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Published on: 9 September 2026
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A strong link building strategy isn’t about racking up as many links as possible, but about links you earn. Backlinks from relevant, trustworthy sites tell Google your content is worth it. But how do you get those links without buying them? In this post you’ll learn seven practical techniques for earning backlinks, plus a step-by-step plan to turn them into a strategy that holds up.
A good link building strategy is a focused approach to earning valuable backlinks in a natural way. Not by purchasing links, but by being so relevant and helpful that other sites point to you on their own, or by asking for it deliberately in the right places.
Backlinks remain an important signal for Google. Even so, their weight has dropped somewhat in recent years. In 2023, Google itself indicated that links stay important, but that their role is often overestimated and that they’re no longer a top-three ranking factor. The lesson is clear: don’t chase volume, chase quality. One link you earn from an authoritative, relevant site is worth more than dozens of weak links, as long as you can spot strong backlinks.
Before you work on links, your content and technical setup need to be in order. Link building strengthens a good website, but it won’t rescue a weak one. A link pointing to a thin or slow page does little for you.
So first make sure you have content worth linking to and that your site is technically healthy. Link building is one of the pillars of how you earn search engine rankings, alongside strong content and a solid technical base. Only once that foundation is in place do the techniques below really pay off.
Below are seven proven link building techniques. The best strategy combines several of them, so your link profile looks natural and varied.
The basis of every link building strategy is content others are glad to point to. This is also called link-worthy content or a link asset. The idea is simple: make something so useful that linking to it becomes an obvious choice.
Formats that often attract links:
Publishing alone isn’t enough. Actively bring your content to the attention of people who’d benefit from it. Without promotion, even the best article often goes unnoticed.
Guest posting means writing an article for another website in your field, with a natural link to your own site inside it. It earns you a backlink and positions you as an expert in front of a new audience.
The quality of the platform determines the value. A guest post on a respected industry portal with real traffic carries more weight than ten contributions on sites that exist only to place links. Write the article so it’s valuable to that platform’s readers even without the link. Editors see right through a piece that was written only for the link.
Broken link building means tracking down broken, dead links on other websites and replacing them with a link to your own content. You help the site owner with a fix and earn a backlink at the same time.
Here’s how you go about it:
This technique works because you give something back. You solve a real problem on the site.
Digital PR is the deliberate creation of newsworthy content, such as data or a striking study, and offering it to journalists and editors. If they pick it up, that earns you links from authoritative media sites. In Europe, this is often the most sustainable way to earn strong links.
Think of a study with surprising numbers, a response to a current topic in your industry, or a unique angle the press can use. The key is a story an editorial team wants to run on its own. Well-executed digital PR earns you not just links, but also brand awareness and referral traffic.
Your brand gets mentioned online without a link attached. Unlinked mentions like these are opportunities ripe for the taking. The site is already writing about you, so a link is a small step.
Search regularly for your company name and the names of your products. When you find a mention without a link, reach out to the author and kindly ask whether they’d add one. Because the content is already about you, the odds of success are high.
Local links come from sites tied to your region or immediate area. For businesses with a local or regional audience, they’re extra valuable, because they combine relevance and local authority.
Opportunities for local links:
Your competitors show you which sites in your industry are willing to link. By analyzing their link profile, you’ll uncover opportunities that are within reach for you too.
Use a backlink tool to see which websites point to your competitors. If you spot an industry directory, a trade blog, or a platform where you’d fit as well, you know where to knock. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. You simply follow the trails others have already blazed.
Not every way to get links is a smart one. Some techniques pay off in the short term but put your site at risk in the long run.
Steer clear of these approaches:
The common thread: anything whose goal is to mislead Google instead of helping the reader is risky. You earn sustainable links, you don’t buy them.
You move from loose techniques to a real strategy with a fixed process. These six steps keep your approach focused and measurable.
Link building isn’t a one-time job, but an ongoing process. The sites at the top almost always keep working on their link profile.
A good link building strategy combines several techniques, builds on a solid foundation, and always chooses quality over numbers. Link-worthy content, guest posting, broken link building, digital PR, brand mentions, and local links complement each other into a natural link profile. That takes time, but the result holds up, even after a Google update.
Want to earn backlinks without unnecessary risk, or do you lack the time to work on it structurally? As an online marketing agency, we help businesses build a link profile that delivers lasting results. Want to learn more about link building, or have your opportunities reviewed first? Feel free to schedule a free consultation.
Does link building still work? Yes. Backlinks remain an important signal for Google, though their weight has dropped somewhat. The emphasis now falls more heavily on quality and on links you earn rather than buy.
How long does it take before link building shows results? Count on months, not days. Links have to be noticed and valued, and a natural profile grows gradually. Consistent effort delivers the most over the long term.
Are you allowed to buy backlinks? Paid links at scale go against Google’s guidelines and can lead to a penalty. Earned, editorial links are safer and more sustainable.
How many backlinks do I need? There’s no fixed number. A few strong, relevant links do more than dozens of weak ones. Quality carries more weight than quantity.
What’s the difference between link building and link earning? With link earning, you earn links purely on the strength of good content, without asking for them. Link building is the broader term and also includes active techniques like guest posting and outreach.
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F. van de Peppel, Strategic Partnership Development Team at Google for Northern Europe 
