Backlinks help websites rank better, but when to start building links is just as important as how you do it. Starting too early can be a waste, and waiting too long can slow your growth.

The best time to start link building is when your website is ready. When it has quality content, is indexed by Google, and gets some organic traffic. Without these, backlinks won’t have much impact.

In this article, we’ll explain how to build backlinks for your newly created website, the signs that show you’re ready, and how long it takes for backlinks to show up in search results. 

No time to waste—let’s go!

How to Know Your Website is Ready for Link Building

Here’s how to know if it’s the best time to start link building:

1) Your Pages Are Indexed & Showing in Search Results

If your website isn’t indexed, backlinks won’t help. Google needs to recognize your pages before they gain authority. Search “site:yourwebsite.com” on Google. If your pages appear, they’re indexed. If not, you need to take action.

How to Get Indexed Faster?

• Use Google Search Console – Submit your sitemap and request indexing.
• Check for No-Index Tags – Make sure no pages are blocked in robots.txt or meta tags.
• Improve Internal Links – Link your pages together so Google can find them.
• Publish High-Quality Content – Fresh, useful content encourages Google to crawl your site.

Getting indexed is one step in the process. Before jumping into link building, other key factors need to be in place to make it truly effective.

2) Your Website Has Enough Quality Content

Before you think about link building, make sure your website has strong, useful content. Backlinks bring visitors, but if they land on a site with thin or poor-quality pages, they will leave right away. This sends a bad signal to search engines, making your link-building efforts useless.

How Much Content is Enough?

There is no number, but 20–30 quality pages is a good starting point. These could be blog posts, product descriptions, service pages, or information guides.

What Makes Content Link-Worthy?

• Helpful and Informative – Answers questions and provides real value.
• Easy to Read – Short paragraphs, clear headings, and simple language.
• Original and Unique – No copied or low-effort content.
• SEO-Friendly – Naturally includes keywords and is well-structured.

Websites and bloggers only link to useful, high-quality content. If your site has nothing valuable, even a strong backlink won’t help.

Before you start link building, focus on creating solid content. A well-prepared website makes it easier to attract and benefit from backlinks.

3) Your On-Page SEO is Set Up Properly

On-page SEO hints search engines about the content you have written and makes sure your website is reader-friendly. Without this approach, search engines may struggle to rank your website on the result page, no matter the number of links you are building.

• Title Tags & Meta Descriptions – Provide each page with a unique, keyword-rich title and a compelling description. They tell search engines about your content and drive click-throughs.
• Headings & Formatting – Use H1, H2, and H3 tags properly. They organize your content to be search engine and reader-friendly.
• Internal Linking – Internal page links on your website will aid the user and send strong SEO signals.
• SEO-Friendly URLs – URLs need to be short, clean, and descriptive (yourdomain.com/seo-tips and not yourdomain.com/p=123).
• Mobile Optimization – A poorly mobile-interacting site will not get ranked. Check if your website is mobile-friendly.
• Page Speed – Slow websites lose rankings. Run a speed test and fix any delays.

Search engines favor well-structured, optimized websites. If your on-page SEO is weak, backlinks won’t be as effective. Before investing in link building, make sure your site is in top shape. 

You can use the free tool “SEOptimer” to audit your website. For detailed insights, you can opt for the paid version.

4) You Have Identified Your Target Keywords

Link building without a keyword strategy is like shooting arrows in the dark. You need to know which words and phrases your audience is searching for before you start.

How to Find the Right Keywords

• Think Like a Customer – What would you search for to find your own website?
• Use Keyword Tools – Semrush, Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and Ubersuggest can help you find valuable search terms.
• Check Competitors – Look at the keywords your competitors rank for and target similar ones.
• Focus on a Mix – Choose a balance between high-traffic and niche-specific long-tail keywords.

If your pages aren’t optimized for the right keywords, backlinks won’t bring the right visitors. A strong keyword strategy ensures your efforts lead to better rankings and more traffic.

Use the Keyword Gap Analysis tool in SEMrush to identify the keyword differences between you and your competitors. Find the weak keywords and use them strategically in your link-building campaign.

5) Your Competitors Have Strong Backlink Profiles

If your competitors have a lot of quality backlinks, it’s a sign you should start too. Backlinks help websites rank higher on search engines. If others in your industry are investing in link building and you’re not, you might be falling behind.

How to Check Competitor Backlinks

• Use SEO tools – Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or SEMrush show where competitors are getting backlinks.
• Check link sources – Are they getting backlinks from blogs, news sites, or directories?
• Compare authority – If their domain authority (DA & DR) is much higher, they likely have stronger backlinks.

If your competitors are ranking better because of strong backlinks, you need to do the same. Studying their strategy helps you know where to start.

6) You Have a Clear SEO & Link Building Plan

A strong link-building strategy doesn’t start with just getting backlinks. You need a clear SEO plan to guide your efforts. Without it, you may waste time building links that don’t move the needle.

What Should Be in Your Plan?

• A Goal: Decide what pages you want to rank higher—your homepage, blog posts, or product pages.
• Right Keywords: Choose keywords that fit your niche and attract the right audience.
• Quality Websites for Links: Avoid spammy sites. Aim for relevant, trusted websites.
• A Strategy to Get Links: Will you use guest posts, partnerships, or outreach? Pick a method that works for your business.

A clear plan keeps you on track. It helps you focus on useful backlinks rather than just getting a high number of them. The right approach will give your site long-term SEO benefits.

How to Get Started with Link Building?

In this section, we’ll go through the essential steps to start link building the right way, so your efforts actually boost your website’s ranking.

1️⃣ Analyze Your Competitors’ Backlinks the Right Way

Checking your competitors’ backlinks helps you find sites that might link to yours too. But instead of copying them, focus on quality over quantity.

Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to see where they’re getting backlinks. Look for high-authority blogs, news sites, and industry directories—not random or low-quality websites.

See which sites link to them but not to you. These are places where you can pitch your content or offer a collaboration.

Instead of just asking for a link, provide value—offer a guest post, a better resource, or help them update outdated content.

Competitor research gives you direction, but real success comes from building genuine relationships and valuable links.

2️⃣ Create Content That Attracts Backlinks

Good content naturally earns backlinks. Focus on creating valuable, unique, and shareable pieces that other websites want to reference. What works best?

• Guides & Tutorials 
• Data & Research 
• Infographics & Videos 

Update old posts with new stats and examples. Outdated content won’t attract links. Make your content useful, and backlinks will follow.

Here’s an example of how the high-quality website G2 uses Outreach Monks’ infographic and gives us a backlink.

3️⃣ Fix Your Internal Links First

Before getting backlinks from other websites, make sure your own pages are well-connected. Internal linking helps Google understand your content and improves SEO. 

• Link related pages naturally.
• Use clear, relevant anchor text.
• Avoid overloading a page with too many links.

A solid internal structure makes external links more powerful when you start link building.

4️⃣ Start with Outreach & Guest Posting

Guest posting is a great way to earn quality backlinks while sharing valuable content. Instead of just focusing on links, think about building real relationships with site owners.

How to Do It Right?

• Look for relevant blogs in your industry.
• Offer unique, helpful content that fits their audience.
• Naturally, include your link where it adds value.
• Follow up and nurture connections for future opportunities.

Good outreach is about giving value first—links come naturally when your content is worth sharing.

5️⃣ Promote Content on Social Media & Forums

Social media and online groups help spread your content to the right audience. When people find value in what you share, they may link to it naturally from their websites or blogs.

• Share useful content on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook groups.
• Answer questions in Reddit and Quora with helpful insights.
• Join niche forums where people discuss topics related to your industry.

The more exposure your content gets, the higher the chances of getting organic backlinks without outreach.

Best Link Building Strategies That Work in 2025

In 2025, quality beats quantity more than ever. This section covers the most effective strategies to build strong, lasting backlinks that help boost rankings and traffic.

1) Guest Posting on High-Authority Websites

Guest posting means writing articles for well-known websites in your industry. In return, you get a link to your site.

To get the best results, choose trusted sites with real traffic. Your content should be valuable, not just written for links. A well-researched, original post has a better chance of being accepted.

Personalized outreach works best. Instead of sending the same message to everyone, write custom pitches that show how your content fits their audience. This increases your chances of landing strong backlinks.

2) Niche Edit Links (Getting Inserted into Existing Articles)

Niche edits, also called link insertions, involve adding your link to an already published article. This method works well because the content is already indexed and has authority. Instead of writing a new guest post, you place your link in a relevant, existing post.

To do this, reach out to website owners and offer value. Your link should fit naturally into the content and provide extra information for readers. Avoid spammy placements—Google values relevance and quality. A well-placed niche edit can drive traffic and boost rankings quickly.

3) Broken Link Building (Replacing Dead Links with Yours)

Many websites have outdated or broken links that lead to removed pages. You can help by suggesting your relevant content as a replacement.

Start by using SEO tools like Ahrefs or Check My Links to find broken links in your niche. Then, reach out to the website owner and let them know about the issue. Offer your content as a useful replacement. Since you’re helping them improve their site, many are open to adding your link.

This strategy is mutually beneficial—they get a fixed link, and you get a high-quality backlink.

4) PR Link Building (Getting Featured on News & Authority Sites)

PR link building helps you get backlinks from trusted news sites and industry blogs. You can do this by offering expert opinions, fresh perspectives, or helpful research that journalists and bloggers can tap into.

To make this work, create newsworthy content—such as industry trends or survey results—and reach out to relevant reporters and website owners. If they find your content valuable, they’ll feature it and link back to your site.

This method builds authority and long-term traffic, as links from news sources hold high credibility and improve search rankings.

5) Getting Featured in Resource Pages & Industry Lists

Many websites have resource pages and industry lists that link to useful content. Getting listed on these pages boosts credibility and earns strong backlinks.

Find these pages by searching “[your niche] + resources” or “[your niche] + recommended websites.” Reach out with a short, direct pitch explaining why your website is valuable.

Since resource pages are designed to link to helpful content, these backlinks last longer and provide steady traffic.

How Long Does It Take for Link Building to Work?

Link building takes patience. You won’t see results overnight, but the effort pays off. It typically takes 3 to 6 months for backlinks to influence search rankings.

New websites may take longer because search engines take time to recognize them. Established sites with strong content can see results faster. The quality of backlinks also matters—links from trusted, high-authority websites make a bigger impact.

Consistency is key. Steady link building leads to lasting improvements in rankings and traffic. Instead of chasing quick fixes, focus on earning genuine, valuable links that strengthen your site over time.

Conclusion

Starting link building at the right time can make all the difference in your website’s growth. If your site has  The key is to build links naturally and strategically—focus on relevant, high-authority sources that bring real value. With a solid foundation, the right timing, and a smart approach, link building can drive lasting results for your website.

FAQs on When to Start Link Building