Link Building Strategies That Work in 2025

📊 The Data

• 91% of all pages get zero organic traffic from Google (Ahrefs study)
• Pages with more backlinks rank higher in search results
• One quality backlink from a high-authority site outweighs dozens of low-quality links

⚠️ Important

Google penalizes low-quality guest posting for links. Focus on contributing genuinely valuable content to relevant, authoritative sites.

Method 1: Google Search Operators

Use these search queries to find sites accepting guest posts:

• "[your niche]" + "write for us"
• "[your niche]" + "guest post guidelines"
• "[your niche]" + "contribute"
• "[your niche]" + "submit a guest post"
• "[your niche]" + "become a contributor"

Method 2: Reverse Engineer Competitor Backlinks

1. Enter competitor domain in Ahrefs or Semrush
2. Go to Backlinks report
3. Filter for: "guest post", "contributed by", author bio links
4. Export list of sites accepting guest posts in your niche

Subject: Guest Post Idea for [Website Name] Hi [Name], I've been reading [Website Name] for a while and really enjoyed your recent article on [specific article]. Your insights on [specific point] were particularly valuable. I'd love to contribute a guest post to your site. I specialize in [your expertise] and think your audience would benefit from an article on "[proposed topic]." Here's a quick outline: - [Key point 1] - [Key point 2] - [Key point 3] I've written for [mention 2-3 credible sites], including: - [Link to published guest post 1] - [Link to published guest post 2] Would this be a good fit for [Website Name]? I'm happy to adjust the topic based on what would work best for your readers. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Website]

Step 1: Find Relevant Journalists

• Twitter: Search for journalists covering your industry
• HARO (Help a Reporter Out): Respond to journalist queries
• LinkedIn: Connect with editors and journalists
• Muck Rack: Database of journalists by beat

PR Pitch Template

Subject: Data: [Surprising Stat] in [Industry] Hi [Journalist Name], I noticed you recently covered [related topic] and thought you might be interested in some exclusive data we uncovered. We surveyed [X number] of [audience] and found that: - [Surprising finding 1] - [Surprising finding 2] - [Surprising finding 3] This challenges the common belief that [misconception]. I've attached our full report. Would you be interested in covering this story? I'm happy to provide additional data or expert quotes. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title] [Company]

Step 1: Find Pages with Broken Links

Method A: Ahrefs

1. Go to Site Explorer
2. Enter competitor or industry resource site
3. Go to "Best by Links" report
4. Filter for 404 pages with backlinks
5. Export list of broken pages with link opportunities

Method B: Browser Extension

• Install "Check My Links" Chrome extension
• Visit resource pages in your niche
• Run extension to find broken outbound links
• Note broken links you could replace

Step 2: Create Replacement Content

1. Use Wayback Machine to see what the dead page covered
2. Create similar (but better) content on your site
3. Make sure it's genuinely useful and up-to-date

Step 3: Outreach Email Template

Subject: Broken link on your [page title] Hi [Name], I was reading your excellent article "[article title]" and noticed that one of your resources links to a page that no longer exists: [URL of broken link] I actually just published a guide on this exact topic that might work as a replacement: [URL of your content] It covers [brief description of what your content offers]. Would you consider updating the link? Either way, thanks for creating such a valuable resource! Best, [Your Name]

Google Search Queries

• "[your topic]" + "resources"
• "[your topic]" + "useful links"
• "[your topic]" + "helpful resources"
• intitle:"resources" + "[your topic]"
• "[your topic]" + inurl:links

Subject: Resource suggestion for [page name] Hi [Name], I came across your [resource page/helpful links page] on [topic] and found it incredibly useful. I've bookmarked several of the tools you recommended. I recently created a [type of content] that your visitors might find helpful: [URL] It covers [brief value proposition] and includes [unique feature]. Would it be a good fit to add to your resources page? Thanks for curating such a valuable list! [Your Name]

Example Success Story

Backlinko created "Google's 200 Ranking Factors: The Complete List" - a massive guide that earned over 20,000 backlinks because it became the go-to reference resource.

Do backlinks still matter for SEO in 2025?

Yes, backlinks remain one of the top 3 ranking factors in 2025. Quality backlinks signal to Google that your content is trustworthy, authoritative, and valuable. According to Ahrefs research, 91% of all pages get zero organic traffic from Google, and pages with more high-quality backlinks consistently rank higher in search results.

However, the focus has shifted from quantity to quality - one link from a high-authority, relevant site is worth more than dozens of low-quality links.

What makes a high-quality backlink?

A high-quality backlink comes from a relevant, topically-related site with high domain authority. It should be a dofollow link (passes PageRank), have natural anchor text, be editorially placed within content, and come from a page that receives its own organic traffic.

Avoid backlinks from link farms, PBNs, irrelevant sites, site-wide footer/sidebar links, and paid links without nofollow attributes.

How do I find guest posting opportunities?

To find guest posting opportunities, use Google search operators like '[your niche] + write for us' or '[your niche] + guest post guidelines'. You can also reverse engineer competitor backlinks using tools like Ahrefs or Semrush by filtering their backlink profiles for guest posts.

Look for phrases like 'contributed by' or author bio links to identify sites that accept guest contributions in your niche.

What is broken link building and how does it work?

Broken link building involves finding broken external links on relevant websites, creating content to replace the dead page, then suggesting your content as a replacement to the site owner.

Use tools like Ahrefs to find 404 pages with backlinks, or browser extensions like Check My Links to find broken links on resource pages. Check the original content using Wayback Machine, create similar but better content, then reach out to sites linking to the broken page with your replacement suggestion.

How can I earn backlinks without manual outreach?

Create linkable assets that naturally earn backlinks without outreach. This includes:

• Original research and data studies
• Free tools and calculators
• Comprehensive ultimate guides
• Industry statistics compilations
• Infographics and visual content
• Expert roundups

When you create genuinely valuable resources that fill a gap in your industry, other sites will naturally reference and link to them. Focus on creating content that is 10x better than anything else available on the topic.