Glossary
What is link building?
Link building is the work of getting other websites to link to yours, to earn search rankings, referral traffic and credibility. Legitimate methods include directory listings, creating content people cite, PR, guest contributions and partnerships. Buying links, link exchanges at scale and private blog networks break Google's spam policies.
Methods that work
| Method | Effort | Typical result |
|---|---|---|
| Directory listings | Low | Many relevant referring domains, fast |
| Linkable assets (stats, tools, research) | High | Links that keep coming |
| Digital PR and journalist requests | Medium | Few, strong links |
| Guest posts and podcasts | Medium | Relevant links and audience |
| Unlinked mentions | Low | Easy wins once you have mentions |
| Broken link building | Medium | Steady, relevant links |
| Partners and integrations | Low | Links from your ecosystem |
Link building vs link earning
Building means you ask or place. Earning means people link without being asked, because your page is the best source. Statistics pages are the clearest example: a study of 12,154 B2B pages by Foundation found statistics pages earned 4.25 times their share of referring domains, more than any other format.
What breaks the rules
Google's spam policies list: buying or selling links that pass ranking credit, excessive link exchanges, large-scale guest posting with keyword-rich anchors, automated programs that create links, and requiring links as part of a terms of service. PBNs fall in the same bucket.
A starting plan for a new product
- List on the 30 to 50 best-fit directories (178 of those we checked are free and dofollow).
- Claim profiles on review sites and startup databases.
- Publish one asset worth citing: original data, a calculator, a template.
- Pitch a few podcasts and newsletters in your niche.
- Turn mentions into links as they appear.
Example
A bootstrapped analytics tool earns 40 referring domains in three months: 28 from directories, 6 from podcasts, 4 from a benchmark report other blogs cited, and 2 from integration partners. It never paid for a link.
FAQ
Is link building still worth it?
Yes, done properly. Links remain a ranking signal and a source of visitors.
Is buying backlinks against Google's rules?
Yes, when the links pass ranking credit. Paid links must carry sponsored or nofollow.
How fast should I build links?
As fast as you can get real ones. There's no penalty for many genuine links; the risk is in how they were obtained.
Are directory submissions link building?
Yes. Listings on real directories are one of the safest first steps.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Spam policies (link spam)
- Ahrefs: Link building for beginners
- Foundation: Which B2B pages earn the most backlinks