Expert Backlink Strategy for 2025 [12 Proven Methods]

In this guide, I’m sharing proven backlink strategies that are working for me right now in 2025. These are the exact methods I use to land placements on trusted, high-authority websites, with real-world tips, tools, and examples you can use today.

For more pro tips from industry experts, I highly recommend attending a virtual or in-person SEO conference, if you can. 

12 Expert Backlink Strategies That Work Right Now

Below, I’ll go over the backlink strategy I am using right now. You’ll find out how to use link building platforms safely, when and where to inherit broken backlinks, and why things like infographics and roundups work to earn you links naturally.

1. Use Link Building Platforms & Solutions

A link building platform is a digital tool or service that helps website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals find, manage, and acquire backlinks from other websites to improve their site’s search engine rankings.

For example, Authority Exchange is a premium link-building marketplace that enables fast, cost-free ABC link exchanges through a unique credit-based system. Designed for brands, publishers, SEO professionals, and link builders, it streamlines the process of securing high-quality, contextual backlinks without direct swaps or incremental costs. It enables SEOs to build a natural, diverse link profile that boosts SEO safely and efficiently.

Here’s how it works: 

Users leverage their existing sites or guest post network to earn credits for the links they provide, which can then be spent acquiring the links they actually need. Features include a fast three-way link exchange process through its credit system, opportunities to earn credits by providing links, and a network of categorized sites for targeted link building. This means unlimited link-building potential at a predictable cost.

There are many link exchange websites out there, but do your research before you make any offers. Avoid anything that looks spammy or low effort.

2. Become a Source for Reporters and Bloggers

One of the simplest (and most legit) ways to build links is by helping journalists and bloggers with their stories. I regularly respond to media requests on platforms like Qwoted and SourceBottle. This kind of digital marketing tactic is all about building backlinks the right way.

These writers are under deadline and actively looking for expert quotes. When I respond quickly with a short, helpful answer and include my credentials, I often get quoted, and linked. It’s low effort with high reward if you’re consistent, and the links you earn support a long-term SEO strategy.

3. Turn Unlinked Brand Mentions into Backlinks

If someone already mentioned your brand, that’s halfway to a backlink. I use tools like Ahrefs, BuzzSumo, or Google Alerts to monitor for unlinked brand mentions. Then, I politely reach out and ask if they’d consider adding a link to the mention. If they agree, the result is a straightforward link insertion into existing content.

This form of content marketing is about maximizing every piece of content where your brand appears. Most people are happy to do it, especially if you’re courteous and the link adds value to their high-quality content.

You can even steal my unlinked brand mention email template above, if you want.

4. Fix and Inherit Broken Backlinks

Broken links are a goldmine. First, I check my own backlink profile for broken links pointing to dead pages. If I can recreate that page or redirect it, I recover the link. That’s just basic hygiene.

But the real opportunity comes from competitors. I use Ahrefs to find broken backlinks pointing to their sites. Then I create similar, more in-depth, and shareable content and reach out to the linking site to suggest replacing the dead link with mine. This broken link building technique is a smart and scalable way to build relationships and earn relevant links that influence your rankings.

You can use this tip 2 ways:

• Find backlinks your competitors lost and craft content to replace them, then outreach + ask for a link
• Find backlinks your site lost and redirect/recover the link with repurposed content

I find broken backlink hunting a great way to up my number of backlinks per month, while still keeping them high quality and deeply contextual.

5. Get Featured on Authority Resource Pages

Resource pages with a good profile link to your website can drive serious referral traffic and trust. I find niche-specific resource pages, especially those ending in .edu or .org, and reach out with a short, personalized email explaining why my content deserves a spot. Any link placement will be totally white-hat, as resource list managers tend to seriously vet who they add to their databases.

I’ve also found that leveraging existing relationships, such as clients, partners, or even other SEOs, helps me land these placements faster. A compelling piece of content, supported by case studies or testimonials, often seals the deal. If you’ve got value to offer, people will make room for you. 

And yes, you can steal my Get Featured on Authority Resource Pages email template, too.

6. Publish Skyscraper and Ultimate Guides

This one’s been around forever because it works. The idea is simple, find content that already ranks well and has a lot of backlinks, then create something even better, with more depth, better visuals, updated stats, and examples like case studies.

When I publish “ultimate guides” that go all in on a topic, people naturally link to them. They become a reference point, boosting your credibility and signaling to algorithms that you’re offering high-quality content, a crucial ranking factor that will result in more link building benefits in the long-term.

7. Use Branded Strategies and Techniques

People love naming things, so I give them something to talk about. I’ve coined a few of my own frameworks over the years (even if they’re just simple systems I use regularly) and published them under a branded name.

When others reference that strategy, they link back. It positions me as an authority and gives people a reason to credit me as the originator. Branded content like this stands out, especially when combined with guest blogging or digital marketing outreach.

If you come up with something noteworthy, folks in places like link building communities will be more willing to give you a link (or trade).

8. Create Content People Naturally Want to Link To

Certain content types just attract links. I’m talking about:

• Stats pages
• Free tools
• Infographics
• Industry studies or surveys
• Templates
• Testimonials

I try to include at least one of these in my content strategy every quarter. When I publish something others need to cite, the backlinks come without much outreach. This is quality content that’s made to be shared, not just for links, but to build relationships in your niche.

9. Build Links From Outdated Resources

There’s a lot of great content out there that’s just…old. But it still ranks, and it still has backlinks. I find these outdated resources using SEO tools, create a fresher, more relevant version, and reach out to the sites linking to the old one—kind of a hybrid of broken link building and the skyscraper technique.

I show them how my page is a better fit, it’s updated, accurate, and includes more in-depth insights and references. It’s a perfect mix of broken link building and content marketing. This takes a lot of manual digging, though, and sometimes it’s better to hand it off to a link building agency you trust.

If you want to do it manually, I have steps:

3 Tools I Use to Find Outdated Content:

1. Ahrefs

• Use Content Explorer: Search for a topic and sort by published date or last updated. Old articles with high backlink counts are your targets.

• Site Explorer: Input a competitor’s URL → look under “Top Pages” or “Best by Links” → identify old but popular pages.

• Broken Backlinks Report: Look for links pointing to 404 pages. Many of these were outdated resources that got taken down.

2. Wayback Machine (Archive.org)

• Use this manually to:

  • Check how long it’s been since a page was updated

  • View the change history of old content

3. Google Search + Chrome Extensions

• Use advanced search operators:

  • intitle:"2020" OR "2021" + your keyword

• Pair with tools like Check My Links or LinkMiner to scan for broken/outdated links on those pages.

10. Replicate Your Competitors’ Backlinks

One of the first things I do in any backlink campaign is analyze competitors’ backlink profiles. I look for patterns, like where they’re getting their links and which blogs, directories, or forums are linking to them.

If they got the link, there’s a good chance I can too. (I’d first use a backlink quality checker to see if it’s worth chasing.)

I replicate what works and then try to one-up them with better content or personalized outreach. I steer clear of black hat tactics and instead focus on scalable, ethical ways of building backlinks.

Filters are going to come in handy here, because no one has time to target 200,000 backlink sources. Here’s an example of how I start to narrow down my results using AHREFs:

Example Filters in Ahrefs Backlinks Tab (see screenshot above):

• Link Type:
  • Dofollow – Focus on backlinks that pass SEO value.
  • Optional: include nofollow later if the content is a strong authority play.
• Platform:
  • Blogs – These are most likely to be open to updating links.
  • CMS or Wiki – Also good for outreach, depending on your niche.
• DR: Specific your minimum DR, depending on how far along you are in your SEO journey
• First seen: Filter for backlinks that were first seen 1–3+ years ago. These are likely pointing to older content.
• One link per domain: Toggle this on to avoid redundancy and focus on unique domains.
• Broken: Turn on the “Broken” filter to surface links pointing to now-dead pages (great for broken link building hybrid approach).
• Anchor text: Filter or search for specific keywords or brand names to zero in on topic relevance.
• Referring page publish date (via Content Explorer): While not in the Backlinks tab directly, you can use Content Explorer to find old but linked-to pages and cross-check them.

11. Recover Your Lost Backlinks

Links get dropped all the time, content gets deleted, pages get redirected, domains expire.

I regularly audit my backlink profile to spot lost links. Then I investigate, was the page deleted? Did they remove my link? If it makes sense, I’ll reach out and ask if they’ll consider reinstating it. Sometimes I offer updated content in exchange or suggest linking to a press release or a refreshed blog post.

12. Host or Participate in Expert Roundups

Roundups are still a solid way to build backlinks and reach new audiences. I’ll either host my own by asking a group of experts one strong, relevant question, or I’ll participate in someone else’s.

When I host, most contributors will link to the post. When I contribute, I usually get a link back to my site with my name and answer. Either way, it builds authority and visibility, even if some of those are nofollow links, they still add to your overall SEO strategy.

You can access tips like these on my link building checklist, which also has a save-able Google Doc for your convenience.

Backlink Strategy FAQ

Here are some questions people also ask me about backlink strategy, both for beginners and some expert tips, as well. 

Why is keyword optimization important in link building strategy?

Incorporating target keywords and doing solid keyword research are vital for creating content that ranks in search engine results. A well-optimized post improves visibility on google search, helping you appear in top SERPs and drive organic traffic. This increased visibility makes your content more attractive for backlink opportunities, which in turn improves your search engine rankings and overall site authority.

How do you evaluate the quality of a backlink?

When evaluating backlinks, consider the domain authority and whether the link is dofollow or nofollow. A quality link from a trusted site can boost your website’s authority, while spammy, low-quality links or too many links from one domain (number of backlinks) can do more harm than good. High-quality backlinks should come from relevant sites with strong SEO and link metrics and ethical practices.

What role do on-page and off-page elements play in backlink building?

Elements like anchor text and inbound link placement within web pages help search engines understand link context and relevance. Reaching out to website owners and site owners ensures you get links placed on relevant sites, which boosts authority and traffic. Managing your off-page efforts with attention to detail is just as critical as optimizing your content.

What tools can help track and improve your backlink strategy?

Tools like Moz and Semrush are essential for monitoring link profiles, checking domain metrics, and identifying high-potential linking sites. Using a checker helps verify link status and track conversions from backlinks, making it easier to refine your strategy and focus on the most effective efforts.

How can social platforms and influencers boost your backlink strategy?

Building connections with influencers on platforms like LinkedIn or through social media helps you promote content and gain organic backlink opportunities. These relationships can lead to guest posts, shout-outs, or co-created content that drives traffic and builds authority, especially when targeting audiences aligned with your niche. You can also consider link exchanges with influencers in your sphere or expertise. 

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