PR9 Backlinks: What They Are and How to Build Them

The most significant obstacle in SEO the most likely getting quality backlinks. In the majority of cases, people get links from irrelevant directories or opportunistic blogs. While these links do look good, they and do not bring any real value to search rankings.

This becomes even more frustrating when you realize that not all backlinks are equal. A single link from a trusted website can drastically improve your search engines rankings while a hundred backlinks with weak authority, cannot. This leads us to backlinks from PR9 websites, which are some of the strongest backlinks. Backlinks from the likes of Google, Wikipedia, Adobe, BBC, or Microsoft are examples of PR9 backlinks. They sit at the very top of the PageRank scoring system and represent ultimate trust and authority to the users. Sadly, a large portion of website owners neglect these links as they seem incredibly difficult to obtain or believe that PageRank systems are outdated.

The good news is that you don’t need to rely on luck to get them. Having strong authority enables the websites to obtain PR9 backlinks, which can be helpful in strengthening the authority of the website. In this guide, we’ll explain what PR9 backlinks are, why they’re important, and how you can get them step by step.

What are PR9 Backlinks?

Backlinks from PR9 websites are links from domains that once held a page rank of nine on Google’s 0-10 scale. It was a ranking that only the most trusted and popular domains held. At that time, PageRank would offer a voting-like mechanism whereby the links on a page were votes to the linked website. It would give massively higher value to websites that had backlinks from highly trusted websites in comparison to small, less popular websites.

Even though Google has retired public PageRank scores, the concept of PR9 backlinks are still relevant. Today, PR9 backlinks mean links from reputed and authorized websites such as Google, Wikipedia, BBC, or Adobe. These websites continue to have strong trust and ranking signals.

What Makes PR9 Backlinks Important for SEO

PR9 links are built from some of the most respected sites on the web. As compared to standard links, these do not just add up backlinks; to Google, these links imply that your content is referenced from very powerful sources. This kind of acknowledgement can improve search coverage, bring specially targeted visitors, and build trust in your site unlike low-quality links.

Authority Boost – With links from top sites such as Google, Wikipedia, Adobe, or BBC, your site gains credibility from these trusted domains and as a result, search engines begin treating your site as reliable.

Higher Rankings – Since PR9 backlinks have link equity, your pages are equipped to perform better in competitive SERPs, unlike in weaker links, where in such links function very little.

Referral Traffic – Your mention on highly visited websites brings visitors who trust the source and boosts relevant traffic.

Brand Credibility – Trust is built with users when a brand is linked with trusted and high-profile domains, which enhances the brand’s image and increases authority.

PageRank Vs. Domain Authority

Google’s retirement of its public PageRank scores necessitated the need for SEO tools to figure out a methodology to measure the authority of websites. This is the reason behind Moz’s creation of Domain Authority (DA), which has since become the standard metric to measure websites’ authority. As of today, most SEO tools rely on DA to estimate a website or webpage’s authority.

One should view DA as a newer iteration of PageRank. The notable distinction is that while PageRank assigned a score to an entire website, DA can change from one page to another, providing a more detailed evaluation of authority.

In the absence of PageRank, DA is the next best thing. For example, a page with a DA of 90 can be said to have similar authority to a PR9 link. Ahrefs uses Domain Rating (DR), and SEOptimer uses Domain Strength, but essentially, they are all doing the same thing: trying to estimate the trustworthiness and ranking potential of a website or page.

How to Get High-Authority and High-PR Backlinks

While it is difficult to get backlinks from high-authority sites such as Google, Wikipedia, Adobe, BBC, it is well worth the effort. These high authority backlinks have one thing in common, they focus on quality, relevance, and value. Below is an actionable guide on how to get these high authority backlinks:

1. Obtain Wikipedia Backlinks

Backlinks from Wikipedia are especially valuable due to its strong reputation and high authority on the internet. This value is amplified by the fact that search engines consider Wikipedia as a valid source. However, obtaining links is a bit challenging since one can not simply insert the website; there is a need for relevance, factual accuracy, and contribution to the article’s content.

• Find Wikipedia pages related to your niche where your website is a credible source.
• Ensure that citations are added in such a way that the linked source of information genuinely adds value to the page instead of coming across as purely promotional.
• Include data or statistics that have been duly noted or studied in advance so that the likelihood of obtaining approval is increased.
• Adhere strictly to Wikipedia’s policies because changes that look like promotional content or spam get promptly deleted.
• Even if Wikipedia references are usually nofollow, they still drive traffic and offer trustworthiness that enhances SEO in some indirect way.

2. Obtain Backlinks From .gov and .edu Sites

Backlinks from educational (.edu) and government (.gov) websites are considered extremely valuable because of the high authority of these sites. Because of the level of trust search engines have on these sites, obtaining a link from these sites will improve the authority of your website.

• Search for value-adding opportunities such as scholarships, partnerships, or resource page listings.
• Develop quality content or tools that may be of interest to reference by educational or government institutions.
• Make sure the resource is relevant to their audience, such as study guides, whitepapers, or educational materials that complement their content.
• Do polite outreach and explain the benefits of including your link, such as value to students and readers.

These websites have a track record of reliability and trustworthiness, we can conclude the backlinks you gain from them will pose absolutely no risk to your site and will be hugely useful for your SEO.

3. Leverage Guest Posting on High-Authority Sites

If your goal is to acquire quality backlinks, writing guest posts is a widely recognised and effective method of doing so. Writing for other credible and relevant websites in your niche not only gives you an SEO backlink but also increases your site’s credibility and exposure.

• Look for legitimate blogs, news sites, and other niche-related websites that offer guest posting opportunities.
• Make sure that the backlinks you include while writing for these sites are genuine and serve the interests of the site.
• Do not overdo the optimisation of the anchor text. Make sure that it is relevant and naturally fits the context.
• You also stand to gain in terms of exposure, establish yourself as a brand authority, and invite organic traffic through guest posting.

Continued contribution to notable websites may help you with long-lasting partnerships and more chances to obtain backlinks in the future.

4. Develop Resource Pages and Linkable Assets

Sustainable links can be built efficiently using actionable and well-detailed content. Other resource sharing websites want to link to valuable content, so create step-by-step instructions, captivating graphics, and even bespoke tools to help them sharpen their offerings.

• Make sure you research unique aspects that have not been covered in your niche and provide a solution.
• Infographics, graphs, and dynamic visual aids tend to get the most shares and backlinks.
• Contact bloggers, reporters, and site owners to let them know about your latest offerings.
• Confirm that the pages hosting the links are easy to navigate, user-friendly, and good looking.

With properly organized and linkable assets, you can earn backlinks passively because other websites will reference your work without your asking.

5. Using HARO (Help a Reporter Out)

Journalists are often in need of sources and are connected with HARO. You can get valuable insights from the reporters, which can be converted to high-authority HARO backlinks for your company, something you otherwise wouldn’t be able to get.

• Your brand’s exposure and referral traffic are boosted considerably by these HARO links.
• Sign-up for HARO and ensure to answer the questions related to your field.
• Insist on giving clear, elaborate, and insightful solutions that reporters can easily utilize.
• You get an authoritative and often high-PR backlinked mention if your inputs are featured in the articles.

Some Examples of PR9 Sites

• Wikipedia – Covering millions of topics, it is one of the most trusted sources online. Adding references to relevant Wikipedia pages especially when done in good faith can be a great source of backlinks.
• Forbes – Leading in business and finance media, contributions via guest posts or as an interviewee can get you top-notch mentions.
• The New York Times – One of the most notable news companies in the world. Being mentioned by them will bring you credible links and brand exposure.
• Harvard.edu – Top universities like Harvard have resource pages as well as publications and research papers where your content can be used as a reference.
• Government Sites (.gov) – Trustworthy government websites also provide links through resource pages, research, or public directories.
• BBC.com – Another one of the well-renowned media companies. Backlinks from them can be obtained through public relations, expert contributions, or as a quoted expert.

Is It Worth the Effort To Get PR9 Backlinks?

In reality, the answer is no.

Although PR9 Backlinks have the glitz of an SEO holy grail, not having a clear link-building strategy is not the smartest move. Having a niche specific relevant backlink will have much more value than random PR9 backlinks—even if it has lots more authority.

Let’s be honest, earning backlinks from the likes of Microsoft, Apple, WordPress, or Amazon is close to impossible for any site. And say you could get one; it is far more likely that it will be far less effective than niche specific targeted backlinks in helping you reach your audience.

Rather than the nearly impossible, steer towards backlinks from trustworthy and relevant websites. Referrals from relevant websites within your industry are far easier to earn and much more beneficial than PR9 backlinks for SEO, traffic, and revenue.

FAQs

Are PR9 backlinks better than niche-relevant backlinks?

Not really. PR9 backlinks have the benefit of coming from very authoritative and reputable websites. A backlink from trusted websites in your industry sends better signals to Google than a random PR9 link. While PR9 backlinks do have their advantages, a link from a website in your niche is more effective.

Are PR9 backlinks still valuable even if Google does not use PageRank anymore?

Even if Google no longer publicizes the PageRank score, such backlinks still matter. Indeed, Web pages that were PR9 in the past are still some of the most reputable and authoritative pages on the internet. Such a backlink is useful for increasing the credibility of your website, the referral traffic, and trust in your brand, even if the term “PR9” is obsolete.

How difficult is getting PR9 backlinks?

Very difficult. Most PR9 websites are major platforms like Google, h, or Microsoft. These websites do not provide backlinks, and their value is extremely limited. Their only means of providing backlinks is when their content is truly valuable, newsworthy, or cited as a trusted resource. Without a good plan, the vast majority of websites will find it impossible to get even a single PR9 backlink.

What steps would help build PR9 backlinks?

A prominent way is to gain them as a result of outshining in other areas. You could publish one-of-a-kind studies that garner attention from news outlets, participate in open source initiatives, or develop tools or resources that garner the interest of large websites. Additionally, writing for other websites under stricter editorial standards can also lead to PR9 backlinks.

Are there any alternatives to PR9 backlinks?

Certainly. Rather than trying to obtain PR9 backlinks, which is both difficult and time consuming, you should try to build a diverse backlink profile. Links from DA70+ sites, blogs particular to certain niches, industry related publications, and local authority websites. These types of links are more easily obtained and contain the necessary context for SEO improvement.

Conclusion

Links from PR9 domains may seem like the golden ticket to improved rankings, but the actual situation is far more complex. While these links are very powerful, the chances of obtaining them are very slim, especially for the much larger number of websites. What is more, they greatly restrain the link-building strategy if the sole focus is PageRank or Domain Authority.

More considerations need to be taken and balanced efforts implemented. Build niche-relevant, quality backlinks that are complementary to the efforts made on the content and be on the lookout for links from big authority sites. That way, the provider is not just attempting to chase goals; instead a sustainable and well-rounded backlink profile is created that helps improve credibility as well as rankings.