How to Get High Quality Backlinks (7 Top Strategies)

Today, you’re going to learn how to get backlinks for your website in 2025.

Not just any links.

The kind that actually moves the needle — for SEO, for AI visibility, and for brand authority.

At Backlinko, we’ve earned more than 1.5 million backlinks:

But the way we think about link building has changed.

Yes, backlinks still matter. A lot.

But we’re no longer just optimizing for Google PageRank. We’re optimizing for something bigger.

We’re optimizing for:

• Brand building
• Topic associations
• Co-citations in trusted content

Because in today’s search landscape — especially with large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and AI Mode — context beats the <href> tag.

AI search engines are pulling answers directly from the web. And while they often cite sources, they’re not picking those sources based on classic link metrics.

In fact, some of the most valuable brand mentions aren’t even clickable.

This shifts the goal of link building from SEO authority to discoverability.

Across search. AI. Social. Forums. Wherever your audience is consuming information.

That’s the mindset shift.

And in this guide, I’ll show you:

• What’s actually changing
• What high-quality backlinks actually look like in 2025
• How to earn citations that get picked up by LLMs
• The strategies we’re using at Backlinko right now to build long-term visibility

Let’s get into it.

What’s Actually Changing in Link Building

Backlinks are still one of the most reliable ways to boost your rankings in traditional search.

But what’s changing is why links work.

It’s no longer just about passing PageRank. It’s about building presence.

Google and LLMs are looking at who mentions you, where, and in what context. Getting cited alongside trusted brands in relevant content carries more weight than obsessing over anchor text.

The real goal isn’t just to earn links — it’s to become part of the conversation.

So What Is a Co-Citation?

A co-citation happens when your brand or product is mentioned in the same piece of content as authoritative sources in your space — even if there’s no link.

Think:

• A blog post listing “top AI marketing tools” that includes your brand next to HubSpot or Semrush
• A Reddit thread comparing alternatives to Mailchimp that brings up your product by name
• A YouTube video or podcast that references your insights alongside other known experts

These references help LLMs associate your brand with key topics and entities. That builds contextual authority — the kind that gets surfaced in AI-generated answers.

So if you’ve been laser-focused on links alone, it’s time to zoom out.

The best brands in 2025 are earning backlinks AND co-citations, training the internet to associate their name with the right topics.

Let’s dive into how.

1. Become a Source For Reporters and Bloggers

Let’s get something straight:

You don’t need a PR agency to earn high-impact links.

You just need to be helpful to the right people at the right time.

I’m talking about white hat links from legit news outlets, niche blogs, and curated listicles.

The kind of mentions that both search engines and LLMs love — and that actually move the needle.

The Tools

Here are three free tools worth bookmarking right now:

• Featured.com (freemium)
• Help a Reporter Out (free)
• Help a B2B Writer (free)

Think of these like matchmaking platforms — for content, not dating.

Reporters and content marketers post questions.

You reply with a useful, credible answer.

If they use your quote, you often get a mention or link.

Simple. Scalable. And surprisingly effective.

I’ve used all three of these platforms for multiple projects over the years. And they are consistently the best performers.

And we’ve got extensive data from Greg Heilers of Jolly SEO. His team has sent 200,000+ pitches over the years. And these are the last 1,000 wins he earned:

How to Get Started

Before we go too far, I want to be clear: this strategy takes work. And it’s not always easy.

But in my experience, it’s one of the best ways to build high-quality backlinks at scale.

With that, let’s dive into a step-by-step process using Featured.com as an example.

First, register as a source.

Next, choose a free or paid plan.

Then, keep an eye out for requests that you can contribute to.

Finally, send the journalist a VERY brief and valuable pitch.

For example:

A while back, we saw someone asking: “What’s the difference between graphic design and web design?”.

So Brian submitted this pitch:

And we got this sweet link from a university site.

Not too shabby.

2. Use Guest Posting to Engineer Relevance

Guest posting got a bad reputation for a reason.

For years, it was used as a shortcut:

Find any site that accepts guest posts. Crank out a low-effort article. Drop a keyword-rich backlink. Call it a day.

But in 2025, that approach doesn’t cut it.

Google ignores most of those links — and AI tools don’t trust them either.

That doesn’t mean guest posting is dead. It just means the goal has changed.

Guest Posting Now = Strategic Brand Placement

The new playbook is about earning mentions in highly relevant, trustworthy content — especially in places that influence AI responses and brand perception.

Think of it more like affiliate content or category marketing:

• A blog post that lists your product as a top alternative
• A niche Substack that recommends your service to their audience
• A how-to tutorial that highlights your tool as part of the solution

In short: You’re using guest content to expand the surface area of your brand in meaningful contexts.

Real-World Examples

UnderFit x Black Lapel

I partnered with a luxury suit brand (Black Lapel) to create a blog post on their site about what to wear under a dress shirt.

The post included a section about undershirts — naturally featuring my brand, UnderFit.

It wasn’t overly promotional. Just smart, relevant content.

Over the course of six months, the post directly led to more than 30 sales.

It also improved our visibility for product-related keywords in search.

And because the mention was placed in a high-quality, topically relevant article, it helped establish a branded association between UnderFit and terms related to menswear and formalwear. This is something AI models are now picking up on in their responses.

Traffic Think Tank x Keyword Research Tools

We created a strategic post for Traffic Think Tank, focusing on the best keyword research tools for 2025.

Since the website already ranked well for related searches, it was the perfect place to showcase this content.

The article positioned Semrush as one of the top tools, with clear context and practical use cases.

Not only did this help boost Semrush’s co-citation relevance, but we’ve also seen it referenced in follow-on blog posts and AI summaries.

3 Guest Posting Best Practices

1. Find contextually aligned publishers

Don’t just look for “guest post accepting” sites.

Look for brands, creators, or publishers in your niche who:

• Already rank or write about your topic
• Have a real audience in your space
• Might benefit from highlighting your product as part of their story

This could include, affiliate blogs, complementary software products, or online communities.

Look for alignment — not just domain authority.

2. Pitch a valuable, on-topic article (that mentions you naturally)

Your pitch should:

• Solve a problem their audience actually has
• Include a reason your brand fits into that solution
• Offer value, not just promotion

Great formats include:

• “Top 5 Tools For…”
• “How We Solved X Using Y”
• “What to Know Before Buying a…”
• “Alternatives to [Big Brand] That Actually Work”

In the article, mention your brand as part of the natural flow.

Don’t force it. And definitely don’t lead with it.

3. Write for usefulness, not just rankings

Your content should be:

• Citable. Would you want this quoted in a podcast or AI summary?
• Skimmable. Clear structure, short paragraphs, clean visuals
• Valuable. Include insights, examples, or data they won’t find elsewhere

Remember This

You’re not chasing traffic or trying to stuff in keywords. You’re choosing relevance over reach. Trust over metrics. Citations over backlinks.

In short:

This isn’t guest posting for link building.

It’s guest posting for visibility, discovery, and lasting brand association.

3. Build Links from Outdated Resources

The web changes fast, but links don’t keep up.

Companies change names, move websites, or stop offering services. But the sites linking to them? They often forget to update those links.

This gives you a chance to help site owners fix old information. And when you do, you can suggest they mention your brand too.

“The Moving Man Method” targets exactly these situations.

Using the method we scored links from…

An authoritative .edu site:

A popular resource web page:

And several contextual links from relevant sites in the SEO and online marketing space, like this:

Here Are the Steps

1. Find outdated resources

Look for site in your industry that have:

• Changed names
• Moved to a new URL
• Stopped offering a service
• Stopped updating a resource
• Shut down

How about an example?

Years back, SEOMoz changed its name to Moz (and moved its site from SEOmoz.org to Moz.com):

After hearing the news, we realized that this was a PERFECT opportunity to reach out to the hundreds of people still linking to the outdated SEOMoz.org URLs.

2. Find sites still linking to the old, outdated URL

Now that you’ve found a site that was recently re-branded or a site feature that’s no longer there, it’s time to find all of the links pointing to that page.

Just grab the URL of the outdated resource and put it into your backlink checking tool of choice.

(We’re using Semrush in this example but there are lots of link building tools that you can use to do the same thing.)

Then, check out all the sites that link to the old URLs.

Depending on the site, you should have quite a few backlink opportunities to work with.

Either way, you want to focus on sites that have the highest Domain Authority (DA).

3. Execute your outreach

Your last step is to reach out to all of the people who still link to the outdated resource.

You want to give them a quick heads-up about their outdated link…and gently suggest that they add your link to their site.

We tested a few different outreach email scripts for my SEOmoz/Moz campaign. Here’s the one that worked best:

And because I added value to their site twice (once from the heads up about their outdated link and again by showing them my valuable resource), people were more than happy to add our link to their page:

That’s all there is to it 🙂

Bonus Tip: Look for Dated Content, Not Just Broken Links

Outdated ≠ broken.

An article from 2021 with old tool lists, screenshots, or product comparisons can still be a great opportunity, especially if it’s still ranking or getting links.

Offer a newer stat. A more current visual. A fresh recommendation.

And pitch your link as the upgrade.

This tactic works because it’s not about pushing your site — it’s about making the web more accurate, while increasing your topical footprint.

4. Create Citation Magnets That Earn Mentions Naturally

Some content types are built to rank.

Others are built to be referenced.

If your goal is to earn passive mentions, co-citations, and LLM visibility, the format you choose matters as much as the topic.

We’ve tested dozens of approaches at Backlinko. Original data and free tools consistently get cited — without asking.

Original Data and Statistics Roundups

People love citing fresh numbers.

And LLMs love structured facts.

Combine both, and you have a link magnet.

Free Tools, Templates, and Calculators

We’ve built out dozens of free resources on Backlinko. And they’re some of our best performing assets.

People can access them directly from our site:

And increasingly get linked to directly in their AI search journey:

That’s the power of utility.

When your asset helps someone get something done, they’ll include it in a blog, a YouTube script, a Reddit reply — wherever they’re adding value.

And those mentions stick.

People rarely go back and clean up outbound links. Which means your asset keeps getting re-crawled, re-summarized, and re-surfaced in LLMs.

That’s how you start earning compound authority.

Pro Tip: Build These as Standalone Assets

If you’re creating a calculator, template, or data set, publish it on its own unique URL — not just as a buried section in a blog post.

Why?

So people can link directly to it.

So AI can crawl and interpret it more easily.

And so you can promote it like a product.

5. Use Branded Strategies and Techniques

Want to create content that gets cited, referenced, and linked to — even years after you publish it?

Name your strategy.

Seriously.

You might remember strategy #3 in this guide — about building links from outdated resources.

That tactic has earned thousands of links.

Not just because it works.

But because we gave it a name: The Moving Man Method.

People reference it in their blog posts, videos, and roundup articles.

They cite it in newsletters.

Some even write full tutorials teaching it to their own audience.

And that only happened because we made the tactic easy to remember and easy to talk about.

Here’s another example:

Ramit Sethi created a strategy for looking like a rockstar at meetings called “The Briefcase Technique“:

And because Ramit named his strategy, he got a bunch of amazing links:

Branded strategies get cited.

And now, that matters more than ever.

LLMs are more likely to surface named methods in answers because people ask for them by name.

“How do I use the Moving Man Method?” is way more searchable (and recognizable) than “How do I build links?”

A name makes your tactic stick.

It gives people something to reference — and LLMs something to pull into answers.

You’re not just creating content.

You’re creating language.

And language spreads.

Here’s How to Do It

1. Develop a unique strategy, tip, or twist

It doesn’t have to be revolutionary. It just needs one thing that makes it feel different.

Take The Moving Man Method.

It’s a twist on broken link building. But instead of finding 404s, you target outdated links that still work but are no longer accurate.

That tiny shift? Enough to stand out.

2. Give it a name

It doesn’t need to be flashy. Just clear and sticky.

Some go-to words that work well:

• Method
• Technique
• Framework
• Blueprint
• Approach
• Playbook

Examples:

• The Skyscraper Technique (Brian Dean)
• The Briefcase Technique (Ramit Sethi)
• The Backwards Content Strategy (Backlinko)

Bonus points if the name hints at what the strategy does.

One new method we’re working to spread right now is LLM Seeding. Keep an eye out for it 🙂

3. Publish the strategy as a case study

Here’s the key: show your work.

Don’t just say “this new method works.” Prove it.

Write a blog post or video walkthrough showing:

• What you did
• Why it worked
• What the results were

That gives other people something to cite.

LLMs something to summarize.

And searchers something to trust.

It also gives your strategy a permanent home online — a linkable asset that will keep earning attention long after the post date fades.

6. Launch an Affiliate Program (to Build Relevance)

Historically, affiliate programs lived in a separate lane, focusing on performance marketing, not SEO.

But in 2025, they’re a powerful lever for building relevance across the web.

A well-run affiliate program doesn’t just drive sales.

It incentivizes creators to build content about you — listicles, tutorials, product reviews, comparison posts, YouTube videos, Reddit replies, TikToks, even “tools we use” mentions in newsletters and blogs.

The SEO value?

These mentions seed LLM training data, increase brand association, and shape how search engines contextualize your product.

And unlike old-school link building, you’re not obsessing over follow vs nofollow. You care about where and how your brand shows up.

How to Actually Do It

Start by building a lean affiliate program.

No need to over-engineer this. Just spin it up using a platform like PartnerStack or Impact. Make it easy for people to join, grab their links, and start promoting you.

But here’s where most people mess up…

They treat affiliate marketing like a PPC channel.

Clicks aren’t the only goal. You’re trying to flood the internet with content that mentions your brand — in blog posts, in YouTube videos, on Reddit, LinkedIn, everywhere.

So think like a link builder.

Start by finding the right people.

Creators who already talk about your space.

People ranking with comparison posts, product roundups, or “best tools” lists.

Then give them everything they need to create awesome content about you:

• Talking points
• Screenshots
• Comparison angles
• Use case examples

You’re not just handing them a link. You’re handing them a story to tell.

And yeah — give them a reason to go big.

Offer bonuses for evergreen content. Reward videos. Give higher commissions for placements on pages that actually rank. Incentivize the stuff that builds long-term brand relevance, not just short-term clicks.

Finally, track your mentions. Not just your conversions.

7. Reclaim Unlinked Brand Mentions (and Shape the Sentiment)

If you’ve built a brand people recognize, there’s a good chance they’re already talking about you online.

They might mention your product in a blog post.

List you in a “top 10” roundup.

Or reference your company in a podcast transcript, a news article, or a Reddit thread.

And most of the time?

They don’t link to you.

That’s a missed opportunity — both for traditional SEO and for showing up in LLM answers. Because even unlinked mentions influence how your brand is understood.

But when you turn those mentions into links (and adjust the context), you turn passive recognition into active relevance.

This works especially well for brands that already get a lot of visibility from advertising or PR.

Say you’re working with a company like Sandals (one of my old clients).

They’ve been running TV and radio ads for decades. The name alone triggers brand recall. And because of that, people talk about them constantly: in travel blogs, destination guides, honeymoon roundups, and “best resort” listicles.

To find those mentions, you can start with Google search operators.

For example:

intext:Sandals Resorts -sandals.com -x.com -facebook.com -youtube.com -instagram.com -reddit.com -linkedin.com

This search pulls up pages that mention “Sandals Resorts” but don’t link to the official site.

You’re filtering out platforms where links aren’t viable and focusing on places like travel blogs, news articles, or resort reviews — exactly where LLMs are pulling context from.

It works — but there’s a catch.

You don’t get key SEO insights like Authority Score, traffic estimates, or even if the page still gets indexed. And unless you’re using a scraping tool, you’ll have to copy each result manually into a spreadsheet for vetting.

That’s why we’d usually pair this with a tool like Semrush’s Brand Monitoring. It automates the heavy lifting.

You enter your brand and create a query.

With a brand like Sandals, this process would turn up hundreds of positive mentions every quarter.

From there, we’d reach out — sometimes just to ask for a link, other times to suggest a slight copy tweak to better reflect the brand’s positioning.

We weren’t trying to spin negativity into praise.

We were turning vague compliments into category-defining context. Like “Sandals is one of the most trusted all-inclusive resort brands for couples and honeymooners.”

In 2025, that kind of update isn’t just helpful.

It’s strategic.

Your Job Now: Building Multi-Platform Authority

After all the tactics, here’s what I want you to leave with.

Your job going forward isn’t about getting backlinks.

It’ll be about building authority that travels — across platforms, across formats, across algorithms.

That’s why link building in 2025 isn’t about chasing PageRank. It’s about shaping how your brand is recognized — by people and by machines.

So when you’re planning outreach, creating assets, or pitching a campaign, ask yourself:

Will this make my brand more relevant in the places AI is learning from?

That’s the real game now.

Not just Search Engine Optimization.

Search Everywhere Optimization.