28 Progressive Link Building Strategies for 2024

In the dynamic world of SEO, link-building remains a cornerstone for achieving higher rankings. However, as search algorithms evolve, so must our strategies. In 2024, I’m excited to share 28 innovative link-building techniques. My team has refined and successfully implemented these methods, and I encourage you to select and master three of them to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

1. Harnessing Testimonials:

Leverage testimonials for products or services you genuinely use. Reach out to these businesses, offering a testimonial in exchange for a link to your site. This approach can yield powerful homepage backlinks with minimal effort.

• • Example: If you use a web hosting service and love it, write a testimonial for them. In return, they might feature your testimonial on their site with a link back to your website.

• • Tip: Always be genuine in your testimonials. Authenticity can lead to stronger relationships and more valuable links.

2. Crowdfunding Support:

Backing crowdfunding campaigns can result in donor or package links. A small investment in a project within your niche can earn you a valuable backlink and possibly some additional perks.

• • Example: Back a Kickstarter project related to eco-friendly products if your site is about sustainability. They might list you as a supporter with a link.

• • Tip: Choose projects that align with your brand values for more meaningful connections.

3. Sponsor Real-World Events:

Hosting or sponsoring events can attract backlinks from high-authority sites. Look for local, national, or international events relevant to your niche, and leverage these link-building opportunities.

• • Example: Sponsor a local marathon if your business is about health and fitness. The event’s website might link to your site as a sponsor.

• • Tip: Look for events where your target audience is likely to participate or attend.

4. Social Media Presence:

While social media backlinks are often nofollow, they are vital in building a healthy link profile. Utilize platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter, to name a few, to create links that drive traffic and enhance your online presence.

• • Example: Create engaging content on Instagram about your latest blog posts. Use Instagram stories with ‘swipe up’ links to direct traffic.

• • Tip: Regularly engage with your followers to build a community that’s more likely to share your content.

5. Strategic Guest Blogging:

Guest blogging remains effective when done right. Focus on creating high-quality content for reputable sites in your niche. Although challenging, it’s a robust way to gain authoritative backlinks.

• • Example: Write a guest post for a well-known tech blog if your site focuses on technology.

• • Tip: Focus on adding value to the reader rather than just getting a backlink.

6. Clean Up The Web:

Broken link building involves identifying and replacing broken links on other websites with your relevant content. This strategy not only earns you links but also helps improve the web.

• • Example: Find a popular gardening blog with a broken link on ‘Best Gardening Tools’ and offer your updated article as a replacement.

• • Tip: Use tools like Ahrefs or Broken Link Checker to find broken links efficiently.

7. Internal Link Building:

Often overlooked, internal linking is crucial for SEO. It helps Google understand and rank your content better. Regularly review and optimize your site’s internal link structure.

• • Example: If you have a new article about healthy recipes, link it from older, relevant posts about nutrition.

• • Tip: Use relevant anchor texts that flow naturally within the content.

8. Competitor Link Replication:

Analyze your competitors’ backlink profiles and aim to acquire similar links. This “drafting” technique saves time and resources while ensuring quality link acquisition.

• • Example: If a competitor has a backlink from a well-known food blog, try to get your recipe featured there, too.

• • Tip: Analyze why the competitor got the link and how you can offer something better or different.

9. Link Roundups Participation:

Get your content featured in link roundups within your niche. These typically weekly or monthly roundups are an easy way to earn backlinks and increase traffic.

• • Example: Get your travel blog post featured in a monthly roundup of ‘Top 10 Travel Destinations.

• • Tip: Reach out to roundup creators with a personalized message and suggest your best content.

10. Resource Page Listing:

Many websites have resource pages that list valuable tools and articles. Pitch your content to these pages for a chance to be included and linked.

• • Example: If you have a comprehensive guide on ‘Starting a Small Business‘, pitch it to be included on business resource pages.

• • Tip: Make sure your content is thorough and valuable to stand out.

11. Create Data-Driven Content:

Content enriched with unique data or research stands out and attracts backlinks naturally. Invest in creating such content to enhance your link-building efforts.

• • Example: Conduct a survey about remote work trends and publish the findings. Other sites might reference and link to your original research.

• • Tip: Use graphs and charts to make data more accessible and shareable.

12. Brand Mentions Reclamation:

Utilize tools to find unlinked mentions of your brand online and reach out to the website owners to convert these mentions into backlinks.

• • Example: Find a mention of your eco-friendly clothing brand on a fashion blog and ask them to add a link to your site.

• • Tip: Use Google Alerts or Mention to track brand mentions online.

13. Domain Recycling:

Expired domains with strong backlink profiles can be goldmines. Acquire these domains to either build new sites with instant authority or to redirect their link juice to your existing site.

• • Example: Purchase an expired domain, previously a popular fitness blog, and redirect it to your fitness website.

• • Tip: Check the domain’s history to ensure it is reputable and relevant to your niche.

14. Newsjacking:

Leverage trending topics for your content creation. This strategy, known as newsjacking, can result in viral content that attracts numerous backlinks.

• • Example: Write a timely article about the impact of a recent tech advancement on your industry.

• • Tip: Act fast but ensure your content is accurate and adds a unique perspective.

15. Influencer Ego Baiting:

Create content that flatters or features influencers in your niche. When influencers share or link to such content, it can result in high-quality backlinks.

• • Example: Create a list of ‘Top 10 Fitness Influencers’ and include influential figures in your niche.

• • Tip: Notify the influencers; they might share your content once you publish.

16. Outsourcing Link Building:

Consider hiring a reputable link-building service to manage this aspect of SEO for you. This frees up your time to focus on other business areas while professionals handle your link-building needs.

• • Example: Hire a specialized SEO agency to develop and execute a link-building strategy for your online bookstore.

• • Tip: Do thorough research and choose a reputable agency with proven results.

17. Podcast Guest Appearances:

This strategy involves appearing as a guest on podcasts relevant to your niche. By sharing valuable insights and mentioning your website during the conversation, you can gain backlinks from the podcast’s website or episode descriptions. It’s an excellent way to reach new audiences and establish authority in your field.

• • Example: Appear as a guest on a popular marketing podcast, and they might link to your site in the episode description.

• • Tip: Share valuable insights and mention your website naturally during the conversation.

18. Video Content Creation:

Creating engaging video content for platforms like YouTube allows you to include your website link in the video description. This method not only drives traffic to your site but also enhances your online presence through multimedia content, which can be more engaging than text alone.

• • Example: Create engaging YouTube videos related to your niche and include your website link in the video description.

• • Tip: Ensure your videos provide value and have a clear call to action.

19. Infographic Distribution:

Design and distribute informative infographics relevant to your niche. By sharing these with blogs, forums, or websites interested in your topic, you can gain backlinks when they publish your infographic. This strategy leverages visual content to make complex information easily understandable and shareable.

• • Example: Design an informative infographic about renewable energy and share it with environmental blogs.

• • Tip: Make your infographics visually appealing and easy to understand.

20. Community Engagement:

Actively participating in online forums and communities related to your niche and including a link to your website in your signature or profile can build backlinks. This method focuses on building relationships and providing value to the community rather than direct promotion.

• • Example: Actively participate in relevant online forums and include a link to your website in your signature.

• • Tip: Focus on being helpful rather than promotional.

21. Webinar Hosting:

Hosting webinars on topics relevant to your niche, especially in collaboration with other industry experts, can result in backlinks from participants and partners. This strategy is effective for demonstrating expertise and engaging with a targeted audience.

• • Example: Host a webinar on digital marketing trends and partner with other industry experts who might share your link.

• • Tip: Promote your webinar across various platforms for maximum reach.

22. Charity or Non-Profit Collaboration:

Collaborating with charities or non-profit organizations can lead to backlinks from their websites, especially if you’re listed as a partner or sponsor. This approach not only builds links but also enhances brand image and corporate social responsibility.

• • Example: Collaborate with a charity, and they might link to your business as a partner or sponsor.

• • Tip: Choose a charity that aligns with your business values.

23. User-Generated Content:

Encouraging customers to write reviews, share stories, or create content related to your products or services can result in natural backlinks to your site. This strategy leverages the power of your audience to generate content and links.

• • Example: Encourage customers to write reviews or share stories, linking back to your product pages.

• • Tip: Offer incentives for user-generated content.

24. Local Business Partnerships:

Partnering with local businesses for joint promotions or events can lead to mutual link exchanges on each other’s websites. This method is particularly effective for local SEO and building community-based relationships.

• • Example: Partner with local businesses for joint promotions and exchange links on each other’s websites.

• • Tip: Choose businesses that complement but don’t compete with yours.

25. Online Contests and Giveaways:

Hosting online contests or giveaways where participants are encouraged to link back to your site can generate backlinks and increase engagement. This strategy is effective for reaching a wider audience and creating buzz around your brand.

• • Example: Host a giveaway and have participants link to your site as part of the entry process.

• • Tip: Make sure the contest is relevant to your target audience.

26. Expert Roundups:

Creating content that features insights from various experts in your field can lead to those experts linking back to your content. This method is effective for building relationships with industry leaders and providing comprehensive, authoritative content.

• • Example: Create a post featuring insights from various experts in your field, and they might link back to it.

• • Tip: Choose experts likely to share and link to the post.

27. Alumni Networks:

Utilizing alumni networks for backlinks involves leveraging connections from educational institutions you or your team members have attended. This can result in backlinks from reputable educational websites, enhancing your site’s authority.

• • Example: Leverage your alumni network for potential backlinks from educational institutions.

• • Tip: Offer valuable content or services relevant to the alumni community.

28. Government or Educational Outreach:

Offering free educational resources relevant to your niche to government or educational websites can lead to high-quality backlinks. This strategy requires creating content that meets the high standards of these institutions but can significantly boost your site’s credibility.

• • Example: Offer a free educational resource relevant to your niche to government or educational websites.

• • Tip: Ensure your content meets the high standards of these institutions.

How Many Backlinks Do You Need?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how many backlinks you need. The number varies depending on your niche, competition, and the quality of the links. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to analyze your target keywords and determine the link gap you need to fill.

Here is a small chart of some random Keywords and how hard on a scale from 1-10 they are to rank for and the estimated minimum backlinks needed to rank on the first page of Google.

Keyword	Estimated Difficulty (1-10)	Estimated Minimum Backlinks	Notes
SEO	9	500+	Highly competitive and requires high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites.
Link Building	8	300-500	Competitive, needs backlinks from reputable SEO or marketing sites.
Back Links	7	200-400	Moderately competitive, relevant backlinks from tech and SEO sites are beneficial.
Guest Post	6	150-300	Requires backlinks from various blogs and content marketing sites.
WordPress Tools	7	200-400	Competitive within the WordPress community, needs backlinks from tech and WordPress-related sites.
Plugins	6	150-300	Moderately competitive, especially for tech and WordPress-related sites.
Themes	5	100-250	Requires specific backlinks from design and WordPress-related sites.
Web Design	8	300-500	Highly competitive, needs backlinks from authoritative design and tech sites.
Content Management	7	200-400	Competitive, especially with tech and business sites.
Building Traffic	7	200-400	Moderately competitive, requires diverse backlinks from marketing and SEO sites.

Key Points to Consider:

1. 1. Quality over Quantity: The quality of backlinks often matters more than the quantity. Links from high-authority, relevant sites carry more weight.

1. 1. Content Relevance: The relevance of the content to the keyword is crucial. Even with many backlinks, irrelevant content won’t rank well.

1. 1. On-Page SEO: Factors like keyword optimization, content quality, user experience, and site speed are also critical for ranking.

1. 1. Competitor Analysis: Analyzing the backlink profiles of top-ranking pages for these keywords can provide more insights.

1. 1. Ongoing Effort: SEO and link building are ongoing efforts. Rankings can change, and what works today might not be as effective tomorrow.

Remember, these are general guidelines and should be adapted to your specific situation and the ever-evolving nature of Google’s search algorithm.

Wrapping Up:

Choose three strategies from this list. Whether aiming for the low-hanging fruit of social media backlinks or the more labor-intensive approach of guest blogging, consistency and quality are key. If you’d rather outsource, consider a reliable service to build high-quality links that boost your rankings.

Lastly, I’m curious – which three link-building strategies will you focus on this year? Share your choices, and let’s discuss the potential they hold for your SEO success in 2024!

P.S.  Please list in the comments any other techniques you use or recommend for building backlinks. I would love to hear from you all.