how backlinks from different industries impact your seo authority

    Why Industry Relevance Matters for SEO

    When I started building backlinks, I thought a link was a link, no matter where it came from. I even celebrated when a car repair blog linked to my marketing site. Spoiler alert: it didn’t help much. It taught me a big lesson—industry relevance is a major factor in how valuable a backlink really is.

    Google doesn’t just look at the quantity of your backlinks. It evaluates where they come from and whether they make sense for your niche.

    The Power of Relevant Industry Backlinks

    Backlinks from sites in your industry are like endorsements from trusted peers. When a respected website in your field links to you, Google sees it as a strong signal that your content is authoritative and trustworthy.

    For example, a backlink from a top marketing blog to your SEO agency carries way more weight than a random link from a food blog. Relevance boosts your topical authority, which is becoming a bigger ranking factor every year.

    How Cross-Industry Backlinks Can Still Help

    That said, backlinks from different industries aren't useless. They can still be valuable if:

    • The linking site is highly authoritative (think Forbes, Huffington Post, or major news outlets)
    • The context of the link makes sense (for example, a financial site linking to a marketing blog in an article about budgeting for advertising)
    • The audience overlap is strong (like tech blogs linking to marketing automation tools)

    It’s all about context. If the link helps the reader and feels natural, it can still benefit your SEO efforts.

    Case Study: When Cross-Niche Links Backfire

    One of my clients got dozens of backlinks from adult entertainment blogs—completely unrelated to their educational software business. Even though the domains had high authority, their rankings dropped. Why? Because the links looked unnatural and irrelevant.

    We had to disavow those backlinks, and it took months to fully recover their authority score and organic traffic. Lesson learned: not all high DA backlinks are good backlinks.

    How to Target the Right Industries for Backlinks

    • Focus on websites directly in your niche or closely related verticals
    • Look for overlapping topics (e.g., fitness blogs linking to nutrition companies)
    • Pitch guest posts that fit naturally within the target site's audience needs
    • Partner with brands that share similar customer demographics

    Basically, if your audience would find value in the link placement, it’s probably a good fit.

    How Mixed-Industry Links Influence EAT Signals

    EAT (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is a huge part of Google's algorithm today. Irrelevant backlinks can dilute your EAT signals because they confuse Google's understanding of your website's main focus.

    When your backlink profile shows clear topical focus, it strengthens your site's perceived authority and expertise, leading to better rankings and visibility.

    How Often Should You Audit Your Industry Relevance?

    I recommend checking your backlink profile at least twice a year with tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Majestic. Look not just at the quantity and domain authority, but also the relevance of where links are coming from.

    Use this as a filter: would you proudly show this backlink on your media kit? If not, it might not belong.

    Pro Tips for Building Industry-Relevant Links

    • Attend niche events and conferences (virtual or in-person)
    • Offer expert quotes for industry news articles
    • Publish in-depth resources like industry reports, whitepapers, and case studies
    • Collaborate with non-competing businesses in your field

    Building a reputation within your industry not only earns backlinks—it builds real relationships that drive long-term SEO growth.

    Final Thought: Build a Backlink Ecosystem, Not Just a List

    Think of your backlink profile like an ecosystem. It should be healthy, diverse, and focused on your niche. A few out-of-niche links are fine, especially from big trusted sites. But the core of your profile should clearly reflect your industry expertise.

    Because when Google looks at your site, you want it to see a leader—not a lost tourist picking up random souvenirs from every corner of the internet.