What Are The 5 Degrees of Link Relevance?

Link building has always been a cornerstone of SEO, but its implementation is often more profound than theory suggests. As search engines change to prioritize user value and knowledge, backlink quality and relevance have become more important than quantity.

The “5 Degrees of Link Relevance” concept is designed to fill the gap between SEO theory and actual application.

These links serve as a compass for developing a solid link development strategy and constantly gaining relevant, high-quality links.

In this article, we will learn about the “5 Degrees of Link Relevance” concept and how to use it to create the best theoretical approach and method for continually building high-quality, relevant links over time.

What is Link Relevance?

Link relevance refers to how beneficial a website is when it links to your website. Simply, you want links from websites that are relevant to you.

For example, if you’re reading an article about multiple types of coffee beans, a link to a linked page about brewing methods might be helpful. A link to another topic, such as car care tips, would be meaningless and could confuse or frustrate the reader.

This gives readers an unpleasant user experience; if it happens often, they may need more time to read your content. 

Introducing the 5 Degrees of Link Relevance

Start by gathering a list of your field’s most essential and relevant links. Take a moment to consider their qualities and similarities.

The concept of binary relevance needs to be clarified in link-building. Link relevance is not a binary idea; it exists on a spectrum. Although certain links may be “not relevant,” many have varied levels of relevancy. These relevancy degrees include “highly” and “slightly” relevant links.

Achieving success in competition situations needs a balanced approach of quantity and quality. A dedicated effort to achieve either is insufficient. This demands rethinking old ideas of “link relevance” more pragmatically.

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First Degree: Highest Relevance but Limited Scalability

First degree links, sometimes seen as the most important, lack scalability. The websites that exemplify prominence in your field typically fall into categories that hamper link development efforts, such as;

• Direct and indirect competitors
• Pay-to-play platforms
• Nofollow linked domains
• Scalability is limited due to natural linking restrictions

While first-degree links are undoubtedly of high quality, they are, by means, in very limited quantity.

That’s because the sites that often rank at the top of the most competitive SERPs in your space fall into one of the following categories:

• Competitors won’t link to you
• The cost of scaling pay-to-play sites is high
• Nofollowed sites have some advantages but are not ideal
• Additionally, they are “unscalable” by definition

Despite their obvious quality, first-degree links often lack scalability. The effort required to establish these links is usually disproportionate to the benefits.

Second Degree: Highly Relevant and Scalable

Second degree links create a compromise between high relevance and scalability. This part serves as the focal point of your link-building efforts.

Here are some of the qualities you’re always searching for:

• Higher DR ranges (70+)
• Lots of traffic
• Credible brands
• Editorial-based

Your link-building strategy should be focused on gaining high-quality and scalable links. To attract these links, look for solid domain authority, traffic, and credibility.

Why Do The Terms Matter?

It suggests the best strategies for efficiently obtaining more quality links.

For example, strategies vary depending on site size and prominence within Domain Rating (DR) or Domain Authority (DA) categories.

In other words,

• DR/DA: 0-30 sites: Never bother actively seeking links
• DR/DA 30-60: Outreach-based strategies perform better in this low-to-medium tier of sites
• DR/DA ~60-90: Reaching this sweet spot requires an editorial-based strategy and collaboration
• DR/DA 90+: These are your first-degree links, which may be unachievable or too expensive (you require solid personal relationships or a lot of money)

So, here is what you can consider:

• Focus: Lower the link/click/lead cost by investing in content.

• Important: Competitors ignore this, but you should not. Invest more time and effort in content creation. Your asset must take preference. Place your heart and soul into your content. Think of it as your digital real estate. This will yield long-lasting consequences. As a result, you will pay a lower cost per click. 

Third Degree: Audience Relevance and Scalability

Third degree links are essential in driving quantity during a link development campaign. These links are audience-relevant, even if they are unrelated to your niche. They provide excellent alternatives to your principal product or service.

For instance:

• Websites with a Domain Rating (DR) of 50 to 70
• Websites that continue to attract visitors
• Identifiable brands in your sector or field (even if they don’t target the general public)
• These links have a directional relevance for your audience
• They may also provide alternate alternatives within your category

Most first- and second-degree links focus on the latter stages of the client experience. It highlights your uniqueness and the value you provide.

As a result, the strategy should be focused on the early stages of the client journey.

Fourth Degree: Scalable But Less Relevant

Fourth degree links balance scalability and relevance, focusing on lower relevance. They are less audience—or theme-specific and often include paid-for links, fake methods, and other schemes.

In essence, they can be considered links earned to have links with no added value. These types of relationships can be identified using the following red flags:

• Sites often have lower DR ranges (<40)
• Paid-for links (“sponsored” or equivalent)
• Artificial / abused tactics (scholarships, widgets/embeds, etc.)
• Other “gray” strategies (second-tier link building, expired domains, etc.)

While these links can help with the quantity element of link building, they may not be ideal for your target audience or niche.

Fifth Degree: Low Quality and High Risk

Fifth degree links are often of deficient quality and pose significant dangers. Engaging with such links may result in utter indifference or even penalties through manual action.

These include:

• Websites that are spam sources. Links to vices, such as viagra and gambling
• Sites with a Domain Rating (DR) of less than 20 and no significant traffic
• Private Blog Networks (PBN)

These are exactly the types of links you should avoid at all costs. The reason is not simply their lack of significance. More importantly, they are unlikely to drive potential purchasers to your website.

Conclusion

Link relevance is essential to a website’s authority, credibility, and search engine ranking. Highly relevant links form the foundation of a solid link profile, but marginally relevant links can contribute favorably. 

So, by understanding the five degrees of link relevance, you’ll improve your ability to evaluate link relevance. As a result, you can maximize the impact of your link building activities.

To achieve scalable success, target the “most” relevant links and strategically acquire “mostly” and “slightly” relevant links.

FAQs

1. What are Irrelevant Links?

Irrelevant links are unrelated to the destination page’s topic matter or theme and may not provide considerable value to the user. They can also have a detrimental influence on a website’s SEO and usability.

2.  How does this Framework Enhance the Link-building Strategy?

A: Use this approach to prioritize the link-building efforts. Focus on obtaining links from the most relevant sources, as these will likely bring the most SEO advantage. It can also help assess the quality of your current backlinks and pinpoint areas for development.