The 4 Different Types of Authority Links (and 11 Ways to Get Them)

If you read, hear, or talk a lot about links and how to build them on a daily basis (like I do), you’ll get slapped around the ears with the term authority links quite often. The answer to the question how to obtain such authority links depends, because there are different types of authority links; Absolute Authority Links (or general authority links) and Relative Authority Links (or topical authority links). While some strategies may lead to building links from both categories at the same time, you might have to use different approaches if you’re aiming at both kinds.

Absolute Authority Links
Absolute authority links are, like the name implies, links that are coming from a domain that is a general authority. You can even divide all absolute authority links into two different groups; informational authority links and navigational authority links. The difference between these groups is that informational authority domains, such as BoingBoing, CNN News or the Harvard Research Programs, usually are more trusted domains, that -for the most part- provide information. Websites like DMOZ, the Yahoo! Directory, or the California State Agencies Directory would be considered as navigational authority websites. The benefit of an absolute authority link is that it passes trust and visitors (in some cases lots of both). General navigational authority links also can have the ability to pass topical relevance. However, most absolute authority links aren’t able to pass relevance.

Relative Authority Links
In most industries, there are at least a few relative authority websites. Some websites that only have a few hundred incoming links can be authorities in their niche. While these websites aren’t absolute authority sites, the fact that almost every site in your industry links to it, makes it a very interesting target.
Relative authority links can also be divided into two groups, although the difference between both types (the informational ones and the navigational ones) is usually smaller here, because relative authority websites tend to focus at topic in stead of at audience.

Image by Macwagen

And 11 ways to get them
I’ll start with the easy ones, which all focus on getting navigational authority links. First, try to get a few quick links by submitting your website to a couple of (but only the worthwhile) directories. After this, make sure to get a few navigational relative authority links, by submitting your website to a few directories that focus on your niche. Step three is to search for other relevant navigational pages by searching for something like “keyword + links”, “keyword + related websites” or “keyword + more about this subject”. You’ll probably come up with something even better. Mix in a few local directories, city guides or other topography oriented websites and you’ve laid your link foundation.
-> These tactics will result in navigational authority links from both categories.

5. Trade links.
If you do this on a very limited basis, with highly relevant authority websites in your niche only, this strategy still works like a charm. And will probably never stop doing so.
-> Will result in absolute informational authority links.

6. Offer to write a column/ guest post/ interview.
This not only is a way to build your brand, but also lets you add links to your website in your bio and the article you write.
-> Will result in relative informational authority links or (relevant) absolute informational authority links.

7. Buy links.
What?!? You’ve never heard me say that buying links is bad, and you probably never will. I don’t think in terms of site wide mesothelioma crap in blog footers, but buying proper links in the right section of highly relevant websites still boosts your traffic and rankings.
-> Will result in (if you do it right) absolute informational authority links.

8. Contact websites and ask what they’re looking for.
While this sounds like an awfully simple tactic to get targeted links, there are only a few companies that build links this way. But think of it this way: Don’t you think a website will link to you if you create a tool/ article/ whatever that they’ve been looking for?
-> Will result in absolute informational authority links.

9. Get an intern.
Students usually have access to at least a few pages on the .edu domain of their school. While not everybody agrees on the fact that .edu’s are able to pass extra value because of the tld alone, a link from an educational domain may hold some extra value because of the amount and quality of the incoming links of this domain. But remember not to over exaggerate.
-> Will result in relative informational authority links.

10. Outsource your research.
In some occasions, a high school or university will be more than happy to perform a research on your behalf. In exchange for some student guidance, the educational institute will recruit a few students to help you with the research. And publish the results on the university website. The benefit of this strategy over the previous one, is that you might get a link from the “official” part of the .edu website, in stead of from a ~student page. The same thing here: don’t over exaggerate.
-> Will result in (relevant) relative informational authority links.

11. The Chamber of Commerce.
Most Chamber of Commerce websites are authority websites that provide a link to every registered company. In some cases, it’s even possible to style the link of your company’s registration page; don’t forget to use this option.
-> Will result in (relevant) relative informational authority links.

In stead of listing 11 ways to get authority links, I could have listed 31 or even 54 techniques to get these type of links. However, while obtaining a few authority links sure will improve your rankings, you shouldn’t focus on getting these alone. Mixing up different strategies, approaches and different types of links always works best. And remember that there is no such thing as a worthless link…