If you have ever tried to rank a website on Google, you have probably heard the phrase “links are like votes of trust.” But what does that really mean? And why do so many SEO experts say link building is the hardest part of SEO?
Let’s be real, link building sounds fancy, but it is just about getting other websites to point to yours.
Imagine the internet as a giant city, and every website is a shop. A link is like a road leading people to your store. The more quality roads you have, the easier it is for visitors (and Google) to find you.
According to a study by Ahrefs, 96.55% of web pages get zero traffic from Google, mainly because they don’t have any backlinks. Also, did you know that the top-ranking pages on Google have an average of 3.8 times more backlinks than pages that appear in positions 2-10?
In other words, links matter a lot.
What is link building?
Link building is the process of getting other websites to link to your website.
In simple terms, it’s like getting recommendations from other sites, these links help search engines like Google trust your site more and rank it higher in search results.
But not all links are equal. A link from The New York Times is like a Michelin-star recommendation, while a random link from someone’s forgotten blog is more like your cousin saying “yeah, it’s okay.” Both count, but one is far more powerful.
How Google evaluates links
Google evaluates links using several key factors to determine their value and trustworthiness. Please note that it typically takes an average of 3 to 6 months to see a positive impact on search rankings from link building efforts.
These are the main things that Google considers:
1. Relevance
Google checks if the linking site is related to your content.
Example: A food blog linking to a recipe site is more valuable than a random tech site linking to it.
2. Authority of the Linking Site
Links from well-known, trustworthy sites (like major news outlets or respected blogs) carry more weight than links from unknown or spammy sites.
3. Anchor Text
This is the clickable text in a link. Google looks at the words used to understand what your page is about.
Example: A link that says “best digital marketing agency” tells Google that your page might be about that topic.
4. DoFollow vs. NoFollow
| Link Type | Passes SEO Value | Affects Rankings | Can Drive Traffic | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DoFollow | Yes | Yes | Yes | Natural backlinks, content links |
| NoFollow | No | Not directly | Yes | Blog comments, ads, social media |
5. Link Placement
Links within the main content of a page are more valuable than links in footers, sidebars, or comments.
6. Link Quality Over Quantity
A few high-quality, relevant backlinks are worth much more than tons of low-quality ones.
7. Natural vs. Manipulative
Google prefers natural links (earned through good content) over manipulative ones (like buying links or using link farms). Spammy link practices or other black hat link building practices can lead to penalties.
How many types of link building in SEO?
There are actually three main types of link building you should know about.
Type 1: Editorial
Editorial links are links you earn naturally when other websites choose to link to your content because they find it helpful or interesting.
Let’s say you wrote a blog post about “top website development services,” and a tech magazine links to it in one of their articles. That is an editorial link.
This is the most powerful type of link because it is seen as the most genuine by Google. You didn’t ask for it or pay for it, it was earned through great content.
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Book a ConsultationHow to get editorial backlinks:
- Publish high-quality, shareable content
- Create original research or statistics
- Be active in your niche so people notice you
Type 2: Manual
Manual link building means you actively ask other website owners, bloggers, or influencers to link to your content. This usually involves outreach via email or social media.
For instance, you reach out to a blogger and say, “Hey, I wrote a guide on how artificial intelligence works. I think it would be a great fit for your blog post on the new trends in AI.”
These links can still be high quality, especially if they come from relevant and trusted sites. It takes effort, but it can pay off with strong backlinks.
How to get manual backlinks:
- Email outreach to site owners
- Partnering with influencers or collaborators
Type 3: Self-created
These are links that you place yourself, often by adding your site to online directories, forums, blog comments, or user profiles, such as Yelp.
These links are the easiest to get, but also the least valuable in the eyes of Google. If overdone or used on spammy sites, they can even hurt your SEO. Here is how you can carefully get them.
- Submit to reputable business directories
- Add links in relevant forum posts or Q&A sites (like Quora)
- Use sparingly and always provide value
Internal links vs external links
- Internal Links – Links between pages on your own site. These help Google understand your content structure.
- External Links – Links from other websites pointing to your site. These are the hardest but most valuable.
How does link building help SEO?
Google has over 200 ranking factors, but backlinks remain one of the top three. Here is why they are important:
- Authority and Trust: More quality links = higher credibility in Google’s eyes.
- Traffic: Links do not just help rankings. They can drive actual visitors to your site.
- Indexing: Search engines discover new pages faster through links.
Types of link-building strategies
If you are looking to build links to your websites, we have prepared the list of top strategies that work well in the market today.
| Strategy | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Guest Posting | New audience, authority, backlinks |
| Broken Link Building | Fixes issues, mutual benefit |
| Unlinked Mentions | Easy wins from existing mentions |
| Competitor Analysis | Reveal new link opportunities |
| Infographics | Visual appeal leading to shares |
| Link Reclamation | Converts passive mentions into links |
| Outreach | Builds relationships and direct link opportunities |
| Journalist Outreach | Earn media-quality links with expert insights |
| Digital PR | News coverage and authoritative links |
| Skyscraper Technique | Offering superior content to attract existing links |
| Social Media | Amplifies reach for potential links |
| Content Marketing | Evergreen content earns links autonomously |
| Surveys | Data-driven links from media and bloggers |
| Linkable Assets | High-value tools get naturally linked |
| Resource Pages | Targeted pages designed specifically for backlinks |
What is a link building strategy?
A link building strategy is a planned approach to getting other websites to link to your site in ways that improve your search engine rankings and drive traffic. It is the game plan you follow to earn high-quality backlinks from other relevant and trustworthy websites.
1. Guest Posting
Writing articles for other websites in your niche, guest posting helps you reach new readers and secure a valuable backlink.
According to HubSpot, 82% marketers see positive ROI with blogging.
It builds credibility and brand awareness, even when links are “nofollow”, which still brings some SEO and traffic benefits. Plus, being featured on reputable sites bolsters your online authority and opens doors for future collaborations.
2. Broken Link Building
This tactic involves finding broken or dead links on websites and offering your content as a replacement. You reach out to the site owner, let them know about the broken link, and pitch your relevant content instead. It’s a practical win-win. They fix an error, you earn a backlink.
3. Unlinked Mentions
These are places online where your brand or content is mentioned without being linked. You simply reach out to the site owner and ask them to turn it into a clickable link. Since the mention is already there, this is often a quick and efficient win. It strengthens your backlink profile at relatively low effort.
4. Competitor Backlink Analysis
This strategy involves researching the backlinks of your competitors to see where they are getting their links. Knowing this helps you find similar opportunities for your own site, as well as sites you may not have considered yet. It is like gaining a roadmap to potential link sources and helps pinpoint gaps in your own strategy.
5. Include Infographics
Creating visually appealing infographics makes your content more shareable and engaging. If another site uses your graphic, they will often link back to your site as the source. It is a great way to earn backlinks while providing information in an easy-to-digest format, especially if the design and content are of high quality.
6. Link Reclamation
Also known as turning unlinked mentions into live links, link reclamation means contacting sites that mention you but have not linked to your pages. You request that they add a link, pointing to your relevant content. It’s a friendly, straightforward outreach that can yield easy backlinks, and many marketers admit they skip it far too often.
7. Outreach
This is the broader practice of contacting bloggers, journalists, or website owners to request links. It can include strategies such as guest posting, sharing high-quality content, or requesting the correction of broken links. The average response rate for link-building outreach emails is around 8.5%.
Outreach needs to be personalised, respectful, and helpful. Generic or pushy pitches often go ignored.
Personalising subject lines can increase response rates by up to 33%, and using a follow-up strategy can generate 40% more backlinks.
8. Journalist Outreach
Platforms like Help A Reporter Out (HARO) connect you with journalists looking for expert quotes. Responding can earn you mentions or links in high-quality publications. Similarly, pitching journalists or bloggers directly with useful stories, stats, or insights can lead to coverage and valuable backlinks. Digital PR and HARO are potent tools for media-driven link building.
9. Digital PR
Digital PR is about creating newsworthy stories, such as studies, surveys, or unique insights, and pitching them to journalists and media outlets. When your content gets picked up, you earn high-authority news links while boosting brand exposure. It is a strategic way to blend publicity with SEO.
10. Skyscraper Technique
The Skyscraper strategy means finding popular content in your field, creating a better version of it, and reaching out to sites linking to the original to pitch your improved version. Initially effective, it’s now widely used, so your outreach needs to be thoughtful, value-focused, and genuinely better to stand out.
11. Social Media
Sharing your content on social platforms may lead to natural backlinks as others discover and link to it. Social media is not a direct ranking factor, but it amplifies visibility and increases chances for organic link generation. Regular engagement (comments, shares, mentions) can spark conversations and eventual linking.
12. Content Marketing
Consistently producing valuable and insightful content draws attention and establishes links over time. This includes blog posts, guides, videos, or helpful tools. High-quality content that solves problems naturally attracts backlinks, which makes content marketing the foundation for sustainable organic link growth.
13. Create Surveys
Conducting surveys and publishing the results can be attractive to journalists, bloggers, and data-driven content creators, they often cite your findings and link back. You get fresh, original content and earn authoritative backlinks. It also establishes you as a valuable data source in your industry.
14. Create Linkable Assets
These are resources people genuinely want to link to, like tools, templates, calculators, research reports, or comprehensive guides. When you offer something uniquely useful, websites tend to reference and link to it. This gives an organic boost to your site.
Advanced link building tactics
These are not your everyday link building techniques. They are more creative, often more time-consuming, but also more rewarding in terms of high-quality, sustainable backlinks.
Podcast Guesting and Interviews
Appearing as a guest on industry-related podcasts is a powerful way to earn backlinks and build your personal brand. Most podcasts include show notes that link back to your website, social profiles, or relevant resources.
Even better, podcasts are often evergreen and syndicated across platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc.), which increases your visibility and authority. You also build real relationships with hosts, which can open doors to future collaborations and more links.
Link Building Through Communities (Reddit, Quora, Slack, LinkedIn Groups)
Engaging in niche communities, like Reddit threads, Quora answers, LinkedIn groups, or Slack channels, can drive both traffic and backlinks when done right. The trick is not to spam. Instead, offer genuinely helpful answers and drop links to your content only when they add real value. Over time, your contributions can get picked up, cited, and even linked to by bloggers or content creators in your industry.
Resource Page Link Building
Resource pages are curated lists of helpful tools, articles, or websites, and many of them actively accept link suggestions. You simply find relevant pages, check for broken or outdated links, and suggest your own resource as a better alternative. It works best if your content is high-quality and highly relevant.
Bonus: websites that host resource pages are often older and have strong domain authority, which makes the backlinks even more valuable.
Building Relationships with Influencers in Your Niche
This is about forming genuine connections with influencers, thought leaders, and creators in your industry. Follow them, comment on their content, share their posts, and engage meaningfully. Once you have built rapport, they are much more likely to reference your content, link to your articles, or invite you to collaborate. It is long-term work, but it can lead to natural, high-authority links and ongoing opportunities.
Data-Driven Studies and Original Research
Other websites, bloggers, and journalists love citing data, especially if it’s new or unique. Every time someone references your research, they will likely link back to you. This is one of the most powerful types of linkable assets, especially if your content fills a gap in the industry or answers questions no one else is covering.
This can also help you rank better through GEO.
White hat vs black hat link building
| Type | Definition | Techniques Used | Risk Level | Outcome | Google Guidelines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Hat | Ethical, Google-approved link building through quality content and outreach | Guest posting, creating valuable content, earning links naturally | Low | Sustainable, long-term rankings | Follows guidelines |
| Grey Hat | Borderline strategies that may not be clearly against the rules but are risky | Link exchanges, private blog networks (PBNs), less-transparent guest posting | Medium | Can work short-term, risk of penalty | May violate guidelines |
| Black Hat | Aggressive, manipulative tactics that violate Google’s rules | Buying links, link farms, automated links, spammy blog comments | High | Quick gains but high risk of penalties | Violates guidelines |
What is PBN link building?
PBN link building refers to using a Private Blog Network to create backlinks to a website in order to boost its search engine rankings.
A PBN is a network of websites that you (or someone else) own and control. These sites are built to look legitimate but exist mainly to link back to a target website to manipulate search rankings.
This is how they work:
- Buy expired or aged domains with existing authority.
- Build websites on those domains with basic content.
- Place backlinks on those sites pointing to your main site.
- Use these links to boost your main site’s SEO.
Google strongly discourages PBNs and considers them a violation of its Webmaster Guidelines. If caught, your site could be penalised or completely removed from search results.
Top link-building tools
Link building and off-page SEO get a whole lot easier when you have the right tools in your pocket. There are even many free AI tools available. We have listed some of the best ones below that are being used frequently in the industry nowadays.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Think of it as a giant spyglass for SEO. You can see who’s linking to your competitors, what content gets the most backlinks, and where your own opportunities lie. |
| Semrush | Another all-in-one SEO tool that lets you track backlinks, find outreach prospects, and even keep an eye on keyword rankings. |
| Pitchbox | This is like your personal assistant for outreach. It helps you find websites to contact and manage all your link-building emails in one place. |
| Hunter.io | Ever struggled to find someone’s email? Hunter.io digs up verified email addresses so you can reach the right people for your email marketing campaign. |
| Moz | Known for its Domain Authority score, Moz makes it easy to check how strong a website is before chasing a backlink. |
Link building metrics that you should track
Building links is one thing. However, knowing if they are actually working is another matter. In order to make sure your hard work pays off, you need to keep an eye on the right link-building metrics, including but not limited to:
- Referring Domains: How many different websites are linking to you? A handful of high-quality sites is far better than hundreds of spammy ones.
- Domain Authority (DA) / Domain Rating (DR): These scores (from Moz or Ahrefs) tell you how strong and trustworthy a linking site is. The higher the score, the more valuable the link.
- Anchor Text: This is the clickable text in a link. Mixing it up keeps your backlink profile natural and avoids penalties.
- Traffic from Referrals: Are people actually clicking the links to visit your site? That’s a sign of real value.
- Indexation: Make sure Google indexes the pages linking to you; otherwise, they will not pass any SEO juice.
Common link-building mistakes to avoid
Many beginners (and even pros) make mistakes that can do more harm than good. Watch out for the following if you want your link building strategy to pay off.
- Chasing Quantity Over Quality: A single backlink from a trusted site in your niche is worth more than 100 random, low-quality links.
- Irrelevant Links: If you run a fitness blog, getting a link from a car repair site won’t help. Relevance is key.
- Over-Optimised Anchor Text: Stuffing keywords into every link (“best cheap shoes online”) looks spammy. Keep it natural.
- Ignoring Internal Links: Linking between your own pages is just as important as external backlinks. It helps Google understand your site structure.
- Buying Links Carelessly: Google can spot manipulative tactics. Paid links from shady sites could land you a penalty.
Link building for different websites
The link building strategies you use should depend on whether you are just starting out or have an established brand. Let’s break it down.
Link Building for New Websites vs Established Brands
- New websites often face the “no one knows you yet” problem. The focus should be on creating high-quality, shareable content and doing guest posts to get those first authority links rolling in.
- Established brands usually already have mentions and press. Their goal is to scale by leveraging digital PR, partnerships, and unlinked brand mentions (turning mentions into backlinks).
E-commerce Link Building Strategies
For online stores, product pages rarely get natural links. Instead:
- Create guides, gift lists, and how-to content around your products.
- Partner with influencers or bloggers for reviews.
- List your products on trusted directories (like Google Shopping or niche marketplaces).
Local SEO Link Building
If you are targeting a specific city or region, local backlinks carry huge weight. Try:
- Submitting your business to local directories (Yelp, Yellow Pages, TripAdvisor, etc.).
- Partnering with local bloggers or news outlets for features.
SaaS and B2B Link Building Approaches
SaaS and B2B companies thrive on authority and trust. What works best here includes:
- Publishing original research, whitepapers, and case studies that others cite.
- Building free tools or calculators that naturally attract backlinks.
- Collaborating with other businesses on webinars, podcasts, or co-branded content to earn shared links.
How much does link building cost
This is one of the most common questions in SEO, and the honest answer is, it depends. Link building is not a one-size-fits-all service because costs vary based on quality, niche, relevance, and method.
On average, a typical budget range for link building is between $1,000 and $5,000 per month, although some companies spend over $10,000.
Industry studies show that a single high-quality backlink can cost anywhere between $100 and $500 if you are outsourcing. For premium placements on high-profile sites (such as Forbes, TechCrunch, or industry blogs with a high domain authority), the price can range from $1,000 to $1,000+ per link.
If you go the DIY route, which means using outreach, guest posting, or creating link-worthy content, the direct costs are lower, but it takes time, effort, and sometimes paid tools like Ahrefs or Semrush.
Agencies, like Delivix, often sell monthly link-building packages that range from $700 to $10,000 per month, and that depends on how many links you need and the authority of those links.
Bottom line: link building is an investment. Cheap links might save money today, but can harm your site long-term. Quality, relevance, and trust are always worth paying for.
What is the best link building agency in the UK?
When it comes to trusted link-building and SEO services in the UK, Delivix stands out as a top choice. Known for its ethical, white-hat strategies, Delivix helps businesses of all sizes build high-quality backlinks that improve rankings and drive real traffic. The agency has worked with clients across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, and beyond. We deliver measurable SEO growth through customised campaigns.
Unlike bulk link sellers, Delivix focuses on relevance, authority, and long-term results, and ensures that every backlink adds real value. If you are looking for a partner that understands both Google’s rules and the UK markets, Delivix is a reliable name to trust.
Frequently asked questions
The most common questions we get asked.
While spammy tactics no longer work, ethical strategies like guest posting, digital PR, and content promotion deliver long-term SEO value.
Written by Elaine Halliburton
Elaine Halliburton is a seasoned content creator. With a focus on web design, development, and marketing insights, Elaine crafts engaging and informative content to help businesses navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape.
