YouTube backlinks are a crucial part of your owned media ecosystem.
But do they actually affect rankings?
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What are YouTube backlinks and their benefits
- Whether or not they affect SEO
- Every type of YouTube backlink and how to get other channels to link to you,
Let’s get started.
Link building cheat sheet
What are YouTube Backlinks?
YouTube backlinks are links pointing to your website from YouTube.
This means all of the links in your channel profile, video descriptions, comments etc.
To find your YouTube backlinks, you’ll need to use a backlink checker the same way you would for links from other websites.
Similar to “regular” backlinks from other websites, YouTube backlinks help direct valuable flow of traffic to your website.
But they’re not quite the same in terms of ranking power.
Let’s break it down, starting with the benefits.
Benefits of YouTube Backlinks
The biggest benefit of YouTube link building is just how much control you have over them.
Not just in a sense that you can add and remove them whenever you want.
I mean that YouTube card and end screen links can be set to be shown at very specific moments during the video, making for a compelling call-to-action (CTA).
Thanks to that, YouTube backlinks can boast a higher click-through-rate (CTR), depending on where they’re placed.
As for static links like your bio section and video descriptions, they serve a more navigational purpose, directing viewers to related videos or articles on your main site.
What about links from other people’s videos?
Of course, a linked mention in a video by a popular blogger in your niche with thousands of views will send extremely targeted leads your way.
Especially if that mention is part of an affiliate marketing collaboration.
But do these links actually affect rankings?
From Google’s point of view, YouTube backlinks are closer to social signals than to proper backlinks.
So, they don’t hold the same SEO value.
Let’s talk about why that is.
Do YouTube Backlinks Affect SEO?
YouTube backlinks do not pass on link equity like a dofollow link.
By default, links from any social media platform, including YouTube, are treated as “nofollow” by the algorithm.
Google “does not follow” a nofollow link, so they don’t help increase your visibility on search results pages – like “normal” high quality backlinks do.
But they still play a role in the overall performance of your site as they direct referral traffic (that Google actively tracks) and diversify your traffic sources, indicating a healthy backlink profile.
Now, let’s walk through every type of YouTube backlink.
Types of YouTube Video Backlinks
1. Video Description Links
These are links placed within the description of your YouTube videos.
They are a common and easy way to include links to your website, landing pages, or other relevant content.
For example, a fitness channel like ATHLEAN-X might link to:
- Their own website for workout programs and nutrition guides.
- Affiliate websites for recommended supplements or fitness equipment.
- Scientific studies or articles that support the information in their videos.
2. Channel Profile Links
Your YouTube channel has a profile section where you can add links.
These profile links are displayed on your channel’s “About” page and can include links to your website and other social media profiles.
Go to almost any popular channel’s “About” section. You’ll typically find:
- A link to their personal website or blog.
- Links to their social media profiles (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.).
- Potentially links to a Patreon, merchandise store, or other platforms where they connect with their audience.
3. Info Card Links
Cards are interactive elements that you can add to your YouTube videos.
They appear in the top right corner of the screen and can be used to link to other videos, playlists, or external websites.
Cards work best within educational content.
A card in a video like the Beginner Photoshop Tutorial by Learnit Training can be used to:
- Link to previous videos for context (For example, isolated YouTube shorts showing a very specific part of the tutorial)
- Add related articles or products
- Lead to playlists of similar content.
Card links are available to channels that are part of the YouTube Partner Program.
To add info cards and end screens, you’ll have to use the built-in YouTube Studio video editor.
4. End Screen Links
End screens appear at the – you guessed it – end of your YouTube videos.
They can be used to promote other videos, encourage subscriptions, and, of course, link to your website.
Look at the end of any video from channels like PewDiePie or Dude Perfect.
You’ll usually see:
- Links to other recent uploads.
- A subscribe button.
- Sometimes links to playlists or external websites (though less common on end screens than other methods).
5. Comment Links
A pinned comment can act as a second video description and help guide your viewers to whatever resource you’re trying to promote.
But comment links are more than that – you can use your comment section to actively answer viewers’ questions with links and boost engagement.
How to Build YouTube Backlinks
Now, even if they won’t increase your Google rankings, getting other people to link to you on YouTube is still important as it brings new people to your site.
In this section, we’ll teach you how to find youtube backlink building opportunities, channels’ contact information, and how to write a compelling email to spark up collaborations.
For this, you’ll need two tools: Excel/Google Sheets and Respona.
You’ll first collect channels you would like links from into a sheet, and upload it into Respona.
The tool will help with the rest – find emails and LinkedIn accounts, personalize your pitches with AI and automate the entire outreach process.
You should have two columns: one for channels, and one for websites.
To find which website a channel is associated with, check the channel profile section:
You can collect your target channels manually or use an audience research tool like SparkToro – it’s up to you.
Important: If you’re going to be using another tool for prospecting and exporting a sheet, make sure it includes the website column – Respona uses it to find email addresses.
Start by picking the most prominent channels within your niche.
Bigger doesn’t always mean better, as micro-influencers have much closer relationships with their audience than e-celebs.
So don’t neglect them and target all relevant channels – regardless of their size.
Once you have the list of channels/videos you want links from and the websites (either personal or business) of the people running those channels, move on to the next step.
Log in to Respona and create an advanced campaign.
The tool will walk you through three simple steps:
- Prepare a sequence
- Find opportunities
- Review & launch
Prepare a Sequence
In the first step, you can select from a collection of pre-made email templates, or create your own.
Here, you can:
- Add variables like first_name and channel
- Add AI personalizations to generate unique emails on auto-pilot
- Check for spam words
- Add an unsubscribe link
- Change the follow-up delay
Here’s a simple template to help you get in touch with YouTube bloggers:
Hi @first_name,
{Icebreaker}
I noticed that you’re linking to an outdated guide on one of your videos. Specifically, {insert broken link}.
May I suggest a replacement? Our article, {insert your article title}, is a great alternative and has been well-received by similar audiences.
I’m more than happy to reference your YouTube video in one of my upcoming posts as a thank you.
Cheers,
{Your Name}
Here’s a quick tip to write better cold emails: take a step back, read your pitch, and imagine yourself as the recipient. Would you reply to this email?
If the answer isn’t a “Hell yeah”, work on the sequence until it is.
Once satisfied with your email template, move on to the next step.
Find Opportunities
We already have our list, so half the job is done.
Now, Respona will find us email addresses associated with your target channels’ websites, along with the LinkedIn profiles of the people running them.
Select “CSV import”, select your file and hit “continue”.
Now, you’ll need to assign your CSV file fields to the corresponding attributes in Respona.
Make sure your website column is set to “URL” in Respona.
If you have a sheet from another tool (like the aforementioned Sparktoro), you don’t have to assign every column – in fact, only a URL is required.
The rest depends on your email template and what kinds of placeholders it used.
For example, if you used a variable for channel or video title, you’ll need to assign it here as well.
And so on.
If any variables are assigned incorrectly, the tool will give you an error sheet with exact reasons for each row, so don’t worry if this sounds super-technical.
Once everything is assigned, click continue again to finish uploading your sheet.
On the next screen, you can tweak the email finder settings and train the AI to sound more like you.
By default, the email finder looks for job titles related to content marketing and SEO.
This is fine if you’re targeting channels run by a business.
What if you’re reaching out to influencers or solo bloggers?
Add “author”, “creator”, “vlogger” or any other variation of the keyword to the job titles row.
Skip seniority as it’s irrelevant for our campaign and make sure these options are enabled:
- Skip catch-all domains
- Use generic emails as needed
This will help keep your email deliverability high and increase the contact search success rate at the same time.
Once you hit Import, Respona will add your opportunities into the campaign.
It will also start looking for their email addresses and LinkedIn profiles at the same time.
Review & Launch
Once the email search is complete, you can move on to the final step – review & launch.
This is where you can review your AI personalizations and make manual edits where necessary.
We highly recommend sending your prospect a connection request on LinkedIn in addition to a cold email.
Doing so creates another touchpoint – and puts a face to your outreach, making it more likely to get a response.
Remember – don’t be pushy, and always lead with value; be clear about what you offer your prospect for giving you a link.
A solid incentive for a YouTube backlink may be:
- Another quality backlink in return
- A mention in your newsletter
- A social mention/report
- A sponsorship
Because YouTube content links nofollow by default, a sponsorship is the most common backlink strategy to get a vlogger/influencer to link to you.
But it’s not set in stone – and the exact details of your collaboration are completely up to you (and your prospects).
Link building cheat sheet
Now Over to You
In conclusion, YouTube backlinks aren’t as valuable as high quality links from relevant blog posts.
However, getting mentions on other channels is far from useless – you’re still directing highly-targeted traffic to your site, which is always a win.
Need help expanding your backlink profile?
Don’t hesitate to start your 14-day free trial with Respona to see how we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do YouTube backlinks directly improve my website’s Google search engine rankings?
No, YouTube links have the “nofollow” attribute, meaning they don’t directly pass ranking signals to your website in the same way as a high quality backlink from a relevant website.
However, they can still drive valuable referral traffic.
What are the different types of YouTube backlinks I can create?
You can create valuable backlinks in your video descriptions, channel profile, info cards, end screens, and even within comments.
Each placement serves a slightly different purpose, from general navigation to specific calls to action within videos.
Why should I use YouTube backlinks if they don’t directly improve SEO?
While they don’t directly impact Google rankings, YouTube backlinks are excellent for driving targeted referral traffic to your website.
This traffic can increase brand awareness, generate leads, and contribute to a more diverse traffic profile, which is beneficial for overall online presence.
Additionally, if the links are pointing to your YouTube videos rather than your main website, they can help your YouTube SEO.
How can I get other YouTubers to link to my content?
Building relationships with other content creators in your niche is key. You can offer value through collaborations, such as mentioning their video content in your own videos or offering reciprocal links.
Outreach tools and personalized emails can also help facilitate these connections.
What makes a good pitch when reaching out to other YouTubers for backlinks?
A good pitch focuses on providing value to the other creator.
Offer something in return, such as a backlink from your own content, a mention in your newsletter, or even a sponsorship.
Personalize your outreach and clearly explain why linking to your content would benefit their audience.
