Getting backlinks remains one of the toughest SEO challenges today, even though 94% of all online content receives zero links. The competition to rank in search results has become fierce with more than 1.98 billion websites online today.
Backlinks definitely deserve your attention. The data proves it – top-ranking Google results average 3.8 times more backlinks than positions #2 through #10. My experience backs this up. I’ve built 1.5 million backlinks using tested approaches like the Skyscraper technique. This strategy alone brought in over 10,200 backlinks for just one piece of content. Quality backlinks from websites with high domain authority matter substantially more than a bunch of low-quality links. That’s why we created this detailed guide to help you build backlinks that boost your website’s results in 2025.
What are backlinks and why they matter in 2025
Backlinks are the life-blood of search engine algorithms that work like virtual votes of confidence between websites. Learning their purpose and power is everything in a successful SEO strategy in 2025.
Definition and role in SEO
Backlinks, also called inbound or incoming links, connect one website to another. They work just like endorsements or recommendations between sites. Search engines see your information as valuable when a reputable website links to your content. This digital vote of confidence plays a vital role in how search engines review your site’s credibility and authority.
Quality connections directly shape your website’s visibility in search results. Research shows that 66.31% of pages don’t have even a single backlink. This creates a great chance for anyone who builds quality connections actively.
How search engines use backlinks
Search engines look at backlinks as their main way to judge a website’s trustworthiness and relevance. The algorithms check several factors in your backlink profile:
- Quality over quantity - A single link from an authoritative, industry-relevant website weighs more than dozens of low-quality links
- Relevance - Links from sites within your industry send stronger signals than random connections
- Diversity - Links from different reputable domains show broader recognition
- Placement - Content body links matter more than those in footers or sidebars
Google’s algorithms, especially updates like Penguin, look closely at backlink quality and penalize manipulative link-building practices.
Why backlinks are still relevant in 2025
SEO has changed a lot, yet backlinks remain one of Google’s top three ranking factors in 2025. Numbers tell the story: pages in the top three search results have 3.8x more backlinks than those ranked 4-10. Sites that regularly earn high-quality backlinks grow their organic traffic 2.4x faster.
A landmark study shows 91% of content fails to rank without quality backlinks. This fact highlights why getting backlinks stays important, even as other ranking factors like user experience and content quality gain ground.
Backlinks bridge the gap between content creation and search visibility in today’s digital world. Even the best content often stays hidden without them.
Beginner-friendly ways to get backlinks
A solid foundation of backlinks doesn’t need advanced SEO expertise or a huge budget. Let’s look at some simple strategies that anyone can use.
Ask for backlinks from partners or clients
Your existing professional relationships offer some of the best opportunities to get quality backlinks. Start with a list of your business partners, suppliers, and clients. Look for ways they could link to you on their websites. You could:
- Write testimonials for suppliers
- Request member associations to add your business to their listings
- Get your linked logo added to "Our Clients" sections
- Build co-marketing campaigns around newsworthy events
Note that you should avoid “you link to me, I’ll link to you” arrangements, as reciprocal linking violates Google’s spam guidelines.
List your site in niche directories
Niche directories target specific industries or topics, which makes them valuable for getting focused backlinks. These specialized listings build your site’s credibility and send relevant traffic to your pages.
Choose directories that have high domain authority and review submissions before accepting them. This careful screening will give a reputable source for your backlink. Your business should be on essential platforms like Google Business Profile first, before you expand to industry-specific directories.
Give testimonials to tools or services you use
Honest testimonials about products you love create benefits for everyone involved. The company receives valuable social proof, and you get a high-quality backlink—often from their homepage.
Without doubt, authenticity matters most. Find products you keep taking, pitch them your testimonial idea first, and write something that shows a problem and how their product fixed it.
Answer questions on forums and Q&A sites
Forums and Q&A platforms like Quora and Stack Exchange let you show your expertise while building backlinks. Your main focus should be adding value instead of promoting yourself.
Add links only when they boost your answer’s value. Most forum links are nofollow, but they still bring targeted traffic and help you connect with industry influencers.
Advanced strategies to build quality backlinks
After you master the simple stuff, you’ll need to try more sophisticated link building tactics that can produce amazing results. These advanced strategies need more work but they help you get higher-quality backlinks that boost your search rankings substantially.
Use the Skyscraper technique
Brian Dean’s Skyscraper technique has helped websites get thousands of high-quality backlinks through three steps:
- Find link-worthy content that already has many backlinks
- Create something that's way better (10x better, not just longer)
- Reach out to sites linking to the original content
Site owners naturally want to link to the best resources available. The Skyscraper technique can achieve an 11% success rate from cold outreach emails. This makes it much more effective than standard link begging.
Use broken link building
Broken link building helps you find dead links on reputable websites and suggest your content as a replacement. Site owners appreciate this approach because you help them fix their broken links.
Here’s how to do it:
- Use tools like Check My Links Chrome extension to find broken links
- Look for resource pages with many external links
- Suggest your content as a relevant replacement
Turn unlinked mentions into backlinks
Websites sometimes mention your brand without linking to you. Research shows these mentions are the fourth most commonly used link building tactic, but they provide no SEO value until you convert them to actual links.
You need to act fast. Your success rate drops if you contact journalists more than 24-48 hours after an unlinked mention appears.
Use competitor backlink analysis
Looking at your competitors’ backlink profiles shows opportunities you might have missed. Tools like Semrush’s Backlink Gap reveal domains that link to your competitors but not to you. These domains become perfect link prospects.
This approach lets you either get the same backlinks as your competitors or copy their successful strategies. You can close the backlink gap between you and the industry leaders effectively.
How to earn backlinks with content
Quality backlinks come naturally when you create content worth linking to. Here are five content types that websites are happy to link to.
Create original research or data reports
Original research stands out as the champion of backlink generation. The numbers speak for themselves – 70% find data and research to be the most efficient type of content for building a link profile. Your original findings become a must-cite source for other websites.
Success comes from answering the burning questions in your field. Take LendEDU’s example – they used a survey of 1,200 hired workers about trading perks for a 10% raise. This simple idea earned them links from many publications.
Design shareable infographics
Infographics still pull in links like magnets. The stats tell the story – they’re 30 times more likely to be read than written articles. Websites with infographics see their traffic jump by 12%.
The core team of SEO experts (53%) creates infographics, and 61% say they work well for earning backlinks. Your infographics need solid research, eye-catching design, and smart promotion to shine.
Publish long-form guides and tutorials
Detailed guides naturally attract links as go-to resources. A sweet spot exists between 1500-2000 words. This length lets you cover topics thoroughly without losing your reader’s attention.
The best guides become the ultimate resource on a topic. Neil Patel’s agency showed this perfectly – their detailed finance guide pulled in 20 high-level links from media outlets like CNBC.
Use videos and visual content
Videos that teach rather than sell make excellent link magnets. About 59% of SEO experts use video content for link building, and two-thirds say it works well.
Videos that solve customer problems bring in the most links. Bruce Clay puts it simply: “If something deserves links, it will earn them”.
Get featured in expert roundups
Expert roundups blend insights from industry leaders on specific topics. People share these pieces often because 94% think about how information helps others before sharing.
These roundups build relationships with experts who share the final piece with their followers. This creates a network of valuable connections.
Conclusion
This piece explored why backlinks remain the life-blood of successful SEO strategies in 2025. The digital world has evolved, and data shows backlinks still affect search rankings by a lot. The numbers tell the story – pages in top positions have nearly four times more backlinks than lower-ranked competitors.
Quality matters more than quantity when you build your backlink profile. A relevant backlink from an authority site weighs more than dozens of low-quality links. This holds true whether you start with basic strategies like partner outreach and testimonials or use advanced techniques like the Skyscraper method.
Content creation proves to be the most environmentally responsible way to acquire backlinks. Original research, detailed guides, and visual assets attract links naturally because they add real value. Your focus on creating exceptional, evidence-based content will bring the best results over time.
Building backlinks needs patience and persistence. Quick wins exist, but valuable backlinks come from steady effort and relationship building. Your organic traffic will grow as your domain authority rises.
The most important point is to stick to ethical link building practices. Google refines its algorithms to reward sites with natural, editorial backlinks and penalize manipulative tactics.
