Glossary
Backlink
A backlink is a link from another website to yours, which search engines read as one site vouching for another.
Not all of them count the same. A link from a local newspaper or a trade body carries real weight; a link from a directory nobody visits carries almost none, and links bought in bulk can actively harm you.
Why it matters to you
Links are what decide competitive terms. Content alone will win long-tail and local searches, but the head terms in any market go to the sites other people reference.
An example
One mention in a local business roundup, with a link, tends to do more than fifty directory submissions — and it arrives with actual readers attached.
Where this comes up: search engine optimisation .