What it means
Editorial backlinks usually sit inside articles, studies or resource lists, where the link supports a point the author is making. They differ from paid links, where money changes hands, and from self-made links such as directory listings or forum signatures. The nearest neighbouring term is a natural link. A natural link arrives with no contact at all, while an editorial link may follow an outreach message, but the decision to link stays with the editor.
Why it matters when you buy software
A real editorial backlink cannot be purchased, so a service that sells "editorial backlinks" for a fee is selling something else, such as sponsored placements. Check how a vendor describes the link, who decides to place it, and whether the feature is included in your plan tier or sold as an add-on.
How it works in practice
An editor finds a useful page, such as original research, a free calculator or a detailed guide, and links to it from relevant text. The link often uses descriptive anchor text and sits within the body of the article. Tools that monitor backlinks can list these links and show which pages earn them, but they cannot show why the editor chose to link.
See also: White label SEO, Anchor text and the glossary index.