Website backlinks are an important part of SEO and can help drive traffic to your own website. Check out this guide to learn how to get backlinks for your business.
Learning how to get backlinks from relevant sites for your website is an essential part of search engine optimization. SEO can help you show up closer to the top of search engine results pages, so SEO tips — including increasing backlinks — can help you drive more traffic to your website, which in turn gives you more potential leads. So, how do I get backlinks for my website?
The problem with backlinks is that you can’t force other website owners to include links to your website on their websites. Instead, you need to find a way to encourage people to include backlinks to your website, which means you have to provide something of value in exchange for these links. Sometimes, this means writing a guest blog post for a website in exchange for backlinks.
There are a variety of different strategies you can use to increase website backlinks, from using Google Search Console to checking your top referral sources for backlink opportunities. You can even look for broken links on a website and use those links as opportunities to build backlinks. As long as you’re following SEO best practices, you’re on the right track.
In this article, we’ll talk more about backlinks and why they’re so important when you’re building an online presence. We’ll also talk about how to build website backlinks manually to increase your search engine ranking. Keep reading to learn more about how to get backlinks for your website.
What is a backlink?
A backlink is any link to your website from another website. For example, if somebody makes a list of the top 10 fishing poles and your company is listed, they’ll typically link to your website, giving you another backlink. These backlinks are a vital part of SEO, which helps your website rank higher on search engines and drives more traffic to your website.
Getting backlinks for your business is very important, but backlinks can be difficult to obtain. You have to convince somebody else to place a link to your website on their website, and that typically means offering something in exchange. That being said, you can also get more website backlinks naturally by creating content that’s valuable and easy to share.
Another thing to remember is that not all website backlinks are created equally. You want backlinks from web pages that have a high DA, or domain authority. While other backlinks are valuable, high-DA backlinks do more to increase your search engine rankings. We’ll talk more about domain authority in the next section.
Every website is assigned a domain authority, which is a number that ranges from 1 to 100. Learning how to get backlinks is important, but getting those backlinks from high-DA web pages is even better.
So, what is domain authority exactly?
Domain authority is a score that was developed by an SEO company called Moz. In many ways, domain authority is similar to search engine rankings. In fact, domain authority is a number used to measure the likelihood of a website ranking in search engine result pages, or SERPs. If a page is more likely to be ranked highly in search engine results, it has a higher domain authority.
Many types of backlinks help SEO, but you really want backlinks from websites with high domain authority. Getting backlinks from websites can help improve your domain authority, as well as your search engine ranking — which means you’re driving more leads.
How do backlinks build my site’s authority?
Now that you understand the basics of domain authority, you might be wondering about the domain authority of your own website.
Because domain authority is essentially a calculation of how likely a website is to appear on a search engine results page, backlinks that improve your SERP ranking can also help improve your domain authority. This helps you rank higher in search engine results, plus it means you’re a valuable resource in terms of backlinks to other websites.
Keep in mind that the effect backlinks have on your website’s domain authority depends on the domain authority of the site the backlink is coming from. If you’re getting backlinks from websites that have a low DA, that’s not going to help your domain authority as much.
This is why it’s so important to consider domain authority when you’re figuring out how to get backlinks and which websites you want backlinks from.
Download the full Report
Backlinks are an essential part of any SEO checklist, but getting those backlinks isn’t always easy. The main idea is to offer something of value in exchange for the website backlinks you’re getting. You may be wondering, how do I get backlinks for my website? Here are 10 tips to help you find link opportunities:
1. Guest blog posts
Writing guest blog posts can be a lot of work, but it’s one of the most effective ways to gain backlinks for your website.
The idea is that you write a blog post for a website that you want a backlink from, including a link to your website written organically within the blog post. This website will publish that blog post because it’s beneficial to them, but it will also result in a backlink for your website.
It’s important to keep in mind that guest blog posts are only valuable if you’re writing quality content. You can hire somebody to write your guest blog posts for you, but you should vet your hires to make sure you’re choosing good writers. Providing quality content is the best way to get other website owners interested in your guest blog posts.
2. Look for broken links
Looking for broken links is another good strategy when it comes to how to get backlinks. Websites and blogs link to other websites all the time, and some of those outbound links may break when the websites they link to are shut down. If that happens, you can get in touch with the owner of the website with the broken link and provide your link in place of the broken link.
When broken link building, you should look for spots where your backlink would fit in nicely. If you have a product that’s similar to the product that a broken link is attempting to link to, you can contact the website owner about replacing that broken link with a backlink to your website. This is one of the simplest methods of building backlinks.
3. Find unlinked mentions
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to build links using free tools is to find websites that mention your website, your brand, or your products.
You can do this with SEO tools that search for brand mentions on the web. The goal here is to look for any websites that might mention your brand or product without linking to your website. If you find a mention of your brand that doesn’t include a link to your website, you can contact the website owner and request that they include a link with the mention of your brand or product.
Some website owners might not respond to your requests for a backlink, but you should keep contacting other website owners either way. The more backlinks you can build with reputable websites, the higher your website will rank on search engines.
4. Create content that’s easily linkable
One of the most important steps to building backlinks is creating link-worthy content.
What this means is creating content that gives people a good reason to link to it, whether that’s an infographic, a comprehensive guide about something, or a product that simply can’t be beaten. While there are other factors at play, the quality of the content you create is the biggest determining factor in terms of how shareable that content is.
Don’t be afraid to try different types of content to find something that works for your website. Infographics are great for businesses that have certain types of information to share, but they may be next to useless for others. Experiment with different types of content that provide value to your audience, that way you can find something that works for your brand and the people who support it.
5. Get mentioned in a “best” article
Another link building strategy is to get mentioned in a “best” article. People write articles that outline the best of a particular product or service all the time, whether it’s the best gaming mice or the best tools for building a website. When people create these “best” lists, they generally include links to all of the products, services, or brands they’re talking about.
As you might have guessed, it’s not necessarily easy to get mentioned in a “best” article. You might need to get in touch with website owners to inquire about being included on their lists. Certain “best” lists may also be harder to get on than others, so it’s all about creating a quality product and talking to the right people.
6. Try infographics
People like to share certain types of content, and infographics are one of the most shareable types of content. Infographics are great because they’re simple, but they can also convey a lot of information.
A quick glance at an infographic can tell readers all about the numbers behind a particular topic. Plus, these infographics are easy to slide right into a blog post or web page, so people love using infographics that others have made.
The more people share your infographics (with proper attribution), the more website backlinks you’ll build up. If you can create really high-quality infographics, you might even be able to get backlinks from a few high domain authority websites, which can give you a real boost in terms of DA.
If your infographics aren’t being shared enough, consider doing some research to find out what sort of infographics people might be interested in.
7. HARO
HARO, or help a reporter out, is a well-known strategy when it comes to how to create backlinks. HARO connects reporters with people who have the expertise to be a source for articles. For example, a reporter who wants to write a story about people who design websites can use HARO to reach out to web designers for quotes, expert opinions, and more. When a reporter decides to use the information you provide them, you get a backlink to your website.
Using HARO to get backlinks for your business is simple, but it can take a bit of work in terms of submitting sources. You can start by signing up for a HARO account and activating your account via email. Next, you can set up your profile, which includes choosing the topics you want to provide information about. Simply start replying to the queries you receive and wait for people to use you as a source in their stories.
8. Create long-form guides
People like to share content that provides valuable information, and few things on the internet are as valuable as long-form guides. Long-form guides give you the opportunity to cover a topic in its entirety, whether you’re breaking down email marketing or teaching people how to start fishing. Other sites are happy to link to these long-form guides because they do such a great job of explaining a topic from start to finish.
The big benefit of long-form guides is that all you have to do is create and wait. If you create quality content, people will link to it at some point. The better your content is, the more people will share it and the more it will increase backlinks.
9. Get backlinks from business associations
Being part of a business association can help you build quality backlinks by allowing you to easily find resource pages. Many local areas have business associations, particularly Chambers of Commerce, that maintain resource pages listing local businesses.
If your Chamber has a website with a business directory or resources page, make sure your website is properly listed there with a link. While this isn't the strongest strategy for consistent backlink building, it's a solid starting point to boost your domain authority.
One thing to keep in mind is that there are some backlinks that may have a negative (or neutral) effect on your domain authority. You may get a few of these when you’re first learning how to get backlinks, but you want to avoid them as you learn to spot them.
10. The skyscraper technique
The skyscraper technique is a time-tested and proven technique for building backlinks. With the skyscraper technique, the idea is to look for content that ranks highly and has a lot of backlinks. Next, you want to look for any weaknesses in this content, including incorrect or missing information. The final step is creating your own, better version of that content, which allows you to capitalize on the shortcomings of the content you’re using as inspiration.
Perhaps the best part about the skyscraper technique — aside from the fact that it works — is the fact that it also allows you to create quality content that drives more traffic to your website. With an increase in traffic and a higher domain authority as a result of more backlinks, your online presence will be significantly stronger.
You might wonder, "How many backlinks do I need?" Here's the truth: having tons of random links pointing to your site doesn't cut it anymore. Search engines have gotten smart about spotting the difference between valuable and junk links.
Would you rather have five solid recommendations from respected industry leaders or fifty shaky endorsements from random people? That's exactly how search engines look at backlinks.
One link from an established site owner in your industry carries more weight than dozens of links from sketchy directories or low-quality blogs.
Too many links from questionable sources can hurt your site's reputation. Google and other search engines might see this as a red flag and assume you're trying to game the system. Instead of chasing numbers, focus on getting backlinks that make sense for your business.
So, how can you tell if a potential backlink is worth pursuing? Look at these factors:
- Is the site relevant to your industry?
- Does the site regularly publish fresh, original content?
- Would you feel proud telling someone your site was featured there?
- Do they link out to other reputable websites?
- Does the site look professional and well-maintained?
Remember, a handful of quality backlinks from trusted sources will do more for your site's authority than hundreds of random links from sites nobody visits.
Building relationships for backlinking
You'll often find that other website owners don't enjoy getting random backlink requests in their inboxes. To find sites that'll link to you, you need to build genuine connections first.
Do your homework. Use tools to check referring domains of successful competitors and figure out where they're getting mentioned. Look for sites that share interesting data or content similar to yours. This helps you create a targeted list of potential partners who might actually care about what you do.
Here's what works to help you build connections with publishers and other site owners:
- Share and comment on other people's content before pitching a guest post
- Join industry conversations and share your expertise
- Bring interesting data or unique insights to the table
- Connect with people at industry events
- Help others before asking for anything in return
The key is being genuine. Instead of firing off identical guest post pitches to a hundred blogs, take time to understand what each site is about. When you do reach out, make it personal. Show that you've done your homework and have something valuable to offer their readers.
Building real relationships takes time, but the payoff is worth it. When people know and trust you, they're more likely to naturally mention your business, share your content, and accept your guest post ideas. These connections often turn into long-term partnerships that bring steady traffic and authority to your site.
Think of it this way: would you rather have ten solid industry relationships that regularly send valuable traffic your way or spend your days sending cold backlink requests that mostly get ignored? Focus on building genuine connections, and the links will follow naturally.
Building website backlinks will take some time
Building website backlinks is an important part of SEO, but don’t expect it to happen overnight. Learning how to get backlinks can take a while, plus you have to account for the time it takes to actually get those backlinks. And remember, these link-building strategies don’t have a 100% success rate, so you have to be persistent when it comes to building backlinks.
As a business website owner, SEO is one of the most valuable tools you have at your disposal. The best way to compete with the bigger fish is to make your website more discoverable, and SEO makes your site easier to find on search engines. Between building backlinks, using keyword research to improve your search engine ranking, and creating quality content, SEO should be a primary focus.
Strategies for how to get backlinks can also change with time. Directories used to be a common method for building backlinks, but they’re mostly considered a bad idea now. Keep an eye on changing trends to make sure you’re staying on top of the latest SEO best practices.
Using social media to boost your backlink strategy
Whenever you share something interesting on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, or Facebook, you're putting your content in front of people who might link it to their websites or blogs.
The trick is to make your content so interesting that people want to share it. Instead of just dropping links and hoping for the best, start conversations.
Share behind-the-scenes peeks at your business, interesting industry trends, or surprising data you've discovered. People naturally want to reference it in their content when you post something genuinely helpful or interesting.
Here's what really works:
- Break down complex topics into bite-sized LinkedIn posts that people want to save and share
- Join conversations about your industry and add real value (not just self-promotion)
- Share your blog posts with a teaser that makes people want to click through and read more
- Tag people or companies you've mentioned in your content (but don't be spammy about it)
- Create shareable graphics that summarize your best content
Pay attention to what gets people talking. Maybe your followers enjoy industry statistics or love your how-to threads. When you notice something working well on social media, expand on it in your blog posts or website content. This creates a natural cycle. Social media helps you test ideas, and your best content earns backlinks.
Final notes on how to create backlinks
Improving your search engine ranking can do a lot for your website, but it starts with creating quality content and getting backlinks. So, where do I learn how to create backlinks for my blog? You can start with these 10 tips, but there’s lots of information online about how to build backlinks manually and improve SEO.
If you want to build your online presence, Mailchimp has the marketing tools you need to get your name out there and convert leads into sales. We offer email marketing automation tools to save you time and money. Try Mailchimp today and give your marketing plan the nudge it needs to propel your business to the top.
Key Takeaways
- Quality backlinks from trusted websites carry more weight than numerous low-quality links, with one good industry link worth more than dozens of random directory listings.
- Business relationships and genuine networking lead to the most valuable backlink opportunities rather than cold outreach and mass link requests.
- Creating link-worthy content like comprehensive guides, infographics, and data-driven pieces naturally attracts backlinks from other sites.
- Local business associations, industry resource pages, and fixing broken links on relevant websites are straightforward but potentially less effective ways to start building quality backlinks.