# Backlinks: what they are and how to use them URL: https://ai-communitymanager.com/en/backlink-guide [Download the English PDF](https://ai-communitymanager.com/resources/practical-backlinks-directory-guide.pdf) ## A backlink is a link from another website to yours. When a directory publishes a listing for AI Community Manager and links to our website, that link is a backlink. The Spanish term is retroenlace. A link can bring an interested person to your website. Google also uses links to discover pages and understand their context. A backlink alone does not guarantee traffic, indexing or better rankings. ### Look at the whole listing The description, category, audience and destination page help someone understand what you offer. A useful listing gives the link context. ## Check the fit before submitting. ### Relevance The site relates to startups, software, AI or the market your product serves. ### Audience Someone searching that site could be interested in what you offer. ### Public listing You can open published profiles and see clear descriptions and links. ### Price and terms The free plan, paid extras and renewals are explained. ### Privacy and destination You know which details become public and where your listing links. ### Check how the link is marked A nofollow link can still bring visitors. Paid links should be marked sponsored or nofollow. Do not choose a site only because it promises a “dofollow” link. ## Prepare your listing. Protect your access. ### Information you can use Business name and official website; approved description; category and market; logo and screenshots without customer data; public social profiles; a contact email you agree to publish. ### Information to protect Passwords, access codes, tokens, API keys, customer data, identity documents, private addresses or phone numbers, and access to social accounts or analytics tools. ### Use a dedicated email address If you manage the domain, you can create an alias such as backlinks@ai-communitymanager.com. Enable two-factor authentication and use a different password for each directory. Keep passwords in a password manager, not in the tracker. ### When a form asks for more Pause and check whether the field is necessary. Look for an option to use public business details or continue without the field. Read what will be published before submitting. ## Your listing and submission tracker. ### Example listing for AI Community Manager Description: A self hosted AI operator for Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. It finds relevant conversations and prepares interactions under the rules your team sets. ### A tracker you can reuse Template fields: directory, relevance, cost, submission date, status, public URL, referral visits and notes. ## Submit, then review the outcome. 1. Choose five relevant directories. 2. Read the rules and prepare approved listing details. 3. Review the name, categories, description and link. 4. Record the date, cost, status and public profile URL. 5. Open the published link and track referral visits or inquiries. ### Keep the link text natural Use the brand name or a phrase that describes the destination. Avoid forced keyword repetition. A third-party authority score can help compare sites, but it does not replace checking the audience, quality and terms. ### Common questions Does every backlink improve SEO? No. Context, quality and usefulness matter. Is a nofollow link wasted? Not necessarily; it can still bring visitors. Should you submit everywhere? Start with a few relevant sites and review their results. ### Sources and further reading - [Wikipedia: introductory Spanish reference](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retroenlace) - [Google Search Central: link best practices](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable) - [Google Search: spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies)