Link building isn’t dead – far from it. In 2025, earning quality backlinks (links from other websites to yours) is still a cornerstone of effective SEO optimization. Google continues to treat links as “votes of confidence” that signal your content’s value and trustworthiness. As Google’s John Mueller put it, “Links will always be something that we care about… How do you find a page on the web without some reference to it?”. In other words, link building remains essential for SEO, even as algorithms get smarter. The key is doing it the right way. Tactics that once worked (like spammy link schemes or private blog networks) are now SEO no-gos, thanks to stricter link spam policies. Instead, marketers need to focus on SEO link building strategies best practices – strategies that earn genuine, high-quality links and stand the test of time.
At Komplex, our digital marketing agency, we’ve seen that quality beats quantity. A handful of authoritative links will boost your SEO far more than dozens of low-quality ones. Below we outline 7 proven link building strategies for 2025. Each is simple, effective, and focused on long-term SEO best practices. These tactics will not only improve your backlink profile but also drive real traffic and strengthen your brand. Let’s dive in.
1. Create Link-Worthy Content Assets (Link Bait)
The foundation of any successful link building campaign is great content. “Link bait” refers to content so useful, unique, or authoritative that other sites naturally want to link to it. Think of in-depth guides, original research, infographics, interactive tools, or data studies that deliver value no one else does. For example, a free mortgage calculator or a comprehensive industry study with fresh statistics can attract tons of backlinks because other writers will cite or reference it in their articles.
To succeed with this strategy, focus on quality and originality. Identify topics in your niche that people frequently search for or quote, and create the best resource on that topic. Make it engaging and easy to understand (minimal jargon, clear visuals if possible). Once your link-worthy asset is published, promote it to increase discoverability: share it on social media, in forums or communities (where appropriate), and through your email newsletter. Over time, as people find and appreciate your content, it will earn organic backlinks – which is the holy grail of SEO. High-value content not only improves your rankings but also builds your site’s authority and reputation, aligning with SEO best practices for 2025.
2. Write Guest Posts on Authoritative Sites
Guest blogging is alive and well – when done right. This strategy means contributing an article to another website or online publication in your industry, usually in exchange for a brief author bio or context link back to your site. The goal isn’t to spam low-quality blogs, but to offer genuine value to reputable sites’ audiences. By being a guest contributor on an authoritative site, you not only earn a backlink, but also tap into a relevant readership who may click through to your site. In fact, a well-placed guest post can drive targeted referral traffic and boost your brand awareness in addition to the SEO benefits .
How to do it: Make a list of reputable blogs, news sites, or digital magazines in your niche. Look for ones that have engaged audiences and good domain authority. Then craft a unique, high-quality article pitch that fits their content and provides real value to their readers – no salesy fluff. When your guest article is published, you’ll typically get an author byline or a mention that links back to your site (often to your homepage or a relevant resource). Pro tip: Be selective and prioritize quality over quantity. A single backlink from a well-respected site in your industry can outweigh dozens from low-tier sites. Also, avoid paid guest posting schemes (buying or selling guest post slots), as these violate link building best practices and Google’s guidelines. Instead, focus on earning guest post opportunities with strong content – it’s a win-win for SEO and thought leadership.
3. Broken Link Building
Broken link building is a classic tactic that still works wonders in 2025. The internet is littered with broken pages and 404 errors, and no one wants dead links on their site. This strategy involves finding broken backlinks on other websites (especially ones related to your niche), recreating or providing content to replace the dead resource, and then politely asking those sites to update the broken link to point to your working content. You’re doing them a favor by helping fix an error, while you gain a quality backlink in return.
Here’s how to execute broken link building:
- Find broken links on reputable sites in your industry. You can use SEO tools to identify 404 errors or “dead” pages that have backlinks. Often, these might be outdated resources or moved content on other sites.
- Create a replacement that matches or surpasses the original content. For example, if there’s a broken link to an “Ultimate Guide to X” from 2018, you could create a updated guide on that topic with current information. Ensure your content is genuinely helpful and relevant to the context.
- Reach out to the webmasters or content editors of the sites with the broken link. Politely explain that their article “XYZ” contains a broken link to the old resource, and suggest your new content as an up-to-date replacement. Emphasize that it will improve their readers’ experience (since you’re removing a dead link).
Because you’re providing a solution rather than asking for a favor outright, many site owners are receptive to this. It’s a white-hat link building strategy that benefits everyone: the referring site fixes a bad link (improving user experience and SEO), and you earn a backlink. Remember to focus on relevant, high-quality sites for this tactic, a backlink from a poor-quality site isn’t worth much and can even be harmful. But replacing broken links on authoritative sites can quickly bolster your backlink profile with minimal cost.
4. Leverage Resource Pages
Resource page link building is an often-overlooked gem. Many websites (universities, industry organizations, bloggers, etc.) maintain “Resource Lists” or “Useful Links” pages curating the best content or tools on a particular topic. If you have a great piece of content or a handy tool, getting it listed on these resource pages is a quick win for link building. In fact, resource page outreach has long been a popular tactic – and it’s still going strong in 2025 because it works and it’s scalable .
Why resource pages? These pages exist specifically to link out to valuable content, so webmasters are generally open to suggestions. They want to keep their resource lists up-to-date and high-quality. If your content genuinely adds value to their list, you’re helping them as much as yourself. It’s a low-effort, high-reward strategy.
How to do it: Use Google search operators or SEO tools to find resource pages related to your field (e.g., search for “keyword + intitle:resources” or “best X resources”). Once you find a relevant page, review the content it lists. Ask yourself: Does my content fill a gap or enhance this list? If yes, reach out to the site owner or editor with a personalized email. Briefly introduce your content and explain why it would be a valuable addition to their resource page (maybe you offer a more up-to-date guide, a different perspective, or a useful tool). Keep the tone friendly and highlight the benefit to their audience.
For example: “Hi, I noticed your Best Marketing Tools page currently lists social media and SEO tools, but doesn’t include any email marketing resources. We’ve created a free Email Marketing Template Pack that your readers might find helpful. It’s a comprehensive toolkit with… [brief value points]. Here’s the link in case you’d like to review it.” By showing you’ve genuinely looked at their page and offering something relevant, you increase the chances they’ll add your link. Many SEO practitioners love this strategy because it’s straightforward and repeatable across many prospects . Over time, those quality resource backlinks will boost your site’s authority and SEO rankings.
5. Reclaim Unlinked Brand Mentions
Sometimes, you’re already getting talked about online – which is great for brand awareness – but those mentions don’t always include a link back to your site. Link reclamation is about turning unlinked mentions into backlinks. An unlinked brand mention is when a website or article references your company, product, or content by name without linking to you. If you find such instances, you’re halfway to a backlink: the author already thought you were worth mentioning, so it’s often a small ask to have them convert that mention into a clickable link.
How to do it:
- Use tools (or even Google Alerts) to search for your brand name, product names, or key figures in your company across the web. You might discover blog posts, news articles, or reviews that mention “Komplex Digital” (for instance) but haven’t linked to komplex.digital.
- When you spot an unlinked mention on a site that looks reputable, reach out with a polite note. Thank them for mentioning you, and kindly ask if they could add a link for readers’ convenience. For example: “Hi, I saw you mentioned Komplex in your recent article – thanks for the shout-out! Would you consider linking our name to our homepage? It could help your readers easily find more info about us.” Since your brand or content is already part of their article, many writers will oblige, resulting in a new backlink with minimal effort.
This tactic is truly low-hanging fruit for link building. You’re not cold-pitching something out of the blue; you’re building on existing coverage. As one SEO guide put it, “if you’re worth a mention, your website is probably worth linking to as well.” Most webmasters understand that adding a quick hyperlink is easy and improves the user experience. Beyond brand mentions, you can also reclaim other types of links: for example, if someone used one of your images or cited a statistic from your content without linking, a gentle reminder can convert those into backlinks. Additionally, monitor for any lost backlinks – cases where you had a link that was later removed or broken – and politely follow up to see if it can be restored or updated. All these small actions add up, strengthening your link profile with links you rightfully earned.
6. Leverage PR and Media Outreach
In 2025, the worlds of PR (public relations) and SEO are closer than ever. Earning press coverage or being featured in media not only boosts your brand credibility – it often comes with high-quality backlinks. This strategy has two main angles: reactive (responding to journalists’ requests) and proactive (creating news or stories to pitch to media). Both can generate links from top-tier websites that carry a lot of SEO authority.
- Respond to journalist inquiries (HARO style). Every day, bloggers, journalists, and content creators are looking for expert quotes, insights, or examples for their stories. They often publish these requests on platforms like HARO (Help A Reporter Out, now called Connectively) or via social media. By signing up and monitoring these “media requests,” you can quickly provide a helpful answer or resource and get featured with a backlink. It’s a highly effective tactic because it’s quick (a short quote or answer is usually enough) and can land you on very reputable sites . For instance, a travel blogger might ask “Looking for an SEO expert’s tip on e-commerce SEO best practices.” If you respond with a great insight, they might quote you in their article and include a link to your site. The key is to be prompt (requests often have tight deadlines) and truly helpful in your response. Successful contributions can earn you backlinks from news outlets, industry blogs, or even high-profile publications.
- Run creative digital PR campaigns. This is the proactive approach: craft a newsworthy story or piece of content related to your brand, and deliberately pitch it to journalists for coverage . Digital PR in SEO terms often involves creating something that has broad appeal – a survey, a data report, an interesting study, a unique infographic, or even a fun stunt – and then writing a press release or personal pitches to relevant media outlets. The goal is to get journalists to cover your story and link back to your site as the source . For example, a software company might analyze usage data to reveal a trend (“Report: Night owls are 30% more productive after midnight”) and pitch this to tech or business publications. If the story gets picked up, each article will likely mention the company and link to the full report on your site. These digital PR campaigns can yield a flurry of high-quality backlinks in a short time. One famous case saw a travel brand research “the bluest waters in the world,” which got picked up by USA Today and many travel sites – bringing in both backlinks and loads of traffic.
Both reactive and proactive PR tactics underscore a crucial point: building links is as much about building relationships and brand authority as it is about SEO. When people see your name cited on reputable sites, it reinforces trust – which indirectly benefits your SEO too (more branded searches, more engagement, etc.). Just remember, the content or insights you provide must be genuine and valuable. Link building in 2025 is about earning links, not gaming the system – and good PR is one of the best ways to earn links from big, authoritative websites..
7. Collaborate with Partners & Influencers
Don’t overlook the power of partnerships and community in link building. In the digital marketing agency world, we often say “relationships are backlinks waiting to happen.” If your business has any kind of partners, affiliations, or even friendly relationships with other organizations, there may be natural link opportunities there. For example, vendors or suppliers might list clients (you) on their website, or announce a case study about your successful partnership. Similarly, if you co-sponsor an event or collaborate on a project, each party can link to the other when promoting it. These are easy, relevant backlinks because they stem from real business relationships.
A few practical ideas under this strategy:
- Testimonials and case studies: Offer to write a testimonial for a product or service you use (many companies publish these on their sites with a link back to the client). Or participate in a case study – your partner gets content, you get a backlink and publicity.
- “Clients” or “Partners” pages: If you partner with or supply services to a company, ask if they have a partners page or client roster on their site where they could list and link to you. It’s a mutual credibility boost.
- Joint content or co-marketing: Team up with an industry peer to create something together – like a co-branded eBook, a webinar, or a research project. Both parties will publish and promote it, earning each other links in the process . For instance, a fashion brand and a tech company might collaborate on a smart wearable guide; when it gets coverage or when each hosts it on their site, they naturally link to one another.
- Influencer collaborations: Partner with influencers or respected figures in your niche for interviews, podcasts, or guest appearances. They’ll likely link to the content on their platforms, and you can do the same. It’s another form of cross-promotion that yields links.
The beauty of leveraging partnerships is that the links come from a place of authenticity and relevance. They make sense to both users and search engines. Just be sure any collaboration is something you’d do even if SEO didn’t exist – in other words, it should have standalone value (brand exposure, thought leadership, networking, etc.). That way, the backlinks are a natural byproduct of your business growth, which is exactly what Google’s algorithms favor. By building real relationships in your industry, you’ll find that backlinks grow organically out of those connections, strengthening your SEO in a safe and sustainable way.
Quality Over Quantity: The Key to Successful SEO Link Building
The link building landscape may evolve, but one principle stays constant: quality over quantity. Earning a handful of authoritative, relevant links will always beat spamming the web with hundreds of low-value ones. The strategies above are all about doing link building right – providing value, building relationships, and thinking long-term. In 2025, successful SEO isn’t about quick hacks or gimmicks; it’s about building a credible online presence step by step.
Remember, every link you build is a bridge for real humans to discover your site, not just a signal for search engines. By focusing on these SEO best practices for link building – from creating link-worthy content to nurturing partnerships – you’ll not only boost your rankings but also strengthen your brand’s reputation. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay patient, stay consistent, and keep the user’s benefit in mind. Over time, you’ll see the results: higher rankings, more traffic, and the satisfaction of knowing you earned it the right way. Here at Komplex, we encourage our clients to approach SEO with that long-term mindset. With diligent effort and the right SEO link building strategies, you can make 2025 your best year yet for organic growth.
Good luck, and happy link building!
