Want to know how to get high-quality backlinks in 2025? You’re in the right place. Below, we’ll walk through 21 proven strategies to help you build real, sustainable links that actually move the needle. It takes persistence and effort—but if you’re willing to put in the work, the results are worth it.

High-quality backlinks are still one of the most important ranking signals in Google’s algorithm. And the best way to earn them is by creating content that deserves to be linked to. But there are also specific tactics you can use to get those backlinks faster.

Yes, there are blackhat link-building methods out there—but unless you’re operating anonymously and at massive scale, they’re more likely to backfire. Especially now, with Google’s 2025 Helpful Content Update cracking down harder than ever on spammy backlink profiles.

The better strategy is to earn backlinks by creating valuable content and promoting it to the right people. Focus on building relationships, solving problems, and offering value—that’s how you get backlinks that last.

While the fundamentals of link-building haven’t changed much, some tactics are working better than others as of mid-2025. And there are always ways to make the classics more effective with a modern approach.

21 Backlink Strategies That Work in 2025

Here’s a proven formula to start building more backlinks today. These aren’t theoretical—they’re battle-tested strategies we’ve used ourselves and seen work for others:

1. Help a Reporter Out (HARO)

Help a Reporter Out (HARO) connects journalists with expert sources. If you’re not using it yet, you’re missing out on high-authority backlinks from media outlets and niche publications.

Reporters submit questions or source requests on topics ranging from business to tech to health. You simply scan the daily emails and respond to any relevant prompts with valuable insight, data, or quotes.

If a journalist likes your response, they’ll quote you—and usually include a backlink to your website. These links are often from high-DA news sites, making them incredibly powerful for SEO.

Plan to spend about 30–60 minutes a week on HARO. Consistency matters. Even one or two wins per month can compound into serious authority over time.

2. Answer Questions on Quora

Quora is still a goldmine for backlink opportunities in 2025. Thousands of users search for answers to niche questions every day. All you have to do is search for your topic—like “email marketing” or “WordPress hosting”—and you’ll find dozens of threads.

Pick questions with lots of followers or recent activity. Provide a genuinely helpful, well-written answer. Then, if it makes sense, link to a blog post from your site that expands on the topic.

But—and this is key—don’t force the link. If it’s not relevant, leave it out. The goal is to build reputation, not just a link.

Answers that are helpful, relevant, and well-formatted often stay visible for years. That means long-term referral traffic and the chance for more backlinks as others find and cite your content.

In the example above, notice how the answer provides real value before linking to a deeper blog post. That’s how you do it right on Quora in 2025.

Pro tip: Quora now ranks answers by helpfulness more than ever. Use formatting (headers, bullet points, bold text) to make your answers easier to read and more likely to get upvotes.

3. Fix Broken Links on Resource Pages

Broken link building is still effective in 2025—especially on resource pages. These are curated lists of tools, blogs, or guides that often get outdated over time.

Use a tool like Ahrefs’ Broken Link Checker to scan resource pages in your niche for dead links.

Once you find a broken link, create content on your own site that matches or improves on the original. Then email the webmaster to let them know—and politely suggest your updated resource as a replacement.

Resource pages are more likely to update their links than standard blog posts because they aim to be useful references. Targeting them increases your odds of earning a replacement link.

This strategy does take some manual outreach, but if your content is genuinely helpful and your email is personalized, it works.

4. Contribute to Industry Forums

Relevant, niche forums still have value in 2025—not just for traffic, but for link building and authority. The key is to avoid spammy behavior.

Participate in forums where your audience hangs out. Marketing? Try Warrior Forum or Indie Hackers. Design? Check Designer Hangout or Reddit’s /r/web_design.

Focus on being helpful. Answer questions thoroughly. When relevant, link to a blog post that adds value. Skip keyword-stuffed anchor text—just use the post title or your brand name.

These links may be nofollow, but they can drive engaged traffic and even lead to natural backlinks from people who discover your content through the forum.

Google’s Helpful Content Update values genuine community participation—so focus on the quality of your contribution, not just the link.

5. Link to Relevant Sites and Let Them Know

This strategy is simple, but powerful. When you link to someone else’s helpful content in your blog post, email them and let them know. Don’t ask for anything—just notify them.

Here’s a quick email you can send:

Hey [Name],

Just wanted to let you know we mentioned your article on [Topic] in our latest post: [Your Link Here]. Thought you might like to see it!

Thanks for the great resource.

– [Your Name]

You’ll be surprised how often this turns into social shares—or even backlinks from resource pages, newsletters, or future blog posts.

Bonus tip: If your post is especially strong, ask if they’d consider linking to it from their site as a helpful resource. Keep the ask casual and respectful.

6. Create Expert Round-up Posts

Expert round-ups are one of the easiest ways to get backlinks—especially if you’re starting from scratch. All you need to do is email multiple influencers in your space and ask them one simple, relevant question.

The key is to ask just one question and make it easy for them to respond. Aim for 30 to 50 contributors. If you want 30 responses, reach out to at least 60 people (you’ll typically get a ~50% reply rate).

Once you publish the post, send a thank-you email with the link and a short message like:

Hey [Name], just wanted to thank you again for contributing to the round-up on [Topic]. You can check it out here: [Link]
Feel free to share it with your audience if you think they’d find it valuable!

– [Your Name]

Most contributors will at least share the post, and some will link to it. Bonus: you build relationships with influential people who may link to your content again in the future.

7. Track and Replicate Competitors’ Backlinks

Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz to analyze where your competitors are getting backlinks from—and replicate their success.

Sort their backlinks by date to see what’s new. Focus on recent wins, since those site owners are clearly open to linking out right now.

Cognitive SEO fresh links in the last 14 days data

Find the original content that earned the link and create something better. Then email the site owner with a personalized message like:

Hi [Name],

I noticed you linked to [Competitor’s Article] in your post on [Topic]. We recently published a new resource on [Your Topic] that includes updated data and visuals. Thought you might find it useful for your readers: [Your Link]
Thanks for the great content you share!

– [Your Name]

Expect about a 7–10% success rate. It’s a numbers game—but one that compounds quickly.

8. Offer a Gift to Your Community

One of the best ways to earn backlinks (and goodwill) is to offer something genuinely useful for free. People will link to your site simply to share your value with others.

Here are three proven ways to do it:

Option 1: Create a royalty-free image gallery. Take high-quality niche-specific photos or hire a designer to create them. Offer them free to bloggers in your space with one condition: they must link back to you for credit.

Option 2: Build a free tool. Even a simple calculator, quiz, or Chrome extension can attract tons of links. Think of tools like KeywordTool.io or Ubersuggest—they built authority almost entirely through backlinks.

Option 3: Publish original data or research. Bloggers and journalists love to link to new research. Run a survey or compile publicly available data into a helpful report, then publish it and promote it to relevant sites.

Each of these options helps people. That’s why they work—and why they align with Google’s Helpful Content standards in 2025.

9. Guest Post Strategically

Guest posting is still one of the most effective link-building strategies—if you do it right.

Start by pitching smaller, mid-tier blogs in your niche. Once you’ve built up a few published posts, use those as social proof to pitch higher-authority sites.

Always pitch a tailored topic that fits the blog’s audience, and avoid generic outreach. Be prepared to promote your post once it goes live—site owners love when guest contributors share their content.

Want help? Check out these detailed guides:

Pro tip: Don’t aim for Forbes or HubSpot right away. Start smaller, build credibility, and work your way up.

10. Interview Experts

Expert interviews build authority, relationships—and backlinks. Most people love being featured as an expert, and once published, they’ll likely share or link to the interview.

To increase your success rate, start by identifying influencers with a “Press” or “As Seen In” page. These folks are already in the habit of linking to media coverage.

Reach out with a short, flattering pitch. Keep it simple. For example:

Hi [Name],

I’m putting together a short interview series featuring top [Industry] experts. Your work on [Topic] has been a huge influence on me, and I’d love to feature your insights. Just a few questions via email—shouldn’t take more than 10–15 minutes.

Let me know if you’re open to it!

– [Your Name]

Once it’s live, most experts will share it—and many will link to it from their blog or bio. If the interview is strong and well-formatted, some may even include it in their newsletter or press section.

11. Design and Distribute Infographics

Infographics remain a powerful way to build backlinks in 2025—especially when you’re explaining complex topics or presenting data visually.

Use tools like Canva, Piktochart, or Adobe Express to create visually compelling infographics. Add an embed code below each one to make it easy for others to share it with a backlink to your site.

Then promote your infographic on Reddit, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and in niche communities. You can also use infographic directories like Visual.ly, Infographic Journal, and Reddit’s /r/infographics.

If it’s helpful and original, people will share and link to it naturally. We’ve personally seen infographics generate thousands of shares and hundreds of backlinks—even years after publishing.

12. Build Shareable Quizzes

Quizzes are engaging, fun, and super shareable—which makes them a link magnet. But for it to work in 2025, your quiz needs to be on-brand and genuinely useful or entertaining to your audience.

Example of a quiz: how many five year olds could you take in a fight?

Use tools like Typeform, Interact, or Outgrow to build quizzes with embeddable results badges. These badges are the key to getting links—users share their scores, and others follow the link back to your site.

To avoid penalties, follow these rules:

Make the quiz relevant to your niche—don’t chase viral fluff that doesn’t match your brand.
Avoid rich anchor text—keep your links branded or generic.
Link badges back to the quiz page, not your homepage.

Done right, quizzes can go viral and generate thousands of links—as long as they add value or entertainment within your niche.

13. Create Personalized Videos

Remember the “Elf Yourself” campaign from OfficeMax? It generated over 10,000 backlinks just by letting users create funny, personalized holiday videos.

You can apply this same concept to your brand by building interactive video tools or generators that let users customize content and share it with a link.

Think of ways your audience might want to create or personalize something—then turn that into a shareable experience. Whether it’s a fun quiz video, product demo, or meme generator, these tools attract tons of links and engagement when done well.

This works best when tied to a holiday, campaign, or timely trend. Just make sure your call-to-action includes an embedded link that users can share or embed.

14. Sponsor Relevant Events

Event sponsorships can yield some of the easiest dofollow backlinks—especially from local or niche conferences. Most events list their sponsors publicly and link to them from their websites.

Even better, sponsoring events gives you the opportunity to connect in-person with others in your industry—and that can lead to partnerships, mentions, or even more backlinks down the road.

Costs vary, but many virtual summits and local meetups offer sponsorship spots for under $500. If your target audience will be there, it’s worth considering. Just make sure you’re listed (and linked) on the event’s website.

15. Support Nonprofits with Time or Services

Man holding a sign that says, non profit

Nonprofits often acknowledge their sponsors with a backlink. And the good news? You don’t have to give them money. Offer your product, service, or even just your time.

We’ve seen success offering free tools, premium software accounts, and even consulting hours in exchange for a shoutout or sponsor link on a nonprofit’s partner page.

This strategy works best when the nonprofit is somewhat related to your niche. For example, a fitness brand could sponsor a health initiative or marathon. A digital agency could support coding bootcamps or youth programs.

Not only do you earn backlinks from a trustworthy site, but you also build goodwill—which is great for your brand and your SEO.

16. Offer Royalty-Free Images in Your Niche

Man standing on a road with a field of grass in the background taking a picture

Original photography is still in high demand. If you have a good camera or access to stock-style images, you can create a collection of niche-relevant, royalty-free photos and give them away for free—with a simple ask: credit your site with a backlink.

This works particularly well in industries like fitness, real estate, food, travel, and tech—where blog content often needs visuals.

Upload them to a dedicated page on your website and make it easy for users to download and attribute. You’ll earn contextual links naturally as people use your images in blog posts, landing pages, and even presentations.

Pro tip: Include keyword-rich file names and alt text when uploading your photos—this also boosts your image SEO.

17. Publish Detailed Case Studies

Case studies that tell a story of transformation are link magnets—especially when you showcase real results from well-known strategies or tools.

The formula is simple: take a proven technique from an influencer or brand, implement it yourself, track the results, and document the entire journey in detail. Then, notify the influencer—you’ll often earn a link or mention.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

Choose a strategy or influencer to base your experiment on.
Apply the strategy multiple times until you get a result worth sharing.
Document everything: screenshots, traffic data, changes made, and outcomes.
Write it up in a compelling, transparent story format—not just stats.
Email the original creator thanking them and sharing your case study.

They’ll often promote it to their audience or even link to it in a future article or resource page. And since the results highlight their advice in action, you’re giving them a reason to show off your win.

18. Feature Influencers in Your Content

People love seeing their name and work featured—and they often share or link to content that does it well.

There are three easy ways to use this tactic:

Quote them: Use an insightful quote from their content and link back. Then email or tag them to let them know.
Ask them to contribute: Invite them to answer one question for your blog post or round-up.
Feature their content as an example: Showcase a tactic they used successfully, or link to a great article and explain why it’s worth reading.

After publishing, send them a short note:

Hi [Name],

Just wanted to let you know we featured you in our latest post on [Topic]. Thanks for the great content—you can check it out here: [Link]

– [Your Name]

If your post is strong, many will share it or link to it. And it builds relationships that can lead to future collaborations or mentions.

19. Submit to Curated Link Roundups

Curated link roundups are blog posts that highlight the best content of the week or month in a specific niche. And the people running them are actively looking for great content to include.

To find them, use Google search operators like:

intitle:roundup + [your keyword]

Compile a list of 20–30 roundup posts in your niche. Then build rapport by commenting on their posts and sharing them. Once you’ve made contact, pitch your best post (not all of them) for inclusion.

When your post gets included, be sure to:

Thank the author publicly or in the comments
Share the roundup on social media
Send it to your email list (if relevant)

Help them get traffic, and they’ll be more likely to include you again in future roundups—creating a steady stream of natural backlinks over time.

20. Use the Skyscraper Technique

The Skyscraper Technique, made popular by Brian Dean of Backlinko, is all about outdoing what already works. Find content in your niche that has earned lots of links—then create something better and promote it to the same sites.

Here’s how to do it in 3 steps:

Find content with lots of backlinks. Use Ahrefs or Semrush to find link-worthy blog posts, guides, or tools in your niche.
Make something 10x better. Expand on the topic, update the data, improve the visuals, or add more depth.
Reach out to people who linked to the original. Politely suggest your updated resource as a better alternative.

This method takes serious effort—but the rewards can be big. It’s ideal for pillar content or long-form guides where you’re going after 20–100 backlinks from a single page.

21. Write Detailed Reviews and Testimonials

Most SaaS companies and service providers are constantly looking for social proof. That’s your opportunity to score backlinks—by offering thoughtful, results-based testimonials for the tools and services you actually use.

Start by making a list of tools, platforms, or services you use in your business. Then complete this sentence for each one:

“[Product] helped me achieve [specific result] in [timeframe].”

Now turn that into a short, honest testimonial—include a photo, your full name, business name, and preferably a link to your site. Then send it directly to the company’s marketing or content team.

Bonus points if you can provide specific metrics (“We grew traffic by 72% in 6 months using [Tool]”). Some companies will use your testimonial on their homepage, customer success pages, or even in blog posts—with a backlink.

If the company doesn’t have a public testimonials page, don’t worry. Just offer the quote anyway and politely ask them to credit your business with a link if they use it.

Here’s a real-world example from AWeber’s success stories page:

Not every testimonial will land you a link, but many will—especially if you’re early to submit or your case study is compelling.

How to Get Backlinks – 21 Strategies That Work in 2025