What Is Link Building In SEO: How Backlinks Improve Rankings

If you want your website to rank higher in search results, understanding link building is non-negotiable. So, what is link building? Simply put, it’s the process of acquiring links from other websites to your own. 

These links act as “votes of confidence,” signaling to search engines like Google that your content is credible and valuable. 

This guide cuts straight to the point, explaining what makes a good backlink, outlining proven strategies to earn them, and providing a step-by-step plan to improve your site’s authority, boost your rankings, and drive more organic traffic. Let’s begin.

What is Link Building And Why Does it Matter?

If you’ve ever wondered how websites climb to the top of Google’s search results, link building is a big part of the answer.

Link building is the process of getting other websites to link to yours. These links—often called backlinks—act like votes of confidence. The more high-quality, relevant websites that link to your content, the more search engines like Google see your site as trustworthy, valuable, and worth showing to users.

Imagine the internet as a huge web of interconnected pages. Every time another website links to yours, it’s as if they’re saying, “This content is helpful and worth checking out.” Search engines take note of these signals and use them to rank content in their search results.

Why Should You Care About Link Building?

Google’s algorithm considers backlinks as one of its top ranking factors. In simple terms:

• If two pages are similar in content, the one with more high-quality backlinks will usually rank higher.
• Backlinks help search engines discover your site faster and understand what your content is about.
• Earning links from reputable sites builds your domain authority and online credibility.

Let’s say you run a blog about sustainable fashion. If a respected magazine or fashion website links to one of your articles, Google sees this as a strong endorsement. 

On the flip side, if a random, low-quality site links to you—or worse, if you pay for links from spammy sources—it can hurt your rankings or even result in penalties.

The key is to focus on quality over quantity. A single link from a highly trusted site, like BBC, The Guardian, or a respected industry blog, is worth far more than a dozen links from low-authority websites.

In short, link building matters because it helps your website earn visibility, build trust, and attract organic traffic—without needing to constantly pay for ads.

5 Benefits Of A Strong Link Building Strategy

A well-planned link building strategy is one of the most effective ways to grow your online presence. It goes far beyond just trying to please search engines.

Let’s explore the five most significant advantages of investing your time and resources into link building.

1. Boosts Search Engine Rankings

Backlinks are one of the most powerful ranking signals in Google’s algorithm. When a reputable website links to your content, it acts like a vote of confidence, telling Google that your page is trustworthy, useful, and deserves a higher spot in search results.

Let’s say your article on “eco-friendly packaging ideas” gets linked by a well-known environmental blog. Google sees that link as an endorsement from a credible source and may reward your page with better visibility in search results.

The more quality backlinks you earn from authoritative sites in your niche, the stronger your domain authority becomes—helping your entire website perform better in organic search.

2. Drives High-Quality Referral Traffic

While the primary goal of SEO is often to get traffic from search engines, don’t underestimate the power of referral traffic. This is the traffic that comes directly from people clicking on links on other websites.

The beauty of referral traffic is that it’s often highly qualified. If someone is reading a detailed blog post on “The Ultimate Guide to Home Coffee Brewing” and they click a link to your page selling specialty coffee beans, they are already very interested in what you have to offer. 

This visitor is not just a random browser; they are actively seeking information on a topic you specialise in, which can lead to higher engagement, longer time spent on your site, and better conversion rates.

3. Enhances Brand Authority And Credibility

Imagine you’re repeatedly quoted or referenced by established experts in your field. Before long, people will start to see you as an expert, too. Link building works in the same way for your brand. When your website is consistently linked to by authoritative sites, it enhances your own brand’s credibility.

For instance, if you run a tech start-up and your company gets a mention with a link from a major publication like Wired or TechCrunch, it lends your brand a huge amount of credibility. This association positions you as a trusted leader and a go-to source of information within your industry. 

Over time, customers will begin to trust and recognise your brand, not just because they saw you on Google, but because they saw you recommended by sources they already trust.

4. Increases Brand Visibility And Awareness

Every backlink you earn puts your brand in front of a new audience. It’s a fantastic way to increase your visibility beyond those who are actively searching for your products or services. 

You get to tap into the existing readership of other websites, expanding your reach to potential customers who may never have found you otherwise.

Think of it as digital PR. If a popular travel blogger includes a link to your boutique hotel in their latest post about “hidden gems in the Cotswolds,” thousands of their loyal followers are introduced to your brand. Even if they don’t click the link immediately, they have seen your name. 

This repeated exposure across different platforms builds brand awareness and keeps you top-of-mind when they eventually need what you offer.

5. Builds Valuable Industry Relationships

Every backlink you earn puts your brand in front of a new audience. It’s a fantastic way to increase your visibility beyond those who are actively searching for your products or services. 

You get to tap into the existing readership of other websites, expanding your reach to potential customers who may never have found you otherwise.

Think of it as digital PR. If a popular travel blogger includes a link to your boutique hotel in their latest post about “hidden gems in the Cotswolds,” thousands of their loyal followers are introduced to your brand. Even if they don’t click the link immediately, they have seen your name. 

This repeated exposure across different platforms builds brand awareness and keeps you top-of-mind when they eventually need what you offer.

Key Link Building Strategies For Success

Not all backlinks are created equal. To build links that truly move the needle, you need a strategic approach focused on quality, relevance, and genuine value. Below are three powerful and proven strategies that can help you start earning high-quality backlinks for your website—even if you’re just starting out.

Creating “Linkable Assets”

One of the most effective ways to attract backlinks naturally is by creating what’s known as a linkable asset—content that’s so valuable, others want to share and reference it.

Think of it as creating something worth linking to—not just for your audience, but for other websites in your industry. Common examples include:

• In-depth guides (e.g. “The Ultimate Guide to Indoor Plant Care”)
• Data-driven research (e.g. “Survey Results: 2025 Marketing Trends in Singapore”)
• Interactive tools (e.g. ROI calculators or templates)
• Infographics or visual explainers (e.g. “How Composting Works – Illustrated”)

For instance, if you publish a comprehensive guide on “Sustainable Packaging for E-Commerce,” a blogger writing about eco-friendly online businesses may reference your content and link back to it.

The key is to focus on originality, usefulness, and depth. The better your content, the more likely others will find it link-worthy.

Guest Blogging

Guest blogging (or guest posting) is a tried-and-true strategy where you write articles for other websites in your niche in exchange for a backlink to your own.

It’s a win-win: the host site gets free, relevant content, and you get exposure to a new audience—plus a valuable backlink.

Here’s how it typically works:

1. Identify reputable blogs or websites in your industry.
2. Pitch a unique article idea that would benefit their readers.
3. Write the article and include a natural backlink to your website (usually in the author bio or within the content itself).

For example, a personal finance coach might write a guest post on a budgeting blog titled “5 Habits That Helped Me Save $20,000 in a Year,” with a link back to their own site offering more financial resources.

When done genuinely, guest blogging helps you build authority, reach new audiences, and earn trusted backlinks—all at once.

The Skyscraper Technique

The Skyscraper Technique is a smart, research-based link building strategy popularised by SEO expert Brian Dean. It’s all about building on what’s already proven to work.

Here’s how it works:

1. Find a high-performing piece of content in your niche that already has lots of backlinks.
2. Create something even better—longer, more detailed, more up-to-date, or with better visuals.
3. Reach out to the sites linking to the original piece and suggest your improved version as a more valuable resource.

For example, suppose you find a popular article called “Top 10 Tips for Improving Website Speed” with dozens of backlinks. You could create a much more comprehensive guide like “25 Proven Ways to Boost Website Speed in 2025,” including updated tools, examples, and screenshots.

Then, simply contact the sites linking to the older post, let them know you’ve created a more up-to-date version, and ask if they’d consider linking to your content instead.

This method is effective because you’re not asking for links out of the blue—you’re offering a genuinely better alternative to something they already value.

Email Outreach

Email outreach is the backbone of many link building strategies. It involves reaching out directly to website owners, editors, or content managers to introduce your content and suggest that they link to it.

The key to successful outreach is to be personal, relevant, and respectful. No one likes a cold, generic email that feels like spam. Instead, show that you’ve taken the time to understand their content and explain why your resource adds value.

Here’s a simple example:

Hi [Name], I recently read your article on eco-friendly packaging tips—great piece! I’ve put together a new guide that expands on the topic with updated stats and product comparisons. Thought it might make a helpful addition to your resource section. Let me know what you think!
– [Your Name]

You’re not demanding a link—you’re offering something useful. And when your content truly complements theirs, many site owners are happy to include a link.

Tip: Keep your emails short, conversational, and polite. Focus on building a genuine connection rather than chasing a quick win.

Broken Link Building

Broken link building is one of the most underrated tactics—and it’s surprisingly effective when done right. The idea is simple: You help site owners fix broken (non-working) links on their website by suggesting your own content as a suitable replacement.

Here’s how it works:

1. Use tools like Check My Links or Ahrefs to find broken links on websites in your niche.
2. Identify links that point to outdated or removed content.
3. If you have a relevant resource (or can create one), contact the site owner and recommend your content as a replacement.

For example, if a marketing blog has a broken link to a “Beginner’s Guide to Email Marketing,” and you’ve created a similar guide, you can reach out and say:

Hi [Name], I noticed one of the links in your email marketing article no longer works. I’ve recently published a similar guide that might be a helpful alternative—feel free to take a look!

This strategy provides mutual benefit: they fix a bad user experience, and you gain a backlink in the process.

Resource Page Link Building

Resource pages are web pages specifically designed to link to helpful content, tools, or guides on a particular topic. These pages are perfect targets for link building—because they exist for the very purpose of sharing useful links.

To get started:

1. Search for pages in your niche using terms like “useful resources,” “recommended tools,” or “helpful links.”

For example:

• “digital marketing resources” site:.sg
• “best productivity tools” intitle:resources

1. Review the content of the page and determine if your content is a strong fit.
2. Reach out to the page owner with a polite email explaining why your resource deserves a spot.

Example:

Hi [Name], I came across your resource page on productivity tools—it’s a great list! I recently created a free time-blocking template that your readers might find helpful. Would you consider adding it to your list?

The key is to ensure your content genuinely fits the theme of the resource page. If it does, many site owners are open to adding it—especially if it enhances their page’s value.

Replicating Competitor Backlinks

Why start from scratch when you can learn from your competitors?

Replicating competitor backlinks means analysing where your top-ranking rivals are getting their backlinks from—and then identifying opportunities to earn similar links for your own site.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Use SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest to examine a competitor’s backlink profile.
2. Look for backlinks from blogs, directories, forums, resource pages, or guest posts.
3. Evaluate which links are attainable, and then reach out to those same websites with your own content or pitch.

For example, if you run an online fitness store and your competitor has a backlink from a health blog’s “Top Supplements” list, you can pitch your product to that same blog, perhaps with a unique offer or an expert quote.

The idea isn’t to copy blindly—it’s to spot patterns, identify gaps, and uncover link opportunities that your competitors have already proven to be worthwhile.

Unlinked Brand Mentions

Your brand might already be mentioned across the web—but without a link, you’re missing out on valuable SEO juice.

Unlinked brand mentions are instances where someone references your brand name (or product, service, or founder) but doesn’t include a clickable link to your site.

Here’s how to turn them into backlinks:

1. Use tools like Google Alerts, Mention, or Ahrefs Content Explorer to monitor your brand name online.
2. When you find a mention without a link, reach out to the website owner or editor and politely request a backlink.

For example:

Hi [Name], thanks for mentioning BestSEO in your recent article on digital agencies! Would you mind linking our name to our homepage so readers can find us more easily? Appreciate the support!

This strategy is low-effort and high-reward—after all, they’re already talking about you. All you’re doing is making it easier for their audience to reach you.

Niche Edits

Niche edits—also known as contextual backlinks or link insertions—involve adding a link to an existing piece of content that’s already published and ranking well.

Instead of writing a new guest post, you reach out to the site owner and request to add a relevant link to your content within their article. This works best when your resource genuinely adds value to what’s already there.

Let’s say you’ve written a detailed guide on remote working tools. If you find a blog post titled “How to Stay Productive While Working from Home,” you could suggest inserting your link into a section discussing productivity tools.

Example outreach:

Hi [Name], I enjoyed your post on remote work productivity. I’ve just published a guide to time-tracking tools that might complement your section on managing distractions—would you consider linking to it?

It’s a fast, cost-effective way to build relevant links—especially when working with blogs that regularly update their content.

Affiliate Partnerships

Affiliate partnerships aren’t just great for sales—they can also support your link building goals.

When you create an affiliate programme, your partners will often promote your products on their websites or blogs. In doing so, they naturally include backlinks to your site—especially on product reviews, tutorials, or recommendation lists.

Here’s how to maximise link value from affiliate partnerships:

• Encourage affiliates to create helpful content like blog posts, videos, or case studies that link to your site.
• Provide them with pre-written content snippets that include contextual backlinks.
• Focus on high-authority partners who already have a loyal audience and ranking blog.

For example, if you sell eco-friendly cleaning products and partner with a green living blogger, they might write a post titled “My Favourite Natural Cleaning Brands” and include a tracked affiliate link to your product page.

It’s a win-win: they earn a commission on any sales, and you earn valuable backlinks and exposure from an engaged, relevant audience.

4 Steps On How To Run A Successful Link Building Campaign

Link building may seem overwhelming at first, but with the right approach, it becomes a manageable and results-driven process. Below is a straightforward four-step framework to help you plan, execute, and track a successful link building campaign—whether you’re doing it yourself or working with an SEO agency.

1. Set A Clear Objectives

Before you write a single email, you need to know what you’re trying to achieve. Without clear goals, your campaign will lack focus, and you’ll have no way to measure whether it was successful. This is the essential first step.

Start by asking yourself some key questions:

• Which pages do I want to rank higher? You can’t boost every page on your site at once. Is your goal to rank a specific product page, a category page, or a key blog post (like a “linkable asset” you just created)? For example, a bakery might want to focus on their “Custom Wedding Cakes London” page.
• What keywords am I targeting? What search terms do you want that specific page to rank for? Knowing this helps you find relevant prospects and informs your strategy. The bakery’s target keyword is right there in the page title.
• What is my desired outcome? Is your primary goal to increase organic search traffic, boost sales for a specific product, or establish your brand as an authority on a certain topic?

Defining your objectives from the outset will guide every decision you make throughout the campaign, from the websites you target to the way you measure success.

2. Identify And Vet Prospects

Next, you’ll need to build a list of potential websites to reach out to—also known as link prospects. But don’t just reach out to anyone. Focus on quality over quantity.

Here’s what to look for in a good prospect:

• Relevance – Is the website in the same or a related niche?
• Authority – Does the site have a strong domain rating (using tools like Ahrefs or Moz)?
• Engagement – Do they have an active audience or regular blog activity?
• Spam signals – Avoid sites with spammy link profiles or thin, low-effort content.

Let’s say you’re promoting an article about sustainable packaging. Ideal prospects might include eco-lifestyle blogs, packaging industry websites, or green business directories.

Building a strong prospect list ensures that your outreach efforts aren’t wasted on sites that won’t move the needle.

3. Craft And Execute Your Outreach

This is where you make contact. Effective outreach is about building relationships, not just begging for links. Your email needs to stand out in a crowded inbox, which means it must be personal, professional, and focused on providing value.

Tips for Effective Outreach Emails:

• Find the Right Person: Don’t just email a generic info@ address. Try to find the name and email address of the specific editor, blog manager, or site owner.
• Write a Compelling Subject Line: Make it clear and intriguing. Instead of “Link Request,” try something like “Question about your recent article” or “Content idea for [Their Website Name].”
• Personalise Your Message: Start by showing you’ve actually read their site. Reference a specific article you enjoyed. This simple step proves you’re not a spam robot.
• State Your Purpose Clearly and Concisely: Explain why you’re contacting them and what you have to offer. Whether you’re pitching a guest post or suggesting they add a link to your resource, get straight to the point.
• Focus on Their Benefit: Frame your request around how it benefits them and their audience. For example, “I thought this guide might be a great resource to share with your readers” is much better than “Please add a link to my site.”

4. Track And Measure Your Results

The campaign isn’t over once you’ve sent the emails. It’s crucial to track your efforts and measure the results to understand what worked, what didn’t, and what the overall impact was on your business.

Here are the key metrics you should be monitoring:

• Outreach Metrics: Keep a simple spreadsheet to track your response rate and success rate. How many emails did you send? How many replies did you get? How many of those resulted in a backlink? This helps you refine your outreach approach over time.
• Keyword Rankings: Are you moving up in the Google search results for your target keywords? Use a rank tracking tool to monitor your position for the keywords you defined in step one.
• Organic Traffic: Check your Google Analytics. Has the organic traffic to your target page increased since you started building links to it?
• Referral Traffic: See how much traffic is coming directly from the new backlinks you’ve acquired. This shows the immediate impact of your links.

Link Building Don’ts: Avoiding “Black Hat” SEO

Now that you’re familiar with the best practices for link building, it’s equally important to understand what to avoid. In the world of SEO, there are two approaches: “white hat” and “black hat.” 

White hat strategies, like the ones we’ve discussed, follow the rules and focus on providing genuine value. Black hat strategies, on the other hand, use deceptive tactics to try and cheat the system.

While these shortcuts might seem tempting, they are a fast track to getting a severe penalty from Google, which can cause your rankings to plummet or even get your site removed from search results entirely. Here are the forbidden tactics you must avoid to protect your website’s reputation.

Never Buy Links

It might seem tempting—pay a site to include a link to your page and boost your rankings overnight. But in reality, buying links is one of the most dangerous SEO mistakes you can make.

Google’s guidelines are very clear: any link intended to manipulate rankings is a violation. That includes paid links that pass PageRank, even if the exchange is subtle or indirect.

For example:

• Paying a blogger to link to your product page without disclosing the sponsorship.
• Offering free products or services only in exchange for a dofollow backlink.
• Purchasing backlinks in bulk from shady “SEO service” websites.

These links may work initially, but once Google catches on (and it will), your site could be hit with a manual action—which means your rankings drop drastically, or your site disappears from search results altogether.

If you’re investing in SEO for the long term, it’s simply not worth the risk.

Avoid Link Schemes And Private Blog Networks (PBNs)

Link schemes are artificial strategies designed to trick search engines into thinking your site is more authoritative than it really is. One of the most notorious examples is the use of Private Blog Networks (PBNs).

A PBN is a collection of low-quality, often expired domains that are set up solely to link to other websites. They might look like real blogs, but they exist only to manipulate rankings.

Here’s how to spot a site that might be part of a link scheme or PBN:

• Poorly written or generic content across multiple blogs.
• Identical themes, hosting providers, or website structures.
• An unusual number of outbound links to unrelated topics.

If you build links through these networks, you may see a brief spike in rankings—but it won’t last. Google’s algorithms are incredibly advanced and are built to detect patterns of unnatural linking.

Instead, focus your efforts on earning links from real, authoritative websites with genuine audiences. These links not only hold more value but are far less risky.

Don’t Overuse Exact-Match Anchor Text

Anchor text is the clickable part of a link (usually in blue) that tells both users and search engines what the linked page is about. While it’s smart to include relevant keywords in your anchor text, overusing exact-match phrases can set off red flags.

For example, if every backlink to your “best accounting software” page uses the anchor text best accounting software, Google may view that as suspicious and manipulative.

A natural backlink profile includes a mix of anchor types, such as:

• Branded (e.g. Xero Accounting)
• Generic (e.g. click here, read more)
• Long-tail (e.g. find the best software for small business accounting)
• Exact-match (used occasionally, not excessively)

Google looks for natural link behaviour, and repeating the same keyword-rich anchor text again and again can make your profile look artificial.

Instead, focus on building high-quality links and let the anchor text vary naturally based on context.

Conclusion About Link Building Meaning

Link building isn’t just a one-time task—it’s a long-term investment in the strength, visibility, and credibility of your website. Done right, it helps search engines see your business as trustworthy, relevant, and authoritative. 

The key takeaway here is simple: focus on quality over quantity, earn links through valuable content, and steer clear of shortcuts that can do more harm than good. When approached ethically and strategically, link building becomes one of the most powerful levers for sustainable SEO success.

If you’re a Singapore SME owner looking to grow your business fast—not in years, but in months—then you’re in the right place. At BestSEO, we don’t waste your time with empty metrics like clicks or impressions. We focus on actual conversions, real revenue, and results that move the needle for your business.

Whether you need Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, Social Media Marketing, Online Reputation Management (ORM), Web Design, or Local SEO, we’ve got you covered. 

From crafting SEO-friendly content to designing high-converting e-commerce websites, our team is built to help you scale.

Book your free consultation today—no obligations, just honest advice and a clear breakdown of how we can grow your business.

Frequently Asked Questions About Link Building Meaning

Does Link Building Require Technical SEO Knowledge?

Not necessarily. While technical SEO can help with site structure and crawlability, link building mostly focuses on outreach, content, and relationship building.

Are Social Media Links Considered Backlinks?

Links from social media are typically nofollow, meaning they don’t directly impact SEO rankings, but they can drive traffic and brand visibility, which may lead to natural backlinks.

Is Link Building More Important Than Content Creation?

Both are essential. High-quality content attracts links, while effective link building amplifies content reach. A strong SEO strategy requires both elements working together.

Where Should You Place Backlinks For The Most SEO Value?

Contextual links placed within the body of a relevant article hold the most SEO weight compared to links in footers, sidebars, or author bios.

Can Broken Link Building Still Be An Effective Strategy?

Yes. Identifying broken outbound links on relevant websites and suggesting your content as a replacement remains a smart and ethical link building tactic.