26 Apr How to Get Backlinks Without Begging, Paying, or Lying
Backlinks remain a cornerstone of effective SEO, but acquiring them doesn’t have to involve desperate outreach, financial transactions, or deceptive tactics. By focusing on value-driven strategies, you can naturally attract high-quality backlinks. Here’s how:
Create Link-Worthy Content
Producing exceptional content is the most organic way to earn backlinks. When your content offers unique insights or valuable information, others are more inclined to reference it.YouTube
“If your content is boring, derivative, or sounds like ChatGPT coughed it out in 4 seconds… nobody’s linking to it. Period.”
—Alex Cornici, SEO strategist Medium
Action Steps:
- Develop comprehensive guides or tutorials in your niche.
- Conduct original research or case studies.
- Design engaging infographics that simplify complex information. Neil Patel
Neil Patel emphasizes the power of original research and long-form guides in attracting backlinks. Neil Patel
Leverage Broken Link Building
Identify broken links on reputable websites and suggest your content as a replacement. This approach provides value to site owners by helping them maintain a quality user experience.
Action Steps:
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Check My Links to find broken links in your industry.
- Reach out to the website owner with a polite message offering your content as a substitute.
Arctic Meta highlights this strategy as an effective way to build backlinks without financial investment. arcticmeta.com
Utilize Unlinked Mentions
Monitor the web for mentions of your brand or content that don’t include a backlink. A courteous request can often convert these mentions into valuable links.
Action Steps:
- Set up Google Alerts for your brand name and key products.
- Contact the author or webmaster, thanking them for the mention and requesting a link.blog.webitmd.com
This method is endorsed by SEO experts as a straightforward way to gain backlinks.
Engage in Guest Blogging
Writing articles for reputable blogs in your industry can establish your authority and provide backlink opportunities.
Action Steps:
- Identify blogs that accept guest posts and align with your niche.
- Pitch unique content ideas that offer value to their audience.
- Include a relevant backlink to your site within the content or author bio.
Neil Patel lists guest blogging as a key strategy for generating backlinks without direct outreach. Reddit
Offer Testimonials
Providing testimonials for products or services you’ve used can earn you a backlink from the company’s website.
Action Steps:
- Reach out to companies whose products you use, offering a testimonial.
- Ensure your testimonial includes your name and a link to your website.
This tactic is recognized as a win-win, offering companies authentic endorsements while you gain backlinks.
Participate in Industry Forums and Communities
Active participation in relevant online communities can lead to natural backlink opportunities.Reddit
Action Steps:
- Join forums and discussion groups related to your field.
- Contribute valuable insights and link to your content when appropriate.
Engaging in these communities helps build relationships and can lead to organic backlinking.
Launch a “Free Tool” or Resource Page
People love linking to helpful resources and tools. If you build something genuinely useful, backlinks come naturally.
Ideas:
- A niche calculator (e.g., ROI calculator for SaaS).
- A checklist generator.
- A swipe file (e.g., headlines, email templates).
- Industry-specific templates (Notion, Excel, Google Sheets).
Example: Backlinko’s SEO tools like the Keyword Difficulty Checker earned Brian Dean hundreds of organic backlinks.
(Backlinko)
Create Data-Backed “State of the Industry” Reports
Original data = backlink magnet. Journalists, bloggers, and thought leaders love citing stats.
How to do it:
- Survey your email list or community.
- Use public datasets (Google Trends, Census, Crunchbase).
- Visualize the data clearly with graphs and charts.
Bonus Tip: Submit your report to sites like HARO or Terkel to get journalist attention.
Start a “Best Of” or Awards List
Recognize top players or tools in your space. People you mention will often link back to your post.
Example Titles:
- “Top 25 Copywriters to Follow in 2025”
- “Best Productivity Tools for Remote Teams”
- “SEO Agency Awards: The Most Transparent in the Game”
“People love awards. Even if they’re made up. Just don’t make it spammy.” — Ross Simmonds, Founder of Foundation Inc.
(foundonfounder.substack.com)
Publish a “Controversial Take” (Tastefully)
Hot takes get shared. Be bold, but back it up with logic or data.
Examples:
- “Why ‘X’ Is Overrated in SEO”
- “The Myth of DA: Why Domain Authority Doesn’t Matter Anymore”
- “We Deleted Our Blog and It Boosted Conversions (Here’s Why)”
Be respectful, not clickbait-for-the-sake-of-it. When done right, these earn discussion, debate—and links.
Run a Free Public Challenge
Challenges go viral—and create natural linking from participants and bloggers.
Ideas:
- “30-Day Blogging Challenge”
- “Build a Website in a Weekend”
- “SEO in 60 Minutes a Day for 7 Days”
Set up a simple landing page, a hashtag, and let participants document their progress (and link back to your challenge hub).
Curate Epic Industry Roundups
Interview 10+ influencers or experts around one specific question. These roundups often get reshared and linked by the very people featured.
Example:
- “17 SEO Experts Predict the Future of AI in Search”
Send each expert their feature with a thank-you note and they’ll likely promote it for you.
Tip: Use tools like Help a B2B Writer or Terkel to find contributors.
Host a Live Event or Webinar With a Partner
Co-hosting = double the exposure, double the backlink opportunity.
Post-event, you can repurpose it into a blog, YouTube video, or gated resource (and earn links all over again).
Event pages often get linked on event calendars, industry forums, and in newsletters.
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Building backlinks doesn’t require compromising your integrity or emptying your wallet. By focusing on creating valuable content and engaging authentically with your industry, you can attract high-quality backlinks naturally.
As one Reddit user aptly put it:
“Absolutely, you can get backlinks without paying, but it requires time and effort. Focus on creating high-quality, shareable content that provides real value.”
—u/SEOPro Reddit
Remember, the key to successful backlink building lies in offering genuine value and fostering real connections within your industry.
About Design Moves Marketing Studio – Based in South Florida
Design Moves Marketing Studio is a results-driven agency that specializes in SEO, not just in theory, but in real-world practice. With a hands-on approach, they craft tailored strategies that focus on measurable growth, not just rankings. Their team combines technical expertise with creative storytelling to build authority, drive organic traffic, and turn SEO into a true business asset — delivering tangible results, not just promises.