The Three Types of Links That Generate Genuine Referral Traffic

It’s true that links are becoming less important for SEO, but for now, they still hold significant weight. Even if their direct impact on rankings diminishes, they remain valuable for marketing due to their exposure and branding benefits.

However, the most effective links go beyond SEO and branding—they generate referral traffic.

legit referral traffic

Referral traffic is invaluable because it exposes your content to new audiences, opening doors for engagement and conversions. A recent survey of MozCon attendees revealed that after organic search, referral traffic is the channel marketers prioritize most (including social media, which is a form of referral traffic):

referral traffic

Image via LinkedIn But does every link naturally translate to referral traffic?

Not always. The reality is that not every editorial link, even those from high-traffic, reputable websites, guarantees referral traffic. People don’t click on every link they encounter in an article.

Sometimes links simply acknowledge sources without requiring clicks. Other times, they provide additional information for those seeking further details, which many readers might not be looking for.

To effectively generate referral traffic, a compelling reason to click through to your site is essential. For sustained traffic, the linking page should also have a consistent traffic source. For instance, a high ranking for a high-volume keyword can result in continuous traffic, benefiting your site as well.

Let’s explore three types of links that can significantly boost your referral traffic numbers.

Platforms like Reddit, Hacker News, Inbound.org, and Growth Hackers, often employ submission and upvoting systems. Users submit interesting links, and the community votes for their favorites. Sometimes, a single editor or editorial board curates the content (like Boing Boing). When a link reaches the front page, it gains significant visibility and trust, as it’s assumed to have been vetted by the community or a reliable source.

Aggregators focus on curating links, not replicating content. To fully engage with the material and understand the buzz, visiting the linked site is necessary. This creates a strong incentive to click.

In May, Larry penned an article examining eBay’s significant downturn due to Panda 4.0. It gained considerable traction, appearing on major news aggregators like Inbound.org and Hacker News. The most substantial referral spike came from Ars Technica, which featured our link in their “Editor’s Picks” section on the homepage, alongside publications like The New York Times and National Geographic. Not too shabby!

news aggregator link

While other sites (Search Engine Land, Forbes, etc.) also covered the story, providing credit and a link, they mostly summarized our findings, diminishing the incentive to click. The “Editor’s Pick” link, on the other hand, provides a high incentive.

referral traffic spike

The Ars Technica link played a significant role in this substantial referral spike. Note: Keep in mind that this type of traffic is a spike, not a continuous flow. News aggregators are dynamic, so your link’s prominence will be temporary.

Social media shares from accounts with large followings function similarly, driving a surge of social referrals that eventually diminish.

Since these spikes are not evergreen, having a system in place to capture these visitors and convert them into returning traffic is crucial. Consider a prominent blog or newsletter signup prompt.

Create exceptional content and actively promote it. Being active within these communities helps, as it increases the likelihood of users already being familiar with and interested in your work. For data-driven tips on increasing upvotes on Inbound.org: 6 Tips on How To Get More Upvotes on Inbound.org from Automated Insights

Securing a link like the one on Ars Technica is a significant win for any SEO. However, getting featured in a resource list can be even more beneficial for your business. The incentive to click remains strong, with the added advantage of long-term value. This type of link can offer a more consistent avenue for increasing website traffic.

Imagine a user searching for “best keyword tools” and encountering a list from a credible site ranking high on the search results page. Their intent is evident—they need a keyword tool and are actively evaluating options. If your tool is featured on that list, the likelihood of them clicking through is high. Since “best keyword tools” is an evergreen keyword with steady monthly traffic, as long as the list maintains its ranking, it will consistently drive clicks your way.

We receive thousands of page views monthly from this one link:

referral traffic link

It’s currently the #4 organic result on Google for “SEO tools,” which explains a lot!

keyword volume

(And being #1 on the list doesn’t hurt either.)

Create resources worthy of linking! This could involve tools or high-quality guides like Moz’s SEO Beginner’s Guide or our own PPC University.

This scenario resembles the previous one, but instead of a spot on a list, you get an entire article dedicated to reviewing your product or service.

The process is as follows: Step 1: A potential customer, interested in products/services like yours, searches for information. Step 2: They find a positive review and click through to your site to learn more or try it out.

High intent drives this behavior, further amplified by the trust built through a third-party endorsement. This makes them more likely to visit your site and potentially take the next step, like making a purchase or signing up for a free trial.

A consistent source of monthly referral traffic comes from this review in Search Engine Land of our AdWords Performance Grader.

Having something reviewable is key, which shouldn’t be an issue for businesses. If reviews aren’t organically coming in, identify sites that review similar products or services and create a pitch list. Offer free demos, extended trials (for software), or samples (for physical products). A review generating referral traffic should justify the giveaway. Remember, wait until you have an excellent product before reaching out. Negative reviews won’t do you any favors.

Many other link types won’t be referral traffic goldmines. Here are a few that generally don’t send much traffic your way:

  • Links in guest posts and contributed content: Contextual links in these articles can send traffic if there’s a compelling reason for the user to click and if the blog has a large readership. However, this isn’t guaranteed. Similarly, bio links are good practice (see Rand’s “Mad Scientist” slides for the reasons why) but unlikely to generate substantial traffic.
  • Image credit links: While they contribute to branding and might get a few clicks, most people won’t pay attention or click through. This highlights the value of “linkable assets.”
  • Blog comment links: It’s 2014—your link-building strategy should be more sophisticated. We’ve disabled all links in our comments section. While they were already no-follow, we decided even spammers don’t deserve that. (Exception: A respected community member sharing a genuinely relevant link can be beneficial. We experienced a blog traffic boost when Moz regular Gianluca Fiorelli linked to our blog in a comment on a Whiteboard Friday post.)

It’s not that unclicked links are worthless; links from authoritative domains still hold weight in ranking algorithms and benefit branding. However, if your goal is to increase referral traffic—not just links— prioritize links that people will actually click.

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