If you’ve published great content and still sit on page three, the missing piece is usually the same: other websites aren’t vouching for you. Learning how to create backlinks is one of the few SEO skills that pays off for years, because every good link keeps working long after you earn it.
I’ve seen small blogs beat bigger brands simply because they earned five or six links from relevant, trusted sites. Link quantity wasn’t the reason. This guide shows you exactly how to do the same, step by step, without risking a penalty.
Key Takeaways
- A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Google treats it as a vote of trust.
- Quality, relevance and diversity matter far more than raw numbers.
- The safest ways to build backlinks are linkable assets, digital PR, broken link building, guest contributions and unlinked mentions.
- Never buy links or join link schemes. Google’s spam policies explicitly target them.
- Expect results in 3 to 6 months. Link building is a long game.
What Are Backlinks and Why Do They Matter for SEO?
A backlink is a hyperlink on someone else’s page that points to your page. Google’s original PageRank idea was built on this concept, and links remain one of its core ranking signals today.
The data supports it. Backlinko’s analysis of 11.8 million Google search results found that the first-ranking page had significantly more backlinks than pages in positions two to ten. Correlation isn’t causation, but in my experience the pattern holds: pages that rank well almost always have strong link profiles behind them.
Backlinks also bring referral traffic and help new pages get discovered and indexed faster. If you’re new to the basics, read our beginner’s guide to SEO first.
Types of Backlinks You Should Know
Not every link behaves the same way. Here’s a quick comparison.
| Link type | HTML attribute | SEO value | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dofollow | none (default) | Passes link equity | Editorial links, guest posts |
| Nofollow | rel=”nofollow” | Limited ranking value, still brings traffic | Comments, forums, social |
| Sponsored | rel=”sponsored” | Not meant to pass ranking credit | Paid placements, ads |
| UGC | rel=”ugc” | Not meant to pass ranking credit | Forum and comment links |
Google explains how to qualify outbound links with these attributes. Don’t obsess over dofollow only. A natural profile contains a healthy mix.
What Makes a Backlink “High-Quality”?
Before you start, know what you’re chasing. A high-quality backlink usually has these traits:
- Relevance: the linking site covers a similar topic to yours.
- Authority: it’s a trusted site with real traffic and real readers.
- Editorial placement: the link sits naturally inside useful content, not in a footer or sidebar.
- Good anchor text: descriptive and natural, not stuffed with keywords.
- Real traffic: actual people could click it.
One link from a respected industry blog beats fifty links from random directories. I learned this the hard way early in my career, after wasting weeks on bulk submissions that changed nothing.
How to Create Backlinks: 12 Proven Methods
1. Create Linkable Assets
People link to things that are useful, original or hard to find elsewhere. The best linkable assets include:
- Original research and surveys
- Free tools and calculators
- Templates and checklists
- Detailed data roundups
- Visual guides and infographics
Even a small survey of 100 people in your niche can earn links, because journalists and bloggers need fresh data to cite. Publish findings on a dedicated page with clean charts and a clear methodology.
2. Do Guest Posting the Right Way
Guest posting still works when it’s about value and not volume. Pitch real sites in your niche, write something their audience needs and include one natural link back.
Avoid sites that accept anything for a fee. If a blog publishes content on every topic under the sun, skip it. For a deeper walkthrough, see our guest posting guide.
3. Try Broken Link Building
This is one of my favorite methods because it helps the site owner too.
- Find relevant pages with dead outbound links, using a tool like a Chrome link checker.
- Confirm the dead page is gone.
- Create or point to a similar resource of yours.
- Email the site owner and politely suggest your page as a replacement.
Ahrefs has a solid breakdown of how to get backlinks that includes this tactic in more detail.
4. Use the “Improve and Outreach” Method
Find a top-ranking page with plenty of backlinks. Then publish something clearly better: more current, better organized, more complete. Reach out to the sites linking to the old version and show them yours.
The key is genuine improvement. Rewriting the same thing with more words won’t earn links.
5. Do Digital PR and Expert Quotes
Journalists constantly look for expert comments. HARO was retired in late 2024, but alternatives such as Qwoted, Featured and Source of Sources serve the same purpose.
Respond quickly, keep answers short and add real insight. A single quote in a news article can bring a powerful link that no guest post could match.
6. Reclaim Unlinked Brand Mentions
Sometimes sites mention your brand without linking to it. Search your brand name in Google or set up alerts, then email the author with a friendly request to add a link. This has one of the highest success rates of any outreach tactic, because the writer already knows and likes you.
7. Target Resource Pages
Many sites keep curated pages titled “useful resources” or “best tools.” Search for these in your niche, check that your content truly belongs there and send a short, personal pitch.
8. Appear on Podcasts and Interviews
Podcast hosts almost always link to their guests’ websites in show notes. Pitch yourself with a specific topic and a clear angle. It also builds authority and brand awareness at the same time.
9. Run a Competitor Backlink Gap Analysis
Use a tool such as Ahrefs, Semrush or Moz to see which sites link to your competitors but not to you. These are warm prospects: they already link to similar content in your space.
Start with the easiest wins, such as directories, roundups and resource pages. Then work toward editorial opportunities.
10. Offer Testimonials and Partnerships
If you use a product or service you genuinely like, write an honest testimonial. Many companies publish these with a link to your site. Partnerships, sponsorships of local events and co-created content can also earn legitimate links.
11. List Your Business in Quality Directories
Skip the spammy bulk directories. Focus on relevant, well-maintained listings: Google Business Profile, industry associations, chambers of commerce and trusted niche directories. These help local SEO and build a base level of trust.
12. Join Communities and Share Real Value
Forums, Reddit, Quora and industry groups are mostly nofollow. They can still send targeted traffic and lead to natural mentions. Answer questions properly, and only link when it genuinely helps. Drop-and-run link spam gets removed and can get you banned.
A Simple Outreach Email Template
Short emails win. Here’s a structure that works for me:
Subject: Quick suggestion for your [page title] article
Hi [Name],
I was reading your piece on [topic] and found it really useful, especially the section on [specific detail].
I noticed the link to [dead/outdated resource] no longer works. I recently published [your resource], which covers the same ground with updated information. It might be a good replacement.
Either way, thanks for a great article!
[Your name]
Personalize every email. Mass templates get ignored.
How to Create Backlinks for a New Website
A brand-new site has no authority, so start small and focused:
- Publish 5 to 10 truly strong pages before doing outreach.
- Set up your Google Business Profile and key social profiles.
- Reclaim any brand mentions, even if few exist.
- Offer expert quotes in your niche.
- Build relationships with a handful of niche bloggers.
- Create one standout linkable asset.
Patience matters most here. A new domain usually needs several months before links make a visible difference.
How to Check Your Backlinks
You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
- Google Search Console: the Links report shows who links to you, for free.
- Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz: deeper analysis of referring domains, anchor text and new or lost links.
Track these metrics monthly: number of referring domains, link quality, anchor text distribution and traffic from referrals.
Anchor Text: Keep It Natural
Anchor text is the clickable words of a link. A healthy profile is mostly branded and natural. As a rough rule of thumb (my own guideline, not an official Google figure), most anchors should be brand names, naked URLs or generic phrases, with only a small share being exact-match keywords. Over-optimized anchors look manipulative.
Backlink Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Rankings
Google’s SpamBrain system and manual reviews target manipulative linking. Avoid these:
- Buying links for ranking purposes
- Private blog networks (PBNs)
- Excessive link exchanges (“link to me and I’ll link to you”)
- Comment and forum spam
- Mass-produced low-quality guest posts
- Exact-match anchor stuffing
If you’ve inherited a toxic link profile, you can use Google’s disavow tool, but only in genuine cases such as a manual action or a large volume of clearly spammy links. Google generally ignores low-quality links on its own.
How Long Does Link Building Take?
Most people see early movement within 3 to 6 months, and bigger gains after 6 to 12 months, depending on competition. Treat it like building a reputation: slow, steady and cumulative.
8. FAQ Section (Schema-Ready)
1. What is a backlink?
A backlink is a link from one website to another. Search engines treat it as a signal of trust and relevance, which can help the linked page rank higher.
2. How do I create backlinks for free?
Publish useful content, reclaim unlinked brand mentions, do guest posting, answer expert-quote requests and list your business in trusted directories. All of these cost time, not money.
3. How many backlinks do I need to rank on Google?
There’s no fixed number. It depends on your competition. Check the referring domains of the top 10 results for your keyword and aim for a competitive, relevant profile.
4. Are nofollow backlinks useful?
Yes. They may carry limited ranking value, but they bring traffic, brand exposure and often lead to natural dofollow mentions.
5. Is buying backlinks safe?
No. Buying links to manipulate rankings violates Google’s spam policies and can lead to ranking drops or manual actions.
6. How long do backlinks take to improve rankings?
Typically 3 to 6 months, sometimes longer in competitive niches. Consistency matters more than speed.
7. How do I create backlinks for a new website?
Start with a few strong pages, set up business profiles, reclaim brand mentions, give expert quotes and build relationships with niche site owners.
Conclusion
Now you know how to create backlinks the safe, sustainable way. Focus on quality over quantity, create content people want to cite and build real relationships with other site owners. Start with two or three of the methods above, measure the results in Google Search Console and expand from there.
Pick one tactic today, whether that’s finding unlinked mentions or sending three personalized outreach emails, and take the first step. Your future rankings will thank you. Want more help? Check out our on-page SEO checklist next.
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