In this article, we’ll go over some of the best ways to get quality backlinks to improve your SEO, but before we get too far ahead of ourselves, there are a few things you’ll need to consider before creating your own link building strategy. Did you know what a backlink is? The article on this topic is already on our website. You can read it by clicking the link below. But in today’s article, we’ll be focusing on How to create backlinks for your website.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that it is your responsibility to create a compelling reason for other bloggers, sites & publications to give you backlinks. So, what can you do that is compelling enough to deserve a quality backlink?
First thing your Website is in Good Shape
If you’ve only recently started your blog, there may be a few things you’ve yet to do, including:
✔️ You have a home page with a big “coming soon” banner and little to no content.
✔️ Your about page has a lot of placeholder text.
✔️ Your Contact page doesn’t exist. You haven’t set up your email list yet.
✔️ If you’ve been blogging for a while now, you may have broken WordPress plugins that don’t work properly.
✔️ You may have a messy sidebar that needs to be cleaned up.
✔️ You may have outdated information on your about page.
✔️ You may have recent posts that all start with “I’m sorry I didn’t blog much recently.”
While none of this is a big deal, if you're just starting out, you want your website to be in tip-top shape so you can reach out to your fellow bloggers and earn lots of links.
Before you start doing a lot of outreach or general digital marketing, spend an hour or two on your website.
Make sure your main pages (about your site and your Contact page) are well-designed and contain accurate information.
If your most recent blog posts aren't up to scratch, post some new ones. Or, update and re-publish an old post to get it back on top of your blog.
Just a few minutes of your time now could be worth a lot when a high-volume influencer within your niche has just seconds to take a look at your site or webpage and decide whether or not to “approve” your request for a link.
Are you happy with the look and feel of your site? Then it's time to start building those links with these best link building strategies.
1. Create Content post which as people Interested.
Link-worthy content is the cornerstone of any successful backlink strategy. There is no “correct” approach to creating this kind of high-quality content, but here are a few things to keep in mind:
◾Ultimate guides: These are lengthy blog posts, such as my step-by-step guide on starting a blog, that cover a wide range of topics, with the goal of being a comprehensive resource.
◾Unique information : These surveys or studies are often referenced to, such as my blog stats, especially when they uncover something new or surprising about your industry.
◾ Posts that express a strong point of view or a different perspective on an issue in your area of expertise.
◾These are expert roundups, such as my blog tips and business tips, where you pose the same question to a group of people within your niche and post the results. Often, the people you include in these roundups will include a linkback to your post.
◾Posts that share your story, particularly if it's interesting or if it involves overcoming challenges, such as my blogging journey story.
◾Content that answers a question in your niche. For example, there is a question that newbies often ask, but nobody in your field has written anything in-depth about it, such as my step-by-step guide on WordPress for beginners. And how to install WordPress in VPS.
In a perfect world, your content would naturally get backlinks from other bloggers that are interested in talking about it. However, most of the time, you will have to use this method, along with others on this list, to get backlinks.
Find Out Which Websites Have Linked to You in the Past
If you have been blogging for a while, chances are you already have some backlinks. You can find out what those backlinks are by using the free Google Search Console.
Once you have signed up for the Google Search Console, click on the "Links" option on the left-hand side of the sidebar. This will take you to the "Top linking sites" section.
Sites that have previously linked to you may do so again. Maybe you could reach out to them for a guest post or ask if they have any existing content that would be worth linking to on your blog.
Check Out Where Your Competitors’ Backlinks Come From
Another good way to look for backlinks is by looking at who your competitors are linking to: other bloggers whose content is similar to yours. If a publication is linking to your competitor, chances are they’ll be willing to link to yours too.
In fact, if your resource is better than your competitor’s on a specific topic, that publication may link to your source instead of theirs.
There are several tools that you can use to search for your competitors' backlinks:
RightBlogger's Backlink Checker is a great tool to start with. With a free account, you can get 1 free week of use, but it will show you hundreds more backlinks than many of the other free versions.
At the top, you’ll see a general overview of your competition’s Domain and Backlink profile (Domain rank, Page rank, and When was the link first seen). Here’s what it looks like for RyRob:
On the right-hand side of the page, you can still see a lot of backlinks:
By default, these backlinks are sorted by highest authority domains.
However, you may want to sort them by lower authority domains (click on arrows next to this column) as these sites tend to be easier to acquire links from.
Request Links Where You’ve Been Quoted or Mentioned
Suppose you’ve published an eye-catching post that’s resonating with a lot of people on social media. Another blog in your niche posts their own content, building on what you’ve written, mentioning you by name (maybe even quoting directly from your post): “Joe blogger made some excellent points last week regarding…”
You don’t have to do anything more than send them a message saying how much you enjoyed their post and asking if they’d be willing to add a link back to your original. Most bloggers are happy to do this.
Google Alerts are a great way to track your online mentions and spot unlinked mentions. I have a complete guide on how to set up (and use) Google Alerts to help you do this.
Even if you haven’t received many (or any) unlinked mentions from other bloggers, you should definitely set up a Google Alert for your name and your blog's name, as well as for specific brand mentions right away. This way, you'll be prepared when people start to talk about you.
Tip: If your name, blog name, and brand mentions aren’t getting much (or any) attention from other bloggers, set up a Google Alert for your name and blog name now to be ready when they do.
Write Guest Blog Posts and Include Links to Your Content
One of the easiest ways to obtain a link from another site is by writing a guest blog post.
In exchange for this one-of-a-kind piece of content, the owner of the site should provide you with a brief bio (usually towards the end of the post). This can be used to provide readers with some information about yourself and, most importantly, to include a link to your blog post.
This link is not only important for SEO, but it is also a great way to direct referral traffic away from the post itself. It’s a powerful form of content marketing!
Readers who like your guest piece will likely click through and read more about you. To increase your chances of this happening, you might want to link directly to a specific article on your blog (e.g., an ultimate guide, or a helpful tool).
You can also include links to your social media accounts, such as your LinkedIn or Facebook page, in your guest post body.
Most guest posts will allow you to include links in their body, as long as they are relevant. For example, if you have written a guest post titled “Top 10 ways to improve your fitness as a new parent” and there is a specific method that you have outlined in detail in your step by step guide on your blog, you can link to that in the guest post body.
Pitch Your Content as a Replacement for Outdated/Broken Links
Have you ever tried to click on a link in a blog post to get a helpful definition or more info about something, only to have a 404 pop up? Blogs are constantly changing, and sometimes a website owner has linked to a link that doesn’t exist anymore.
As you scroll through your favorite blogs’ older posts, keep an eye out for those broken links that are relevant to your niche — and then pitch your own relevant content as a follow-up. You could send an email like this:
Hey Blogger, [Name of Blogger]
I just wanted to let you know that the [link] in the post [Title/link] you wrote is broken.
It looks like it no longer exists or maybe something funny is going on.
Anyway, here's the shocker:
I have a [link/page/guid/etc. on this topic.
Would you be interested in linking to it instead?
Here's the hyperlink URL if you want to check it out:
Thank you
[Your Name]
You can do the same thing if you find links to old content: maybe you’ve created something much more recent and comprehensive.
You can also check out Ahrefs’ excellent, step-by-step guide on broken link building with automated tools.
Write Testimonials for Products/Services You’ve Used
One of the easiest ways to generate a link is by writing a review of a product or service you have used and enjoyed. Most businesses will be happy to include a link back to your site from your review because it shows your customers that you are a real person. Here’s a quick template to help you write a great review:
🔹 Tell us what your issue or goal is (e.g., “I wanted to be fitter in 2024”).
🔹 Tell us why you were hesitant to use this product/service at first (i.e., “I tried so many exercise programs in the past but I couldn’t keep up with them”).
🔹 Tell the reader why this time was different. (When I wrote to Smith and told him my concerns, he reassured me that the plan could be tailored to my needs.)
🔹 Tell the reader what you liked the most about this product. (I liked the workouts more than I thought I would, and I liked the background music.)
"Working out felt like a reward instead of a chore."
🔹 Describe the results. ("I can't believe it, I'm wearing the same jeans I wore 10 years ago!")
🔹 Describe the people you would suggest using this product/service. ("If you're looking for a fitness program that will actually make you feel good and have a positive impact on your body, then these classes are great! They're perfect for people just starting out, but I've also found some really tough ones that I enjoy.")
This kind of feedback will be of great value to the company, and they're likely to want to share it on their site. Another option is to be part of a case study where you talk about how a product or service helped you succeed in achieving your business goals (or personal goals).
Get Interviewed in a Blog Post or on a Podcast
Another form of guaranteed link is an interview, whether it’s in the form of a written blog post or as a podcast guest. The blogger/podcaster will link to your site directly from their post/show notes, giving you an excellent backlink.
Interviews also increase your exposure and brand awareness in your niche, which is why you will want to include them in your overall marketing plan. If you regularly appear on other blogs/pods, readers will become familiar with your name and are more likely to come to your website.
You may be under the misconception that you won’t get an interview unless you’re already well-known. However, many podcasts, especially those that specialize in interviews, are always looking for new guests. You can reach out directly to them and ask if they would be interested in hosting you on their show to discuss a specific topic.
Directly Ask for a Link from a Resource Page or Roundup
For example, if a blog in your niche hosts a resource page that links to helpful content or resources from other sites, you could request a link from them. (Of course, make sure you have content worth linking to.)
In your outreach emails, you could write:
I really enjoyed your list of new moms resources. I have a free printable on how to track your newborn’s feed. Would you like to add that to your list? I have attached a copy here. The URL where you can get your copy is [URL].
You can also use a similar approach with blogs that post a weekly or monthly round-up of content relevant to their niche. For example, if you have a post you’re really proud of, reach out to them and see if they would consider including it in their next round-up. Some bloggers are more than happy to accept requests from contributors, as long as the content is high-quality.
Here is an example of something you could write:
Thanks for publishing these weekly roundups each Friday. I’ve found so many amazing blogs through them.
I wrote a post on [topic] this week and I would love for you to include it in this Friday’s roundup.
Here is the link: [URL]
Get a Link from Groups or Organizations that You Belong to
Do you belong to any clubs, organizations, or groups? If you do, they may have a "Members" or "Links" page. If you're not already listed, contact the group's admin or webmaster to add your name and link to your site. If you don't belong to any groups, you may want to consider joining one.
🔹Community groups, e.g. Lions Club.
🔹Local business-related get-togethers.
🔹National or international groups that relate to your niche.
Start Building Backlinks to Dramatically Improve Your SEO
Building backlinks is an essential part of any successful SEO plan. Most blogs will eventually get a few backlinks, but if you build them in advance, you'll have a much better chance of success. Even better, as you build your backlinks, other sites will start to link to you naturally because they see that you're building a good reputation in your niche.
All of the methods mentioned above are excellent ways to increase the number of backlinks on your website, and most of them are very fast and easy to implement. Start by making sure your website is in good condition, and then pick one or two of these methods to implement this week. Continue to look for link building opportunities, and your content will start to rank higher in search results.
