You must have heard that creating excellent content is all you require to achieve success in the area of SEO. The above statement is true but in a limited sense: Google still uses links as its key ranking factor.
Without strong backlinks, even the best content can struggle to rank. That’s where link acquisition comes in.
But let’s be honest—it’s not easy. Finding the right links takes time, effort, and a solid strategy.
Don’t worry. This article is here to help. We’ll show you smart, proven ways to build high-quality links that can boost your rankings in 2025.
Source: Monsterinsights
Let’s get started!
What is Link Acquisition?
Link acquisition is the process of getting backlinks from other websites to your own. These backlinks show search engines that your website is reliable and worth ranking higher. The more good-quality links you get, the better your site performs in search results.
Unlike simply building any links, link acquisition focuses on getting links from websites that are trusted, relevant to your niche, and add real value. This ensures the links help your SEO instead of harming it.
Top 11 Link Acquisition Strategies for 2025
Here, we’ll share 11 simple and effective ways to build links that can boost your rankings and make a real impact!
1. Guest Blogging
Guest blogging has been part of SEO for years. Back in 2014, Google’s Matt Cutts said guest posting for SEO was “dead.” But he was talking about spammy guest blogging—low-quality posts done just to get backlinks.
The truth is, guest blogging still works when done the right way. It’s about creating valuable content for legitimate websites that have real audiences. This approach helps with link acquisition SEO by earning high-quality backlinks that add real value.
Source: Authorityhacker
For example, writing for a well-known site in your niche helps you reach its audience while improving your backlink acquisition efforts. These links aren’t just about rankings—they also help grow your brand’s authority.
Here’s how to make guest blogging work:
- Target websites run by real people.
- Focus on sites that align with your audience and niche.
- Write content that offers value and solves real problems.
Guest blogging is not just for backlinks. It is a smart way to get links that will build up trust, visibility, and good quality links for the website.
2. Creating Linkable Assets
Linkable assets are valuable pieces of content designed to naturally attract backlinks. They work because they offer something useful, unique, or interesting that other websites want to share.
1. Publish Unique Research
Share surveys, studies, or case results with fresh data. People love using credible statistics to back up their own content.Reliable data is hard to find, so people are more likely to link to it.
2. Make Infographics
Turn complex information into easy-to-understand visuals. Infographics are eye-catching and often get shared widely. People prefer visuals for quick learning and sharing.
3. Write How-To Guides
Detailed guides that solve common problems or answer questions attract attention and backlinks over time. Guides provide clear solutions that people want to share.
4. Host Webinars or Events
Run online webinars or events to educate your audience. Attendees and websites may share links to the event or its recording. Webinars position you as an expert and build trust.
5. Add Interactive Content
Create quizzes, calculators, or surveys that users can engage with. These are fun, useful, and easily shareable. Interactive content keeps users engaged and encourages links.
6. Curate Resource Lists
Compile helpful lists, like tools or tips, for your audience. These lists act as a go-to reference for many people. People like sharing easy-to-use resources.
Think about your audience’s needs. What challenges are they facing? Create content that solves their problems or offers real value to them.
3. Using Niche Edits
Niche edits, also called curated links, involve adding your link to content that’s already published on another website. Instead of creating new content, you work with site owners to insert your link where it fits naturally.
This is a simple and effective link acquisition strategy because:
- The content is already indexed by search engines.
- You benefit from the page’s existing authority and traffic.
- It’s faster than creating new articles.
How to Make Niche Edits Work
- Find Relevant Pages Search for articles that relate to your niche or audience.
- Contact the Website Owner: Reach out to the site owner and suggest adding your link.
- Keep It Natural: Your link should blend into the content naturally.
Why Niche Edits Are Useful
- Quicker Results: The article is already trusted by search engines.
- Relevant Backlinks: Links placed in related content improve SEO by showing relevance.
- Cost-Effective: It’s usually cheaper and faster than creating guest posts.
Here’s an example of a niche edit by Outreach Monks on HubSpot. The page has impressive stats, including 1.2k referring pages, a URL rating of 26, and 1.6k visitors per month.
4. Publishing E-E-A-T Content
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. For Google, content that’s helpful, reliable, and made by someone who really knows a lot is preferred. This matters significantly for areas like health, finance, or law, where bad information can cause big problems.
How to Create E-E-A-T Content
- Write About What You Know Best: Focus on topics where you have expertise or experience. Share case studies, personal insights, or practical solutions.
- Use Trusted Sources: Back your claims with reliable data, research, or expert opinions. This makes your content more credible.
- Build an Online Reputation: Create a strong author bio, highlight your qualifications, and share your achievements. Let readers know why they should trust you.
- Be Honest and Clear: Avoid making exaggerated claims or using clickbait. Keep your content transparent and trustworthy.
- Earn Quality Backlinks: When authoritative websites link to your content, it signals to Google that your site is a trusted source.
YMYL is short for Your Money or Your Life. These pages contain some very important information, either health, money, or legal advice. Google will expect such pages to be better, because the information actually can affect a person’s life.
For YMYL content, E-E-A-T is very important. It should be written by qualified experts, supported by accurate sources, and give real value to readers. This helps build trust and increases your chances of ranking high in competitive fields.
5. Leveraging Brand Mentions
Brand mentions happen when someone is talking about your business, product, or service on their website but is not linking to you. Thus, it is an easy and rather valuable way to get link-juice by turning the unlinked mentions into links.
Why Brand Mentions Are Valuable
If a website is already talking about you, they are more likely to add a link. Links help their audience learn more about what they’re mentioning, making the update beneficial for both you and them. How to find and turn brand mentions into links:
1. Look for Mentions
- Check for mentions of:
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- Your brand name
- Employee names (like CEOs or founders)
- Unique products or services
- Sponsored events or contests
- Quotes or mentions in interviews
2. Use Tools to Track Mentions
Free tools like Google Alerts or paid ones like Mention or Moz’s Fresh Web Explorer can help you find unlinked mentions.
3. Reach Out to Website Owners
Once you find unlinked mentions, email the site owner. Politely explain how linking to your site will provide more value to their readers.
4. Use Google Search Tricks
If you prefer manual research, use Google search operators like:
“Your Brand Name”
We found a result on ‘BloggerOutreach’ mentioning our brand, but there was no link included. So, we reached out to them and requested that they link the brand mention.
This will show mentions on external websites while excluding your own site.
Even if you’re a smaller brand, leveraging mentions can bring you a few solid backlinks. For bigger brands, this strategy can uncover a goldmine of link opportunities, boosting your site’s authority and rankings.
6. Link Exchanges (done strategically and carefully)
Link exchanges, also called reciprocal linking, happen when two websites decide to link to each other’s content. For instance, your site links to a partner’s page, and they help out by linking back to yours. This works best between sites in related but non-competing industries.
For example:
- A nutrition blog linking to a fitness website’s workout guide
- A travel blog linking to a photography site’s travel photo tips
Both parties gain backlinks while providing useful resources for their readers. How to do link exchanges correctly:
- Keep It Relevant: Only exchange links with websites in related industries. For instance, a tech blog linking to a fashion site won’t make sense to readers or Google.
- Ensure High-Quality Websites: Work only on trustworthy websites that are really well-respected and have a good reputation. Avoid spam or low-quality sites since they may hurt your rankings.
- Limit Exchanges: Don’t overdo it. Excessive or unnatural link exchanges can trigger Google penalties. Focus on a few high-value partnerships rather than a large number of irrelevant ones.
At Outreach Monks, we successfully completed a natural and relevant link exchange with the well-known e-commerce platform BigCommerce.
We secured a backlink on the anchor text “Guest post” and, in return, provided a link to BigCommerce using the anchor text “Most e-commerce platforms.” This exchange was genuine, adding real value to the readers of both websites.
7. Image Link Building
Image link building helps you gain backlinks by using your existing images. If a person uses your images without giving you credit, you can ask them to place a link to your website. That’s a pretty easy way to get more backlinks and promote your brand.
You can use this for:
- Logos
- Product photos
- Infographics
- Custom graphics or illustrations
- Team or office images
Instead of creating new content, you make the most of what you already have. Steps to build links with your images:
- Find Websites Using Your Images: Use tools like Google Images, TinEye, or Image Raider to search for websites using your visuals.
- Reach Out Politely: Send a friendly message to the website owner. Thank them for using your image and ask if they can add a link for proper credit.
- Explain the Benefit: Let them know that linking back gives their audience access to the original source for more information.
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8. Resource Page Link Building
Resource pages are collections of helpful links and tools on a specific topic. They’re designed to provide readers with quick access to valuable resources, making them a great opportunity to earn quality backlinks.
How it works:
- Find Relevant Resource Pages: Look for pages in your niche that match your content. For example, if you’ve created a guide on financial planning, search for pages focused on finance resources. Use search operators like:
- intitle:”resources” + your keyword
- inurl:resources + your keyword
- Offer Something Useful: To be featured, your content must genuinely help readers. Guides, tools, or detailed articles that solve problems work best.
- Reach Out: Contact the website owner and suggest adding your resource to their page. Highlight how it benefits their readers.
9. Broken Link Building
Broken link building involves finding broken links on websites in your niche and suggesting your content as a replacement.
How broken link building works:
- Find Broken Links: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify broken links (404 errors) on websites related to your niche. Focus on high-authority sites where a link to your content would make sense.
- Create or Repurpose Content: Prepare content that fits the context of the broken link. You can use existing content by updating it or create a fresh piece that matches the topic.
- Reach Out: Contact the website owner to let them know about the broken link. Politely suggest your content as a replacement to fix the issue.
- Be Genuine: Keep your outreach polite and helpful. Don’t just demand a backlink—show how your content solves their problem.
- Focus on Relevance: Only target broken links that align with your niche and audience.
- Check Authority: Use tools like Ahrefs to evaluate the website’s authority before reaching out.
10. Digital PR Campaigns
Digital PR campaigns are a great way to gain backlinks while getting your brand noticed. When your PR campaigns attract attention, they often result in links to your website.
The trick is to align your PR efforts with link-building goals. Many PR activities naturally create link opportunities, such as:
- Interviews: Features in blogs, podcasts, or online articles.
- Webinars or Events: Shared by hosts or attendees.
- Announcements: News about product launches, partnerships, or updates.
- Contests and Giveaways: Coverage that links back to your site.
To get the most out of these opportunities, track your campaigns and identify any mentions that don’t include a link. You can reach out to request the missing link.
Also, explore your marketing collaborations. Partnerships can lead to mutual backlinks that benefit both sides.
Digital PR isn’t just about links—it’s about building connections. These relationships can lead to bigger opportunities, like joint campaigns, if you nurture them.
11. Competitor Backlink Analysis
Analyzing competitor backlinks is a smart way to improve your link-building efforts. It involves checking where your competitors get their backlinks and using that insight to gain similar links for your site.
Start by finding your main competitors in the industry. Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to look at their backlink profiles. Identify high-quality websites linking to them—these could be blogs, directories, or resource pages.
Next, figure out why those websites linked to your competitors. Did they link to valuable content, collaborate with the competitor, or attend an event? Once you know the reason, contact those websites with your pitch. Share how your content or resource can benefit their audience.
This approach works because these websites are already linking to similar content, so they’re more likely to link to yours too. Plus, it’s efficient—you’re targeting sites proven to offer valuable backlinks.
Competitor backlink analysis isn’t about copying; it’s about learning and doing better. When you offer fresh, relevant, and helpful content, you can gain high-quality links and even outperform your competitors in search rankings.
Good Links vs. Bad Links
Not all backlinks are the same. Some help your website grow, while others can harm it. Here’s a simple comparison:
Tips to Focus on Good Links
- Check Before You Link: Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to confirm the site’s traffic, authority, and relevance.
- Network in Your Industry: Build relationships with bloggers, writers, and website owners for organic backlinks.
- Avoid Shortcuts: Always buy backlinks from trusted sources. Avoid buying them from unauthoritative sources or using shady schemes—they can hurt your site’s rankings.
By focusing on good links, you’ll build a stronger, more trustworthy online presence while improving your SEO.
Need Expert Help? Let Outreach Monks Build Links for You!
With 10+ years of experience and over 500 clients served across all kinds of industries, Outreach Monks knows how to build backlinks that truly work. We specialize in creating strategies tailored to your niche, helping improve rankings and boost your website’s authority. Whether you’re in e-commerce, finance, health, or any other field, we’ve got you covered.
Reach out to Outreach Monks today and let us take care of your backlinks!
Conclusion
Effective link building means focusing on quality and creating something valuable for your audience. It’s about understanding their needs and offering solutions through your content and connections.
Instead of chasing quick results, build strategies that last. Genuine relationships and trustworthy content not only improve rankings but also make your website a go-to resource for users. Take one step at a time, and you’ll see the benefits add up naturally.
FAQs on Link Acquisition
How Often Should I Change My Link Strategy?
Review your strategy every few months or when something changes in your industry or Google’s rules. This helps you stay on track and get better results.
Can Small Businesses Benefit From Link Acquisition?
Yes, even small businesses can gain a lot from link acquisition. Focus on local directories, partnerships, and guest posts to get relevant links without spending too much.
Do No-Follow Links Matter?
Yes, they do. Even though they don’t directly boost rankings, they can drive traffic and improve your site’s visibility.
Should I Ask Competitors For Backlinks?
Instead of asking competitors, study their backlinks. Use tools to see where they get links from and find similar opportunities for your site.
Do I Need New Content For Link Acquisition?
Not always. You can use methods like niche edits or brand mentions to get links without creating new content. But having great content makes link building easier.