How To Build Backlinks…
Building backlinks is one of the most effective ways to improve your website’s visibility and authority. This guide will walk you through the importance of backlinks, proven strategies to build them, and actionable steps to strengthen your backlink profile.
What Are Backlinks?
A backlink is a hyperlink from one website that points to another. Think of it as a vote of confidence – when a reputable site links to yours, it signals to search engines like Google that your content is valuable and trustworthy. This can result in higher search rankings, increased visibility, and more organic traffic.
Why Are Backlinks Important?
Backlinks serve as a crucial ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. They help in multiple ways:
- Improved SEO Rankings: Search engines view backlinks as endorsements, so websites with a strong backlink profile are more likely to rank higher.
- Increased Referral Traffic: Backlinks from relevant sites can drive direct traffic from users interested in your content.
- Enhanced Domain Authority: Quality backlinks from high-authority sites signal trustworthiness and credibility in your industry.
- Faster Indexing: Backlinks help search engines discover new content more quickly, ensuring that your latest pages are indexed faster.
How to Build Backlinks: Proven Strategies
Let’s explore effective and reliable ways to build a strong backlink profile:
1. Guest Blogging
Guest blogging involves writing articles for other websites in exchange for a backlink. Aim to contribute to reputable blogs within your industry, where your expertise is relevant and valuable.
How to Start:
- Identify high-authority sites related to your niche.
- Research their content and pitch unique ideas that add value.
- Ensure your guest posts include a link back to your site, ideally in the author bio or naturally within the article.
2. Create High-Quality, Linkable Content
The backbone of a successful backlink strategy is creating valuable content that others want to reference. When your content is comprehensive, unique, and useful, other sites are more likely to link to it.
Types of Linkable Content:
- Ultimate Guides: In-depth guides that cover a topic comprehensively.
- Infographics: Visual content that simplifies complex information.
- Case Studies: Share insights from real-world projects to add authority and relatability.
Example: If you run a marketing site, create a detailed guide like “The Ultimate Guide to Digital Marketing.” Reach out to industry sites to encourage them to link back to this resource.
3. Leverage Directory Submissions
While some directories offer little value, reputable ones can still be beneficial, especially if they’re niche-specific. Listing your website on high-quality directories provides easy backlinks and increases online visibility.
Recommended Directories:
- Clutch.co: A reputable B2B directory.
- GoodFirms: Great for tech and service-based businesses.
- Google My Business: Essential for local SEO and credibility.
4. Engage in Online Communities and Q&A Sites
Q&A sites like Quora and Reddit are excellent for sharing knowledge, building authority, and linking back to your content when relevant. By providing valuable answers, you can gain both traffic and backlinks.
Tips for Effective Engagement:
- Join communities related to your industry.
- Answer questions thoroughly and add your link only when it enhances the answer.
- Avoid over-promoting; instead, focus on providing genuine value.
5. Conduct Competitor Backlink Analysis
Analyzing your competitors’ backlinks can reveal sites that might also be interested in linking to your content. Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush allow you to uncover backlink sources used by competitors.
Steps to Analyze Competitor Backlinks:
- Identify competitors with strong backlink profiles.
- Use a backlink tool to see which sites link to their content.
- Reach out to those sites with your own high-quality, relevant content.
6. Use Broken Link Building
Broken link building involves finding broken links on other websites and offering your content as a replacement. This is especially effective if the broken link points to a topic related to your site.
How to Execute Broken Link Building:
- Use tools like Check My Links or Ahrefs to identify broken links.
- Reach out to the site owner, informing them of the broken link.
- Suggest your content as an alternative, making it easy for them to update the link.
7. Testimonials and Reviews
Many businesses feature customer testimonials on their sites. Offering a testimonial for a product or service you genuinely use can earn you a backlink from their “Testimonials” page.
Tips:
- Reach out to companies whose products or services you use.
- Offer a concise, positive testimonial that mentions your business.
- Ensure the site links back to your homepage or relevant content.
Essential Tools for Building Backlinks
To succeed in your backlink strategy, these tools can help with outreach, tracking, and analysis:
- Ahrefs: Backlink analysis, competitor research, and link-building opportunities.
- Moz Link Explorer: Measures link metrics and domain authority.
- Google Search Console: Monitors your backlink profile and detects any harmful links.
- Hunter.io: Finds email addresses for outreach to potential linking sites.
How to Maintain a Healthy Backlink Profile
- Diversify Your Sources: A natural backlink profile includes links from various sources – blogs, news sites, forums, and directories.
- Avoid Black Hat Techniques: Stay away from buying links or using link farms, as these can lead to penalties.
- Monitor Your Backlinks Regularly: Use tools like Google Search Console to ensure that your backlinks remain relevant and come from reputable sites.
Frequently Asked Questions about Backlink Building
Q: How long does it take to see results from backlinks?
A: The timeline varies based on factors like the authority of the linking site, the relevance of the link, and your overall SEO strategy. Generally, it may take a few weeks to months to see measurable results.
Q: Are all backlinks equally valuable?
A: No, backlinks from high-authority and relevant sites are far more valuable than those from low-quality or unrelated sites.
Q: What are “nofollow” links, and are they useful?
A: Nofollow links do not pass SEO value directly, but they can drive traffic and diversify your backlink profile, contributing to a more natural link structure.
Conclusion… Build Backlinks
The process to Build backlinks is ongoing, It requires consistent effort, strategic planning, and a focus on quality over quantity. By leveraging guest blogging, creating valuable content, and using tools to identify opportunities, you can establish a robust backlink profile that enhances your SEO and drives organic traffic.
Looking to streamline your backlink strategy?
At MarGen, we specialise in helping businesses scale their revenue and increase their profitability.
Book your free strategy session below:
Contact us today to learn how we can help you boost your site’s authority and achieve your digital marketing goals.
141 Free Backlink Sites To Build Backlinks Quickly
| Name of Site | URL | DA | Type of Backlink | Other Info |
| 500px | https://500px.com | 82 | Dofollow | Online photography community. |
| Academia.edu | https://www.academia.edu | 92 | Dofollow | Platform for academics to share research papers. |
| AllTop | https://alltop.com | 80 | Dofollow | Aggregator of RSS feeds from top websites. |
| Anchor | https://www.anchor.fm | 85 | Dofollow | Free podcast hosting. |
| AngelList | https://angel.co | 81 | Dofollow | Platform for startups to raise money and recruit talent. |
| Angie’s List | https://www.angieslist.com | 85 | Dofollow | Platform for local business reviews. |
| Answerbag | https://www.answerbag.com | 66 | Dofollow | Q&A platform covering various topics. |
| APSense | https://www.apsense.com | 71 | Dofollow | Business social network. |
| ArticleAlley | https://www.articlealley.com | 61 | Dofollow | Article directory for various topics. |
| ArticleBiz | https://www.articlebiz.com | 56 | Dofollow | Free article directory. |
| ArticleCity | https://www.articlecity.com | 60 | Dofollow | Free articles for reprint and distribution. |
| ArticleCube | https://www.articlecube.com | 46 | Dofollow | Free article directory. |
| ArticleRich | https://www.articlerich.com | 58 | Dofollow | Article directory covering various topics. |
| ArticlesBase | https://www.articlesbase.com | 70 | Dofollow | Free online articles directory. |
| ArticlesFactory | https://www.articlesfactory.com | 50 | Dofollow | Free article submission website. |
| Ask.fm | https://ask.fm | 71 | Dofollow | Q&A social network. |
| AuthorStream | https://www.authorstream.com | 70 | Dofollow | Presentation sharing site. |
| Behance | https://www.behance.net | 93 | Dofollow | Online portfolio site for creative professionals. |
| BetaList | https://www.betalist.com | 71 | Dofollow | Platform for launching and discovering startups. |
| BibSonomy | https://www.bibsonomy.org | 61 | Dofollow | Social bookmarking for academics and researchers. |
| BizSugar | https://share.bizsugar.com | 60 | Dofollow | Social bookmarking and networking platform for small businesses. |
| Blogger | https://www.blogger.com | 92 | Dofollow | Free blogging platform by Google. |
| Bloglovin’ | https://www.bloglovin.com | 83 | Dofollow | Platform to follow and share blogs. |
| Blurtit | https://www.blurtit.com | 59 | Dofollow | Question-and-answer website. |
| Bookmax | https://my.bookmax.net | 60 | Dofollow | Online bookmark manager. |
| Bookmax | https://my.bookmax.net | 60 | Dofollow | Online bookmark manager. |
| BoredPanda | https://www.boredpanda.com | 89 | Dofollow | Platform for art, design, and photography content. |
| Box | https://www.box.com | 86 | Dofollow | Cloud content management and file sharing service. |
| Business 2 Community | https://www.business2community.com | 87 | Dofollow | Platform for business professionals to share insights and experiences. |
| Calameo | https://en.calameo.com | 79 | Dofollow | Digital publishing platform for magazines. |
| Citysearch | https://www.citysearch.com | 82 | Dofollow | Local business search directory. |
| ConsumerAffairs | https://www.consumeraffairs.com | 85 | Dofollow | Consumer reviews and ratings. |
| Craigslist | https://www.craigslist.org | 91 | Dofollow | Classified ads platform. |
| Crunchbase | https://www.crunchbase.com | 91 | Dofollow | Platform for business information about private and public companies. |
| Dailymotion | https://www.dailymotion.com | 92 | Dofollow | Video hosting platform. |
| DailyStrength | https://www.dailystrength.org | 73 | Dofollow | Community for health support groups. |
| Designspiration | https://www.designspiration.com | 62 | Dofollow | Design inspiration and community platform. |
| Dev.to | https://dev.to | 80 | Dofollow | Social platform for software developers. |
| DeviantArt | https://www.deviantart.com | 92 | Dofollow | Online community for artists and art enthusiasts. |
| Digg | https://digg.com | 80 | Dofollow | News aggregator with a curated front page. |
| Diigo | https://www.diigo.com | 90 | Dofollow | Social bookmarking and annotation tool. |
| DocDroid | https://www.docdroid.net | 72 | Dofollow | Online document sharing. |
| DZone | https://dzone.com | 81 | Dofollow | Community for software developers. |
| EzineArticles | https://ezinearticles.com | 87 | Dofollow | Article directory for expert authors. |
| FlipHTML5 | https://fliphtml5.com | 77 | Dofollow | Digital publishing platform for eBooks and magazines. |
| Folkd | https://www.folkd.com | 70 | Dofollow | Social bookmarking and networking site. |
| Foursquare | https://foursquare.com | 90 | Dofollow | Local search-and-discovery service app. |
| Freepik | https://www.freepik.com | 85 | Dofollow | Platform for free photos, vectors, and PSDs. |
| Ghost | https://ghost.org | 84 | Dofollow | Platform for independent publishing and journalism. |
| Giphy | https://giphy.com | 88 | Dofollow | Search engine for GIFs. |
| GitHub | https://github.com | 94 | Dofollow | Platform for version control and collaboration. |
| Glassdoor | https://www.glassdoor.com | 90 | Dofollow | Job search and company review site. |
| Goodfirms | https://www.goodfirms.co | 69 | Dofollow | Research and review platform for software and business services. |
| GoodReads | https://www.goodreads.com | 93 | Dofollow | Platform for book reviews and recommendations. |
| Google Sites | https://sites.google.com | 93 | Dofollow | Website creation tool by Google. |
| Gravatar | https://en.gravatar.com | 89 | Dofollow | Globally recognized avatars. |
| GrowthHackers | https://growthhackers.com | 71 | Dofollow | Community for marketers to share growth strategies. |
| Gumtree | https://www.gumtree.com | 83 | Dofollow | Classified ads site. |
| HackerNoon | https://hackernoon.com | 73 | Dofollow | Tech and startup publication. |
| Hashnode | https://hashnode.com | 79 | Dofollow | Developer community for blogging and sharing ideas. |
| HF-News | https://hfnewss.com | 40 | Dofollow | Article submission site. |
| HubPages | https://hubpages.com | 90 | Dofollow | User-generated content, revenue-sharing website. |
| HubSpot Community | https://community.hubspot.com | 85 | Dofollow | Community for HubSpot users to ask questions and share knowledge. |
| Infographic Directory | https://infographic-directory.com | 45 | Dofollow | Directory of infographics. |
| Infographic Journal | https://infographicjournal.com | 59 | Dofollow | Infographic submission platform. |
| Infographics Showcase | https://infographicsshowcase.com | 50 | Dofollow | Infographic sharing platform. |
| Infographics Zone | https://www.infographicszone.com | 40 | Dofollow | Platform for submitting and sharing infographics. |
| Instapaper | https://www.instapaper.com | 80 | Dofollow | Tool for saving web pages to read later. |
| Issuu | https://issuu.com | 94 | Dofollow | Digital publishing platform for magazines, catalogs, and more. |
| Jimdo | https://www.jimdo.com | 78 | Dofollow | Website builder with free hosting. |
| Joomla | https://www.joomla.org | 92 | Dofollow | Open-source content management system (CMS). |
| JustPaste.it | https://justpaste.it | 78 | Dofollow | Tool for quickly sharing text online. |
| Kinja | https://kinja.com | 91 | Dofollow | Publishing platform for blogs and news sites. |
| https://www.linkedin.com | 98 | Dofollow | Professional networking platform. | |
| Listen Notes | https://www.listennotes.com | 78 | Dofollow | Podcast search engine. |
| Listly | https://list.ly | 78 | Dofollow | List-building community and platform. |
| Listly | https://list.ly | 78 | Dofollow | List-building community and platform. |
| LiveJournal | https://www.livejournal.com | 92 | Dofollow | Social networking service where users can keep a blog or journal. |
| Local.com | https://www.local.com | 73 | Dofollow | Local business directory. |
| Locanto | https://www.locanto.com | 68 | Dofollow | Free classifieds platform. |
| Medium | https://medium.com | 96 | Dofollow | Popular blogging platform. |
| Metacafe | https://www.metacafe.com | 77 | Dofollow | Video sharing platform. |
| Minds | https://www.minds.com | 79 | Dofollow | Decentralized social media platform. |
| Mix | https://mix.com | 84 | Dofollow | Social content curation site. |
| MySpace | https://myspace.com | 95 | Dofollow | Social networking site with a focus on music. |
| NewsiLike | https://www.newsilike.in | 50 | Dofollow | Platform for sharing infographics. |
| OLX | https://www.olx.com | 80 | Dofollow | Online marketplace and classified ads site. |
| OverBlog | https://www.over-blog.com | 72 | Dofollow | Free blogging platform. |
| PDF Archive | https://www.pdf-archive.com | 63 | Dofollow | PDF hosting and sharing platform. |
| Pearltrees | https://www.pearltrees.com | 73 | Dofollow | Tool for organizing and sharing interests. |
| Pexels | https://www.pexels.com | 91 | Dofollow | Free stock photo and video sharing site. |
| Photobucket | https://photobucket.com | 83 | Dofollow | Image hosting and sharing platform. |
| Pixabay | https://pixabay.com | 89 | Dofollow | Free image and video sharing platform. |
| Playbuzz | https://www.playbuzz.com | 77 | Dofollow | Platform for interactive content creation. |
| Podbean | https://www.podbean.com | 82 | Dofollow | Podcast hosting platform. |
| Product Hunt | https://www.producthunt.com | 82 | Dofollow | Platform for discovering new products and startups. |
| Pure Infographics | https://pureinfographics.com | 47 | Dofollow | Site for infographic submission and sharing. |
| Quora | https://www.quora.com | 93 | Dofollow | Question-and-answer platform. |
| Redbubble | https://www.redbubble.com | 89 | Dofollow | Global marketplace for independent artists. |
| https://www.reddit.com | 94 | Dofollow | Social news aggregation and discussion website. | |
| ReverbNation | https://www.reverbnation.com | 83 | Dofollow | Musician profile and networking site. |
| Scribd | https://www.scribd.com | 91 | Dofollow | Document sharing platform. |
| SelfGrowth | https://www.selfgrowth.com | 73 | Dofollow | Self-improvement and personal development community. |
| Shutterfly | https://www.shutterfly.com | 85 | Dofollow | Digital printing, photo books, and gifts. |
| SiteJabber | https://www.sitejabber.com | 76 | Dofollow | Consumer review platform for online businesses. |
| SitePoint | https://www.sitepoint.com | 84 | Dofollow | Web development community and educational platform. |
| Slashdot | https://slashdot.org | 90 | Dofollow | News website focusing on technology and science. |
| SlideBoom | https://www.slideboom.com | 65 | Dofollow | Slide hosting platform. |
| SlideShare | https://www.slideshare.net | 95 | Dofollow | Platform for sharing presentations and documents. |
| Smashwords | https://www.smashwords.com | 80 | Dofollow | eBook publishing platform. |
| SooperArticles | https://www.sooperarticles.com | 53 | Dofollow | Article directory for authors and publishers. |
| Soup.io | https://www.soup.io | 68 | Dofollow | Microblogging and social media site. |
| Stack Exchange | https://stackexchange.com | 91 | Dofollow | Network of Q&A sites on various topics. |
| Stitcher | https://www.stitcher.com | 86 | Dofollow | Podcast streaming platform. |
| Storeboard | https://www.storeboard.com | 72 | Dofollow | Social media site for businesses. |
| Strikingly | https://www.strikingly.com | 80 | Dofollow | Website builder for creating free sites. |
| TechDirt | https://www.techdirt.com | 81 | Dofollow | Technology news and analysis blog. |
| TED | https://www.ted.com | 92 | Dofollow | Platform for inspirational talks and conferences. |
| The Verge | https://www.theverge.com | 92 | Dofollow | Technology news and media site. |
| TrendHunter | https://www.trendhunter.com | 89 | Dofollow | Online community focused on trend spotting. |
| Trustpilot | https://www.trustpilot.com | 94 | Dofollow | Review site for businesses. |
| Tumblr | https://www.tumblr.com | 92 | Dofollow | Microblogging and social media platform. |
| Veoh | https://www.veoh.com | 74 | Dofollow | Video hosting service. |
| Viesearch | https://viesearch.com | 50 | Dofollow | Human-curated search engine and web directory. |
| Vimeo | https://www.vimeo.com | 93 | Dofollow | Video sharing and hosting platform. |
| Visual.ly | https://visual.ly | 86 | Dofollow | Platform for infographics and visual content. |
| Visualhunt | https://visualhunt.com | 57 | Dofollow | Platform for free stock photos. |
| VisualLoop | http://visualoop.com | 55 | Dofollow | Blog and community focused on visual storytelling and infographics. |
| Vizualize.me | https://vizualize.me | 67 | Dofollow | Visual resume builder. |
| Wattpad | https://www.wattpad.com | 91 | Dofollow | Platform for writers to share stories and connect with readers. |
| We Heart It | https://weheartit.com | 89 | Dofollow | Social network for sharing images and inspiration. |
| WebProNews | https://www.webpronews.com | 81 | Dofollow | Online publication focused on technology and business news. |
| Webs | https://www.webs.com | 75 | Dofollow | Website builder and hosting platform. |
| https://www.xing.com | 85 | Dofollow | Professional networking platform similar to LinkedIn. | |
| YellowPages | https://www.yellowpages.com | 88 | Dofollow | Local business directory. |
| Yelp | https://www.yelp.com | 93 | Dofollow | Local business directory and review site. |
| Yola | https://www.yola.com | 77 | Dofollow | Website building platform. |
| Yumpu | https://www.yumpu.com | 85 | Dofollow | Digital publishing for magazines and documents. |
| Zing! | https://www.zing.com | 67 | Dofollow | Online social network focused on career and networking opportunities. |
