We Tried 10 Link Building Hacks — Only One Actually Worked
Link building is an essential aspect of SEO strategy that can significantly improve a website's authority and visibility. However, navigating the myriad of tactics can leave many feeling overwhelmed. At BacklinkX.io, we decided to put ten popular link building hacks to the test. The findings were surprising. Only one method proved effective. Here’s the scoop.
The Hacks We Tried
- Guest Blogging: This age-old strategy involves writing high-quality articles for other websites in exchange for a backlink.
- Broken Link Building: Identifying broken links on reputable sites and suggesting your content as a replacement.
- Resource Page Link Building: Promoting your content to be included in resources pages of various websites.
- Skyscraper Technique: Finding popular content and creating something even more valuable, then reaching out to those who linked to it.
- Influencer Outreach: Connecting with industry influencers to share your content.
- Social Media Promotion: Sharing your content across social media platforms to generate traffic and potential backlinks.
- Forums and Communities: Participating in online forums and communities to insert your links in discussions.
- Local SEO and Citations: Building links through local directories or citations.
- Infographics: Creating engaging infographics that can be easily shared and linked back to your site.
- Cold Emailing: Randomly reaching out to sites and asking for a link.
The Results
After implementing these hacks for a consistent period, we documented our outcomes. To our astonishment, the only tactic that yielded a significant number of quality links was Guest Blogging. Here’s a breakdown of our experiences with each:
1. Guest Blogging
This method not only helped establish credibility within the industry but also resulted in valuable backlinks from domains with good authority. We reached out to relevant sites, and those who accepted our pitches were often thrilled with the content we provided.
2. Broken Link Building
While this approach is often recommended, the execution proved challenging. Many site owners were unresponsive or uninterested, leading to minimal returns.
3. Resource Page Link Building
This requires extensive research and a solid pitch. We found that it worked occasionally but was not scalable and often outmatched by guest blogging results.
4. Skyscraper Technique
Although promising, creating superior content took a lot of time. The effort didn’t yield as many links as expected, mainly due to the harsh competition.
5. Influencer Outreach
Connecting with influencers suited for our niche was time-consuming and required persistence. Most responses went unanswered.
6. Social Media Promotion
While it generated some traffic, the conversion into backlinks was non-existent compared to guest blogging.
7. Forums and Communities
While engaging in discussions can be beneficial, this tactic didn’t produce links as we had hoped. It felt more like wasting time than generating value.
8. Local SEO and Citations
Gaining links through citations was straightforward but limited to our local area, making it unsuitable for broader audiences.
9. Infographics
Creating infographics was resource-intensive, and although they were shared, translating that into backlinks was difficult.
10. Cold Emailing
This tactic had the lowest success rate, often categorized as spam without yielding any meaningful connections.
Conclusion
After trying ten distinct link building hacks, we found that guest blogging remains the front runner in effectiveness. While it requires investment in time and effort, the potential to build strong relationships and gain high-quality backlinks makes it worthwhile. Other strategies may have their place, but for now, we recommend focusing on guest blogging to amplify your link building endeavors.