23 Ways to Build Blog Backlinks to Get More Readers and Traffic

What are you doing to build blog backlinks?

Backlinks are an essential function of your SEO and blog marketing efforts. They will help you rank higher on page one of Google search results, which will attract more traffic, readers, subscribers, and, ultimately, customers.

But it scares bloggers to build blog backlinks because it seems like such a complicated process.

The truth is, it can be. But there are still ways to do it, which makes it less complicated. I don’t want to sit here and lie to you. It does take work, but if you’re willing to do the work, your blog can be really successful.

Let me help you build blog backlinks by showing you some of the best ways to do it in this guide.

Why Build Blog Backlinks?

You want to build blog backlinks to help get your blog ranked higher on search results.

A backlink is simply when another website links to your content. In most cases, the link is set to be followed and indexed by search engines. Some links are set not to be followed, and while that isn’t the best, it can still be helpful.

A website that links to you needs to have accurate content that is relevant to your niche. If the site is sketchy or untrustworthy, it can impact your backlink ranking.

Don’t try to create other websites just to get more backlinks by ” cheating the system.” Google’s algorithms will figure that out quickly, and your blog could be penalized as a result.

The more trustworthy backlinks you have, the higher Google will rank your blog in its search results. The same goes for the other search engines.

A better ranking will get you on page one quicker. That gets you more traffic to your blog that you can convert to whatever you want to get out of your traffic.

It’s important to build blog backlinks to help make your blog more visible on search engines.

 

Natural Blog Backlinks are Best

Natural backlinks are the best because they’re natural.

What I mean by natural is when websites link to your blog based on their own decision. Basically, if I find a useful blog post, I add it to my content to show my readers some relevant information about the topic.

That’s a nature backlink.

No one contacted me to add that link. I did it on my own accord and decision. You want more of these types of backlinks than through other means of getting them.

The best way to build blog backlinks the natural way is to create the best content possible. If you spend a good amount of time creating and editing your content to make it near perfect, you’ll have a better chance of making it natural backlink worthy.

Help others with your content. Answer tough questions. Solve hard problems. Provide easy answers and solutions. You should try everything you can to fulfill your audience’s needs and wants with your content.

That’s how you can build blog backlinks the natural way.

 

Use a Backlinks Analysis Tool

As you build blog backlinks, you’ll want to use a backlinks analysis tool.

This type of tool will help you analyze your backlink performance and see important metrics. It shows you what has worked and what hasn’t. Most of your competition is using this type of tool.

There are many tools available for this intended purpose.

Some of the higher-end ones offer more ease of use and many extra features. However, they tend to have a fairly large price tag. A few of the best ones include SEM Rush, Ahrefs, and MOZ.

There are cheaper and even free options to choose from, too. These typically don’t offer the best user experience and features but can still give you the information you need once you learn how to use them. One great free service is Google Search Console, which you should be using to begin with, even if you’re using the more expensive tool listed above.

Learn everything you can about analyzing backlinks and get good at it. It can ultimately help you create the best backlink-building strategy.

 

Check Your Competition’s Backlinks

Try to keep a close eye on your blogging competition.

Don’t just analyze your backlinks. When you build blog backlinks, you want to use your own strategy, but you also want to use what works. The strategy your competition is using seems to work, so if you can adopt that strategy as well, you should do it.

There is something wrong with copying your competitors.

There is nothing wrong with watching them and then adopting their strategies as your own, but doing the work yourself and making it your own unique thing.

Everyone does that, even your competitors. That’s how they got to where they are today.

 

Strategies to Build Blog Backlinks

The following strategies will help you build blog backlinks. They require you to work for them, but they make the process a little easier than trying to do it without a strategy.

 

1 – Guest Posting and Podcasts

You can build blog backlinks through guest posting and interviewing on podcasts.

You provide a link to your blog or blog post in your bio section of the guest post or podcast show notes.

Guest blogging and podcast interviews will also help you build credibility and expertise in your niche.

Find similar blogs and podcasts related to your niche and pitch to the owners of them.

 

2 – Partnerships with Other Creators

One of the best ways to build blog backlinks is by partnering with other bloggers and creators.

This is especially true when doing it through social media or marketing campaigns.

You and the other blogger can collaborate on a cause or campaign, share one another’s traffic, and backlink to each other.

Like when guest blogging, you need to contact other creators and pitch your idea to them.

 

3 – Find Relevant Broken Links

Look for broken links on other blogs and websites within your niche.

If you have a post that would be a great replacement for that broken link, contact the site owner and request that they use it.

If you don’t have a post that fits, then create one and spend some time making it the best.

If they say no, at least you have a good post to share on your blog.

 

4 – Find Mentions without Links

A lot of times, you can build blog backlinks through your fans.

Many other bloggers and website owners may mention your blog by name but not provide a link to it.

This gives you a great opportunity to contact them and ask that they make the text a link to your blog or to a post you created.

This is a great opportunity for you to get more links out in your niche.

 

5 – Create Awesome Content

As I stated in the section about natural backlinks, you need to be creating the best content possible.

Natural links are the best way to build blog backlinks, and that requires you to create content on your blog that is better than that of any other blogger.

Cover what your competition has written about, but fill the gaps of information they missed in their content.

You should also use popular formats like how-tos, guides, and listicles, as they tend to perform better on search engines.

 

6 – SEO Your Blog Content

If you want to build blog backlinks, people need to be able to find your blog content and link to it.

That means you need to do better on search engines.

You can do this through search engine optimization. Research keywords, place keywords in your content, and make sure your blog loads quickly and is responsive to mobile users.

If you use WordPress like most bloggers, check out the free Yoast SEO plugin to ensure that your content has the right amount of SEO added to it.

 

7 – Create Listicles and How-To Formats

As I said above, the format of your blog post matters when you try to build blog backlinks.

Large blocks of text are boring. Titles need to be eye-catching and pop out.

Create listicles. Provide more items than your competition, but stick to an odd number to make it stand out more. We’re too used to even numbers. Use trigger words, too.

You should also make how-tos and guides on your blog. People love these types of article formats, and they’re very linkable.

 

8 – Become a Source for Other Publishers

You can gain more backlinks by becoming a source for other bloggers and publishers.

This is especially true if you can provide such great content that educational and government websites link to you.

Getting links on a .edu or .gov website can significantly improve your backlink strategies. However, it’s really difficult to get linked to those types of websites these days. You really have to work hard on making your content worthy to get there.

If you can make your content the type of content people use as a reference in papers and essays, you’ll be on your way to building some great backlinks for your blog.

 

9 – Help a Reporter Out (HARO)

Help a Reporter Out is a service where you can provide content to reporters with your blog.

Spend some time researching HARO and other sources like it before you start using it. You can utilize it to build blog backlinks, but you’ll need to create a certain kind of content to be accepted by most who use that service.

If you’re successful, your blog content may be used on websites like the New York Times, Fox News, and CNN.

This method can be ideal if you want to get backlinks on bigger websites.

 

10 – Release Free Tools

Create some tools or apps related to your niche and then give them away for free.

Put your blog link on it as credit and require the credit to remain intact as part of the license agreement for using the free tool or app.

Provide easy ways for websites to promote the tool or app on their websites.

If you create something really significant, you could get a lot of backlinks using this method.

 

11 – Publish Ultimate Guides

Another way to build blog backlinks using the awesome content method is by publishing ultimate guides.

I do this with my hiking blog. I’ll create a trail guide that provides 50 times more information than any other trail guide on the trail, including where to lodge, eat, and other trails nearby.

This gives me an advantage over other trail guides and usually gets mine linked to other websites before anyone else’s trail guide gets chosen.

Create the best guide for a topic in your niche, and you’ll attract a lot of backlinks.

12 – Submit to SOME Directories

Back in the old days, link directories used to be good for building backlinks.

Today, not so much.

But if you can find directories that are directly related to your niche, moderated properly, and contain no spam links – then you might consider submitting to those types of directories.

I’ll warn you, though. Most directories add the “No Follow” attribute to links hosted on them. That’s not always a bad thing, but a “Do Follow” link is often better. They might encourage you to buy that option, but it’s important to remember that Google doesn’t want you to buy links like that.

 

13 – Create Skyscraper Content

Create awesome content using the skyscraper method.

This is how I write all my blog posts, in all honesty.

Basically, you need to research the top organic results on a keyword you want to target. Make your post provide the same information as the top linked posts do but in your own unique words. After that, add to the post to fill the gaps of information the other posts left out.

You basically make your article bigger and better than the top articles.

 

14 – Authority Resource Pages

Create authority resource pages and get linked on other blog authority resource pages to build blog backlinks.

Authority resource pages are pages with links to articles, websites, and other resources pertaining to a specific topic within a niche.

An example could be a page all about using organic garden products in breakfast meals. If you wrote a detailed article about that topic on your blog, it could be listed on another blog’s resource page.

You should also create these types of pages on your blog. They’re often called cornerstone content pages, too.

 

15 – Send Cold Emails for Links

Ask websites to add a “Do Follow” link to their blog.

This is called cold calling or, in your case, cold emailing.

The worst that could happen is the website owner ignores your email or says no.

Keep doing it until you get a yes, but don’t be a spammer about it.

 

16 – Improve on Popular Content and Trends

Evergreen content is the best content to build blog backlinks.

However, sometimes trending content and popular fads might be what it takes to get more links on other websites.

Write posts about what’s trending, popular fads, and similar topics to get listed on websites that are currently linked to those types of trends.

These might not be long-term backlinks, but they can still get you some good link juice on Google and other search engines, at least for a while.

 

17 – Do Relevant Reviews and Testimonials

Try to get backlinks on websites that provide products and services in relation to your blog niche.

One of the best ways to build blog backlinks for that method is to create reviews and testimonials of their products and services, then contact them with links to them and permit them to use them on their website and marketing efforts.

Now, as far as the content goes, you need to be detailed about it. Find the best review or testimonial and make yours 10 times better than theirs. Make your review the decision-makers of others who want to buy the product or service.

Those types of posts get noticed quickly by the product or service provider and are also commonly linked by others who use that product or service and want to recommend it to others.

 

18 – Mention Brands and Influencers in Your Content

When you write new posts on your blog, try to mention related brands and influencers.

Mention them in a positive way that will encourage your readers to check them out. Sell their products for them with your blog. Link to their websites, blogs, and social media pages. Give them a lot of love in the article.

After you do that, send them a message inviting them to check out your post. Give them permission to link to it and use it in their marketing efforts.

If they do, then you’ll probably get some great backlinks out of it.

 

19 – Reach Out to Local Business Associations, News, and Chambers

Your local organizations might be some of your best backlinks.

Local business associations and news stations, radio, podcasts, and even Chamber of Commerce organizations are always looking to help local businesses. Your blog can easily be defined as a local business.

Contact these organizations and services and ask about being linked to or having stories published about your blog. Most of them are eager and willing to work with you.

Always try to be a local business if possible. This can greatly help you get seen more on Google and other search engines.

 

20 – Create Visual Content

Text isn’t always the best in blogging, especially when you’re building backlinks.

Sure, most blogs use a lot of text traditionally, but the keyword there is traditional.

You should also consider more visually appealing formats like photo blogs, podcasts, infographics, and video blogs. Of course, these can be linked to, and backlinks will be formed.

Video is especially important. If you Google any keyword, chances are videos will be the first organic result. People tend to like playing a video more than reading a post. It’s easier and more visually and audibly stimulating, too.

 

21 – Publish Original Research and Statistical Data

Case studies, original research, and statistical data analysis go a long way to help you build blog backlinks.

If you can create these highly detailed fact-driven posts on your blog, people will link to them on a regular basis.

Your gets backlinks from fellow niche bloggers, news sites, businesses, and probably even educational and government websites, too. Research is a big deal.

But be warned—these require a lot of attention to detail, work, and unbiased analysis to do well.

 

22 – Ask Your Audience to Link to You

Build blog backlinks by asking your followers and readers to link to your blog and posts.

Many of them might have websites and blogs similar to yours. Your content can be great for their posts. It’s important to add external links to relevant content.

You should do the same. If you find a reader linking to you and their content is good, return the favorite and link to them when appropriate.

Just be sure to check the websites and blogs you link to. If they’re shady, it can hurt your ranking on Google and other search engines.

 

23 – Post on Your Social Media Communities

If you’re on social media, use it to promote your blog content. If you’re not, at least get on it and promote your blog content with it.

Social media is a great way to build blog backlinks because of the exposure you can get from a growing following.

But you can’t just post a link and be done with it. You have to build a community and a brand. Once you do all that, promoting your blog content will be much easier.

Try to avoid being a spammer. Only post on pages and groups that allow you to post your content, and ask for permission before you post.

 

Don’t Buy Links to Build Blog Backlinks

I’ve touched on this above, but it’s so important to bring it up again.

Don’t buy links to build blog backlinks. It will do more harm than good for your blog and its ranking on almost every search engine, including Google.

Google and other search engines do not allow you to buy links to build your backlinks. They consider it Black Hat SEO, and you could be penalized. That means your blog could even be unlisted and banned from Google searches, which would be detrimental to your marketing efforts.

The best way to avoid this is to not buy backlinks. Buying advertisements isn’t the same as buying a link, either.

 

Final Thoughts on How to Build Blog Backlinks

Building blog backlinks without putting much effort into them isn’t simple. Any blogger who tells you that it’s a simple process is lying to you. It takes work and patience. But if you can handle that, you can use the strategies above to make the whole process a little less challenging.

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Thank you for reading my blog today, and I hope you have a great day.

About the Author

Shawn Gossman has created content, blogged, ran online communities, and shared a passion for digital marketing for over twenty years. Shawn believes the best way to help content creators, businesses, brands, and marketers is to give away more than you sell. The same advice is recommended for the readers who follow this blog. Shawn also offers various services for extra help in content creation and blogging.