Meet Phil.

Phil is a dedicated small business owner who spent all of Q2 with one singular goal: dominating the first page of Google for his customers’ most important searches.

He did everything “by the book.” He researched long-tail keywords, followed on-page SEO best practices, maintained a rigorous posting schedule, and poured hours into creating genuinely valuable content. He even doubled down on promotion, sharing his work across every social channel.

The result? Silence.

Despite his sweat, Phil’s rankings didn’t budge. He watched his traffic flatline while competitors—some with half the effort—claimed the top spots. Frustrated and exhausted, he started doing what many of us do: he blamed the algorithm. But the algorithm wasn’t the problem. Phil was hitting an invisible wall because his website was missing the one ingredient that turns “good content” into “ranking content”: High Authority Backlinks.

If your website is properly indexed and your content is top-tier, you’ve won half the battle. But in today’s landscape, search engines and AI models (LLMs) need more than just words on a page—they need proof of authority. They need to see that other reputable voices in your industry trust you.

Without high-authority backlinks, you are shouting into a vacuum.

In this guide, we’re going to make sure you don’t end up like Phil. We are breaking down six proven strategies to earn high-quality backlinks that move the needle, save your time, and finally get your business the visibility it deserves.

What is a high authority backlinks

A high authority backlink is a link from an authoritative website that is targeting the same topic that you are writing about. The website has to have high authority; this is essential because a vote of confidence from reputable website like CNN is more powerful than old, rusty website. They signal to Google and LLM’s that your content is high quality and deserve ranking and citations. The process of getting high authority backlinks is link building. As i said, it is a PROCESS, it means that it isn’t a one-time thing and needs execution. Link building is about building relationship with relevant website, so we need to think WIN / WIN.

Why high authority backlinks are important in SEO

A Primary Ranking Factor: Google’s search algorithms have evolved, but backlinks remain one of the top three ranking signals. According to a study by Backlinko as they analyzed 11.8 million Google search resdults, the #1 result in Google has an average of 3.8x more backlinks than positions #2 – #10.

The “Digital Vote of Confidence”: Think of a backlink as a testimonial. When a high-authority site (like Forbes or a top industry leader) links to you, search engines view it as a massive vote of trust, which directly boosts your E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).

Faster Indexing: Search engine “spiders” (crawlers) find new content by following links from established pages. A link from a high-authority site acts as a fast-track, helping Google find and index your new posts much quicker than organic discovery.

Quality > Quantity (The Reddit Consensus): A common sentiment on subreddits like r/SEO is that one link from a DR 70+ site is worth more than 1,000 links from “link farms” or low-quality directories. Users emphasize that “chasing numbers” often leads to manual penalties, whereas quality links provide long-term stability.

Referral Traffic “Gold”: Beyond SEO, high-authority links live on sites that already have massive audiences. A single link can drive qualified, high-intent referral traffic directly to your site, leading to leads and sales without the need for a search engine middleman.

Correlation with Organic Traffic: Data from Ahrefs shows a near-linear correlation between the number of unique referring domains (high-quality websites linking to you) and the amount of organic search traffic a page receives. No links usually equals no traffic.

Are paid backlinks a good idea?

Google penalize buying backlinks, this can lead to your webpage deindexed. This strategy can work, although here’s why I don’t recommend it:

• It can lead to your website penalized and the loss of your ranking.
• It costs a lot! According to BuzzStream blog about Link Building Pricing in 2025, the average price for only one backlink is $141.

if you conisder buying you should buy backlinks from reputable sources, their website also should be relevant to yours, and the website should have high authority. You can use MOZ domain authority checker to find out if the website is worth it or not. below 50 is considered low.
As I said, I don’t encourage you to do this as it’s considered as unethical practice and will cost you a lot of money to get where you want. That’s why the best way is to follow proven ethical tactics that helped others get high authority backlinks.

What makes a good link?

not all backlinks are the same. backlinks from large website are more valuable than smaller one. There are two conditions for a link to be powerful:

Relevance: the website needs to be relevant to your business. For instance, If you have a travel agency than your goal is to attract links from travel blogs.

Authoritativeness: Authority is how much Google trust your website (in the context of SEO). To build authority you need to attract high authority backlinks. Here’s two tools that I personally use to measure authority:

• Website authority checker by Ahrefs
• Domain authority checker by Moz

Common Backlinking Mistakes to Avoid

Spamming Comments and Forums: Leaving links in irrelevant comment sections or forums is easily detected by search engines and damages your brand’s reputation.

Sending Generic Outreach Emails: Avoid “copy-paste” templates. High-authority sites ignore generic requests. Instead, personalize your pitch and focus on a win-win value proposition.

Ignoring Relevancy and Authority: Not all links are equal. Only target sites that are relevant to your niche and maintain a Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR) of 30 or higher.

Neglecting “Link-Worthy” Content: You can’t earn links with thin content. Focus on creating linkable assets like original case studies, data-driven stats, or comprehensive “how-to” guides.

Using Black-Hat Tactics: Stay away from Private Blog Networks (PBNs) and link farms. These “shortcuts” often lead to severe Google penalties that can tank your rankings.

Prioritizing Quantity Over Quality: Don’t chase numbers. One link from a reputable, high-DR website is significantly more valuable than 100 links from low-quality or spammy sites.

How to get high-quality backlinks for free?

Now that you understand what are high authority backlinks and why they are important backlinks. It is time to learn the how. I compiled the strategies that Ahrefs and backlinko uses to get high authority hyperlinks (backlinks). These strategies are proven by their own data, and I made sure other people like you and me used them successfully(researched in Reddit). Without further ado, Let’s rank!

Strategy #1: Guest blogging

What is Guest Blogging?

Guest Blogging (or Guest Posting) is a method where you write an original article for another website in your industry. In exchange for your free, high-quality content, the site owner allows you to include a link back to your own blog (usually in the “About the Author” section or within the body of the post).

Why This Strategy Works

• For the Site Owner: They get professional, well-researched content for free, which saves them time and keeps their audience engaged.
• For the Reader: They get a fresh perspective and new insights from a different expert (you).
• For Your SEO: You get a “Contextual Backlink” (links surrounded by relevant text), which Google values much higher than sidebar or footer links. It also drives referral traffic directly to your site.

How to Guest Blog Like a Pro

1. Finding the Right Targets

Don’t just look for “Write for us” pages. Look for sites where your target audience actually hangs out.

Use these Advanced Search Operators:

• "Your Topic" + "write for us"
• "Your Topic" + "guest post"
• "Your Topic" + "contributing writer"
• "Your Topic" + "submit an article"
• "Your Topic" + "this is a guest post by"

2. The “Pre-Pitch” Audit (Vetting)

Before emailing, make sure the site is worth your time:

• Check Engagement: Do their posts have comments or social shares?
• Check Post Frequency: Are they posting regularly (at least once a week)?
• Identify Content Gaps: Look for a topic they haven’t covered well yet. This is your “in.”

3. The Pitch (Personalization is Key)

Avoid generic templates. Show them you actually read their blog. Mention a specific post of theirs that you enjoyed.

The Guest Posting Outreach Template

Subject: Guest Post Idea: [Your Catchy Title]

Hi [Name],

I’ve been following [Blog Name] for a while now, and your recent post about [Mention a recent post topic] really resonated with me—especially the part about [Specific detail].

I’m reaching out because I’d love to contribute a high-quality guest post to your blog. Based on what your readers enjoy, I’ve brainstormed three potential topics that I think would perform really well:

1. [Topic Idea #1] – (A brief 1-sentence explanation of why it’s valuable).
2. [Topic Idea #2] – (A brief 1-sentence explanation).
3. [Topic Idea #3] – (A brief 1-sentence explanation).

To give you an idea of my writing style, here are a few of my recent pieces:

• [Link to your best blog post]
• [Link to another guest post or article]

I promise the content will be 100% original, deeply researched, and tailored specifically for your audience.

Would any of these topics be a good fit for your calendar?

Best regards, [Your Name]

A Practical Example

Let’s say your blog is in the Sustainable Living niche.

Step 1: Search
You type into Google: "Zero Waste" + "write for us"

Step 2: Find a Target
You find https://www.google.com/searchq=EcoFriendlyHome.com.
You notice they have lots of articles on “Plastic-free kitchens” but nothing on “Eco-friendly bathroom transitions.”

Step 3: Send the Pitch
You use the template above, suggesting the title: “5 Surprising Ways to Remove Plastic from Your Bathroom (Without Breaking the Bank).”

The Result: the webmaster agrees. You write a 1,500-word masterpiece. Within the article, you link back to your WordPress post about “The Best Bamboo Toothbrushes of 2026.” You now have a high-authority, relevant backlink that will pass SEO “juice” to your site for years!

Strategy #2: Broken links building

What is Broken Link Building?

Broken Link Building is the process of finding a dead link (a 404 error) on someone else’s website, recreating that “dead” content on your own site, and then asking the website owner to replace the broken link with a link to your fresh, working page.

Why This Strategy Works

This is arguably the most effective outreach strategy because you aren’t just asking for a favor—you are providing a technical service.

• For the Site Owner: Broken links hurt SEO and provide a bad user experience. You are helping them clean up their “technical debt” for free.
• For the Reader: Instead of hitting a “Page Not Found” error, they get sent to your high-quality resource.
• For Your SEO: this is how Backlinko famously landed .edu and .gov links. These domains are incredibly picky, but they prioritize the accuracy of their information above all else.

The Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Find a “Target” Page

You want to find pages that naturally have many outgoing links (like Resource Pages or “Best of” lists), as these are most likely to have dead links.

Search Operators to use:

• "Your Topic" + "links"
• "Your Topic" + "resources"
• "Your Topic" + "recommended sites"
• site:.edu "Your Topic" + "resources" (to target educational sites)

2. Spot the Dead Links

Once you find a promising page, don’t click every link manually. Use a free tool like the “Check My Links” or “LinkMiner” Chrome extensions. They will highlight broken links in red.

3. Check the “Dead” Content

Use the Wayback Machine to see what used to be on that broken page. This allows you to recreate a similar (but better and more modern) version of that content.

4. The Outreach

Reach out to the site owner. Don’t lead with your link; lead with the error you found.

High-Converting Outreach Template

Subject: Problem with your [Page Name] page

Hi [Name],

I was doing some research on [Topic] today and spent some time on your excellent resources page here: [Link to their page].

I noticed that a few of the links seem to be dead and leading to 404 error pages. Specifically, this one:

• [Broken URL Description/Link]

I actually recently published a comprehensive guide on [The Topic of the broken link] that covers everything the old resource did, but with updated info for 2026.

If you’re planning on updating the page, perhaps it would make a good replacement? You can find my guide here: [Your URL]

Hope this helps you keep the page fresh for your readers!

Best, [Your Name]

A Practical Example

Let’s say you have a blog about Career Coaching.

Step 1: Search

You search Google for: site:.edu "career resources" + "resume tips"

Step 2: Find the Error

You find a Career Services page at a university. You run your “Check My Links” extension and find a red link titled “The 2018 Guide to Resume Keywords.” It’s a 404 error because the original site went out of business.

Step 3: Create the Solution

You write a new, updated post on your site: “The Ultimate Guide to Resume Keywords for 2026.”

Step 4: The Pitch

You email the University Webmaster using the template above. Since they are an educational institution, they hate having broken links. They swap the dead link for yours.

The Result: You just landed a high-authority .edu backlink, which is pure gold for your Google rankings.

Strategy #3: Resource page link building

What is a Resource Page?

A Resource Page is a webpage on a website that lists helpful links, tools, and content related to a specific topic. Instead of being a standard blog post, its primary purpose is to act as a “curated directory” for its audience.

Think of it as a digital library shelf. For example, a fitness blog might have a page titled “Our Favorite Weight Loss Tools & Guides,” where they link to external calorie counters, workout plans, and high-quality articles from other experts.

Why This Strategy Works

This strategy is a “win-win-win” for everyone involved:

1. For the Site Owner: You are helping them keep their resource list up-to-date and valuable for their readers.
2. For the Reader: They find a new, high-quality resource (your content) that helps them solve a problem.
3. For Your SEO: You get a contextually relevant, high-authority backlink from a page that Google already views as an “authority hub.”

How to Get Resource Page Links

1. Finding the Prospects (Google Dorking)

To find these pages, you use specific Search Operators in Google. These allow you to filter out regular blog posts and find only “Resources” or “Links” pages.

Try these search strings (replace “topic” with your niche):

• intitle:resources "weight loss"
• inurl:resources.html "weight loss"
• "weight loss" + inurl:links
• "weight loss" + "useful resources"
• "weight loss" + "helpful links"

2. Vetting the Pages

Not every resource page is a good fit. Before reaching out, check:

• Relevance: Does your content actually fit the list?
• Authority: Use a tool (like Ahrefs or Moz) to check the Domain Authority (DA).
• Maintenance: If the page hasn’t been updated since 2018, the owner likely won’t respond.

3. The Outreach

Once you have a list of targets, you need to reach out to the webmaster or editor. The key is to be brief and helpful.

A Practical Example

Let’s say you’ve written a comprehensive, 5,000-word guide on “Intermittent Fasting for Beginners”.

Step 1: Search

You go to Google and type: intitle:resources "intermittent fasting"

Step 2: Find a Target

You find a site called https://www.google.com/search?q=HealthyLiving.com that has a page: healthyliving.com/best-diet-resources. It lists several keto and paleo guides, but no beginner guide for intermittent fasting.

Step 3: Outreach Email

Best, [Your Name]

Subject: Question about your health resources page

Hi [Name],

I was browsing your site today and came across your Best Diet Resources page. It’s a great list; I actually shared your keto guide with my newsletter subscribers!

I noticed you don’t have a section on Intermittent Fasting yet. I recently published a very detailed, free guide for beginners that covers the science and schedules behind it.

If you think it would add value to your readers, would you consider adding it to your list?

You can check it out here: [Your Link]

Either way, keep up the great work with the blog!

Strategy #4: Reverse Engineer Competitors

What is Reverse Engineering Competitors?

Reverse Engineering Competitors is the process of identifying a competitor’s backlink profile to understand where their authority comes from and how they earned it. Instead of guessing which sites might link to you, you look at who is already linking to similar content in your niche and target those exact sources.

Why This Strategy Works?

• Proven Interest: If a website links to your competitor, they have already demonstrated an interest in your topic. They are much more likely to link to you than a “cold” prospect.
• The Shortcut Factor: Your competitors have already done the hard work of vetting sites, finding editors, and building relationships. You are simply stepping into a “pre-validated” circle.
• Identify the “Formula”: You can see if they are winning through guest posts, original research, or tools. This tells you exactly what type of content you need to create to compete.

The Process: How to do it using Ahrefs

Ahrefs is the industry standard for this. Here is the professional workflow:

1. Identify Your “Real” SEO Competitors

Don’t just look at who you think your competitors are. Look at who Google says they are.

• Ahrefs Step: Go to Site Explorer > Enter your domain > Click Organic Competitors.
• What to look for: Sites with a high “Keywords Overlap.” These are the ones stealing your traffic.

2. The Link Intersect (The “Low-Hanging Fruit”)

This tool finds websites that link to multiple competitors but not to you. If a site links to three of your rivals, they are highly likely to link to a fourth (you).

• Ahrefs Step: Go to Link Intersect.
• Action: Put 3–5 competitors in the “Show me who links to…” section and put your domain in the “But doesn’t link to…” section.
• The Result: A list of sites that are “receptive” to your niche.

3. “Best by Links” (The Content Strategy)

To know what to write, you need to see what content earned your competitors the most links.

• Ahrefs Step: Enter a competitor’s domain in Site Explorer > Click Best by Links (under the Pages section).
• The Result: You’ll see their most linked-to pages. If their “Ultimate Guide to Keto” has 500 backlinks, you know that creating a better Keto guide is a winning move.

A Practical Example

Let’s say you run a blog about Remote Work Tools.

Step 1: Identify Competitors You find that RemoteOK.com and WeWorkRemotely.com are your top rivals.

Step 2: Link Intersect You run a Link Intersect and find that 15 different tech blogs have linked to both rivals in their “Best Remote Job Boards” articles, but they haven’t mentioned your new blog yet.

Step 3: Analyze the “How” You look at the backlinks for RemoteOK and notice most of them come from “Expert Roundups” where the founder gives quotes about the future of work.

Step 4: Execute Now you know your “hit list” (those 15 tech blogs) and your “strategy” (offering expert quotes). You reach out to those editors:

“I saw you featured RemoteOK and WWR in your list of job boards. I actually just launched a tool that aggregates the data from both with a unique ‘salary filter’—would you be open to adding it as a third resource for your readers?”

Strategy #5: Journalist Outreach

This strategy is often called Digital PR or Expert Sourcing. In the world of SEO, getting a link from a major news outlet (like The New York Times, Forbes, or TechCrunch) is like winning an Olympic gold medal. One link from a high-authority news site can be more powerful than 50 links from small blogs.

What is Journalist Outreach (Digital PR)?

Journalist Outreach is the process of providing expert quotes, data, or insights to reporters who are currently writing a story. Instead of pitching a finished article, you are acting as a “source.” When a journalist uses your quote, they almost always credit you with a link back to your website as a “bio” or “source” link.

Why This Strategy Works

• Elite Authority: News sites usually have a Domain Rating (DR) of 80–90+. Google views these sites as the ultimate sources of truth.
• Trust & Credibility: Being quoted as an expert in a major publication builds instant trust with your audience. It’s “social proof” that you can feature on your homepage.
• Mutually Beneficial: Journalists are on tight deadlines. They don’t have time to be experts in everything. By providing a clear, concise answer, you are making their job easier.

The Process: How to Become a Trusted Source

1. Sign Up for Monitoring Tools

Journalists post “queries” (requests for information) on specific platforms.

• Connectively (formerly HARO): The most famous platform.
• Featured.com: Great for specific, high-quality business queries.
• Qwoted: A newer platform that helps you build a profile that journalists can find.
• #PRRequest on X (Twitter): Search this hashtag to find real-time requests from reporters.

2. Filter for Relevance

You will receive emails 2–3 times a day with hundreds of requests. Don’t respond to everything. Only pick topics where you have genuine expertise. If you’re a fitness blogger, don’t answer queries about real estate.

3. The “Speed to Lead” Rule

Journalists often receive 100+ responses. The first 10–15 people to respond have the highest chance of being featured. Try to reply within 2 hours of the query being posted.

The “Perfect Pitch” Email Template

Journalists don’t want “fluff.” They want the answer immediately.

Subject: Contribution for: [Name of their Query/Topic]

Hi [Journalist Name],

I saw your request on [Platform Name] regarding [Topic]. As a [Your Title, e.g., Professional SEO Specialist] at [Your Blog Name], I’ve spent the last [X] years helping people navigate [Topic].

Here is a quick insight/tip that might work for your story:

“[Your 2-3 sentence expert quote or answer here. Make it punchy and ready to copy-paste.]”

If you’d like to dive deeper into this or need more details, I’m happy to help.

My Credentials:

• [Link to your “About” page or LinkedIn]
• [Link to a relevant post you’ve written on the topic]

Best regards, [Your Name]

A Practical Example

Let’s say you run a blog about Personal Finance.

Step 1: The Query You see a query on Connectively from a reporter at Business Insider asking: “What is one common mistake first-time home buyers make in 2026?”

Step 2: The Response You send a pitch within 30 minutes.

“The biggest mistake in 2026 is failing to account for ‘Green Taxes’ on older homes. Many buyers look at the mortgage but forget the new carbon-efficiency levies being introduced in several states…”

The Result: The journalist loves the “Green Taxes” angle because it’s unique. They include your quote in their article and link to your blog post: “10 Hidden Costs of Buying a Home.”

Strategy #6: Create content that people want to link to

To round out your SEO guide, we are looking at Linkable Assets. These aren’t just blog posts; they are high-value resources that attract links naturally because they provide utility, proof, or superior depth.

Here is the breakdown of these three “content-first” strategies.

1. Free Tools and Calculators

What is it? A tool or calculator is an interactive feature on your site that solves a specific problem for the user instantly. It shifts your site from being a place people read to a place people use.

Why This Strategy Works

• Utility: People link to tools because they are helpful. A blogger would much rather link to a calculator than try to explain a complex math formula themselves.
• High Retention: Tools often get bookmarked, leading to repeat traffic, which signals “authority” to Google.
• Replacement Value: If you provide for free what others charge for, you become the “go-to” resource in your niche.

The Process

1. Identify a Pain Point: Ask yourself: What is a calculation or task my audience does repeatedly? Is there a paid tool that I can provide for free?
2. Build/Embed: You don’t need to be a coder. For WordPress, you can use plugins like Formidable Forms or WP-Calculators, or hire a freelancer on Upwork for a simple JavaScript tool.
3. Optimize: Ensure the tool is mobile-friendly and fast.

2. Statistics and Original Data

What is it? This involves either conducting original research (surveys) or curating a massive, easy-to-read list of current industry statistics.

Why This Strategy Works

• Source Citation: Bloggers and journalists need “proof” for their claims. When they use your stat, they must cite you as the source.
• The “Bullet Point” Effect: Putting stats in a bulleted list at the top makes them “snackable” for writers looking for a quick quote.

The Process

1. Find a Trend: What is everyone talking about but no one has “hard numbers” for?
2. Gather Data: Use Google Forms for surveys, or aggregate data from public reports (giving them credit, but organizing it better).
3. Visualize: Use a tool like Canva to create a simple chart. Bloggers love “stealing” charts and linking back to the source.

Practical Example On a Remote Work blog, create a post: “25 Surprising Remote Work Stats for 2026.” Include a stat like: “82% of Gen Z employees prefer hybrid models over full-office.”

3. The Skyscraper Technique

What is it? Created by Brian Dean, this strategy involves finding a “tall” piece of content (one that is already popular), and building a “taller” version—one that is more up-to-date, better designed, and more thorough.

Why This Strategy Works

• Proven Demand: You already know people want to link to this topic because the original post has hundreds of backlinks.
• Superiority: Most content on the web is “thin.” By writing a 5,000-word “Ultimate Guide” with better images and 2026 data, you make the older version obsolete.

The Process

1. Research: Use Ahrefs to find a post in your niche with a high number of backlinks.
2. Improve: Make it longer (more depth), fresher (2026 updates), and prettier (better UI/UX).
3. Reach Out: Contact the exact same people who linked to the original, inferior piece.

Applying these strategies are essential for you to get high authority backlinks that you deserve. Backlinking is about building relationship and providing value to others, this mindset is crucial for you to successfully nail it.

FAQ

Ressources

Link Building for Beginners: Complete Guide to Get Backlinks – YouTube

Complete Advanced Link Building Course by Ahrefs

Watch This If Your Website Gets Under 10k Visits/Month – YouTube

Search Engine Optimization and Content Marketing

Official Ahrefs Tutorial: How to use Ahrefs to Improve SEO