How to Build Links for SEO
Link building is one of the most powerful and often misunderstood pillars of Search Engine Optimization. It’s not just about getting your content noticed — it’s about building authority, trust, and visibility in the eyes of both users and search engines.
What is Link Building?
Link building is the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own. These links, often called “backlinks,” help search engines discover your pages and determine how valuable and relevant they are.
In the broader context of SEO, backlinks act like votes of confidence. It simply means more websites and people trust the content you’re creating. The more high – quality backlinks your site receives, the more likely it is to rank well in search results.
How Do Backlinks Impact Search Rankings?
Backlinks don’t just signal trust — they also directly impact how search engines crawl, index, and rank your site.
- Crawlability: When reputable sites link to yours, search engine bots are more likely to follow those links and discover your pages.
- Indexation: Pages that are frequently linked to tend to be indexed faster and more reliably.
- Rankings: Google uses backlinks as a key ranking factor. A backlink from a high-authority site can significantly boost your search position, especially if it’s relevant and natural.
Before diving into specific strategies, it’s important to get comfortable with a few core concepts that influence how link building actually works. These will help you evaluate potential link opportunities more strategically and avoid common pitfalls.
PageRank and Domain Authority
PageRank is a Google algorithm metric that measures the importance of a page based on the quantity and quality of links pointing to it. Although Google no longer shows public PageRank scores, the concept is still very much alive behind the scenes.
Domain Authority (DA) is a third-party metric developed by Moz to estimate how well a website will rank on search engines. It’s scored on a scale of 1 to 100. Higher scores indicate a greater ability to rank.
Other tools offer similar metrics. For example, Ahrefs calls it Domain Rating (DR) while Semrush calls it Authority Score. Despite the difference in terms, they all point to the same concept.
Types of Link Building Strategies
Let’s explore some of the most effective and widely used link building strategies, each offering unique opportunities to earn valuable backlinks.
1) Skyscraper Technique
The Skyscraper Technique, popularized by Brian Dean of Backlinko, is all about finding high-performing content, improving upon it, and then reaching out to the websites that are linked to the original content. It’s a strategy built on the premise that if a site is linked to good content, they’re even more likely to link to better content.
- Identify High-Ranking Content: Use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz to find content in your niche that already ranks well and has a significant number of backlinks. Look for articles that are comprehensive but perhaps a bit outdated, or those that could benefit from more in-depth research, visuals, or fresh perspectives.
- Improve Upon It: This is where the “skyscraper” comes in. Your goal is to create content that is significantly better than the original. This could mean adding more data, statistics, or case studies. You can also create custom graphics, infographics, or videos. You may also expand the topic, update information, or offer a contrasting opinion or data.
- Identify Competitor Backlinks: Once you’ve identified the high-ranking content, use a tool like SEMrush’s Backlink Analytics to see who is linking to that piece. Input the URL of the competitor’s content, and SEMrush will provide a comprehensive list of all its backlinks. This list becomes your outreach target.
- Reach Out: Craft a personalized outreach email to these link sources. Explain that you’ve created a more comprehensive or updated version of the content they previously linked to, and gently suggest they might find your resource valuable enough to link to as well.
2) Guest Blogging or Guest Posting
Guest blogging , or guest posting, involves contributing an article or blog post to another website in your niche. In return, you typically receive a valuable backlink back to your own site, often within your author bio or within the body of the content itself.
To be a successful guest blogger, prioritize websites that are highly relevant to your industry and target audience. A link from an irrelevant site holds little value.
Don’t forget to provide original, well-researched, and valuable content that aligns with the host site’s editorial standards.
3) Digital PR
Digital PR is the art of earning editorial links by creating newsworthy assets, conducting original data studies, or developing valuable resources that attract media attention. It’s a proactive approach to link building that often results in high-authority, natural links from reputable news outlets, industry publications, and influential blogs.
4) Resource Page Link Building
Resource page link building involves finding and requesting inclusion on curated lists of valuable resources. Many websites maintain “resources” or “links” pages where they compile helpful articles, tools, and websites for their audience.
Find resource pages on search engines by typing:
- [your niche] + “resources”
- [your niche] + “useful links”
- [your niche] + “helpful websites”
- [your niche] + inurl:links
Once you identify relevant resource pages, reach out to the website owner with a polite request to consider including your valuable content on their list. Highlight why your resource would be a beneficial addition for their audience.
5) Broken Link Building
Broken link building is the practice of finding dead links on other websites and suggesting your own relevant, high-quality content as a replacement. It’s a win-win — you help webmasters fix issues on their sites, and you earn a valuable backlink.
You can manually browse websites for dead links using tools like Screaming Frog’s SEO Spider or browser extensions like Check My Links or LinkMiner.
It’s best to do it after a migration or during a website audit. Once you find a broken link, email the webmaster, inform them about the broken link, and suggest the new URL with up-to-date content.
6) Link Reclamation
Link reclamation is the process of finding unlinked brand mentions and requesting that the website add a link to your site. Often, people will mention your brand, product, or a key person from your company without actually linking back to your website.
You can find unlinked mentions by setting up Google Alerts for your brand name, product name, or thought leaders. You may also try tools like Mention.com, Brandwatch, or Ahrefs.
When you discover an unlinked mention, reach out to the website owner with a friendly email, thanking them for the mention and politely requesting that they add a link to your site for the benefit of their readers.
7) HARO (Help A Reporter Out)
HARO (Help A Reporter Out) is a service that connects journalists with expert sources. For SEOs and businesses, it’s a fantastic way to earn high-quality media links from reputable news outlets and publications by providing expert quotes and insights.
A representative from your brand or business can sign up as a source and you’ll receive emails with queries from journalists seeking expert opinions on various topics. When you see a query relevant to your industry, you may craft a response and reply to the journalist.
8) Podcast & Interview Links
Appearing as a guest on relevant podcasts or being interviewed for online publications is an excellent way to earn branded backlinks. When you’re featured, the podcast show notes or interview article will almost always include a link back to your website, often to your homepage or a specific landing page you’d like to promote.
Beyond the link, you gain exposure to a new audience, building brand awareness and credibility. You can also position yourself as an expert in your field.
9) Link Exchange
If you have a legitimate, non-competitive business relationship with another website that offers complementary services or products, a natural link exchange could be beneficial for users. Link exchange, also known as reciprocal linking, involves two websites agreeing to link to each other.
While historically a popular strategy, it’s important to approach link exchanges with caution. Googles guidelines advise against excessive or unnatural link exchanges solely for manipulation of search rankings.
The key is to ensure the link exchange is natural, relevant, and provides genuine value to users, rather than being a forced attempt to manipulate search engine algorithms.
10) Create Linkable Content
- Be the best in your category: Create content that’s bigger, more detailed, and more authoritative than anything else out there. By publishing the most comprehensive or up-to-date version, like a listicle with 21 points instead of 10, you stand out and naturally earn more clicks and links.
- Simplify a complicated process: When your niche is flooded with ultra-long, complex guides, break the trend by offering a short, clear, easy-to-follow alternative. This appeals to busy readers who want fast answers, making your content shareable and linkable.
- Create “reference content”: Publish content loaded with original data, key facts, statistics, or expert insights that others can cite in their writing. By being the go-to source for reliable information (study or an infographic) your content becomes a natural backlink magnet.
- Be a linkbait: Create content that is unique, controversial, and remarkable. Try to do something so unexpected or bold, it sparks conversation. Do you remember the “Ship Your Enemies Glitter” campaign that enabled people to send glitter to their enemies?! It attracted organic backlinks from intrigued writers and reporters.
Email scripts that work
Here is a sample email script:
Pro Tip: For more advanced outreach strategies, including how to craft compelling pitches and even press releases that can earn you media links, explore resources like our Guide on How to Write a Press Release.
Don’t forget to follow up, but be respectful. Limit to 1 to 2 follow-ups between several days each. If you haven’t heard back, move on.