If you run an online business, you want your website to rank at the top of search results. For that, you do SEO and build backlinks.

But not all backlinks can help your site reach the top. You need backlinks from authority websites. These are the links that search engines trust the most and give the highest value.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to get authority backlinks that boost your rankings, improve your website’s trust, and drive real results.

Let’s get started.

What Are High Authority Backlinks?

Authority backlinks are links from trusted websites that have a strong reputation. These websites usually score high in Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR), often above 70.

When a trusted site puts a link to yours, search engines will judge your website as reliable and relevant content. This positively influences your search rankings and ensures building trust with your followers. The more authority backlinks for you, the better your ability to rank higher in search engine results.

How Does Google Identify High-Authority Backlinks?

Google uses a few simple checks to decide if a backlink is high authority. Here’s what matters:

1. Trustworthy Websites: Google values links from trusted and well-known websites. These sites have a good reputation and are recognized as reliable sources.
2. Relevant Content: The link must fit naturally into the content. Google checks if the site linking to you talks about topics related to your business. For example, a recipe blog linking to a food delivery site makes sense, but a car blog linking to it doesn’t.
3. Website Traffic: Websites that have real visitors and active engagement are seen as more valuable. A backlink from these sites adds more authority.
4. Natural Link Placement: The link should look like it belongs in the content. Google ignores links placed in spammy, irrelevant, or forced ways.
5. Strong Site Authority: Websites with high Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR) often pass more value. However, DA or DR isn’t everything. A low-quality site with a high score won’t help much. Always check the site’s content and activity.

Google favors backlinks from trusted, relevant, and active websites. Focus on earning links that provide real value and avoid shortcuts. One strong link from a trusted site will always be better than ten weak ones.

5 Ways to Earn Authority Backlinks in 2025

Here are five proven link building strategies you can use to get quality links from trusted, high-authority websites.

1) Guest Posting on Authority Websites

Write a high-quality article for an authority website, and they’ll link back to your site. That’s guest posting.

To get these links, focus on delivering real value. Authority sites won’t accept generic or poorly written content. Your article needs to stand out with useful information, unique ideas, and solid research.

Here’s how to do it right:

• Find websites that match your industry and have good traffic.
• Pitch content ideas that solve problems or answer questions their audience cares about.
• Write clear, detailed content that adds value to the site and its readers.

Guest posting works best when you think long-term. One well-written guest post on a trusted site can bring you a strong backlink, new readers, and even more websites linking to your content.

Don’t take shortcuts—poor outreach and weak content won’t work. Focus on writing something worth publishing, and you’ll earn backlinks that improve your authority and SEO.

Below is an example of a guest post we did on Manifest (DR-82)

2) Consider Link Exchanges

Exchange links with relevant, trusted websites to earn authority backlinks. You link to their site, and they link back to yours—it’s that simple.

Most websites with an SEO team understand the value of backlinks and are open to a fair exchange if your content is relevant and high quality.

How to do it the right way:

• Reach out to websites in your industry that have strong authority.
• Offer a balanced exchange—link to them from your site or secure a link for them through a guest post on another site.
• Always keep it natural and make sure the links provide value to the reader.

When done carefully, link exchanges are a smart way to earn high authority backlinks and build valuable connections in your industry.

3) Leverage Broken Link Building strategies

Find broken links on authority websites and offer your content as a replacement. It’s that simple.

Here’s how you can do it step by step using Ahrefs:

1. Find Authority Websites
   Start by identifying trusted websites in your niche. Use tools like Ahrefs Site Explorer to check their Domain Rating (DR) and overall authority.
2. Locate Broken Links
   • In Ahrefs, enter the website’s URL into the Site Explorer tool.
   • Look for the Broken Links report under “Outgoing Links.”
   • You’ll see a list of links on that site that lead to non-working pages (404 errors).
3. Spot Relevant Broken Links
   Search for broken links related to topics you’ve already written about or can create content for. For example, if you find a broken link titled “Beginner’s Guide to SEO,” and you have similar content, that’s your opportunity.
4. Pitch Your Content
   Send a short, helpful email to the website owner:
   • Mention the broken link on their page.
   • Suggest your content as a replacement.
   • Keep the tone polite and helpful.

Broken links are bad for a website. It frustrates their readers and also kills their website’s SEO. Adding value to their website by repairing a broken link. Therefore, you would have received a high authoritative link in return for this.

4) SkyScraper Technique

The Skyscraper Technique is about improving what already exists. Find top-performing content in your niche, make a better version of it, and share it with people who are likely to link to it. Here’s how you can do it step by step:

1. Find Popular Content

Use tools like Ahrefs Content Explorer or Google Search to look for articles or guides that are already performing well. These are often the ones with many backlinks and shares.

2. Create Something Better

Once you find the content, ask yourself:

• Can I add more details or examples?
• Can I include updated information or stats?
• Can I improve the design with visuals, images, or infographics?

For example, if you find an article titled “10 SEO Tips,” you can create something like “20 Practical SEO Tips You Need in 2024.” Make sure your content offers more value than the original.

3. Find Who Linked to the Original Content

Use tools like Ahrefs Site Explorer to see who linked to the original piece. These people already care about the topic, so they’re more likely to link to your improved version.

4. Reach Out and Share

Send a polite email to the people who linked to the original content. Let them know you’ve created a better, updated version.

Source: Ahrefs

The Skyscraper Technique works because it is one of the techniques based on content that already performs well. You are not inventing a new wheel-you are making it better. Offering improved content gives websites a good reason to replace old links with new ones.

If done right, this method can help you build high authority backlinks and attract more traffic to your site.

5) Sponsoring Events or Collaborating with Organizations

Sponsor events or collaborate with organizations to earn authoritative backlinks and increase your brand visibility.

1) Find Relevant Events or Groups

Look for events, webinars, or local organizations that match your business. These can be industry-related conferences, community meet-ups, or charity projects.

2) Offer Value Through Sponsorship

When you sponsor an event, your name and website link are often featured on their website. Since these sites are trusted, the link you earn will be a premium backlink that boosts your site’s authority.

3) Collaborate on Projects

If sponsorship isn’t the right fit, offer to collaborate. Partner with organizations on projects like research, guides, webinars, or campaigns. Contributing value naturally earns you a mention and a backlink.

4) Reach Out Thoughtfully

Contact event organizers or group leaders with a clear offer. Whether it’s financial support or valuable resources, let them know how your partnership will benefit their goals.

Websites that host events or represent organizations are usually trusted and well-maintained. A link from these sources not only improves your SEO but also makes your brand more credible in the eyes of users and search engines.

Plus, sponsoring events or collaborating builds meaningful relationships that can lead to more opportunities in the future. It’s a win-win—you earn authoritative backlinks and grow your brand’s presence.

How Are Authority Backlinks Different from Regular Backlinks?

Authority backlinks come from trusted websites. These are sites that search engines know are reliable and helpful to readers. Regular backlinks, on the other hand, can come from any website—even those that are low-quality or irrelevant.

1) Trust and Reputation

Authority backlinks are the links from well-known, respected websites like news sites, industry blogs, or government pages. Regular backlinks are the links from random sites, often with no real value or trust.

2) Content Quality

Authority backlinks are found on useful, well-written content that people actually want to read. Regular backlinks might come from poorly written, spammy, or irrelevant content.

3) Impact on SEO

Authority backlinks improve your rankings because they tell search engines that your site is trustworthy. Regular backlinks often add no value and can hurt your site if they come from low-quality or spammy websites.

4) Relevance

Authority backlinks usually come from websites related to your business or topic. For example, a fitness blog linking to a gym’s website. Regular backlinks may come from unrelated websites that don’t match your niche.

Authority backlinks are like recommendations from experts—they carry more weight. Regular backlinks, especially from poor sources, are like random opinions that no one trusts.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building Authority Links

Building authority backlinks can make a big difference to your website, but small mistakes can hold you back. Here’s what you should avoid and how to fix it:

1. Adding Links That Don’t Fit

Placing links in content where they don’t belong doesn’t work. Readers won’t click, and search engines won’t trust it.

Add links that naturally fit the topic. The link should add value and make sense in the flow of the content. For example, a fitness article linking to a calorie calculator makes sense.

2. Ignoring No-Follow Links

Some people think no-follow links are useless because they don’t pass link juice. But no-follow links still help:

• They make your link profile look natural (Google likes this).
• They build trust and credibility.

For example, a no-follow link from a big site like CNN or Forbes still gives you visibility and helps attract real visitors.

3. Using the Same Outreach Email for Everyone

Website owners can tell when you’re sending the same email to everyone. Generic emails usually get ignored.

Personalize your outreach emails. Mention something specific about their website or content. Show them how your link can help their readers.

4. Buying Links from Unreliable Sources

Buying links might seem like an easy way out, but it’s risky. Many agencies sell links from spammy or irrelevant sites. These links can harm your site instead of helping.

Only work with trusted agencies or focus on earning links naturally. Look for quality, not quantity. One good link from a trusted website is better than ten from poor ones.

5. Not Tracking Your Results

If you’re not checking where your links come from or how they perform, you’re working in the dark.

Use tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs to:

• Track your backlinks.
• Check if they’re improving your rankings.

How to Measure the Success of Your Authority Backlinks

Here’s how you can measure their success in simple and practical ways:

1. Check Your Search Engine Rankings

The purpose of authority backlinks is to improve your position on Google.

• If your pages are moving up in search results, your backlinks are working.
• Use tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs to see where your site ranks.

If your page moves from page 3 to page 1 after gaining a few strong backlinks, that’s a clear success.

2. Monitor Your Backlink Profile

A healthy backlink profile is important.

• Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to keep track of all your backlinks.
• Remove or disavow any spammy links that might harm your SEO.

Search engines trust sites with clean, high-quality backlinks. Too many bad links can lower your rankings.

3. Monitor Your Domain Authority (DA) and Domain Rating (DR)

Your Domain Authority (DA) and Domain Rating (DR) show how strong your website is in the eyes of search engines.

• High-quality backlinks from authority sites help increase your DA and DR over time.
• Use tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to track these scores regularly.

If your DA/DR is going up, it means your backlink-building efforts are working and your website is gaining trust.

Best Tools for Building and Tracking Backlinks

Here are five tools that can help you do this effectively.

1) Ahrefs

Ahrefs is one of the best tools for finding and tracking backlinks. It shows who is linking to your website and helps you identify high-quality link opportunities. You can also check your competitors’ backlinks to see what’s working for them. Ahrefs is especially useful for finding broken links on authority websites so you can offer your content as a replacement.

2) SEMrush

SEMrush helps you monitor your backlinks and analyze their quality. You can track where your links come from and check which ones are helping you rank better. It also identifies harmful links so you can remove them before they cause issues. It’s a great tool for improving your overall backlink strategy.

3) Moz Link Explorer

Moz Link Explorer makes it simple to analyze backlinks. It shows your Domain Authority (DA) and helps you track the links pointing to your site. You can also see where your competitors are getting their backlinks and find new opportunities for yourself. If you lose a link or come across broken ones, Moz helps you take action quickly.

4) BuzzStream

BuzzStream is perfect for managing outreach campaigns. It helps you find the contact details of website owners and bloggers so you can pitch your content for backlinks. You can send personalized emails, track conversations, and keep follow-ups organized. It’s a time-saving tool that makes outreach easy and efficient.

5) Pitchbox

Pitchbox is great for managing large-scale outreach. It finds high-quality websites, helps you send personalized emails, and keeps track of responses. If you’re looking to automate your outreach while focusing on building strong, relevant links, Pitchbox is a reliable option.

Success Story: How Outreach Monks Build Authority Backlinks

Here’s how we at Outreach Monks improved rankings and traffic by building authority backlinks.

The Challenge

We wanted to rank for competitive keywords, increase website authority, and bring in steady, high-quality traffic.

The Strategy

We focused on two main things:

1. Creating useful, high-quality content that people actually want to read and share.
2. Getting backlinks from high-DR websites that are trusted and relevant to our niche.

The Results

In just 6 months, we achieved big results:

• Website traffic grew 10x.
• Our Domain Rating (DR) increased from 50 to 70.
• We secured backlinks from top, trustworthy websites.
• Monthly traffic value grew from $4K to $22K.
• Blog traffic increased, and more people recognized our brand.

We earned links from trusted, high-authority websites. These links didn’t just boost our authority—they brought real visitors to our site.

Top Referring Domains (Authority Backlinks) of Outreach Monks:

Increase in Domain Rating:

Conclusion

Authority backlinks do more than boost rankings; they build trust and credibility for your website. Focus on creating links that genuinely help users and align with your content. It’s not about how many links you have but how valuable they are.

Take one step at a time and be consistent. Quality backlinks from reliable sources will bring lasting growth and more opportunities for your website. Success comes from patience, persistence, and the right approach.

FAQs on Authority Backlinks