, every day of the week. One great mention on a trusted site can out-perform a mountain of low-tier links. Chasing numbers alone is yesterday’s game.
Q 5. Why fuss over bounce rate?
High bounce rates scream, “I didn’t find what I needed.” Keep readers exploring with smart internal links and clear calls-to-action, and watch both engagement and rankings creep up.
Q 6. UX keeps popping up—why does Google care?
Because visitors do. Fast loads, mobile comfort, clean layouts—these things keep people sticking around, which sends positive signals back to the algorithm.
Q 7. Anchor text: how edgy can I get with keywords?
Sprinkle them, don’t shovel them. Mix branded terms (“Acme Widgets”), partial phrases (“best widget hacks”), and natural language (“read the full guide”). Overstuff and Google will nudge you down.
Q 8. Internal links actually help rankings?
Absolutely. They:
Funnel page authority to the stuff that converts.
Help Google map your content clusters.
Give readers a smooth path—goodbye pogo-sticking.
Q 9. Is long-form content still worth the effort?
If it’s well-crafted, yes. Deep, genuinely helpful articles attract shares and backlinks because they answer all the follow-up questions in one place.
Q 10. What would an agency like Digital Tailors (Bristol) do for me?
Audit the links you’ve got, bin the toxic ones, create assets journalists want to cite, pitch them properly, and tidy up your UX so every new visitor lands somewhere that converts. In short: fewer headaches, more rankings, and a healthier bottom line.
Still scratching your head about links or user experience? Drop us a line and let’s turn that confusion into rankings.