Building backlinks in 2024 isn’t just about quantity anymore – it’s about creating strategic relationships and valuable content that naturally attracts high-quality links, and using unique strategies and automations that bring maximum ROI. If you’re someone who’s struggling to build authoritative backlinks that actually move the needle for your SEO, you’re not alone!
Look, I’ll be honest with you. I’ve failed at link building. A lot.
5 years ago, I was sending hundreds of generic outreach emails daily, and getting maybe 2-3 responses. But here’s the thing – those failures taught me what actually works. And I mean ‘Really Works’, not just theory.
Most website owners and SEO professionals find link building overwhelming. But, once you understand my proven frameworks in this article further, I bet the game changes forever.
In this comprehensive guide, I’m going to share everything. My exact process, The frameworks I use. Even the mistakes I made. And share actionable techniques that have helped me secure backlinks from domains with DA 70+ all without spending a fortune on expensive tools.
Why Do My Link Building Strategies Actually Work?
Before going deeper, let me share why my approach to link building consistently delivers results, even in highly competitive niches.
Firstly, unlike traditional link building that relies heavily on mass outreach, my strategy focuses on creating genuine value first, and being laser-focused with targeted outreach. This naturally attracts high-authority websites looking for quality resources to reference.
Most importantly, these strategies work across all industries because they’re based on human psychology and relationship building, not quick tricks or black-hat techniques.
My 3-Pillar Link Building Framework (that builds the Foundation)
I’ve been building links for half decade, and I’ve channelised everything I’ve learned into three core pillars:
Pillar 1: Content-Driven Link Magnet Creation
Here’s step-by-step how to create content that naturally attracts backlinks:
1. Identify high-performing content types in your niche
• Use original research & data
• Comprehensive guides
• Tool comparisons
• Expert roundups
• Industry survey
• Case studies
Pro Tip: Look for content gaps where existing articles lack depth or recent data. These are literally the GOLDEN opportunities for creating link-worthy content.
2. Make your content 10x better than existing resources
• Include research
• Add expert insights
• Create custom visuals
• Provide actionable steps
• Keep this updated regularly
Example: Serpzilla recently conducted a Link building survey, gathered original data with research and getting expert opinions from seasoned SEOs.
Pillar 2: Building Strategic Relationship
The best thing I’ve learnt by far in link building is building genuine relationships before asking for links. You can’t just go and say ‘hey give me a link here’, instead create a strategy and lay the foundation for long-term partnerships. Here’s how I do it and you can exactly replicate these steps too:
1. Create your relationship building pipeline:
• Find potential link partners
• Engage with their content
• Add value before asking
My Expert Tip:
Research the editors in your pipeline & Find their social media handles. You can use Twitter lists & LinkedIn bell features to track and engage with these potential link partners regularly. Then find genuine common grounds to initiate the conversations. This warms up the relationship naturally.
Pillar 3: Targeted Outreach Optimization
Now, let’s look at how to perfect your Outreach strategy:
First of all, Segment your prospects:
• High-priority (DA 70+)
• Mid-tier websites (DA 40-70)
• Up-and-coming sites (DA 15-40)
And then, customize your approach based on the segments:
For high-priority targets, you should solely focus on relationship building first before requesting a link. For mid-tier, maybe offer a mutual value exchange or something or a link exchange if that works. For up-and-coming sites, offer a valuable fresh perspective/research for their readers.
That’s all.
Simple, 3-Pillar framework and works like magic because I’ve built hundreds of high-quality backlinks for clients in the last year alone using this. We’re talking links from sites like Forbes, Entrepreneur, and industry-leading blogs.
Then, this is another method I’ve developed for myself and my team what we call the VALOR method for securing high-quality backlinks
The ‘VALOR’ Link Building Method I Use
• Valuable Content Creation
• Authentic Relationship Building
• Long-term Strategy Focus
• Optimized Outreach
• Results Tracking
And here’s a detailed guide on how to implement each component of this method.
1. Valuable Content Creation
First, create content that serves as a natural link magnet.
Focus on original research and expert interviews that bring authenticity and authority to your content. Also, create comprehensive guides on various topics, tool compilations, reviews, and comparisons. Make sure your data visualization is top-notch, with user-friendly charts and graphs that anyone can easily understand, even if they’re not tech-savvy. And don’t forget to add your branding elements (like your logo, brand colors, and typography etc.) in the visuals to strengthen your branding.
2. Authentic Relationship Building
Build genuine connections through:
– Social media engagement
– Valuable comments on blogs
– Conference/Events networking
– Online community participations
3. Long-term Strategy Focus
Think beyond quick wins. Think different. Think out of the box. Think long-term. If you focus on a long-term goal, you will keep attracting good backlinks for your content for over years.
Create resource pages in your industry that are so good, with exceptional value, that even your competitors can’t help but refer to them. You can build industry directories, host events, and much more depending on your budget and capacity. Become the go-to resource in your industry that people naturally want to link to and stay connected with.
Just look at Hubspot – they attract thousands of backlinks using these exact tactics. I’ll say it again: Think Long-Term.
4. Optimized Outreach
Perfect your outreach by focusing on personalization. Never rush to ‘link my article’ pitch, it’ll backfire. Start off subtle with emails that show you’ve taken the time to understand them and you care about their benefit. And remember, always lead with value. Make sure your message offers something useful right away and be clear about what you’re proposing, so there’s no confusion.
And don’t forget to have a solid follow-up strategy in place. In outreach, 70% of responses come after two follow-ups.
5. Results Tracking
I don’t just send out outreach and forget about it. I keep a close eye on how my efforts are performing. Track open rates, and response rates etc to understand your weak points and optimize them to start getting maximum results for your efforts in no time. You can use tools available online to track such metrics. Sometimes, the editors don’t reply to you and just put your link in their articles if they found it valuable, so make sure to keep an eye on the backlink profile to measure your success rate and how they’re impacting your traffic or SEO.
How I use Serpzilla for Acquiring High-Quality Backlinks
Serpzilla is one of the tools I always explore when I am looking for backlink opportunities. It’s a platform I use not just for convenience but to ensure the quality and relevance of every link I acquire. They have a huge database of over 150,000 websites in every niche in every segment so it’s easy to filter out websites based on my ‘Quality Metrics’ and get links from perfect options available.
Here are some reasons why Serpzilla is a great tool to hunt link opportunities.
1. They have opportunities for every niche
Serpzilla gives access to a database of over 150k websites, offering a massive variety of publishers across niches. Whether I am looking for a tech blog, a lifestyle site, or a news publication, there’s always an option.
Pro Tip: Use their filtering options to refine results based on traffic, authority, and language, ensuring your backlinks are hyper-targeted to your audience.
2. Flexible link types to Suit Campaign Goals
One thing I love about Serpzilla is the variety of link options:
- Permanent Guest Posts
- Rental Links &
- Niche Edits
3. Time-Saving Automation
Serpzilla automates much of the grunt work, like finding publishers, negotiating deals, and handling follow-ups. This allows me to focus on my other strategies while getting quick backlinks from here anytime.
Overall, the platform bridges the gap between busy SEOs and niche relevant webmasters who can link to them, making link building less of a chore.
[Case Study] We Built more than 40, DA 70+ Backlinks in 3 Months
Let me share a recent success story that proves these strategies work.
A SaaS client ma*******r.io approached me struggling to build high-quality backlinks in the competitive marketing technology space. Their existing link profile was weak, with mostly low-quality directory links.
Here’s what I did:
Step 1. Created a comprehensive MarTech report with original research
Step 2. Developed relationships with 100 industry influencers
Step 3. Built a unique data visualization tool
Step 4. Did strategic outreach
The results? 41 backlinks from DA 70+ websites & 150+ total new referring domains
Common Link Building Mistakes to Avoid
1. Focusing only on one type of links
2. Ignoring relationship building
3. Generic outreach templates
4. Not tracking your success
5. Not doing follow ups
Just by avoiding these simple mistakes, you can maximize the ROI of your efforts.
Final Thoughts
Remember, link building is a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on creating genuine value and build real relationships. The links will follow naturally. Wait, does it sound too repetitive? That’s because these things truly work, even when they sound too boring to do.
Best of luck!
