How To Build White-Hat Links In 2025

Imagine your competitor’s website suddenly shoots up the rankings, buoyed by a flood of new backlinks. It’s tempting to wonder if they found an SEO “cheat code” or indulged in risky link schemes. The truth? Sustainable SEO isn’t about secret tricks – it’s about consistent, white hat link building that stands the test of time. Yet, for many SEO professionals, earning white hat backlinks can feel like an uphill battle. You create great content, but the links don’t magically appear. You send outreach emails, only to hear crickets.

In fact, recent research found the average outreach campaign has just a 7.9% success rate – roughly one link for every 12–13 emails sent. No wonder some marketers grow frustrated.

But before you consider cutting corners with black hat tactics, consider the fallout. Google’s own guidelines explicitly warn against buying links or “link schemes” to manipulate rankings, and Google representatives have repeatedly cautioned that focusing on manipulative link building often “lead[s] to more problems for your site” than it helps. We’ve all seen sites hit with penalties or loss of trust because they took the shortcut. The intrigue of quick wins can quickly turn into the agitation of lost rankings and a damaged reputation.

So how do you build the backlinks you need without stepping into dangerous territory? The answer lies in a white hat approach: creating genuine value, forging real relationships, and leveraging strategies that earn links rather than trying to game the system.

This comprehensive guide will walk through effective white hat link building strategies – from content-driven tactics and smart outreach, to digital PR and advanced techniques – all backed by data, expert insights, and real-world examples. By the end, you’ll see why the long game of white hat link building not only boosts SEO rankings, but also builds a stronger brand and withstands whatever Google throws our way.

What are white hat backlinks (and why they matter)?

White hat are links earned through ethical, Google-approved methods – in other words, backlinks that freely point to your site because you’ve created something worth linking to. These links adhere to search engine guidelines and come from relevant, high-quality sites.

White hat backlinks matter because they feed one of the most important ranking factors in SEO while keeping you on the right side of search engine rules. Backlinks remain a core part of Google’s algorithm – a recent industry study reaffirmed that backlinks (especially the number of linking domains) correlate strongly with higher search rankings. High-quality backlinks pass “authority” and trust.

White hat vs. black hat links

White hat link building stands in contrast to “black hat” tactics like buying links, using private blog networks (PBNs), excessive link exchanges, or other schemes designed purely to manipulate rankings. Google’s Webmasters guidelines flatly state that buying links or participating in manipulative link schemes violates their spam policies. The risk isn’t abstract: sites caught engaging in black hat link building can face manual penalties, ranking drops, or outright removal from search results.

From a long-term perspective, white hat link building is the only viable strategy for sustained success. Quick-fix schemes might deliver a short-term rankings bump, but as Google’s algorithms and webspam team catch on, those gains often evaporate (or worse, turn into ranking losses). As one veteran SEO admitted on Reddit, “I’ve used PBNs… They can work very well. Still, I use white hat methods the vast majority of the time because I want persistence… There’s also an ethical component”.

In competitive niches, outright avoiding link building isn’t realistic – you’ll need backlinks to compete – but you can avoid the shady stuff. White hat link building focuses on strategies that not only improve SEO, but also build your brand reputation and relationships in your industry. In the sections below, we’ll dive into those strategies: content-driven link acquisition, outreach and relationship-building, digital PR, and some advanced tactics for the savvy SEO. All of these approaches share one thing in common: they create real value in exchange for those links, keeping your backlink profile robust and resilient against algorithm shifts.

Before we jump in, keep in mind that white hat link building is not a quick hack – it’s a sustained effort. It may require investment in content creation, outreach time, and even budget. (One recent survey found the average cost of acquiring a high-quality link is ~$382 in 2025, reflecting the resources and work often involved.) The payoff, however, is lasting SEO equity that you won’t lose overnight.

Now, let’s explore the proven white hat strategies that earn backlinks the right way.

Content-driven link building strategies

When it comes to naturally attracting backlinks, content is the cornerstone. By creating exceptional, link-worthy content, you set the foundation for others to reference and link to your site.

In fact, 40.7% of marketers cite content marketing as the top method for passively building organic links – the idea being that if you publish something truly valuable, the links will come.

Of course, in practice it’s not quite so automatic (we’ll discuss promotion shortly), but having the right kind of content greatly increases your chances of earning white hat backlinks.

So, what content actually attracts links in 2025? Let’s break down a few high-impact content-driven link building tactics, backed by data and examples.

Original research and data studies

Data is link bait in the best sense of the term. Original research – whether it’s a industry survey, study, or unique data analysis – is cited by bloggers and journalists all the time. Other sites love to link to fresh statistics and insights that support their own points.

According to The Backlink Company’s 2025 survey of 821 link builders, 48.6% rated “original research” as one of the most effective link building tactics. This makes it the second-highest rated tactic after digital PR. The reason is simple: if you publish new data or findings that no one else has, you become the source that everyone writing on that topic will reference.

We’re seeing this strategy in action more and more.

For example, in SEO, data-driven content performs especially well. Ahrefs notes that on their own blog, many of the most linked-to posts are data studies and statistics pieces.

In the broader marketing world, we see annual “State of Industry” reports, original surveys (like the one by The Backlink Company we’re citing here), and unique case studies generating tons of backlinks. These pieces get picked up by news outlets, trade publications, and bloggers who need authoritative data to strengthen their content – and they link back as attribution.

If you have access to any kind of data – be it user data, industry trends, or even a small customer survey – consider turning it into a compelling piece of content. Visualize the data with charts or infographics, and provide insightful commentary. Even niche statistics can travel far if they fill an information gap.

And if you don’t have internal data, you can run polls or analyze public datasets relevant to your field. The key is to produce something original and valuable. An added bonus: original research not only earns backlinks, but also builds your credibility. You become a go-to expert source in your space, which can snowball into even more organic links down the line.

Comprehensive guides and “linkable assets”

Another tried-and-true white hat approach is creating in-depth, authoritative content that people naturally want to reference. Think of comprehensive guides, ultimate how-tos, extensive FAQs, or other resources that cover a topic better than anything else out there. These are often dubbed “linkable assets” – content pieces created with the specific goal of attracting backlinks. Examples include definitive guides (like “The Complete Guide to X”), long-form tutorials, or extensive list posts/tools.

Why do these work?

If you produce a genuinely useful resource, other content creators would rather link to your one-stop guide than write it all from scratch themselves. It’s the “Wikipedia effect” on a smaller scale. In the link building survey, in-depth guides were noted as an effective tactic by about 23.8% of experts, and creating a “linkable asset” was noted by ~32%. While not every guide will go viral, the cumulative effect of several high-quality resources on your site can be significant. Brian Dean’s famous “Skyscraper technique” is essentially built on this concept – find existing popular content, create something even more comprehensive or up-to-date, and then outreach to those who linked to the old piece. (We’ll revisit how Skyscraper is faring in 2025 in the advanced section – spoiler: it’s less magic bullet than it used to be, with only 5.5% calling it highly effective, due to overuse – but the core idea of exceptional content quality is still valid.)

When crafting a guide or linkable asset, focus on depth and freshness. A generic 500-word blog post won’t cut it; you want to create the reference piece for that topic. Use visuals, examples, and cite sources (people love linking to pages that have done homework gathering stats or references – it saves them time).

For example, if you run an analytics SaaS, you might publish a “Complete Guide to Web Analytics for Ecommerce in 2025” packed with examples, data, and actionable tips. Smaller sites and bloggers in ecommerce might then link to your guide as the authoritative source rather than summarizing those points themselves.

Keep in mind, linkable content doesn’t have to be text-only. Tools or interactive resources can be link magnets too. A free calculator, template, or widget relevant to your industry can attract links simply because it provides utility. In the 2025 survey, “building tools” as a link tactic was rated ~38.9% effective – meaning many link builders find success by offering useful tools.

For instance, a marketing agency might release a free headline analyzer tool. Other sites writing about “how to write great headlines” will naturally mention and link to that tool. If creating a full tool is too intensive, even offering downloadable templates or checklists (e.g., a content brief template, an SEO audit checklist) can work as mini linkable assets.

Visual assets and infographics

They say a picture is worth a thousand words – and perhaps a few backlinks, too. Visual content like infographics, charts, and diagrams often get picked up and shared by other websites (with a credit link back to the source).

Additionally, compelling images can do well on social platforms, indirectly leading to links when bloggers spot them. Visual content’s strength lies in its shareability: one statistic often cited is that visual content is 40 times more likely to be shared on social media than text. This higher share rate can translate into more exposure and, ultimately, more backlinks as your infographic or chart spreads.

However, there’s a bit of nuance here. A few years ago, infographics were the hot link building trick – everyone was producing them, sometimes with thin information, just to bait links. By 2025, infographics and simple visuals have lost some of their novelty and effectiveness. The Backlink Company’s study found only ~27.1% of experts still consider “infographics and visuals” highly effective for link building. One likely reason is content saturation and the rise of easy design tools. With AI and tools like Canva, it’s no longer hard to churn out an infographic, so the average quality and uniqueness has dropped. As the study notes, “Infographics and visuals may have lost some effectiveness due to AI making visuals more easily”.

Does that mean you should skip visual content? Not at all – it just means you need to be thoughtful. High-quality, data-rich or conceptually strong visuals can still perform great; mediocre ones will be ignored.

If you have interesting data (see the earlier point on original research), turning it into a well-designed infographic or chart can amplify its linkability. Journalists and bloggers might use your graphic in their articles (with attribution). Even a complex concept in your industry explained via a diagram can earn links if it helps clarify something valuable.

For example, a cybersecurity blog could create a detailed flowchart of how a particular malware spreads – IT bloggers might use that image in their own posts with a credit link.

Also consider “image link building” in the broader sense: offering original photos or graphics that others might want to use. Some companies build a repository of free images or icons related to their niche, each with an embed code that includes a link. Or they host contests for user-generated visuals, then showcase the winners (which often gets local or niche press attention and links). These are creative twists, but fundamentally, the idea is to leverage visuals as a value-add that people will link to.

The key: promote your content (don’t “post and pray”)

By now it’s clear that creating link-worthy content is half the battle – the other half is getting it in front of the right people. As content marketing veteran Si Quan Ong of Ahrefs bluntly puts it, “People won’t magically find your content and link to it. You [have to] promote it.” Simply publishing a brilliant 5,000-word guide or a beautiful infographic isn’t enough if no one knows about it.

This is where content promotion and outreach intersect. After creating a linkable asset, you should have a plan for seed distribution: share it on industry forums, in relevant online communities, via your email newsletter, on social media, and directly to individuals or sites that would find it useful.

A common tactic is to reach out to sites that have linked to similar content in the past.

For instance, if you publish original research, find articles in your niche that cite older studies or stats – then politely inform those authors about your new study that might interest their readers. You’re not begging for a link; you’re genuinely showing them something of value.

Often, if your content is truly top-notch, people are happy to update their articles or link to you as a resource. This bridges us to the next major strategy: outreach and relationship-building for backlinks.

Before moving on, remember that content-driven link building is a long-term investment. Not every piece will get tons of links, but each is an asset that can earn links over time. Some content might see a spike of backlinks when launched, others might slowly accumulate as they’re discovered. Monitor which content pieces attract links and which don’t, and use that to refine your content strategy. You may find, for example, that your data studies consistently earn links (time to double down on those), whereas opinion pieces do not.

In any case, content is the foundation – it gives you something worthy to promote in your outreach, and it’s the most “white hat” lure you have for backlinks.

Outreach and relationship-building for backlinks

Great content alone isn’t enough – you need to actively put it on the radar of people who might link to it.

This is where outreach comes in. “Outreach” in link building means contacting other website owners, bloggers, editors, or webmasters to politely request a link, usually by highlighting something of value you can offer them (like a quality piece of content, a broken link you can help fix, a partnership opportunity, etc.). Done right, outreach is about building relationships first and foremost. Done wrong, it’s spammy email blasts that damage your reputation. As Moz founder Rand Fishkin famously quipped, 

“Don’t build links. Build relationships.”

In practical terms, the stronger your relationships in your niche, the more natural backlink opportunities will arise.

Successful white hat outreach has several characteristics: it’s personalized, relevant, and value-driven.

Instead of sending a templated “Dear Webmaster, can I have a link?” email to 1,000 people, you’re better off researching 50 truly relevant sites and crafting thoughtful, specific messages to each. Yes, it’s more work – but remember that earlier stat: only about 1 in 13 outreach messages yields a link on average. The more you can beat that average by targeting the right prospects with the right pitch, the more efficient your link building will be.

Let’s break down a few outreach-based link building tactics and best practices:

Guest posting and contributor content

One of the most prevalent white hat outreach strategies is guest posting – writing an article for another website or publication in your industry, which usually includes a bio or context link back to your site. This is essentially a value exchange: the other site gets free quality content for their audience, you get a backlink (and exposure to their readers). Guest blogging has been around for decades and remains effective when done in moderation and with high quality. The survey data shows 41.2% of link builders still find guest posting effective, placing it among the top tactics. It’s particularly common in B2B and marketing spaces where many sites accept contributed articles.

However, it’s crucial to approach guest posting with a quality-over-quantity mindset. Google is wary of large-scale guest posting purely for links (especially if the content is low-quality or stuffed with keyword-rich links). A few years back, Google’s former webspam head Matt Cutts even declared “the decay and fall of guest blogging” for SEO – not because guest blogging is inherently bad, but because it was abused.

The white hat way to do it is to target reputable publications in your niche and to contribute genuinely useful, original content without overtly promotional links. Typically, you might get one link in your author bio, or a contextual link if it naturally fits. Think of it as earning a link by being a guest expert.

To succeed with guest posting, follow these steps:

1. Identify relevant sites that: a) have real editorial standards (the site itself should have decent authority and a real audience), and b) occasionally publish guest contributions. Many sites have “Write for us” pages or contributor guidelines. But even if not, you can reach out if you have a strong topic idea.

2. Pitch a specific idea for an article that will appeal to that site’s readers. Your pitch email should show you’re familiar with their content and suggest why your proposed topic fills a gap or adds value. Personalize it – for example, reference a recent article on their site that relates to your idea.

3. Provide writing samples or credentials if you have them. Building credibility increases your chances of acceptance.

4. Write a high-quality article if your pitch is accepted. Don’t treat it as a throwaway. The better your guest article, the more likely it is to get published and even earn its own backlinks (sometimes your guest post on another site can rank and attract links – which still ultimately benefit you if it’s linking to you).

5. Use your link opportunities wisely. Typically, a brand mention or a relevant resource link to your site in the content (where it truly makes sense) is ideal, plus a link in your bio. Make sure these links are contextually relevant and not overly salesy.

   For example, linking to a useful blog post or research on your site is better than linking “buy my product.”

Guest posting also ties into relationship-building: often, one successful contribution can open the door to an ongoing relationship with that editor or site, leading to more opportunities (and introductions to others in the field). Many SEO professionals network this way – by consistently providing value as a guest author, you become a known entity in the niche.

One word of caution: avoid guest post networks or paying for guest posts, as those veer into grey/black hat. There’s a cottage industry of “write and place an article with a link for $X” services. Google considers paid links (even if disguised in a guest post) a violation. Plus, those sites often have low editorial quality. Stick to genuine editorial guest posts that you earn with good pitches and content.

Personalized “link outreach” campaigns

Not all outreach involves writing guest content. You can also reach out to other webmasters with a more straightforward request or collaboration idea. The key is to offer something useful to them, not just ask for a favor. Here are a few common flavors of outreach that work:

Resource outreach

You identify a blog post or article in your niche where your content would make a great addition, then you reach out to the author to suggest it.

For example, say you wrote a comprehensive guide to remote work security. You find a technology blog that has a post “10 Tips for Working Securely from Home,” and you notice it doesn’t mention a couple of points your guide covers. You email the author, compliment the article, and politely point out your guide which covers those additional points in depth – suggesting it could be a helpful resource for their readers if they want to update the article.

This approach can yield a link because you’re genuinely improving their content (not to mention, saving them the effort of creating that additional info themselves). A Semrush article on 2025 link strategies echoes this: if you can convince a content creator your link adds value, they may update their article to include it.

Essentially, you’re saying “hey, I have something that can make your page better.”

Broken link building

This is where you find broken links on someone’s site – links that go to dead pages – and you happen to have (or create) a similar piece of content that could replace that dead link. You reach out to the site owner letting them know “I noticed you have a broken link to X on your page; I actually have an article on that topic that might serve as a good replacement.” You’re helping them fix an issue and scoring a link if they agree. This tactic shows goodwill (nobody likes dead links on their site) and can work well, though it requires effort in finding those opportunities.

Skyscraper outreach

As touched on, if you publish a superior version of content that lots of sites currently link to, you can contact those linking sites to let them know about your “better” resource.

For example, “I saw you linked to the ABC 2019 study in your post – we just published a 2025 updated study with new data, you might find it useful.” The success of this depends on how convincingly better your content is. When the Skyscraper Technique first emerged, outreach like this often got good results.

Today, many webmasters receive multiple “I have a better article, link to me instead” emails a week, so you need to stand out and not come off as spammy or disrespectful of their current content choices.

Collaboration offers

Outreach can also be about building partnerships that lead to links.

For example, you might reach out to propose an interview swap (you interview them on your blog, they interview you on theirs), or to contribute a quote for their next expert roundup (getting a mention+link), or even to co-create a piece of content (like a joint case study) that both of you will promote. These more creative outreach angles can result in multiple backlinks and stronger relationships.

Reddit’s SEO community often emphasizes that link building is just another form of promotion – about finding relevant sites with audiences that could benefit from your value proposition, and persuading them to link to you. Approaching outreach as a two-way street (how can both parties benefit?) yields better long-term outcomes than a pure “please link to me” mindset.

No matter the specific tactic, a few outreach best practices to remember:

• Personalize every message: Use the person’s name, mention something specific about their site or content. Templated blasts will get ignored. People can “smell a link building scheme a mile away,” as one SEO put it.

• Be concise and respectful: Get to the point quickly about what you’re offering/suggesting. And always be polite – you’re asking for someone’s attention and possibly a favor.

• Follow up, but don’t pester:

  If you get no reply, a single gentle follow-up after a week or so can sometimes help (emails do get lost). But don’t send five follow-ups or act entitled to a response.

• Track your results: Use a simple spreadsheet or outreach CRM to note who you contacted, response, outcome. This helps in not repeating pitches or in refining your approach if you notice patterns (e.g., certain subject lines or angles get better response).

• Comply with guidelines: Avoid tactics like offering money for a link (unless you want a sponsored tag and no SEO value) or exchanging links in a manipulative way. Note that “excessive link exchanges” are explicitly called out by Google as against guidelines (trading a bunch of links “you link to me, I link to you” solely for SEO is a link scheme). Networking with peers and naturally linking to each other’s good content is fine; setting up a systematic swap network is not.

Finally, build relationships beyond just link requests. Engage on social media with influencers in your niche, comment thoughtfully on their posts, share their content – become a familiar, positive presence. That way, when you do reach out for a link-related matter, you’re not a stranger. As Rand’s quote implies, the long game is relationship-building. Links will flow from real connections because people link to people (and sites) they trust and like.

Indeed, outreach success often hinges on trust: you’re essentially asking, “Do you trust that my content is worthy of your audience’s attention?” Building that trust via reputation and personal connection can dramatically raise that 7.9% outreach success rate.

Digital PR and earning links through press

At the top of the white hat link building food chain is Digital PR – using public relations tactics to earn high-quality backlinks from news sites, online publications, and authoritative blogs. Digital PR goes beyond traditional outreach by creating newsworthy content or stories that journalists and media outlets will naturally cover (and link to). It’s essentially the art of getting your brand or content mentioned in the press or high-authority websites, thus securing “editorial links” (links that editors include because they deem it valuable for readers).

The impact of digital PR can be huge. In The Backlink Company’s survey, Digital PR was rated the #1 most effective link building tactic by 64.7% of experts – the highest of any strategy. This aligns with broader industry sentiment: campaigns that get talked about in major publications can yield dozens or hundreds of organic backlinks in one go, far outpacing the one-by-one nature of manual outreach. When done well, digital PR doesn’t just get you a link, it can drive brand awareness, referral traffic, and even potential virality.

So how do you execute digital PR for link building? Here are some core approaches:

Creating newsworthy content and stories

Digital PR often starts with having something newsworthy to say. This could be:

Data-driven press releases

If you have compelling new data (e.g., “Study reveals X% of consumers do Y”), you can craft a story around it and pitch it to journalists in your sector.

Often, the most link-worthy press hits come from data or insights that tie into a trending topic.

For example, a fintech startup might release a report on how spending habits changed in 2024, which financial news sites or even mainstream outlets might cite (with a link to the full report on your site).

Expert commentary on current events

Positioning yourself or your company’s experts to comment on news can earn links. If Google rolls out a big algorithm update, an SEO agency might quickly put out a “what this means” blog or commentary and share it with Search Engine Land or industry reporters who are covering the story. They might quote you and link back. (HARO, which we’ll discuss next, is a key tool for this kind of reactive PR.)

Digital PR stunts or campaigns

Sometimes creating a unique, even fun piece of content can draw press. This could be an interactive tool or quiz, a provocative piece of research, or a charitable campaign.

For instance, a few years back there were examples of travel sites that created “best places to survive a zombie apocalypse” studies or other quirky angles that got tons of coverage and links for the sheer novelty. The point is to tap into human interest.

However, ensure any stunt still ties back to your brand relevance so the links are contextually meaningful.

Case studies with big results

If you have a case study that shows a remarkable result (e.g., “Startup grows 40x in 9 months with SEO”), that story itself can attract coverage in industry publications. Journalists love success stories with concrete numbers.

In fact, The Backlink Company’s own case studies, like the one where an AI note-taking SaaS grew from 500 to 20,000 monthly visitors (40x growth) in 9 months through content and link building, serve as powerful proof points – a story like that could easily be pitched to a SaaS or marketing outlet as an example of effective strategy, resulting in a write-up that links back to the full case study.

One pro tip for digital PR: tie your content to timely topics or seasonal news cycles.

If you publish a study on online shopping, releasing it right before the holiday shopping season or during a relevant news trend will greatly increase media interest. PR is as much about when and how you pitch as what the content is.

Outreach via PR channels (HARO and beyond)

While traditional outreach might target individual bloggers or webmasters, PR outreach targets journalists and high-authority publications. The tactics differ slightly. You’re often pitching to people who get flooded with press releases and story pitches daily, so you need to have a strong hook and credibility.

One popular avenue is HARO (Help A Reporter Out) – a platform where journalists post queries for sources on various topics, and anyone can respond with their expertise hoping to be quoted. Getting quoted in an article usually comes with a backlink to your site (often to your homepage or a relevant page). HARO is a pure white hat tactic: you’re simply providing helpful information to a reporter. The downside is it’s competitive. As an Ahrefs article on HARO notes, it has become 

“incredibly saturated”

and even seasoned pros may only see success on roughly 1 out of 6 pitches. For newer folks it might be more like 1 in 10 or 12.

In practical terms, if you aim to get, say, 5 HARO backlinks a month, you might need to send 50+ pitches. That sounds daunting, but many companies do allocate time for daily HARO responses as part of their link building strategy.

To use HARO effectively:

• Respond only to queries where you truly have expertise or a unique perspective. Generic answers won’t stand out.

• Be quick – journalists often choose from early responses. HARO emails come out multiple times a day; being among the first to reply can help.

• Write in a concise, quotable manner. Sometimes your response might be published verbatim as your quote.

• Include your credentials (why you’re a relevant expert) briefly, and link to your site in the bio information.

• Don’t give up. You might go 0-for-20, then suddenly land a mention on a major site that makes it worth it.

Beyond HARO, there are alternative platforms and methods: journalists often hang out on Twitter and may tweet when they need sources (following hashtags like #JournoRequest or #PRrequest can lead to opportunities). Niche-specific reporter networks exist as well (e.g., platforms for B2B writers). Engaging in those can diversify your PR link opportunities.

Another part of digital PR is building relationships with journalists over time.

If you become known as a go-to person for insight in your field, a journalist might reach out to you for a quote (earning you a link) whenever they’re covering that topic. This ties back to being active in your industry community and perhaps lightly networking with journalists at events or on social media.

Press releases (with a grain of salt)

What about classic press releases? Distributing press releases via wire services can get your news syndicated on many sites, but as an SEO strategy, the direct benefit is limited. Google generally ignores or nofollows those syndicated press release links (they know it’s not organic journalism).

So while press releases can be part of a PR campaign (to ensure journalists have the info, or to reach some small news sites), don’t confuse a wire distribution with actual link building. The value in press releases for SEO is indirect: a press release might catch a reporter’s eye who then writes a full story (which does result in a proper editorial link). But the hundreds of low-tier sites that just republish the press release verbatim – those links won’t move the needle.

In short, press releases are a tool, but pitching stories directly and creating content people want to write about is where the real link juice comes from.

The power of digital PR: an example

To see the power of digital PR, consider an example from earlier: The Backlink Company’s “State of Link Building 2025” research that we’ve cited. By conducting that survey and publishing the results (with lots of interesting stats), they created a piece of content inherently worthy of press coverage. As an SEO blog, I found it and am now citing it; likely many others in the industry will do the same. If they actively pitched this study to SEO news outlets, they’d probably secure features or mentions, earning high-authority links.

Similarly, recall the case study of the AI SaaS that grew 40x – a story like that could be pitched to a site like TechCrunch or a marketing journal, potentially earning a backlink from a DA90 site, which is immensely valuable.

Digital PR often results in editorial backlinks that you could never get through traditional outreach, because sites like Forbes, The Next Web, or national news sites are not going to entertain a “could you link to my blog post?” email. But they will link if you or your data are at the center of a newsworthy article they write.

It’s worth noting that digital PR requires a certain mindset and sometimes, resources. Crafting studies, hiring PR professionals or agencies, and producing PR assets (like media kits, infographics for journalists, etc.) can be involved.

However, even small companies can get started by piggybacking on trends and offering commentary.

One caution: with PR, you’re aiming for genuine coverage. Avoid any temptation to pay for an “editorial” placement on a news site – that’s against Google rules (paid links should be nofollowed) and news orgs that sell links can get penalized themselves. Fortunately, the whole point of PR is you shouldn’t have to pay – you earn the placement with something interesting.

In summary, digital PR is arguably the pinnacle of white hat link building. It’s challenging but yields the highest-quality backlinks. By thinking like a marketer and a storyteller – not just an SEO – you can create campaigns that naturally attract links from the press and big websites.

And those links are gold for your SEO, not just for the link equity but for the exposure and trust they confer to your brand. As one link builder succinctly said, “Modern link building is just another form of promotion”. Nowhere is that more evident than in digital PR, where your goal is to promote something newsworthy enough that others amplify it voluntarily.

Advanced white hat link building techniques

Beyond the fundamentals of content, outreach, and PR, there are advanced tactics that seasoned SEO professionals use to squeeze more link equity out of the web. These techniques are still “white hat” when done properly (because they involve providing value or improving the web), but they often require a bit more ingenuity or effort to execute.

Let’s explore a few advanced link building strategies and the nuances around them.

Broken link building (and resource link reclamation)

We touched on broken link building in the outreach section, but let’s dig deeper into it as an advanced tactic. Broken link building involves:

1. Finding pages on other sites that have dead outbound links (links that lead to 404 error pages).

2. Identifying or creating content on your site that would be a good replacement for the content that used to be at that dead URL.

3. Reaching out to the site owner to let them know about the broken link and suggesting yours as an alternative.

It’s a clever mix of problem-solving and opportunism. You’re helping the other site fix an issue (broken links hurt user experience and possibly SEO), and in return you might get a backlink.

To make this work at scale, SEO pros use tools that can crawl websites or specific pages to detect broken links. Some start with resource pages or link roundups in their niche, figuring those are likely to have multiple outbound links (some of which may be outdated).

For example, a “Top 50 Tech Blogs” list from 2015 might have many defunct links by now.

If your site is a tech blog, you could pitch to be included to replace one of the dead ones.

The challenge is finding a match: your content has to suitably replace what was there. If the broken link was to a specific study or a unique guide, you need something very similar in scope.

In some cases, people even create a piece specifically to fill that void if the opportunity is juicy enough (this is known as the “Moving Man Method” popularized by Brian Dean – find a site or page that went offline, recreate its content with improvements, then ask everyone who linked to it to link to your version). That’s a fairly involved process but can pay off if the dead resource had dozens of backlinks.

How effective is broken link building? Opinions vary. It ranked relatively low in perceived effectiveness in the survey (only ~10.9% called it most effective). This could be because it’s time-intensive to find good opportunities, and many webmasters also receive a lot of “you have a broken link, link to me” emails (so the success rate might be modest).

However, those who do it well can snag some high-quality links that competitors likely aren’t pursuing. Think of it as a sniper rifle approach versus the shotgun of mass outreach.

Pro tip: When doing broken link outreach, make your email especially friendly and helpful. Don’t just say “You have a broken link, here’s my link.” Perhaps mention you stumbled on their page while researching something, noticed a broken link, figured they’d want to know (sometimes don’t even mention your link upfront; you can ask if they’d like your suggestion for a replacement). It comes across less as a request and more as a two-step helpful gesture.

A related advanced tactic is link reclamation: tracking mentions or instances where your site or content was mentioned but not linked, and asking for the link.

For example, if a blog mentions your brand or quotes your content without linking, a polite outreach can often convert that into a backlink. Many times, authors don’t think to add the link, but are willing to if prompted. Setting up Google Alerts or using tools to catch brand mentions can feed you these opportunities.

Unlinked brand mentions and ego bait

Unlinked brand mentions are basically free candy on the table – they already talked about you; securing the link is usually a low friction ask. The survey indicates about 23.3% find pursuing unlinked mentions to be effective. This is not surprising: if you have any kind of public presence, there will be mentions out there. Even smaller brands might find on forums or small blogs someone said “We used X tool and loved it” but didn’t link it. A quick “thank you for mentioning us – by the way, could you kindly hyperlink our name so your readers can easily find us?” often does the trick.

Another advanced tactic is creating “ego bait” content – content that features or flatters influential people or companies in your niche, in hopes they’ll share and link to it.

For example, publishing a list like “10 SaaS Marketing Experts to Follow in 2025” and including some big names (and letting them know) can sometimes earn a share or even a link if they list it on their press page. Or interviewing an industry expert for your blog – they might link to that interview from their site’s “featured in” section. The key is it has to be genuine and high-quality. Influencers can tell if they’re being buttered up with no substance. But if you do a great interview or genuinely highlight someone’s work, ego bait can create goodwill (and yes, links).

The Skyscraper technique (and why quality matters more than ever)

We can’t discuss advanced tactics without revisiting the Skyscraper Technique – building a taller “skyscraper” of content to outshine existing popular content. Invented by Brian Dean of Backlinko, this method was extremely popular around 2015–2018. You’d find a piece of content in your niche with lots of backlinks (using tools like Ahrefs), then create something even better – longer, more up-to-date, better designed – and then reach out to everyone linking to the old piece to kindly suggest they consider your superior resource.

Skyscraper is essentially a combo of content strategy and aggressive outreach. It does work in principle, but its effectiveness has dwindled as it became overused. The survey result of only ~5.5% still considering skyscraper highly effective speaks volumes. Why the drop? A few reasons:

• Many webmasters got fatigued by the sheer volume of “I have a better article, please link to me” emails. Even if your content is great, convincing someone to change their link is an uphill battle – it’s easier to convince them to link in a new article than to edit an old one.

• The bar for “better content” got higher. Once everyone started making “ultimate guides,” the difference between #1 and #2 content on a topic might be marginal. Your 5,000-word guide vs their 4,500-word guide isn’t a compelling upgrade. To truly be “10x better” nowadays often requires a fresh angle or proprietary info, not just more words.

• A lot of easy Skyscraper targets have been exhausted. Those obvious outdated articles with tons of links? Many have already been refurbished or had successors.

That said, the underlying philosophy of skyscraper – focus on quality and value – is evergreen.

If you consistently create top-notch content, you’ll attract links naturally and via outreach. Some link builders have evolved skyscraper into more of a content refresh outreach: find outdated info on someone’s site, and offer your updated content as a replacement. This is kind of like broken link building, except the link isn’t broken – the info is just old. It’s a tougher sell (“your content is old, link to my new content” can bruise egos if not carefully handled), but in cases where facts have changed (say, “2021 guide” vs “2025 guide”), it can work.

In essence, use the skyscraper mentality internally: ensure your content is objectively among the best on the topic, then reach out. But don’t rely on a templated skyscraper outreach approach as heavily as SEO folks did in the past.

Leveraging community and niche platforms

Another advanced yet ethical tactic is engaging in community-driven link building. This isn’t about dropping spam links in forums (which is ineffective and not white hat), but rather being an active participant in communities where you can legitimately share your content. For instance:

• If you have a highly informative blog post that answers a common question, you might share it in a relevant subreddit or niche forum when someone asks that question – not as self-promotion, but as a helpful answer (with full disclosure if needed). If community rules allow, those links can drive traffic and occasional SEO value if the forum is open for indexing.

• Answering questions on Q&A platforms like Quora and mentioning your content (sparingly) can yield nofollow links, which may not boost PageRank but can still bring in visitors and diversify your link profile.

• Participating in industry Facebook or LinkedIn groups and dropping links when appropriate can also get your content in front of those who might blog about it or link to it elsewhere.

While these community links themselves are often “nofollow” or low-authority, they can indirectly lead to true backlinks. Perhaps an journalist lurks in a subreddit and sees your useful link, then cites it in an article. Or a small blogger discovers you via a forum and later links to your site. Consider these tactics as seeding your content in the right circles. Just be sure to follow each community’s etiquette – nothing will tank your reputation faster than being seen as a drive-by link spammer in a professional forum.

On a related note, internal link building on your own site is something not to forget. It’s not about getting new backlinks, but optimizing how link equity flows within your site. By ensuring your new content gets linked from other high-traffic or authoritative pages on your site, you give it a better chance to rank and attract external links. While internal linking is an on-site SEO practice, it complements your backlink efforts by amplifying the effect of the links you do earn.

Quality over quantity (and measuring success)

As an advanced SEO, you know to measure what matters. When it comes to backlinks, that means keeping an eye not just on the count of links, but on metrics like:

• Domain authority of linking sites (e.g., Domain Rating (DR) from Ahrefs is used by 70% of link builders as a quality gauge). A handful of links from DR80+ sites can often beat 100 links from DR20 sites.

• Relevance of linking sites to your industry – this affects how much SEO impact a link might have, and also how likely it is to send qualified referral traffic.

• Anchor text distribution – ensure your links usually have natural anchors (like your brand name or “click here” or a natural citation phrase). If all your backlinks have keyword-stuffed anchors, that can look manipulative.

• Diversity of link sources – hundreds of links from the same two sites isn’t as good as the same number from a wide variety of domains.

Thankfully, white hat strategies inherently tend to produce a natural-looking link profile. When you earn links by content and PR, you’ll naturally get a mix of anchors (writers will usually link in a way that fits the sentence) and from diverse sites. Contrast that with black hat methods like PBNs, which might inadvertently create patterns (same owner, similar content, etc.).

It’s also important to set realistic goals. White hat link building is a marathon. You might only build, say, 5-10 really solid backlinks a month, and that’s fine! They add up. Recall the AI startup case study: by building ~15 high-quality backlinks per month consistently for 9 months, they raised their Domain Rating from 22 to 46 and massively grew traffic. The key was consistency and focusing on “high-quality backlinks… in relevant blog articles of high authority websites”. Quality and relevance were the north stars.

As a result, their rankings took off alongside those links. This underscores that you don’t need hundreds of spammy links – you need a steady drip of good ones.

Finally, always keep an eye on the big picture: backlinks are a means to an end (better visibility, more traffic, more business). So integrate your link building with your broader SEO and content strategy.

For example, target pages/keywords where a few extra strong backlinks could push you to page one. Or use link building to support content that is already proving popular. And be adaptive: if a tactic isn’t yielding results after a fair try, pivot to another. The landscape can change (who would’ve thought a few years ago that HARO would become harder than guest posting, or that infographics would decline?), so advanced SEOs keep experimenting and refining their approach.