Introduction to how to get backlinks to your website.
Backlinks are one of the most important ranking factors in SEO. High-quality backlinks improve your website's authority, increase organic traffic, and help you rank higher on search engines. But how do you get more backlinks effectively?
What Are Backlinks?
Backlinks (also known as inbound or incoming links) are links from one website to another. They signal to search engines that your content is valuable, authoritative, and worth ranking higher in search results.
Types of Backlinks
When building a strong backlink profile, it’s essential to understand the different types of backlinks and how they affect your website’s SEO. Below is a detailed breakdown of each type, along with its benefits and best practices.
DoFollow Links
DoFollow links are backlinks that pass SEO value, commonly referred to as “link juice,” from the referring website to your own. These links help improve your website’s authority and rankings in search engines.
NoFollow Links
NoFollow links contain a rel="nofollow" attribute, which tells search engines not to pass link equity. While they don’t directly impact SEO rankings, they still play an important role in driving traffic and increasing brand exposure.
Editorial Links
Editorial links are naturally earned when other websites reference your content as a valuable resource. These links often come from high-authority sites and carry significant SEO weight.
Guest Post Links
Guest post links are acquired by writing and publishing content on other websites in exchange for a backlink to your site. This is a highly effective white-hat SEO strategy.
Directory Links
Directory links come from business listing websites, citation directories, and niche-specific resource hubs. These are commonly used in local SEO strategies.
Proven Strategies to Get More Backlinks
Creating high-value, shareable content is the best way to earn organic backlinks. Here are some content types that attract backlinks:
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Ultimate Guides
In-depth resources covering a topic comprehensively.
Expert Roundups & Interviews
Collaboration with industry experts can get you links from their audiences.
Original Research & Case Studies
Data-driven content that others will reference.
Interactive Tools & Calculators
People link to useful resources that help solve problems.
Infographics & Visual Content
Grow a high-quality email list you can use to nurture relationships and drive consistent sales over time.
Free Templates & Resources
People love free tools and guides.
Once you’ve created high-quality content, the next step is to actively promote it. Simply publishing content isn’t enough—you need to get it in front of the right people who are likely to link back to it.
Guest Posting on High-Authority Websites
Guest blogging is a powerful way to secure high-quality backlinks. Follow these steps:
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Identify authoritative blogs in your niche.
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Pitch unique, valuable content ideas.
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Write a high-quality article with a natural link back to your website.
Keep this in Mind...
While guest posting can take time and effort, the payoff is substantial when done correctly. However, another approach that works well is leveraging existing content on other websites to your advantage.
Broken Link Building
This technique involves finding broken links on authoritative websites and offering your content as a replacement.
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Use tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or Screaming Frog to find broken links.
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​Contact the website owner and offer your relevant content as a replacement.​
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Politely request them to link to your page instead.
Win-Win Strategies for Earning Backlinks
Broken link building works exceptionally well because you’re helping webmasters fix errors while gaining backlinks in the process.
Another way to get backlinks from authoritative sources is by connecting with journalists and media outlets.
Build Backlinks Through HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
HARO connects journalists with sources. By responding to relevant queries, you can get high-authority backlinks from major publications.
Steps to leverage HARO:
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Sign up on HARO.
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Set up alerts for keywords in your industry.
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Provide expert responses with a link to your site.
Boost Your Backlinks with Business Directories & Local Citations
If HARO isn't the right fit for you, another excellent way to get backlinks is by leveraging business directories and citations, especially for local businesses.
Leverage Business Directories & Local Citations.
Submitting your website to trusted directories helps build backlinks and improves local SEO.
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Google My Business
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Yelp, Bing Places, Yellow Pages
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Industry-Specific Directories (e.g., Clutch, DesignRush for web designer
Beyond directories, another effective link-building method is known as the Skyscraper Technique—a strategy where you find high-ranking content in your niche, create an even more valuable, comprehensive, and up-to-date version, and then reach out to websites linking to the original content to persuade them to link to yours instead.
By offering better insights, updated data, improved design, or additional resources, you increase the chances of earning high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources that are already interested in the topic.
Utilize Skyscraper Technique
The Skyscraper Technique, developed by Brian Dean, involves improving existing high-performing content to attract backlinks.
How to Execute the Skyscraper Technique:
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Find top-ranking content in your niche (use Ahrefs or BuzzSumo).
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Create a better, more in-depth version of it.
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Reach out to websites linking to the original content and ask them to link to yours instead.
Once you've optimized your content to attract backlinks, the next step is to amplify its visibility by leveraging social media platforms and online communities. Sharing your content on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit increases its chances of being seen, shared, and linked to by industry professionals and bloggers.
Engaging in relevant online communities such as niche forums, Quora, and Facebook Groups allows you to position yourself as an authority while naturally promoting your content. By actively participating in discussions, answering questions, and providing valuable insights, you can drive organic traffic and encourage others to link back to your content.
Get Backlinks from Social Media & Forums
While social media links are mostly NoFollow, they drive traffic and increase visibility, leading to natural backlinks.
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Share your content on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
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Engage in niche-related forums (Reddit, Quora, Stack Exchange) and share your content when relevant.
Engaging with social media communities is an excellent way to gain exposure, but another valuable strategy is partnering with industry influencers to amplify your content and earn authoritative backlinks.
Influencers and thought leaders in your niche already have established audiences who trust their recommendations. By collaborating with them through guest posts, interviews, co-branded content, or product reviews, you can tap into their reach and secure valuable backlinks from their websites, blogs, or social media platforms.
Collaborate with Influencers & Bloggers
Networking with influencers in your industry can help you earn natural backlinks.
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Offer co-branded content or collaborations.
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Conduct interviews or feature them in your articles.
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Ask them to share your content with a link to your site.
How to Conduct Competitor Backlink Research
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Use SEO Tools – Platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, or Ubersuggest can provide a detailed backlink profile of your competitors.
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Identify High-Value Links – Look for backlinks from reputable websites, especially editorial links, guest posts, and industry mentions.
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Create a Strategy – Once you've identified link opportunities, replicate them by reaching out to those websites with improved content, guest post pitches, or link replacement suggestions.
Monitor & Replicate Competitor Backlinks
Spying on your competitors' backlink profiles can reveal great opportunities.
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Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest to find their backlinks.
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Reach out to those linking websites and pitch your better content.
How to Get Featured in Expert Roundups for Valuable Backlinks
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Find Existing Roundups – Search for “[your industry] expert roundup” or “[your niche] experts weigh in” to find relevant opportunities.
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Reach Out to Bloggers & Journalists – Offer a concise, high-value quote that adds unique insight to their post.
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Leverage Your Own Content – If you have data, case studies, or expertise in a niche area, bloggers may include a link to your site when citing your insights.
Get Featured in Expert Roundups & Podcasts
Many bloggers and podcasters look for experts to feature. You can:
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Get included in “Top X Experts” posts.
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Appear on industry-related podcasts.
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Offer to contribute insights and resources in exchange for a backlink.
Best Practices for Link Building
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Focus on Quality Over Quantity – 10 high-quality links are better than 100 low-quality ones.
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Diversify Your Link Profile – Use a mix of guest posts, directories, social media, and editorial links.
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Avoid Black Hat Techniques – Buying links or participating in link farms can lead to Google penalties.
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Use Internal Linking – Link to your own content to improve on-site SEO and user experience.