Definition
A natural link is a backlink obtained organically, without any direct intervention from the beneficiary. It is placed by a publisher, blogger, or webmaster who considers the target content sufficiently relevant, useful, or interesting to reference it for their audience. Natural links are considered by Google as the most valuable trust signals, as they represent genuine editorial recommendations. To attract natural links, the primary strategy involves creating exceptional content: original studies, comprehensive guides, free tools, innovative infographics, or exclusive data. The more value your content provides, the more likely it is to be naturally cited and shared by other sites in your niche.
Key Points
- Natural links are the most valued by Google's algorithms
- Creating exceptional content (link bait) is the best strategy for earning natural links
- A link profile dominated by natural links is a sign of strong topical authority
Practical Examples
Study citation
You publish an annual real estate price index and several national media outlets cite your figures with a link to your study, without you having contacted them.
Tool recommendation
A blogger tests your free online tool, finds it excellent, and writes a recommendation article with a link to your site, entirely on their own initiative.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best approach is to create high-value content that people will want to cite: original studies with unique data, exhaustive guides on a specific topic, free tools, templates, and practical resources. Promoting this content via social media and email marketing amplifies its visibility and increases the chances of earning natural links.
A natural link is placed spontaneously by a publisher who finds your content useful, with no financial compensation. A paid link is obtained in exchange for payment. Google penalizes undisclosed paid links lacking the sponsored attribute, while natural links are fully valued. A strong SEO profile ideally combines both types, with a majority of natural links.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07