Proven Link-Building Strategies, Tips, and Techniques for 2025

Search engine optimization is becoming progressively harder over time, particularly due to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Search engines like Google use AI algorithms (such as Google’s RankBrain and BERT) to better understand the context and intent behind search queries. But, no matter how smart Google gets at understanding content or user intent, backlinks remain a strong signal of authority. Sometimes, websites with low-quality content but with many trusted and authoritative backlinks are typically seen as more legitimate than sites with exclusive content but few or low-quality links.

In this guide, I’m going to provide you with expert strategies, actionable tips, and powerful techniques for successful link-building and guide you through the entire process. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, you’ll learn how to craft a solid link-building strategy that boosts your website’s authority, improves rankings, and drives more organic traffic. Let’s dive into the essential steps that will set you up for long-term SEO success.

Our Agency’s Survey on Different Link-Building Techniques

Recently, our agency conducted a comprehensive survey to understand the current trends and effectiveness of various link-building techniques. After analyzing responses from over 376 SEO professionals, marketers, and website owners across diverse industries, here are some key insights:

✅ 62% of respondents ranked guest posting as the most effective link-building technique for improving search rankings and domain authority. Of those, 78% preferred targeting niche-specific blogs over high-traffic general websites.

✅ 41% of participants noted that digital PR campaigns, such as publishing unique research or newsworthy stories, resulted in the highest-quality backlinks. Among respondents who used digital PR, 85% reported earning links from websites with a domain authority of 50 or higher.

✅ 28% of SEO professionals use HARO (Help a Reporter Out) for link building. However, 60% mentioned they only achieve a success rate of 1–5%, requiring persistent efforts to secure high-authority backlinks.

✅ 54% cited budget limitations as the biggest hurdle to effective link building. 46% identified the difficulty in finding relevant, high-quality websites willing to collaborate.

✅ 40% of participants said editorial links deliver the highest SEO impact. 18% rated niche edits as a faster and more scalable option for acquiring contextual links.

✅ Surprisingly, 34% admitted to purchasing links at least once, despite knowing the risks involved. Of these, 70% preferred dealing with websites directly rather than through intermediaries.

✅ 65% of respondents emphasize a balance between branded, generic, and keyword-rich anchor text to maintain a natural backlink profile. 15% admitted over-optimizing their anchor text in the past, resulting in algorithmic penalties.

✅ 85% prioritize do-follow links, but 58% also acknowledged the value of a few no-follow links to maintain a natural backlink profile.

Link-Building Strategy vs Techniques

Link-building strategy is the overarching, long-term plan that guides your efforts to secure high-quality backlinks for your website. It defines your objectives, budget, the types of websites you want links from, and the overall approach you will take. On the other hand, link-building techniques are the specific methods or tactics you implement to acquire backlinks as part of your overall strategy. In simple words, the strategy is your comprehensive plan, while the techniques are the individual actions you take to execute that plan.

For instance, as part of your link-building strategy, first of all, you can focus on producing exceptional content that naturally attracts backlinks, then identify top product or service pages to target, considering the ones with the highest profit margins, etc. But, for example, guest posting is a technique where you write and publish an article on another website or blog within your industry and receive a contextual or bio link in return.

Steps to Craft a Successful Link-Building Strategy 

Throughout my career, I’ve navigated this complex field, making plenty of mistakes along the way. Each misstep taught me valuable lessons that helped me adjust my approach and develop strategies that truly work. Now, I want to share the important steps I’ve learned to kickstart a successful link-building strategy. Whether you’re new to link building or looking to enhance your existing efforts, these steps will help you avoid common pitfalls and set a strong foundation for your campaign.

Optimize Your On-Page SEO

Visitors come to your site seeking information, products, or services that meet their needs. They care about the quality, relevance, and value of your content—not who links to you. Users build trust based on their interactions with your site—through helpful content and positive experiences—not based on your backlink profile.

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Before trying to build backlinks, make sure your content is valuable, relevant, and well-optimized for your target keywords. Optimize your target pages according to on-page SEO best practices. Elements like fast page loading times, mobile responsiveness, and clear navigation make your site more enjoyable for visitors.

So, make sure search engines understand your content and they can easily find, crawl, and index your pages. (landing pages, blog posts, etc). Keep in mind, that if your on-page SEO is lacking, even high-quality backlinks won’t have the desired impact. Finally, even if you somehow drive traffic to your site, poor on-page optimization can lead to low conversion rates. This means fewer sales, sign-ups, or other desired actions.

Give Websites a Reason to Link to You

One of the most effective ways to build high-quality backlinks is by giving other websites a compelling reason to link to yours. This means creating value that is so significant, unique, or helpful that other site owners feel motivated to share it with their audience. Here’s what it looks like to give websites a reason to link to your website:

Types of Linkable Assets

In-Depth Guides and Tutorials: According to industry studies, longer content tends to attract more backlinks compared to short blog posts. Producing comprehensive guides on topics relevant to your industry establishes your site as an authoritative resource. For example, a detailed guide on “Link-Building for eCommerce” can become a go-to reference that others link to.

Original Research and Data Studies: Conducting surveys or studies and publishing the results provides unique data that others may cite. For instance, a study on “Consumer Behavior Trends in 2025” offers valuable insights that industry professionals might reference.

Infographics and Visual Content: Designing infographics that present information in an engaging and easily digestible format encourages others to share and link back to your site as the source.

Expert Interviews, Podcasts, and Roundups: Featuring interviews with industry experts or compiling expert opinions on a specific topic provides unique perspectives that others may find valuable to link to.

Free Tools and Resources: Free tools like calculators, generators, or templates solve problems or make tasks easier for users. Websites naturally link to these tools as valuable resources for their audience. Example: An SEO agency offering a free “Keyword Difficulty Checker” attracts backlinks from blogs and guides about SEO tips.

High-quality free resources, such as eBooks, checklists, or industry reports, are often referenced in articles or shared on social media, leading to more backlinks.

Define Your Target Pages

This is a critical step in link-building. First of all, it allows you to distribute link equity strategically across your website. Without clear target pages, you risk building links to irrelevant or low-priority pages, wasting time and effort that could be better spent on high-impact areas.

Let’s say you’re performing SEO campaigns for a SaaS (Software as a Service) company with only one or two primary revenue-generating pages—often referred to as “money pages”. In such case, the focus of your link-building strategy is relatively straightforward. You concentrate your efforts on the critical pages because they directly drive conversions and revenue. The limited scope allows for a more concentrated and efficient allocation of resources to boost the rankings and visibility of these key pages.

Here’s a picture outlining the target page distribution for link-building purposes to maintain a natural backlink profile and avoid potential penalization. The percentages are approximate guidelines and can vary depending on the site’s structure and goals:

However, things are different when dealing with an eCommerce store or an enterprise-level business that offers a wide range of products or services. In such cases, you might be faced with hundreds or even thousands of pages. In this scenario, targeting pages optimized for low-competition keywords can be a smart move. These pages are easier to rank for and can start attracting organic traffic more quickly.

Another important aspect that I never overlook is keeping the backlink profile natural and diverse. To do this, sometimes, I also build links to informational pages like blog posts, guides, and resource articles.

Remember!

Always adjust your link-building strategy and pick the right target pages based on several factors. For example, certain products or services may be strategically important due to seasonal demand. That’s why always align your link-building efforts with marketing campaigns, product launches, or seasonal promotions to maximize impact.

Quick Wins vs. Long Haul

When developing a link-building strategy, one of the fundamental considerations is deciding whether to focus on long-term goals, quick wins, or a balanced combination of both. I think this decision isn’t just a minor detail—it’s a critical part of your strategic planning process.

For example, if your company needs immediate traffic boosts for a new product launch, quick wins might be the priority. But you should also consider that quick-win tactics such as buying links from spammy or irrelevant websites, can sometimes be riskier if they border on black-hat SEO practices. On the other hand, long-term strategies, such as the Skyscraper technique or digital PR, are generally safer but require more resources. Remember, every action taken is purposeful and contributes to your overall link-building strategy.

In my experience, focusing solely on quick wins can be attractive. However, it’s akin to sprinting in a marathon—you may lead initially but won’t sustain the pace. On the other hand, investing only in long-term strategies without considering immediate opportunities might slow down your progress unnecessarily.

5 Most Effective Link-Building Techniques

I’ve already unpacked what a link-building strategy is, offering practical examples and clear definitions to lay a solid groundwork. Now, it’s time to delve deeper and explore the various link-building techniques that will shape the industry in 2025. In this section, we’ll examine different types of link-building methods, evaluating their effectiveness, and weighing their pros and cons.

Get Backlinks with HARO

HARO link building referred to using Help a Reporter Out (HARO) to earn high-quality backlinks from reputable media outlets and websites. HARO was a platform that connected journalists seeking expert quotes with sources who can provide valuable insights.

You know, HARO link-building—it’s one of those game-changers in the SEO and PR world. If you’ve never heard of it, it stands for Help a Reporter Out. Simple name, but oh man, the opportunities it brings are massive.

Here’s the thing—HARO wasn’t always HARO. It’s got a bit of a backstory, and, honestly, it’s kind of interesting if you’re into how platforms evolve. Originally, it was part of Cision, which, if you’re in marketing or PR, you’ve probably come across. But then, Cision gave it a little rebrand and called it Connectively. It felt like a step into the future—sleek name, same idea: connecting people.

But then came December 9, 2024. A day that felt like the end of an era for PR pros. Connectively just… shut down. Boom. Gone. For a second, everyone in the industry kind of panicked—like, “How are we supposed to get those killer PR backlinks now?” Because let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like seeing your name or your brand linked in Forbes or The New York Times.

But here’s the silver lining. Just because Connectively bowed out doesn’t mean the game stopped. No, the digital world has this way of filling gaps faster than you’d believe. Tons of alternative platforms popped up since then, each one bringing its own spin on what HARO used to do. Some are a bit niche, targeting specific industries, while others aim for the broad strokes, connecting brands with journalists just like the good ol’ days.

And honestly? These alternatives have proven that the essence of HARO—the whole idea of helping reporters out and getting rewarded with high-authority backlinks—isn’t going anywhere.

For example, I came across a HARO query where a CNN journalist was looking for expert opinions on [The best accounting software for small businesses]. Since this topic aligned with my expertise, I decided to respond with a concise, well-crafted pitch sharing my firsthand experience and unique insights.

The journalist appreciated my input and featured my insights in their article. Not only was my company mentioned, but CNN also included a dofollow backlink to my website. This wasn’t just a backlink—it was a link from a globally recognized publication.

So, yeah, HARO might have had a few identity crises along the way, but the legacy it left? That’s not going anywhere.

Guest Posting

Guest posting remains the most popular link-building technique, with 64.9% of 755 link builders surveyed by Authority Hacker identifying it as their preferred strategy. Through my professional journey, I’ve developed and executed many successful link-building strategies in which guest posting played a crucial role.

In simple words, guest posting or guest blogging is a practice of sharing your expertise on another website. In exchange, you place a link to your site in the article.

Here’s an example from Search Engine Journal (SEJ),where the author earns a backlink to their personal blog or social media profile from the author bio section.

Guest posting is accessible to anyone willing to provide valuable content, from seasoned professionals to newcomers in a field. The only thing is that you must provide unique insights or high-quality content that can benefit another site’s audience.

When I took my first steps in guest posting, I tried to share my expertise in SEO and digital marketing with a wider audience. I identified several reputable blogs in my niche and pitched them article ideas customized to their audience. After a few accepted submissions, I noticed significant improvements in my website’s traffic and domain authority.

For instance, a few years ago, I identified a high-authority website in the digital marketing industry that accepted guest contributions. The website served an audience of marketers, business owners, and SEO enthusiasts—exactly the audience I wanted to reach.

I pitched a topic to their editor titled “The Hidden Power of Backlink Diversity: A Game-Changer for SEO Success”, which aligned with their content objectives and showcased my expertise as an SEO strategist.

Naturally, within the post, I referenced one of my company’s resources—a comprehensive guide on backlink profile analysis—as an example of further reading. The editor agreed to include a backlink to my guide, as it added value to the content without being overly promotional.

The results? The guest post was published, featuring my byline with a dofollow backlink back to my website.

Niche Edits

Niche edits, also known as contextual backlinks, are a link-building technique where a hyperlink to your website is inserted into an existing piece of content on another site. Instead of creating new guest posts or articles, you collaborate with website owners to add your link to pre-existing content that’s relevant to your niche.

Since the links are placed within content that’s already relevant to your industry, they carry more weight with search engines. Because the content is already indexed and possibly ranking, the impact of niche edits on your SEO can be quicker compared to new content that needs time to be crawled and ranked.

I always try to mix link insertion with other link-building techniques to create a natural-looking backlink profile but another aspect to consider is that niche edits aren’t suitable for all industries. It’s important to assess whether this technique aligns with your industry norms and content availability before incorporating it into your link-building strategy.

For instance, a few years ago, a well-established blog in the digital marketing niche published an article titled “Proven SEO Strategies for Small Businesses.” While reading the article, I noticed they had a section discussing “Advanced Link-Building Techniques” but missed mentioning a critical strategy I specialize in—backlink profile analysis.

I reached out to the blog owner, explaining how their article was highly informative but could be enhanced with additional insights about backlink profile analysis. I suggested adding a short paragraph about the importance of assessing link diversity and avoiding overly ideal profiles.

In my outreach email, I shared a concise summary of the missing topic and suggested linking to a guide I had written on my website, which explored this concept in depth.
The blog owner appreciated my input and agreed that the addition would enrich their content. They edited the article to include a brief mention of backlink profile analysis and added my link as a resource for readers to learn more.

Unlinked Brand Mentions

An unlinked brand mention occurs when a website or online platform references your brand, company name, product, or service without providing a clickable hyperlink back to your website.

Here’s an example of how my brand was mentioned in a prominent article but didn’t include a link.

A marketing-focused publication ran an article titled “Tickled Pink: How Klarna’s Vibrant Marketing Made Finance Fun.” The piece explored innovative marketing strategies, including contributions from industry experts. While the article highlighted my expertise and included my brand name, it didn’t link to my website.

Now, I can reach out to the publication, express gratitude for the mention, and kindly request they consider linking to my website to provide readers with direct access to learn more about my work.

In such cases, since your brand is already mentioned, the hard work for a relationship is established. Now, it requires less effort than creating new content for link acquisition. Many free or paid online tools track brand mentions across the web but you can use Google Alerts to receive notifications when your brand is mentioned.

Of course, you should focus on reputable websites with good domain authority and quality organic traffic. The mention should be in a context where a link adds value. Remember, consistency, personalization, and professionalism are key to successfully implementing this strategy.

Use Digital PR to Drive Backlinks

Digital PR is an advanced link-building technique and a great way to acquire high-quality backlinks and brand mentions from top media outlets. The main goal of digital PR is to build relationships with key media outlets and famous publications to promote content that earns natural backlinks. You must create stories, reports, or data that are valuable to the media and are not available elsewhere, making it attractive for others to reference and link to.

Research and compile a list of journalists, bloggers, and influencers who cover topics relevant to your industry. Look for individuals who have a strong online presence and a history of sharing or writing about content similar to yours. Tools like media databases and social media platforms can help in finding the right

You can also partner with influencers or other brands for co-created content, such as guest blogs, podcasts, or joint studies. Collaborative efforts can expand your reach and increase the likelihood of earning backlinks from multiple sources.

Less-Effective Techniques

Now I’ll list out some link-building techniques that are worth knowing but don’t pack the same punch as others. These methods might have their moments in specific niches or circumstances, but they’re often hit-or-miss and can be a waste of valuable time if not done right. As you go through this list, think of it as a way to avoid common traps and focus on techniques that truly deliver results. If you’re unsure about which techniques are best for your site, feel free to reach out—I’m always here to help you.

Broken Link-Building

Broken link-building is another technique where you find broken (or dead) links on websites, reach out to the site owner, and suggest replacing the broken link with one from your site. It’s a win-win idea in theory: the website owner fixes their broken link, and you earn a backlink.

Here’s how it typically plays out: (By Ahrefs)

Step 1. Start by searching for authoritative websites in your industry. Use the Content Explorer or Site Explorer tool in Ahrefs to find websites with high domain authority that are relevant to your topic.

Step 2. Navigate to the Best by Links report under the “Pages” section.

Step 3. Apply the “404 not found” filter to find the top broken pages that have backlinks.

This will show you all the outbound links on that site that lead to 404 errors (broken pages).

Step 4. Review the broken links and identify ones that align with topics you can cover or already have content on.

For example, if a broken link was meant to lead to an article about “Sustainable Gardening Tips,” you’ll want to have similar content. If you already have content that fits, great! If not, create an article or page that aligns with the broken link’s topic. Make sure the content is high-quality, detailed, and provides value.

Step 5. Use tools like Hunter.io to locate the site owner’s contact information then draft a friendly and helpful email that highlights the broken link and suggests your content as a replacement. For instance:

Broken link-building sounds great on paper but often falls short in practice.

Here’s why: Many website owners don’t respond, and even those who do might simply thank you for pointing out the issue without updating the link. If you don’t already have content matching the broken link’s topic, you’ll need to create something from scratch, which takes time and resources. Plus, some publishers don’t see the value in replacing the link—or they simply don’t bother.

Yes, broken link-building can work but it’s often a numbers game with a small success rate. It can still be worth trying, especially if you have highly relevant, high-quality content ready to go. But managing expectations is key—this strategy won’t build links at scale overnight.
At the end of the day, the relationships you build in the process can sometimes lead to unexpected opportunities, even if the broken link pitch doesn’t work out.

The Skyscraper Technique

The skyscraper technique is another way to earn backlinks. This is when you identify high-performing content in your niche, create something significantly better, and promote it to attract backlinks. Think of it as looking at the tallest building in a city and deciding to build one that’s taller, more attractive, and has better amenities to draw more visitors.

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You must improve the content in every way possible adding fresh stats, detailed explanations, better visuals, or new insights and essentially, turning it into the ultimate resource on the topic.

Next, you should reach out to the sites linking to the original piece, explaining how your content is more comprehensive or updated, and offer them the option to link to your version instead.

Is the Skyscraper Technique Effective?

I think yes, but it isn’t foolproof. Creating better content is just half the battle. Without outreach, it won’t get the attention it deserves. Plus, If your content isn’t truly better or different, people won’t bother switching their links. Sometimes, the audience linking to the original content isn’t interested in your improved version.

The skyscraper technique is powerful but requires effort and persistence. It’s not just about outdoing someone else’s work; it’s about adding real value to your audience.

Backlink Exchange

Backlink exchange, at its core, is a mutual agreement between two (or more) website owners to link to each other’s sites.

It sounds simple: “You link to me, and I’ll link to you.”

At first glance, it feels innocent enough. I mean, who wouldn’t want a little extra visibility? But let’s not rush. Let’s pause and really think this through.
Google doesn’t exactly love them, you know? It sees them as a shortcut—something a little too transactional. And Google? Oh, it’s a fan of authenticity.

But, here’s the thing. In its purest form, a backlink exchange can make sense.

Let’s say you run a vegan recipe blog. You might exchange links with a fitness blogger promoting plant-based nutrition. The fitness blog might link to your “10 Best Vegan Desserts” post, while you link back to their “Plant-Based Meal Plans for Weight Loss” article.

Now, imagine this scenario: two completely unrelated websites—maybe a bakery and a tech gadget review site—agree to trade links just to boost their metrics. Feels off, doesn’t it? That’s where things start to unravel. Google’s algorithms pick up on patterns like this, and it’s a one-way ticket to trouble if you’re not careful.

So, is backlink exchange bad? Not necessarily.

But you’ve got to be smart about it.
A thoughtful exchange between relevant, high-quality websites can provide value to readers and offer SEO benefits. However, search engines, especially Google, discourage excessive or manipulative link exchanges.

Anyway, If you’re serious about backlink exchanges, a 3-way link exchange is a safer method.

Product Reviews

Product review is another less popular link-building technique where a brand provides its product to bloggers, influencers, or website owners in exchange for an honest review. The idea is simple: the reviewer shares their experience with the product on their platform, and in doing so, they often include a backlink to the brand’s website.

The process typically involves a few straightforward steps:

For example, imagine you’re a skincare brand offering a new organic moisturizer. You send the product to a beauty blogger. Their review might look like this:

Product reviews can be an effective way to get high-quality backlinks. However, the effectiveness depends on the relevance and authority of the reviewer’s website.

To make it work, focus on authenticity, build real relationships with reviewers, and make sure your product adds real value. If it doesn’t work for some reason, don’t fret—pivot your approach, learn from feedback, and try again.

Create Viral Infographics

Infographics are visual representations of information designed to make complex data or concepts easier to understand. Creating infographics to get backlinks means producing high-quality, engaging visuals that others in your industry or niche want to reference and share.

When someone uses your infographic on their website or social media, they often link back to your site as the source—voilà, a backlink!

Infographic sample:

People love sharing visuals that provide quick, digestible information. If you do it right, an infographic has the potential to go viral within your niche, earning you multiple backlinks from blogs, social media shares, and even news sites.

When I first started creating infographics, I underestimated the power of storytelling. Data alone isn’t enough—you need to weave it into a narrative. A poorly promoted infographic on a generic topic flopped, teaching me that outreach and originality are just as important as design.

So, is it worth it? Absolutely. But treat it as a long-term investment. A single infographic may not drive results overnight, but with consistent effort, the backlinks and brand visibility it brings can be game-changing.

Use Podcasts for Link Building

There are over 546 million podcast listeners worldwide. With over 546 million listeners globally, the podcast industry presents valuable opportunities for podcasters and marketers, serving as a powerful platform to engage with your target audience effectively.

I think using podcasts for link building is an innovative and underutilized technique where you leverage podcast appearances—either as a guest or a host—to earn backlinks to your website.

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The process typically looks like this:

Sample Scenario

Let’s say you’re a cybersecurity expert with a new service. You join a podcast like CyberSec Chat and talk about “The Top 5 Threats Businesses Ignore in 2025.” During the episode, you reference a guide you’ve published on your website. The host includes the guide link in the show notes.

Later, listeners find the podcast, click the link, and some even link to your guide from their blogs or share it on forums.

Podcasts allow you to speak directly to a targeted, engaged audience. Unlike traditional guest posting, podcasting lets your voice and personality shine, helping you build trust and authority. Backlinks from podcasts can also be high-quality since podcasts are often hosted on reputable platforms.

However, there are scenarios where this strategy may fall flat:

For instance, if you target podcasts that don’t align with your niche, the backlinks won’t add much value, or some podcasts might lack an active audience or fail to promote episodes effectively, limiting your exposure.

Finally, some podcast hosts don’t include backlinks in their show notes, so you might miss out despite a great performance.

Remember, considering podcasts for link-building requires patience. It’s not a quick-win technique, and it takes effort to find the right opportunities. But the payoff goes beyond links—it’s about establishing credibility, creating lasting relationships, and opening doors to future collaborations.

If you’re ready to put yourself out there and offer real value, podcasts can be a game-changer for your link-building efforts.

Must-Know Link-Building Tactics for 2025

Alright, so here we are. You’ve done your homework—you know the strategies, you’ve figured out what works, and you’ve got a solid grip on the techniques that can deliver real results. Now, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and make it happen.

In this next part, I’m going to break down the essential link-building tactics for 2025. Let’s dive in.

Tactic #1. Spy on Your New Competitors

Spying on your new competitors’ backlink profiles is a powerful way to uncover fresh backlink opportunities for your website. This is one of my favorite ways to explore new opportunities because new competitors are often aggressively building their backlink profiles.

They’re exploring uncharted territories, forming new partnerships, and creating compelling linkable assets to attract attention. Moreover, since these competitors are actively hunting for new link prospects, they’re essentially doing part of the work for you. You can monitor their efforts, piggyback on their discoveries, and save time on research.
So, how should you get started?

First, pull up a tool like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or whatever your weapon of choice is. Type in your competitor’s domain. Pause. Look at their backlink profile—not with a rushed glance, but with curiosity. Who’s linking to them? Why? What’s the story behind those links?

Next, focus on the top referring domains. See a trend? Maybe they’re getting backlinks from niche blogs or resource pages you hadn’t considered. It’s like realizing there’s a whole neighborhood you didn’t know existed. Take note of the strongest ones—the ones that make you go, “Oh, wow, I want one of those too.”

Now, dig deeper. What kind of content is earning these links? Is it a guide, a case study, or something unexpected?

And here’s the clincher: don’t just copy. Borrow the inspiration, sure, but make it yours. Add your own twist, your own voice.

See? It’s not just data—it’s a little bit of art, a little bit of strategy, and a lot of curiosity. Now, your turn.

Build a Personal Presence

When you’re reaching out to a journalist or a website owner, what’s the first thing they’re going to do before responding to your pitch?

They’ll Google you.

Yeah, that’s right. Before even considering your email, they’ll take a moment to see who you are, what you stand for, and whether you’re worth their time. And that’s where building your personal presence becomes the unsung hero of successful outreach.

Now imagine a journalist landing on that page. They see endorsements, featured articles, and thoughtful posts that actually showcase you as a subject-matter expert. That’s credibility served on a platter.

How about this?

Also, think about the profile pages on your website. These aren’t just obligatory placeholders—they’re an opportunity. They’re where you let your personality shine, where you humanize your brand. Maybe there’s a great headshot, a killer “about me” section, and links to your best work.

Oh, and one more thing: your email signature. Ever underestimated the power of that tiny box of text at the bottom of your emails? Don’t. Craft it like you mean it. Include your social media links, maybe even a link to your latest article or guest post. It’s like you’re saying, “Hey, if you’re curious, here’s more about me.” It’s subtle, non-pushy, but it gives people an easy way to learn more about you without making it a thing.

Automate Your Link-Building Efforts

Life is too short to spend countless hours on the tedious tasks associated with link building. Imagine this: you’re staring at a mountain of tasks on your SEO to-do list, and link-building—oh, the infamous link-building—sits there, a giant beast waiting to devour your time.

You know it’s critical for your website’s growth, but does it really have to feel like you’re wading through a swamp every single day?

So, instead of spending hours scouring the web for prospects, sending countless emails, and tracking links manually, you have tools and systems that do the heavy lifting for you. That’s not just efficiency—it’s your sanity saved. Automation lets you focus on strategy, creativity, and, most importantly, results.

But let me be real with you. Automation isn’t about being lazy. It’s about being smart. It’s about focusing on the 20% of work that brings 80% of the results.

Link-building can be repetitive, but it doesn’t have to be your full-time job.

So, where do we start? Here are a few parts of link-building you can automate without losing that personal touch.

1. Prospecting: The foundation of any link-building campaign is finding the right sites to target. But manually sifting through pages of search results? Painful. Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush or Ninja Outreach can automate the process of finding relevant websites, collecting contact information, and organizing it into neat lists.

2. Outreach: Now, here’s where automation really shines. Personalized outreach is key, but do you really need to type out every email by hand? Platforms like Pitchbox or Mailshake can help you craft templates that still feel human while automating follow-ups to save you hours.

3. Monitoring: Let’s say you land a link—hooray! But how do you know if it’s still live a month later? Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can track your backlinks and alert you if one disappears, saving you from having to manually check.

4. Reporting: Clients or bosses love results, but you don’t need to spend hours putting together fancy reports. Tools like Google Data Studio or Linkody can pull your data together into polished, shareable reports in minutes.

Now, I need to warn you—automation isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it magic wand. You can automate processes, but you can’t automate relationships. Building real, valuable connections with other sites still requires a human touch.

So, while automation can handle the repetitive grunt work, make sure you’re still the one driving the strategy. Adjust your templates, personalize your messages, and stay involved in the big-picture thinking.

Automation isn’t cheating. It’s your secret weapon. Use it wisely, and you’ll never look back.

Which Link-Building Technique Is the Most Costly One?

Below, you’ll find a chart that breaks down various link-building techniques costs by percentage. It’s a great way to visually compare and get a sense of what you’re up against.

Now, let’s get into it. Based on multiple factors—like outreach time, content quality, and the authority of the target sites—guest posting and digital PR stand out as the most expensive link-building techniques.

If you’re serious about diving into the numbers and weighing your options, I’ve got something extra for you—a detailed guide on link-building costs. It goes deeper into each method, what affects pricing, and how to make the most of your investment.

Which Link-Building Technique is the Most Effective One?

From what I’ve learned, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to which technique is the most effective. The success of a link-building strategy often depends on factors like your industry, target audience, resources, and specific objectives. However, two techniques that consistently stand out for acquiring high-authority backlinks are HARO and digital PR.

What Are Black-Hat Link-Building Strategies?

Black hat link-building strategies refer to unethical and manipulative techniques used to artificially increase a website’s organic search positions and metrics such as MOZ DA. Black hat strategies such as private blog networks (PBNs) or link farms, may offer short-term benefits but carry significant risks, including severe penalties from search engines that can negatively impact your website’s visibility and reputation.

Always be wary of services that promise instant link-building results, especially those involving bulk links or automated tools. Regularly audit your backlinks using tools like Google Search Console to identify and disavow any suspicious or harmful links.

Which Link-Building Technique is the Most Time-Consuming One?

Guest posting is widely regarded as one of the most time-consuming link-building techniques. Each website has its own set of submission guidelines and a unique audience. You need to carefully read and understand these requirements to tailor your content accordingly. This includes tone, style, formatting, and topic preferences. Some guest posts may require custom images, infographics, or other multimedia elements to enhance the content. Creating or sourcing these elements adds another layer to the workload. After submission, editors may request revisions to better fit their audience or editorial style. Responding to feedback and making the necessary changes can add additional time to the process.