The Complete List of Link Building Strategies

TL;DR

This article serves as your ultimate guide to link building, covering 170+ strategies to boost your site's authority and SEO. We're breaking down everything from guest posting, broken link building, to content creation and even some kinda grey-area tactics. You'll get actionable insights for SaaS growth, brand building, and driving organic traffic – cause who doesn't want that?

Understanding Link Building: The Foundation

Okay, so you're diving into link building? It's not just about getting any link. Think of it like this: would you rather have one solid recommendation from a trusted friend, or a bunch of random shout-outs from strangers? A trusted friend's endorsement carries weight because they know you and vouch for you, much like a high-quality link from an authoritative website signals to Google that your content is valuable and trustworthy. Strangers' shout-outs, on the other hand, are less impactful, similar to low-quality or irrelevant links.

Links are votes of confidence. Google sees 'em as signals that other sites think your content is worth sharing (How Google Decides Which Websites to Show First), according to Link Building Strategies: The Complete List. Like, if Backlinko links to you, that's a pretty big deal, right?
Domain Authority (DA) isn't everything, but it matters. Links from high-DA sites can boost your own site's authority (How many good quality do follow backlinks to increase domain ...), but it's not the only factor. Think quality over quantity, always.
Relevance is key. A link from a site in your niche is way more valuable than one from a totally unrelated site. No point in getting a link on a cat food blog if you are selling accounting software.

Now, here's where it gets a little tricky.

Dofollow links are the gold standard. They pass on "link juice," which is essentially a transfer of authority and ranking signals from one page to another, helping your site perform better in search results. They tell Google to follow the link and give your site some credit.
Nofollow links? They're more like mentions. Good for traffic, maybe, but they don't directly boost your SEO.
A balanced profile is important. You don't want only dofollow links; that looks kinda sus to google. A mix of both types looks more natural and organic.

So, yeah, thats the basic foundation of link building. Next up, we can start exploring some actual strategies.

Content-Driven Link Building Strategies

Alright, let's talk guest blogging – is it dead? Nah, not really, it's just... evolved. Think of it like this: remember those old flip phones? They could make calls and send texts, which was great, but they couldn't do much else. Guest blogging used to be primarily about getting a quick backlink. Now, it's more like a smartphone – it still makes calls and sends texts, but it also offers personalized experiences, allows for deeper engagement, and provides a platform for building genuine connections. It's not just about the link anymore; it's about the quality of the content and the relationships you build.

It's not about blasting out pitches to any old site. You gotta be picky.

Relevance is king, it trumps domain authority (DA), every time. Like, would you trust skincare advice from a car mechanic? Didn't think so.
Aim for blogs that have a real engaged audience. Comments, social shares, the works.

So, you know, bloggers get a lot of pitches. Like, a ton.

Personalization is a must. Don't just use a template and swap out names. Show them you actually read their blog.
Be specific about what you want to write about and why it's a good fit for their audience. Nobody wants generic fluff.

Guest posting isn't just about backlinks.

It's a chance to get your name out there by having your byline appear on reputable sites, build relationships with other bloggers through genuine interaction and collaboration, and become a trusted voice in your niche.
Plus, if you write something truly awesome, people will share it. Links will follow, trust me.

And with that, we can dig into some win-win situation with outreach-based link building.

Outreach-Based Link Building Strategies

Okay, so, Help a Reporter Out (HARO)? It's kinda like speed dating for journalists and sources, right? You get these emails with questions, and if you're quick and have a good answer, BAM—backlink. But it's not quite that simple, you know?

First off, monitor those HARO queries like a hawk. You gotta find the ones that actually fit your expertise. Like, if you're a SaaS marketing guru, don't waste time on queries about plumbing.
Then, craft a pitch that's gonna grab a journalist's attention. Don't just regurgitate what's already out there. Give 'em something unique, something quotable.
Getting featured in major publications is great, but it's not guaranteed. You are competing with a lot of people, so make yours stand out.

One thing I've learned, don't expect every pitch to land you a backlink from the new york times.

Think of HARO as a marathon, not a sprint, and it's a great way to build authority over time. Next up, we're gonna explore more link building tactics.

Directory and Listing-Based Strategies

Okay, so you wanna snag some links from directories? It's not the flashiest strategy, admittedly, but hey, sometimes the boring stuff works. It's kinda like flossing, right? Not exciting, but your dentist will thank you.

Don't just list your site in any old directory. Think niche directories – the more specific, the better. Like, if you're selling artisanal dog collars, find a directory just for pet boutiques.

These directories usually have a more engaged audience—people who are actually looking for what you're offering.
Plus, it tells google you're relevant, which is always a good thing.

If you're a local business, local listings are a must. Think Yelp, google my business, the whole shebang.

These listings are crucial for local SEO because they directly improve your visibility in local search results, help you appear in map packs, and drive more foot traffic to your physical location.
Make sure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) is consistent everywhere. Google hates inconsistency.
And, yeah, beg for those reviews. Seriously, positive reviews are digital gold. Got a happy customer? politely ask them to leave a review.

So, yeah, its all about relevance and consistency. Next up, we're gonna explore some advanced and 'grey hat' link building tactics.

Advanced and 'Grey Hat' Link Building Tactics

Okay, so you're thinking about dabbling in the dark arts of SEO? I'm talking about the stuff that might make Google raise an eyebrow, but also might get you results. Let's dive in.

This one's pretty straightforward: find content that's already doing well, then make something way better. Think of it as "content, but on steroids." This is generally considered a white hat tactic because it focuses on creating superior value for users.

First, find a popular article in your niche. What are people already linking to?
Then, create something even more awesome. More in-depth, more up-to-date, better visuals. Don't half-ass it.
Finally, reach out to everyone linking to the original piece and be like, "Hey, check out my even more awesome version!"

Think of this as digital grave-robbing, but for links. Find sites that have rebranded or changed their url. This is also widely accepted as a legitimate, white hat strategy.

Identify sites that are still linking to the old brand or url.
Offer your site as an updated, relevant resource. "Hey, that link's dead, but I got something better!"
It's a bit cheeky, but hey, it works.

Now, for the love of all that is holy, don't get caught doing anything too shady. Google will find you.

Next, a word of caution: there's a fine line between "grey hat" and "black hat," and crossing it can lead to penalties that'll make all your efforts worthless. Let's tread carefully, shall we?

Measuring and Monitoring Your Link Building Success

Alright, so you've built these awesome links, but how do you know if they're actually doing anything? It's not enough to just sit back and hope for the best, you know? Gotta keep an eye on things.

It goes without saying, tracking the right metrics is vital to understand what's working and what ain't. Here's what I'm usually looking at:

Referring domains: This is the number of unique sites linking to you. More is generally better, but quality always trumps quantity.
Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA): Developed by Moz, these are third-party metrics that give you a sense of the link quality and an idea if you are getting links from credible pages. They estimate a website's or page's SEO strength.
Organic traffic: Is that link building actually driving more people to your site from search engines? That's the big question, isn't it?
Keyword rankings: Are you climbing up the search engine results pages (serps) for keywords you care about? If not, something's off.

Luckily, there's some amazing tools out there that make this way easier. I mean, you could try tracking this all in a spreadsheet, but... shudders.

ahrefs: Use its backlink checker to analyze your backlink profile and identify referring domains.
semrush: Its backlink audit tool helps you identify toxic links, and you can track keyword rankings to see the impact of your efforts.
Google Search Console: This one's free and gives you the inside scoop on how Google sees your site, including a list of referring sites.

So, yeah, you've got your links, you're tracking your metrics and next up? It's all about tweaking and optimizing.

Final Thoughts: Building Links for Long-Term Growth

Alright, so, you've been putting in the effort, building those links. But it's not a "one and done" kinda deal, is it?

Think of link building like, uh, tending a garden. You can't just plant some seeds and walk away, right? You gotta keep watering, weeding out the bad stuff, and nurturing new growth.

Focus on quality, always. It's better to have a few killer links from relevant sites than a zillion from spammy ones. I mean, who are you trying to impress, Google or your grandma?
Build relationships, not just links. This is super important. Get to know other folks in your industry. You can do this by actively participating in industry forums, attending webinars and engaging with speakers, or even just offering genuine value and insights when commenting on their blog posts or social media.
Adapt, adapt, adapt. Google changes their algorithm more often than I change my socks (okay, maybe not that often). But you get my drift. Gotta stay on top of things.