9 Link Building Methods That Actually Work for WordPress Sites 

If you’ve been publishing content on your WordPress site but your traffic still isn’t growing, then the missing piece often isn’t more content. It’s backlinks.

Link building is the process of getting other websites to link to your content. These links help search engines see your site as trustworthy and valuable, which can improve your rankings.

That’s why some smaller websites can outrank bigger competitors. They often have stronger backlinks pointing to their content.

The good news is that link building isn’t just for SEO experts or large companies. There are simple strategies that work well for WordPress users, even if you’re just getting started.

In this guide, I’ll show you 9 proven link building methods that actually work for WordPress sites. These tips are beginner-friendly, practical, and easy to start using right away.

What Is Link Building?

Link building is the practice of getting other websites to link to content on your site. These links from other websites are called backlinks.

In simple terms, link building is about getting other sites to “vouch” for your content.

Think of it like recommendations.

If someone recommends a product or service to you, you’re more likely to trust it. Search engines work the same way. When another website links to your content, it acts like a vote of confidence.

One term you’ll come across a lot is referring domains. Backlinks count every individual link pointing to your site, while referring domains count how many different websites link to you.

That difference matters: ten links from ten separate sites usually signal more trust than ten links from the same site. So as you build links, try to earn them from a range of relevant websites, not just a handful of the same sources.

Why Link Building Matters for Your WordPress Site

Link building is important because most pages don’t naturally attract backlinks. And without backlinks, it’s very hard to rank in search results.

I’ve personally seen WordPress sites struggle to grow simply because they didn’t have enough quality links pointing to their content.

Even well-written articles can stay buried in search results without them.

But when you build links the right way, your content has a much better chance of:

• Ranking Higher in Google Search Results: Pages with more quality backlinks tend to perform better in rankings.
• Getting Consistent Organic Traffic: Strong backlinks help bring in steady, free traffic over time.
• Standing Out in Search Results: Better link profiles contribute to your site’s overall authority. This helps your pages compete for higher rankings, even against larger and more established websites.

Unlike social media traffic, which fades quickly, backlinks keep working for you in the background. That’s why even small improvements in link building can make a big difference for your website.

Before You Start Link Building (3 Quick Checks)

Before you jump into link building, I recommend making sure your site is fully ready first.

I’ve seen a lot of beginners try different link building methods too early, but don’t get results. The issue usually isn’t the strategy. It’s the foundation.

If your content or SEO setup isn’t strong enough yet, other websites simply won’t feel confident linking to you. So before we get into tactics, run through these three quick checks.

Make Sure You Have Link-Worthy Content

No one links to thin or low-value content. If your article doesn’t actually help the reader, then it’s very unlikely someone will reference it or share it.

To attract backlinks, your content should feel complete and useful. At a minimum, I recommend:

• 800–1500+ words per post
• Clear structure with headings and short paragraphs
• Practical steps, examples, or real solutions

Think about it this way: websites don’t link to pages just because they exist. They link to pages that solve a problem better than others.

If your content answers a question in a simple and complete way, you already have a much better chance of earning links.

To get started, I suggest checking out our tutorial on writing a great blog post.

Set Up Basic SEO

Before building links, you also need to make sure search engines can properly understand and index your content. That’s where a plugin like All in One SEO comes in.

It’s the best SEO plugin for WordPress that we personally use at WPBeginner. To learn more about our experience, please take a look at our AIOSEO review.

Instead of worrying about complex settings, AIOSEO helps you handle the basics, such as:

• Writing SEO-friendly titles and meta descriptions
• Improving how your posts appear in Google search results
• Setting proper indexing rules so search engines can crawl your site correctly
• Adding structured data to help your content stand out

Without these basics in place, even strong backlinks may not deliver their full impact. Search engines still need to understand what your pages are about.

👉 To get started, I recommend these guides:

How to Check If Your WordPress SEO Is Actually Working

How to Install and Set Up All in One SEO for WordPress

Ultimate WordPress SEO Guide for Beginners

Publish at Least 5–10 Solid Posts

You don’t need a huge blog to start link building. But you do need enough quality content worth linking to.

If your site only has one or two posts, most link building efforts won’t go very far. There simply isn’t enough content to promote or reference.

That’s why I recommend publishing at least 5–10 good-quality posts first.

Focus on evergreen content. These are posts that stay useful for a long time, not just short-term trends.

This can include:

• Beginner guides
• Step-by-step tutorials
• “How to” articles that solve specific problems
• Resource-style posts people can reference later

Once you have this foundation, everything in link building becomes easier. You’ll have more pages that are actually worth sharing, pitching, and linking to.

How to Tell If a Backlink Is Worth Pursuing

Before you spend time on any of the methods below, it helps to know what a good backlink actually looks like. Not every link is worth chasing, and a few strong ones beat a long list of weak ones.

I use the same quick checklist no matter which method I am using.

Here is what I look at before reaching out to any site:

• Relevance to Your Topic (Most Important): A link from a site in your niche carries far more weight than a link from an unrelated one. For example, a small gardening blog linking to your gardening post is better than a big tech site that has nothing to do with you.
• The Site’s Own Quality and Traffic: Look for a site that publishes regularly, gets real readers, and looks trustworthy. You can also check its domain authority, which is a third-party score that estimates how strong a site is in search results.
• Where the Link Sits on the Page: A link placed inside the actual content is much more valuable than one buried in a footer, sidebar, or a long list of unrelated links. Editorial links inside an article signal a genuine recommendation.
• Follow vs. Nofollow: A normal “follow” link passes SEO value to your site, while a “nofollow” link tells search engines not to pass that value. Nofollow links are still worth having for traffic and visibility, so a natural mix of both is healthy.

If a link checks the relevance and placement boxes, it is usually worth pursuing, even if the site is small.

In my experience, one relevant link from a site your readers actually trust does more for your rankings than a handful of random links from sites that have nothing to do with your topic.

The 9 Best Link Building Methods for Your WordPress Site

Now that your site is set up and ready, it’s time to start building links.

In this section, I’m going to walk you through 9 proven link building methods that actually work.

You don’t need to try everything at once. In fact, it’s better to start with just one or two methods and stay consistent.

Once you get comfortable, you can combine multiple strategies for even better results. You can use the links below to jump directly to any method:

1. Guest Posting (Best for High-Quality Backlinks)

Guest posting is one of the most reliable ways to build strong backlinks to your WordPress site.

It simply means writing an article for another website in your niche and including a link back to your own site. That link is usually placed naturally inside the content or in the author bio.

What makes guest posting so effective is that you’re not just getting a random link. You’re getting featured on an established website that already has readers, authority, and trust in your niche.

This works especially well for newer WordPress sites that struggle to rank on their own. A single well-placed guest post can sometimes bring both traffic and long-term SEO value.

How the Guest Posting Process Works (Step-by-Step)

The process is simple, but it does require consistency.

You start by finding relevant websites in your niche. Then, you pitch them an idea.

If they accept it, you write a high-quality article for their audience. Once it’s published, you get a backlink to your site.

In most cases, you’ll place the link naturally within the article where it adds value for the reader. This means attaching the link to relevant words in a sentence (known as anchor text), rather than just pasting a raw URL.

I recommend focusing only on sites that are closely related to your topic. Overall, relevance matters more than authority alone. A smaller niche blog can often send better SEO signals than a large unrelated website.

How to Find Guest Posting Opportunities

Most beginners assume guest posting is hard, but it usually starts with simple Google searches.

You can try searches like:

• “your niche + write for us”
• “your niche + guest post”
• “your niche + contribute”
• “your niche + submit an article”

For example, if you have a travel blog, then you might search for ‘Travel write for us’ or ‘travel guest post guidelines.’

Once you find potential sites, don’t rush into pitching right away.

Not every website is worth your time, and choosing the right ones can significantly improve your chances of getting accepted.

I personally recommend doing a quick quality check before you even write your email. Here’s what to look for:

What to Check	Why It Matters
Website is active (recent posts)	Shows the site is still maintained and growing
Content is high quality	Better sites usually give better SEO value
Topics match your niche	Relevant backlinks carry more weight in SEO
Accepts guest posts	Saves time before you prepare your pitch

If a site passes these simple checks, it’s usually worth reaching out and testing a pitch.

Writing a Guest Post Pitch That Gets Replies

This is the part where many beginners struggle, but it’s usually not because guest posting is difficult. It’s because the pitch feels too generic or too long.

Most site owners don’t read complicated emails. They skim. So your goal is simple: be clear, be personal, and get to the point quickly.

I recommend thinking of your email more like a short introduction, not a formal proposal. Here’s a simple structure that works well:

• Start with a Personal Reference: Mention something specific about their site. For example, a post you read or a topic you liked. This shows that you’re not sending mass emails.
• Introduce Your Idea Briefly: You don’t need to write the full article in the email. Just share 1–2 topic ideas so they can quickly understand your angle.
• End with a Simple, Open Close: Keep it natural and low pressure. You’re not pushing them. You’re just inviting a response.
• Keep Your Subject Line Short and Clear: Your subject line should be simple and easy to scan. Avoid anything clickbaity or overly long. A few examples that work well include ‘Guest post idea for your blog’, ‘Quick content idea for your audience’, ‘Contribution idea for your site.’

Here’s a simple example of how your email could look:

Hi [Name],

I recently came across your blog and really enjoyed your post on [topic]. Especially the part about [specific detail].

I was wondering if you’re currently accepting guest posts. I’d love to contribute something for your audience.

Here are a couple of ideas I had in mind:

[Topic idea 1]

[Topic idea 2]

I’ll make sure the article is original, practical, and tailored specifically for your readers.

Let me know if this works for you. Happy to follow any guidelines you have.

Thanks,
[Your Name]

I’ve seen this simple approach work much better than long, formal outreach emails. Personalization makes a big difference, even if it’s just one small detail about their content.

Keep in mind to always send your pitches from a professional business email address (like name@yourwebsite.com) instead of a free Gmail account.

It drastically improves trust and open rates.

2. Broken Link Building (Best for Beginners)

Broken link building is one of the easiest ways to earn backlinks, especially if you are just getting started with SEO.

It works because you are helping website owners fix a real issue on their site, and in return, you suggest your own content as a replacement.

What Is Broken Link Building?

Broken link building means finding links on other websites that no longer work and offering your own content as a replacement.

A broken link usually leads to a page that has been deleted or moved, which results in a 404 error. These are common on older blog posts, resource pages, and tutorials.

Instead of letting that broken link stay on the site, you reach out to the website owner and suggest a better, working page from your own website.

How to Find Broken Links

Finding broken links becomes much easier when you use the right tools. One of the best options for this is Semrush. It is a powerful SEO tool that lets you analyze any website’s backlinks in detail.

For broken link building, the feature I rely on is Backlink Analytics. Instead of simply scanning a site for errors, it helps you find dead pages that other websites are still linking to, which is exactly what makes this strategy work.

To get started, enter a competitor or a relevant website in your niche into the Backlink Analytics tool and click ‘Analyze’. Semrush will pull up that site’s full backlink profile.

Next, open the Indexed Pages tab and tick the ‘Broken Pages’ box.

This filters the list down to pages on that site that return an error, like a 404. These are pages that have been moved or deleted, but may still have backlinks pointing to them.

When you find a broken page, click the number in the Backlinks column. This shows you every website that is still linking to that dead page.

Those linking sites are your outreach targets. They are currently pointing to a page that no longer works, so they have a real reason to swap in a working replacement.

Before you reach out, I recommend visiting each broken page yourself to confirm it is actually dead. Sometimes a page is only temporarily unavailable rather than permanently broken.

This approach works especially well with competitor websites, resource pages, and older blog posts in your niche, since these naturally collect outdated links over time.

Once you find a broken link worth pursuing, make a note of the page it appears on and the topic it originally pointed to. This will help you create or choose a relevant replacement page later.

How to Reach Out to Website Owners

Once you find a broken link, the next step is outreach.

The key here is your approach. You should not sound like you are asking for a favor. Instead, you should sound like you are helping them improve their content.

I recommend keeping your email short, clear, and helpful.

Here’s a simple example you can use:

Hi [Name],

I was reading your article on [topic] and noticed that one of the links is no longer working.

The link pointing to [broken page] seems to return a 404 error.

I recently published a similar resource that might be a good replacement:
[Your URL]

Just thought I’d share in case it helps your readers.

Thanks,
[Your Name]

This method works better because you lead with value instead of asking for a backlink right away.

How to Create a Better Replacement Page

A replacement page is simply a page on your website that covers the same topic as the broken link, but in a better and more updated way.

Think of it like replacing outdated information with something more useful for today’s readers.

For this to work, your content needs to match the original topic closely. If the original link was about ‘Best Places to Visit in Bali,’ then your replacement page should cover the same topic in detail.

I recommend making sure your page follows these basics:

• It covers the same topic or search intent
• It includes updated and accurate information
• It is easy to read, especially for beginners
• It is structured clearly with headings and examples

The stronger and more relevant your replacement content is, the higher your chances of getting the backlink.

3. Resource Page Link Building (Easy Wins)

Resource page link building is one of the simplest strategies on this list, and it works really well when done correctly.

The idea is straightforward. You get your content listed on pages that already exist to collect and share helpful resources.

What Are Resource Pages?

Resource pages are web pages that act like curated lists of useful links.

They usually gather tools, guides, or articles around a specific topic so readers don’t have to search for everything themselves.

For example, a website about blogging might have a page that lists:

• Helpful writing tools
• Beginner guides
• SEO resources
• Recommended blogs

These pages are valuable because the site owner has already done the work of collecting useful content. They are simply looking for good resources to include.

That’s where your content can fit in naturally.

How to Find Resource Pages

You don’t need advanced tools for this. In most cases, Google is enough.

Simply try searching for:

• “your niche + resources”
• “your niche + helpful links”
• “your niche + recommended sites”
• “your keyword + useful tools”

For example, in the travel niche, you might search for:

• “travel resources”
• “useful travel links”
• “travel planning tools”
• “best travel blogs list”

As you go through the results, you’ll start noticing pages that exist just to list helpful links.

When you find one, don’t rush into pitching immediately.

I usually recommend scanning the page to see if it is still maintained and actually relevant to your topic. Some resource pages are outdated and rarely updated, so those are better to skip.

How to Pitch Your Content for a Resource Page

Once you’ve found a good resource page, your outreach should be simple and respectful of the fact that you are asking to be included in an existing list.

I suggest keeping your message focused on fit, not persuasion. Here’s an example you can use:

Hi [Name],

I was going through your resources page on [topic], and I found it really helpful. It’s a great collection for anyone looking to learn more about the subject.

I recently published a guide on [your topic], and I thought it might be a useful addition to your list.

Here’s the link:
[Your URL]

It covers [short explanation of what makes it useful], so I thought it could be relevant for your readers.

Either way, thanks for putting together such a helpful resource.

Best,
[Your Name]

This type of outreach works best when you sound natural and not overly “salesy.”

You’re simply suggesting something useful, not trying to force a backlink.

4. Create Linkable Assets (Earn Links Naturally)

One of the most reliable ways to earn backlinks over time is by creating content people naturally want to reference.

At WPBeginner, we do this with our free business tools, in-depth guides, and resources. These pages don’t depend heavily on outreach. They attract links because they solve real problems for users.

What Is a Linkable Asset?

A linkable asset is any piece of content that is useful enough for other websites to reference in their own articles. It’s not created just for promotion or SEO. It’s built to be helpful, practical, or unique in some way.

When content genuinely solves a problem, backlinks tend to build up naturally over time, even without active outreach.

5 Types of Linkable Assets That Work Well

Here are some formats that consistently perform well for WordPress sites:

Type of Asset	What it is
In-depth guides	At WPBeginner, we create a lot of step-by-step tutorials that fully explain a topic from start to finish. These types of guides often become reference content for beginners.
Original data or insights	Research, surveys, or unique findings that other websites can cite in their content.
Free tools	Simple but useful tools like generators or calculators. These tools tend to attract steady backlinks because they are practical and time-saving.
Checklists	Easy-to-follow resources that help users complete a task without missing steps.
Templates	Ready-to-use formats like blog outlines, email templates, or planning sheets that people can quickly copy and adapt.

How to Get Your Linkable Assets Noticed

Creating the content is only half the work. You also need to put it in front of the right people.

Here’s a simple process I recommend:

• Find Content That Already Performs Well in Your Niche: Look for articles that rank on Google or get shared often. These are strong signals that the topic already attracts links.
• Identify Who is Linking to That Content: Check which websites are referencing those articles. These are your best outreach targets because they are already comfortable linking to similar resources.
• Reach Out and Introduce Your Content Naturally: Keep your message simple. Show them your resource and briefly explain why it could be useful for their readers. The goal is to add value, not pressure them into linking.

This works especially well when your content clearly improves on what already exists. It could mean offering better structure, more up-to-date information, or a more practical and easy-to-follow format.

In many cases, even small improvements like clearer explanations or better examples can make a big difference in whether someone decides to link to your page.

5. Get Backlinks Using Connectively (HARO)

If you want backlinks from news sites, industry publications, or high-authority blogs, then Connectively can be a great strategy to try.

This method works differently from guest posting or outreach because journalists are already looking for expert quotes. Your job is simply to provide a useful response.

I’ve seen this work really well for building authority and earning natural editorial backlinks.

What Is Connectively?

Connectively is a platform where journalists request quotes and insights from experts. It’s run by Featured, the same company behind HARO (short for “Help a Reporter Out”), and gives you one place to find and respond to those requests.

For example, a writer working on an article about SEO, blogging, travel, or small business may ask questions like:

• “What is the biggest SEO mistake beginners make?”
• “Best travel apps for international trips?”
• “How do small businesses improve email marketing?”

If the journalist selects your response, they may quote you in their article and include a backlink to your website.

These are often some of the highest-quality backlinks you can get because they come from real editorial content.

Why This Strategy Works

Unlike cold outreach, Connectively works because journalists already need sources. You are responding to an existing request instead of convincing someone to link to you.

Keep in mind that competition can still be high.

Selection rates on these platforms tend to be low, because journalists often receive dozens or even hundreds of responses to a single query.

Most successful users report average response-to-link rates around 5–15%, depending on the industry and pitch quality.

The good news is that even a few successful placements can lead to very strong backlinks from trusted websites.

How to Set Up Connectively

Getting started is fairly simple. First, create an account on Connectively and sign up as a source.

Then choose categories that match your expertise or niche. This is important because you only want to receive requests that are relevant to your website and experience.

Once your preferences are set, you’ll start getting journalist requests through email, or they will post it on the website.

I recommend checking these emails regularly because timing matters a lot here. Journalists often choose responses quickly, and earlier replies usually perform better.

Responses sent within the first few hours tend to have significantly higher success rates, because journalists often pick their sources quickly.

How to Write a Response

Many beginners make the mistake of treating these replies like sales emails. That usually does not work.

Journalists are looking for fast, clear, quotable answers they can easily include in an article. A simple structure that works well is:

• Introduce Yourself Briefly: Share who you are and why your experience is relevant to the topic.
• Answer the Question Directly: Don’t add long introductions. Get straight to the point.
• Add Something Useful or Unique: Real examples, personal insights, or data tend to stand out much more than generic advice.
• Include Your Website Naturally: Add your site or brand information at the end so the journalist can properly credit you.

I also recommend keeping responses concise. Many journalists prefer short answers they can quickly scan and quote.

Here’s a simple example:

Hi [Journalist Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I run [Website Name], where we publish beginner-friendly WordPress tutorials and SEO guides.

One of the biggest SEO mistakes I see beginners make is ignoring search intent. Many people focus on keywords without thinking about what users actually want to find.

For example, someone searching “best blogging platform” usually wants comparisons and recommendations, not a technical tutorial. Matching content to intent often improves rankings much faster than keyword optimization alone.

You can learn more at: [Your Website]

Thanks,
[Your Name]

The responses that usually perform best are the ones that sound human, specific, and easy to quote.

6. Build Relationships (Long-Term Strategy)

Some of the best backlinks don’t come from outreach emails or SEO tools. They come from real relationships.

As people in your niche start recognizing your name, sharing your content, and trusting your expertise, links begin to happen more naturally over time.

This is one of the slowest link building strategies on this list, but it is also one of the most sustainable.

Over time, it can lead to natural backlinks, brand mentions, social shares, collaboration opportunities, and referral traffic.

Where to Connect With People in Your Niche

You don’t need to network aggressively or force conversations. Small, consistent interactions usually work much better.

Here are a few good places to start:

• Social Media: Platforms like X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook groups, and YouTube are great places to connect with creators, bloggers, and business owners in your niche.
• Blog Comments: Leaving thoughtful comments on relevant blogs is still a simple way to get noticed. Focus on adding value to the discussion instead of writing generic replies.
• Communities: Forums, Facebook groups, Reddit communities, Slack groups, and Discord servers can all help you build relationships. The key is to show up consistently and be genuinely helpful.

What We’ve Learned About Relationship Building at WPBeginner

At WPBeginner, we’ve spent over a decade building long-term relationships across the WordPress and digital marketing industry.

From working with creators, bloggers, and industry partners on different campaigns and collaborations, we’ve watched these relationships develop and strengthen over time.

In this section, I’m sharing some of these insider learnings so you can apply them to your own link building and relationship strategy.

Insight	What it means in practice
Audience Quality Matters More Than Size	Smaller creators with highly engaged audiences often build stronger relationships and drive better long-term results than large accounts with passive followers.
Consistency Builds Trust	Ongoing relationships work better than one-off interactions. When people see your name repeatedly over time, trust builds naturally and future collaborations become easier.
Authenticity Wins Every Time	The most effective partnerships happen when creators are allowed to promote your product or website in their own voice and style, rather than following overly scripted messaging.
Set Realistic Expectations	Social relationship building doesn’t always lead to immediate editorial backlinks. In many cases, it contributes more to brand visibility, referral traffic, and long-term trust within your niche, which can eventually lead to backlinks over time.

Beyond structured collaborations, we also stay actively involved in our niche communities. We regularly engage with our readers by responding to comments and participating in discussions.

Plus, our team stays active in communities like Reddit where WordPress users share real questions and experiences.

Simple 30-Day Relationship-Building Plan

If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a simple structure you can follow.

The idea is not to do everything perfectly, but to stay consistent and build small habits that gradually grow into real relationships.

7. Internal Linking (The Easiest SEO Win)

Internal linking is one of the simplest SEO improvements you can make, yet it often gets overlooked.

It simply means linking one page on your website to another page on your own site. These links help users discover more content and help search engines understand how your pages are connected.

I highly recommend this strategy because we’ve consistently seen it work well across WPBeginner and our partner sites.

Why Does Internal Linking Matter?

Internal links play a bigger role in SEO than most beginners realize. They help in three important ways:

• Improve SEO Performance: Search engines use internal links to crawl your website and understand the relationship between your pages. Strong internal linking helps your content get discovered faster and potentially rank better.
• Improve User Experience: Internal links guide visitors to related content, which helps them find answers more easily and spend more time on your site.
• Distribute Link Authority: Strong pages on your site can pass SEO value to other pages through internal links, which helps newer or less visible content perform better.

How to Use the AIOSEO Link Assistant

One of the easiest ways to improve internal linking in WordPress is by using All in One SEO.

It is the best internal linking plugin that we regularly use on WPBeginner and other partner sites to improve site structure internal linking.

The Link Assistant feature (available in the premium version of AIOSEO) automatically crawls your website and shows a detailed report of your internal links, outbound links, and affiliate links for each post.

Instead of manually searching for linking opportunities, it gives you smart suggestions based on your existing content.

I like that it even highlights exact phrases where a link can be added so that you can insert it with a single click.

It also helps you find orphaned content, which are posts that don’t have any internal links pointing to them. These pages are often harder for search engines to discover, so linking to them can improve indexing and rankings.

To get started, I suggest checking our guide on internal linking for SEO.

Quick Internal Linking Audit

If you want to improve your internal linking structure quickly, here’s a simple audit process you can follow:

Step	What to Do
Identify Key Posts	Start with your most important pages, such as high-traffic posts or cornerstone content.
Build Topic Clusters	Group related articles around one main topic. This helps create a clear content structure that both users and search engines understand.
Add Internal Links	Go through related articles and add links to your key pages in the content naturally.
Fix Orphaned Content	Find posts with no internal links and connect them to relevant pages inside your cluster.
Keep it Consistent	Aim to include at least 2–3 internal links per post to keep your site well connected.

8. Analyze Your Competitors’ Backlinks

If you’re not sure where to find link opportunities, then your competitors have already done the hard work for you.

The sites that already link to other blogs in your niche are the most likely to link to you, too. So instead of guessing, you can study a competitor’s backlinks and turn them into a ready-made list of sites to reach out to.

This pairs really well with the outreach methods above. Once you have a list of relevant sites, you can pitch them using guest posting, broken link building, or resource page link building.

How to Find Your Competitors’ Backlinks

The easiest way to do this is with a backlink research tool like Semrush.

Open the Backlink Analytics tool and enter a competitor’s domain. It will pull up that site’s full backlink profile, including the best, recently acquired, and lost backlinks.

To start, I’d pick two or three competitors who rank for the keywords you want. Sites that link to several of your competitors are the strongest prospects, because they’ve already shown they link to content like yours.

How to Find the Best Prospects

A competitor’s backlink list can be long, and not every site on it is worth your time. So the next step is to narrow it down to the sites you can realistically reach.

Semrush also has a Backlink Gap tool that compares your domain against up to four competitors at once. It shows the referring domains that link to them but not yet to you, which is a fast way to spot sites that already link to content like yours.

As you go through the list, keep the same quality checks from earlier in mind. Focus on sites that are active, relevant to your niche, and genuinely related to your topic.

When you find good matches, export the list to a spreadsheet so you have a clean shortlist to work from.

From here, the process is the same as the methods above. Look at how each site links to your competitor, then pitch them with the right approach, whether that’s a guest post, a broken link replacement, or a resource page request.

9. Reclaim Unlinked Brand Mentions (Easy Wins)

Most link building methods are about earning brand-new links. But one of the easiest wins comes from a link you almost already have.

An unlinked brand mention is when another website names your brand, your site, or your content, but does not actually link to you.

The mention is already there. It just needs to become a clickable link.

The free way to find these is Google Alerts. You create an alert for your brand name or website name, and Google emails you whenever a new mention appears online.

Semrush also has a Brand Monitoring feature that separates linked mentions from unlinked ones, so you can focus only on the ones still missing a link.

When you find one, a quick thank-you note usually does the job:

Hi [Name],

Thank you for mentioning [Your Brand] in your post on [topic].

Would you mind linking it to our site so your readers can find us easily? Here is the page: [Your URL]

Thanks again,
[Your Name]

Because the site already chose to mention you, these requests tend to convert far more often than cold outreach to a stranger.

How to Track the Backlinks You Earn

Once your links start adding up, you’ll want to know who is actually linking to you. The best free way to check is Google Search Console, since it uses Google’s own data about your backlinks.

Inside Search Console, open the Links report from the left-hand menu.

Under “External links,” you’ll find three reports worth checking regularly:

• Top linking sites: the websites that link to you the most, so you can see who your strongest supporters are.
• Top linked pages: which of your posts attract the most backlinks, which shows you what kind of content earns links.
• Top linking text: the anchor text other sites use when they link to you.

You can export any of these to a spreadsheet to keep a record and watch how your backlinks grow over time. Just keep in mind that the data is not instant. Google updates it as it recrawls the web, so a new link can take a few weeks to appear.

For details, see our guide on how to use Google Search Console.

🚀 Your 30-Day Link Building Plan

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the strategies, don’t worry. You don’t need to do everything at once. Even small, steady actions each week can lead to real SEO growth over time.

I recommend starting with a simple 30-day plan. It helps you stay focused, avoid burnout, and actually see progress instead of jumping between tactics.

Here’s a simple plan you can follow to get started for each week:

#	Focus	What to Do
1	Internal linking audit	Go through your site and improve internal links. Add missing links, fix orphaned content, and group related posts into simple topic clusters.
2	Find broken link opportunities	Use tools like Semrush to find broken links on relevant websites in your niche. Make a list of pages where your content could be a replacement.
3	Send outreach emails	Start reaching out to website owners. Focus on resource pages, broken link opportunities, and simple guest post pitches. Keep your emails short and helpful.
4	Try Connectively	Sign up and respond to journalist requests with helpful, concise answers. Even a few responses can help you earn high-quality backlinks.

Link building works best when you build it into your routine. Stay consistent, focus on small wins each week, and your backlink profile will grow over time.

Link Building Practices to Avoid (Black Hat SEO)

Just as important as knowing what to do is knowing what to avoid. Some link building tactics may look like quick wins, but they can actually hurt your rankings in the long run.

Google’s guidelines are very clear on this. If a link is created mainly to manipulate rankings, it can lead to penalties and a drop in search visibility.

Here are the main practices I recommend avoiding:

• Buying Links: Avoid paying for backlinks from link farms or services that promise a specific number of links. These are low-quality signals and can violate Google’s guidelines.
• Low-Quality Directory Submissions: Submitting your site to large lists of unrelated or spammy directories won’t help your SEO. In most cases, it adds no real value.
• Automated Comment Spam: Using software to drop links across blog comments is not effective. It can also make your site look spammy to both users and search engines.
• Private Blog Networks (PBNs): PBNs are networks of websites created solely to manipulate rankings. While they may seem attractive for quick results, they come with a high risk of Google search penalties.

In general, if a link building tactic feels unnatural or focused only on “tricking” search engines, it’s better to skip it.

Sustainable SEO always comes down to useful content, relevance, and real relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions About Link Building

Here are quick answers to the most common questions people have about link building.

How many backlinks do I need for SEO?

There is no fixed number of backlinks you need. What matters more is quality and relevance. A few strong backlinks from trusted sites can often outperform hundreds of low-quality ones.

How long does link building take to show results?

Link building usually takes time to show results, often a few weeks to a few months. Search engines need time to discover new links and adjust rankings based on your site’s overall authority.

Are paid backlinks safe for SEO?

Paid backlinks are risky and can hurt your SEO if they are used to manipulate rankings. Google’s guidelines discourage buying links for ranking purposes.

In some cases, they may lead to penalties or reduced visibility. It’s always safer to focus on earning natural, editorial backlinks instead.

What is a nofollow backlink?

A nofollow backlink is a link that tells search engines not to pass SEO authority to the linked page. These links can still bring traffic and visibility, but they usually don’t directly improve rankings.

Can I do link building for free?

Yes, you can do link building for free using methods like guest posting, broken link building, resource page outreach, and internal linking. These strategies require time and effort instead of money.

How to check backlinks to my website?

You can check backlinks using tools like Google Search Console or Semrush. These tools show which websites are linking to your content and help you track your overall backlink profile.

Is a sponsored post the same as a paid backlink?

No, they are not the same, and the difference matters for SEO.

A sponsored post is paid advertising where your content or brand is featured on another website. Any links in these posts should use a “sponsored” or “nofollow” tag, which tells search engines not to pass SEO authority.

This is a safe and accepted practice when properly disclosed.

A paid backlink is when you pay for a regular “dofollow” link to be added just to improve rankings. This violates Google’s guidelines and can lead to penalties.

Does link building help you show up in AI search?

It does, but not as a separate tactic. Tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity tend to cite sources they consider trustworthy, and the authority you build through quality backlinks is a big part of earning that trust.

Google has confirmed there is no special optimization for AI Overviews. The same SEO fundamentals apply, and a page simply needs to be indexed and eligible to appear in search.

So the best way to get cited in AI search is the same as everything else in this guide: earn relevant, trustworthy links and publish clear, genuinely helpful content.

Final Thoughts on Link Building

For quick wins, start with internal linking and broken link building. These don’t depend on anyone else saying yes, so you can act on them today.

For lasting results, work on guest posting, building real relationships, and creating linkable assets. These take longer, but the links they earn tend to stick.

My advice is to pick one or two and stay consistent. Steady effort beats a big push that you drop after a week.

I hope this article helped you learn some link building strategies to grow your site. You may also want to see our expert insights on whether SEO still works and our list of the best AI SEO tools for WordPress.

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