Web 2.0 platforms are sites where users publish their own content: hosted blogs, publishing platforms and note services. A Web 2.0 backlink is a link placed inside a post on one of these platforms, usually in an article written around a topic related to the target page.
Examples of Web 2.0 platforms
Typical examples are hosted blogging and publishing services such as Blogger, WordPress.com, Medium and Tumblr, along with smaller blog and note platforms that let users publish public pages.
How Web 2.0 links differ from other link types
- Context. The link sits inside an article, surrounded by text on the same topic.
- Anchor control. Because the text is written for the post, the anchor can be any type: brand, URL, generic, partial or exact match.
- Placement. Crowd links live in discussions and profile links in profile fields; Web 2.0 links live in content.
How SEO teams use Web 2.0 links
- Adding contextual links with planned anchors to a page.
- Supporting the topic of a page with related content that links to it.
- Building tiered structures, where Web 2.0 posts link to other placements. This is a tactic some SEOs use; it is not required.
What to check in a Web 2.0 post
- The text is readable and on the topic of the target page.
- The link sits in the body text and the anchor fits the sentence.
- The post is publicly accessible.
- The platform allows outbound links.
Limitations
A Web 2.0 post is not the same as a link from an established editorial site: the platform’s domain is shared by many users. Platforms can also change their link policies or remove content. Use Web 2.0 links as one part of a mix, together with crowd links, profiles and submissions.