What are Backlinks?
**TLDR - I'll be using this article to document my own process of building my first backlinks. If you don't want to bother learning about the what and why of backlinks then feel free to skip to the last section.
Backlinks, also known as inbound or incoming links, are links from one website to another. When a website links to your site, it creates a backlink. These links serve as a vote of confidence or endorsement for your content, indicating that other websites find your content valuable and relevant enough to share with their audience. Backlinks are an important factor in search engine optimization (SEO), as search engines like Google use them to assess a website's credibility, authority, and relevance, influencing its ranking in search results. High-quality backlinks from reputable sites can significantly boost a website's visibility and traffic.
Best ways to get backlinks?
Create High-Quality Content
Write valuable, informative articles or blog posts that other websites would want to link to. Content like guides, research, and case studies attract natural backlinks.
Infographics, videos, and data visualizations also tend to generate links, as people like to share and reference these types of content.
Guest Blogging
Influencer Outreach
Reach out to influencers or industry leaders in your niche and ask them to mention your site or content in their posts. Offering them something of value, such as an interesting statistic or unique insight, can improve your chances.
Building relationships through social media or collaboration projects can help create organic backlink opportunities.
Broken Link Building
Find broken links on relevant sites using tools like Ahrefs or Check My Links. Reach out to the site owners and suggest replacing the broken link with one from your website.
Offer a similar or improved piece of content that matches the intent of the original link.
Industry Forums or Communities
Join industry-specific forums, online communities, and social media groups where you can share your insights and include a link back to your content when appropriate.
Make sure you’re adding value and not just dropping links, as this can be seen as spam.
Get Featured in Resource Lists
Contact websites that publish resource lists, directories, or "best of" lists related to your niche, and suggest adding your site to their recommendations.
If your content or service is valuable, site owners are likely to consider adding your link.
Use HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
Sign up for HARO, a platform where journalists seek expert quotes. By responding to their requests, you may get a backlink when your expertise is quoted in their articles.
Focus on delivering quality, relevant responses to maximize your chances of getting featured.
Monitor Competitors’ Backlinks
Use tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or SEMrush to analyze where your competitors are getting their backlinks. Once you identify these sites, reach out to them to suggest linking to your content instead or alongside.
Replicating your competitors’ backlink profile can give you an edge in search rankings.
Write Testimonials or Reviews
Write testimonials for products or services you’ve used, and many companies will link back to your site as a thank-you for your feedback.
This strategy works best when you provide authentic, detailed reviews or testimonials.
Collaborate on Roundups or Interviews
Participate in expert roundups or interviews where bloggers and journalists compile opinions from different thought leaders. These are often linked back to your site.
Being active in your industry increases the chances of being invited to these kinds of opportunities.
Where to find your first Backlinks a SmartBizTechs case study
*Updated October 2024:
Here is the running list of places I have found to generate free backlinks.
