An editorial link in SEO refers to a backlink added to a website or webpage purely based on the merit, usefulness, and relevance of the linked content rather than any promotional, collaborative, or paid endeavor. These types of links are earned rather than built or purchased.
They come about naturally when webmasters, bloggers, or journalists find a particular piece of content valuable and decide to link to it from their own content. Editorial links are highly valued in SEO because they are genuine endorsements of the content quality.
The rationale is that if reputable sources organically link to a particular piece of content, that content must offer value and be authoritative. In turn, search engines such as Google see these links as indicators of trustworthiness and credibility, which can positively influence the ranking of the linked website in search results. Essentially, editorial links testify to the content’s quality and relevance in its niche or subject matter.