Are .edu and .gov backlinks legit? – if you are wondering about this, let us help you get a clear concept.
In short, Websites with edu and gov backlinks are definitely ranked better. But getting a link from them is not that easy. Since educational and governmental sites possess a high authority, they don’t link a site unless it’s not that resourceful and gets accurate information.
Let’s learn everything about this fact and make your confusion clear.
How do .gov and .edu meet Google ranking requirements?
Google algorithm gives higher rankings to the site with high quality and authority. On the other hand, the government and universities sites are full of helpful information.
When you want to search for specific information about a subject or curriculum of a university, their official site is the best place to go for. And same goes for government sites. To get information like taxes and laws, they are the best place to look into.
Because of this informative value, Google gives them a better ranking.
Meanwhile, they also get automatic backlinks from other sites for their useful statistics or other information. It also helps them to rank higher.
How can you get .gov or .edu backlinks?
Actually, the process of getting these high authoritative domains is quite strict. It’s impossible for a local business or any other typical website to get one.
You have to be a legitimate educational institute or government organization and prove it to Google through paperwork to get the domains. This complex process is what makes these sites trustworthy and valuable.
This is why backlinks from these sites are powerful. To get backlinks from these sites, you can do the followings.
- Pitch your business idea to a local government official and ask them to add a backlink to their relatable page.
- Contact a student reporter of your targeted educational institution and offer them a good news cover that they can publish on their online portal.
- Educational and government websites often post about helpful events for their audience. You can utilize this option by arranging local or virtual events.
Well, these are just the basics. Based on your business types and targeted audience, you can find many other ways to reach a relatable government or educational site and earn a backlink from them.
Will a .gov or .edu backlink help your site?
A .gov or .edu definitely help your site. As these sites provide relatable information, Google can’t help but give them a higher ranking.
However, can you get them easily? No, probably not. You have to spend a lot of time and effort to get one. The chances are good that you can use this resource in another field and get the same output with less effort.
The backlink strategy that you should follow
Although the .gov and .edu websites possess a special value, you can’t always get backlinks for them. The followings are much better strategies that you can utilize.
Go for other top-level domain
Google doesn’t treat .com, .org, .net, etc., domain any differently. If their content meets the Google algorithm requirements, they will definitely get a good position in the search engine.
This is why your target should not be limited to government or educational websites. You can find many .com websites out there with higher authority and easy to get links.
Don’t try to get unnatural links
There is no doubt that .gov and .edu links are powerful. However, that does not mean that they will be helpful even when your niche is different. If your site is relatable to .gov and .edu sites, it’s okay to go for the links. Otherwise, unrelated backlinks might create more harm than benefits.
Don’t use any unnatural backlink tactics
Many black hat SEO industry tries to utilize the comment section of an educational or government website to shove their link. This strategy might work until they have been discovered. And after being founded, they have to pay for the consequence.
So, don’t ever try to use unmoderated comments or other negative techniques. It will make all your effort go to waste.
Earn Your Links
Buying links is one of the things that Google hates the most. You will also get penalties for doing so. Maybe you won’t be found in months or even in a year. But in the long run, this is not a good practice to follow.
Therefore, make your website resourceful enough that government and educational institutions refer to your site automatically for that information.
To Conclude
So, are .edu and .gov backlinks legit? Well, no doubt. But getting the links aren’t that easy. You have to give a lot of effort and time. And while you are up to it, don’t try something that negatively affects your site.
You can follow some smart ways to achieve the goal and make your website more valuable.