Off-page optimisation • Link earning for schools
Types of Backlinks & Why They Matter for UK School SEO: Safe, Ethical Link Earning
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Backlinks are links from other websites to yours. Google treats high-quality, relevant links like citations—signals that your information is trusted and useful. For schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs), the best links come from local authorities, partner organisations, clubs, press and community groups. This guide explains every link type you’ll encounter, which ones are valuable, which are risky, and how to earn the good ones without breaching safeguarding, UK advertising rules or Google’s spam policies.
What is a backlink? (and what Google values)
Plain English
A backlink is a clickable reference on another site that leads to your page. Links help people navigate the web and help search engines understand which pages are trusted by others.
What matters most
- Relevance: Is the linking page about schools, your town, education, or a related topic?
- Authority & trust: Is it a reputable organisation (council, college, charity, news)?
- Placement: Link within the main body of an article or directory entry beats a footer or random page of 500 links.
- Natural anchors: Descriptive anchor text like “Admissions at Greenfield Primary”.
- Editorial choice: Someone decided to link because your page helps their readers.
Reference: Google — SEO Starter Guide.
Backlink types: safe, conditional & risky
Use this table to understand which links to prioritise and which to treat with caution. Where a link is paid, user-generated or part of a sponsorship, use the correct rel attribute as per Google’s guidance.
| Type | Typical sources | Value | Notes | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editorial citation | Local news story citing your event/results; partner blog featuring your project | High | Earned because your page is useful; usually passes full value | Low |
| Official directory / citation | Local council directory; MAT hub listing; chamber of commerce | High–Medium | Ensure NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency with your site & Google Business Profile | Low |
| Academic / government reference | DfE/Ofsted pages that list or reference your site; community funding lists | High | Often very trusted; you cannot “build” these—focus on accurate data & participation | Low |
| Partner attribution | Sports clubs, charities, feeder primaries/colleges, PTA | Medium | Ensure links point to the most relevant hub (Admissions, Community, Facilities) | Low |
| Event/exhibitor listing | STEM fair exhibitors, careers events, festivals | Medium | Create an event page first; provide logos & blurbs to partners | Low |
| Image credit | Local press using your photos with a credit link | Medium | Provide alt text & credit line; request a link to the source page | Low |
| Social profile link | Facebook/Instagram/YouTube bios; X, LinkedIn pages | Low (nofollow/ugc) | Great for identity & traffic, limited direct SEO value | Low |
| Sponsorship link | Local club sponsorship, event supporter pages | Medium (if qualified) | Add rel="sponsored" to stay compliant with Google’s guidelines | Medium |
| User-generated links | Forums, comments, community wikis | Low | Should be marked rel="ugc"; useful for visibility but low SEO value | Medium |
| Mass directories / bulk submissions | “Free SEO directory lists”, irrelevant overseas sites | Very low | Can look spammy; avoid except for legitimate education/local directories | High |
| Paid links / link swaps / PBNs | Networks selling links; reciprocal link schemes | Illusory | Against Google’s spam policies; long-term risk outweighs any short-term gain | Very high |
References: Google — Link spam policies • Qualify outbound links (rel values).
How Google evaluates link quality
Signals that help
- Topical and geographic relevance to your school.
- Links placed within the main content, not site-wide footers.
- Unique referring domains increasing gradually over time.
- Natural anchors that match the destination page (e.g., “Term dates 2025/26”).
- Linking page is crawlable, public, and not blocked by
robots.txt.
Signals that don’t help (or hurt)
- Irrelevant sites, spun articles, or duplicated press releases.
- “Partner pages” listing hundreds of random links with no context.
- Exact-match keyword anchors repeated excessively (“best secondary school in [town]”).
- Links inside PDFs (often crawled poorly) rather than HTML pages.
- High velocity from low-quality domains — looks manipulative.
Anchor text & context for schools
Anchor text is the clickable wording of the link. Use human-readable phrases that match the page. For schools, clarity and accessibility matter more than SEO “tricks”.
Good examples
- “Admissions at Greenfield Primary” → Admissions hub
- “Year 7 open evening details” → Open evening page
- “Term dates 2025/26 (printable)” → Term dates page
Avoid
- “Click here” without context (accessibility issue).
- Repeated keyword-stuffed anchors (“best outstanding secondary school in…”).
- Anchors that don’t match page purpose.
Link earning playbook for schools & MATs
Backlinks should be a by-product of helpful publishing and community relationships. Use these repeatable approaches.
1) Publish link-worthy hubs
- Admissions “how to apply” in plain English with timelines and council links.
- Term dates with INSET days; provide a simple, printable view.
- Uniform guidance and second-hand shop information.
- SEND support pathways (local NHS/council signposts).
- Facilities for hire with booking details.
Content quality: GOV. UK style guide — gov.uk/guidance/content-design.
2) Social → link cascade
- Share your hub on Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/X with short captions.
- Tag council departments, feeder schools, clubs and local media.
- Invite partners to add the resource to their site for families.
See our social guides for platform specifics. Use UTM tags to attribute visits.
3) Partners & local organisations
- Ask feeder primaries/colleges to link to your Transitions or Admissions hub.
- Clubs/charities: publish match reports or impact stories; they’ll cite your news page.
- PTA & Friends: ensure their site links to your uniform/fundraising pages.
4) Press & PR
- Publish a news article first, then pitch a two-sentence summary to reporters.
- Offer quotes, data and images with consent. Ask for a link to the source page.
Newsrooms appreciate clarity and assets; keep emails concise.
5) Academic & official listings
- Ensure GIAS/Ofsted records match your public name and NAP.
- Ask the local authority to include your guide on relevant family/education pages.
- Join local networks (careers hubs, community partnerships) with profile pages.
References: DfE GIAS — get-information-schools.service.gov.uk • Ofsted — reports.ofsted.gov.uk.
6) Sponsorships (use the right rel)
- If a link exists because you sponsor a club/event, it should use
rel="sponsored". - Editorial mentions of your achievements should be normal links.
Reference: Google — Qualify outbound links.
Governance, policy & safeguarding
| Area | Policy | Owner | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safeguarding | Follow KCSIE; consent register for images; remove data on request | DSL/Comms | Always |
| Advertising compliance | Truthful claims; no misleading outcomes; CAP/ASA rules for promotions | Comms/SLT | Per campaign |
| Link ethics | No paid links or link swaps; sponsorships marked rel="sponsored" | SEO/Comms | Ongoing |
| Data & privacy | UK GDPR, PECR cookies for analytics/ads; DPO sign-off | DPO | Ongoing |
| Risk handling | Audit quarterly; remove spammy entries; disavow only for persistent toxic domains | SEO | Quarterly |
References: DfE — KCSIE • ICO — UK GDPR overview • ASA/CAP — UK Advertising Codes.
Measurement in Search Console
What to track
- Links → Top linking sites: new domains after campaigns.
- Links → Top linked pages: which hubs attract links.
- Performance (Search Results): branded impressions/CTR, query families (admissions, term dates).
- Coverage: ensure linked pages are indexed and canonical.
Reference: Google Search Console — Performance report.
UTMs & analytics
https://www.example.sch.uk/admissions/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=year7-guidehttps://www.example.sch.uk/news/stem-fair/?utm_source=press&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=local-mediaUse lower-case values and a single campaign name per initiative. Report sessions, landing page views (if ads), and outcomes (RSVPs, calls, enquiries).
Reference: Google Analytics — UTM guide.
Print-screen checklists & outreach templates
Quarterly Link Audit — 14 Checks
Screenshot or print this card| 1. | Export “Top linking sites” and “Top linked pages” from Search Console. |
| 2. | Tag new domains by type (council, press, partner, directory). |
| 3. | Check anchors and placement (contextual vs footer). |
| 4. | Confirm NAP consistency with GBP and Contact page. |
| 5. | Spot irrelevant/spammy directories; request removal. |
| 6. | Disavow only for persistent toxic domains you cannot remove. |
| 7. | Identify winning hub topics for new content. |
| 8. | Log partner opportunities (clubs, charities, PTA) for outreach. |
| 9. | Check linked pages’ speed and accessibility (fix slow LCP). |
| 10. | Ensure pages include clear CTAs (RSVP, Contact, Book a tour). |
| 11. | Add internal links from the linked page to relevant hubs. |
| 12. | Store all links in a central sheet (domain, page, anchor, date). |
| 13. | Share highlights with SLT (press mentions, council updates). |
| 14. | Plan next quarter’s campaigns based on gaps. |
Partner/Press Outreach (Template)
Screenshot or print this cardSubject: Helpful resource for families in [Town] – quick addition?Hi [Name],We’ve published a plain-English guide to [topic] with dates and links toofficial sources. Families in [Town] regularly ask us these questions, sowe created one page we can keep updated.Guide: https://www.example.sch.uk/[hub]/If helpful, would you add it under [relevant page] for your readers?Happy to provide a quote or image.Thanks, [Your name], [Role], [School]Link Safety Rules (10)
Screenshot or print this card| 1. | No buying links or “packages”. |
| 2. | No bulk directory submissions outside relevant/local sites. |
| 3. | Sponsorships and adverts use rel="sponsored". |
| 4. | User-generated forums use rel="ugc". |
| 5. | One canonical web page per story; avoid duplicate press releases. |
| 6. | Natural anchors, plain English; avoid stuffing. |
| 7. | Keep a consent log for all photos and quotes. |
| 8. | Respond to complaints privately; route safeguarding to DSL. |
| 9. | Refresh NAP and contact details termly across listings. |
| 10. | Measure, learn, repeat—links follow useful content. |
FAQs
What’s the single most valuable link type for a school?
An editorial citation from a reputable local site (council, college, newspaper) pointing to a helpful page like Admissions or an event hub. It’s relevant, trusted and chosen by an editor.
Do we need .edu or .gov links to rank?
No. Relevance and trust matter more than domain suffix. Local authority and education partners are excellent if they naturally cite your content.
Are social media links useful?
They’re usually nofollow or ugc, so low direct SEO value. Their real power is visibility that leads to editorial links and more branded searches.
Should we pay for directory listings?
Only if the directory is genuinely used by local families or educators. Avoid mass “SEO directories”. Free council or community listings are better.
What anchor text should partners use?
Plain, descriptive anchors that match the destination: “Admissions at [School]”, “Term dates 2025/26”, “Facilities for hire at [School]”.
We’re sponsoring a club—how should that link be marked?
Use rel="sponsored" on any link that exists because of sponsorship. Editorial coverage of the partnership can be a normal link.
When should we use the disavow tool?
Rarely. Only for persistent toxic domains you cannot remove and that you believe could harm your site. Focus on earning good links instead.
Can we ask parents to post links?
Don’t orchestrate mass link drops on forums. It can look unnatural. Encourage sharing of your pages socially; editorial links should come from site owners.
Do image credits count as links?
Yes, if the credit includes a clickable link to your page. Provide alt text and a credit line when sending images to media/partners.
What’s a realistic goal for a year?
For a single school, 10–30 new relevant referring domains across councils, partners, press and events is a strong target. Quality beats quantity.
Need practical SEO support?
Speak With Paul Delaney
Paul Delaney helps schools turn complex SEO into simple, effective actions. As a guest writer for SEO for Schools, Paul shares step-by-step playbooks and evidence-based guidance that busy teams can apply immediately. With three decades’ experience working with UK and international institutions, he understands the challenges school teams face and is well positioned to offer support and guidance.
For our readers, Paul offers free 30-minute sessions for institutions exploring how to raise visibility, strengthen brand trust and streamline admissions. Sessions are practical, jargon-free and free from sales pressure. You can contact him using the buttons below—please mention SEOforSchools.co.uk.
