What Is SEO Link Building? How Many Types of Link Building in SEO?

Introduction

“90.63% of all web pages get zero organic traffic from Google.”
— Ahrefs, 2023

This sobering statistic underscores a brutal reality: without backlinks, no matter how brilliant your content is, it won’t get discovered. So, what’s the missing link (pun intended)? Link building.

In today’s hyper-competitive search landscape, SEO link building is not optional. Within Google’s algorithm, it’s one of the top three ranking factors, along with content and user experience.

However, due to its vital importance, link-building continues to be one of the most neglected, misapplied, and mismanaged aspects of SEO. This article is your complete guide to mastering it.

You’ll learn:

• • • What link building actually is and why it matters
    • A detailed breakdown of every major type of link building
    • Real-world techniques, expert insights, and actionable strategies
    • How to apply link-building correctly for eCommerce, SaaS, local SEO, and more

This guide is intended for marketers, business owners, and SEO strategists. Reach smart decisions that will help you gain backlinks, drive traffic, and improve brand visibility.

What Is Link Building in SEO?

➤ Snippet-Optimized Summary:

Link building in SEO is acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to yours. Backlinks act as trust and authority marks, which in turn, improves a business’ SEO ranking.

Breaking It Down:

At its core, link building is about one thing: earning trust online.

Just like academic papers cite credible sources, Google treats backlinks as digital endorsements. The more high-quality sites link to you, the more trustworthy your site appears, and the higher it ranks.

 How Search Engines Use Links:

1. 1. 1. Discovery & Crawling:
         Google bots follow links across the web to find new pages.
      2. Indexing:
         Once discovered, content is stored and organized in Google’s index.
      3. Ranking:
         Google evaluates the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to a page.

 Expert Insight:
“Links are the currency of the web.” — Eric Ward, pioneer of modern link-building

 

 Why Link Building Is Critical for SEO

Metric	With High-Quality Links	Without Links
Crawl Frequency	High	Low
Keyword Rankings	Strong	Weak
Organic Traffic	Sustainable growth	Stagnant
Trust Signals	Established	Missing

Key Statistics:

• • Top Google results have 3.8x more backlinks than positions 2–10. (Backlinko, 2023)
  • 66.31% of pages have zero backlinks. (Ahrefs)

How Many Types of Link-Building in SEO?

➤ Snippet-Optimized Summary:

There are over 15 proven types of link building techniques in SEO. These include white hat, black hat, contextual, broken, directory, HARO, and local strategies.

Here’s a breakdown of the most effective, real-world link-building methods:

 

Type 1: White Hat Link-Building (Ethical & Google-Approved)

Definition:
White hat link building strategies focus on value, quality, and relevance to search engine guidelines.  

 Techniques:

• • • Guest Posting: Writing content for relevant blogs and getting a backlink in return.
    • HARO Link Building: Answer queries from journalists via Help A Reporter Out and get mentioned in media outlets.
    • Digital PR: Create newsworthy content (surveys, research) to get featured in top-tier publications.
    • Podcast Guesting: Be a guest on relevant industry podcasts that provide backlinks in the show notes.
    • Expert Roundups & Interviews: Share expert opinions to gain editorial links.

 Expert Quote:

“Google wants to reward great content. White hat links are earned, not built.” — Marie Haynes, SEO Consultant

Type 2: Black Hat Link Building (Risky & Discouraged)

Definition:
Black hat link-building manipulates Google’s algorithm using unethical or deceptive practices. They offer temporary benefits, but long-term damage is nearly guaranteed.

 Common Tactics:

• • PBN Link Building:
    Private Blog Networks (PBNs) are networks of fake blogs linking back to your site to game rankings. Google penalizes them heavily.
  • Link Farms:
    Networks of low-quality sites created solely to sell links.
  • Cloaked Redirects:
    Links that mislead users and trick bots.

Google Penalty Risk:

High — Can result in manual action and full deindexation.

Type 3: Grey Hat & Automated Link Building

Definition:
These fall under techniques that aren’t directly prohibited, but are potentially dangerous and low yield.

Examples:

• • Automated Directory Submission Tools
  • Forum Comment Links
  • Article Spinning with Link Inserts
  • Tools like GSA, XRumer, Scrapebox (use with caution)

Type 4: Contextual Link Building

Definition:
These are editorially earned links that have been optimally placed in the body of high-quality, relevant webpage content.

Why It Matters:

• • Highly relevant
  • Improves topic authority
  • Boosts contextual SEO signals

Google considers these the most natural and powerful form of backlinks.

Type 5: Broken Link Building

Definition:
This method involves finding broken (404) links on websites, then suggesting your content as a replacement.

Tools:

• • Ahrefs (Broken Link Checker)
  • Check My Links (Chrome Extension)
  • Screaming Frog

Case Study:

Moz used this strategy to replace 200+ dead links and gained backlinks from .edu and .gov domains.

Type 6: Link Building Outreach

Definition:
Outreach involves contacting the relevant site or blog manually and requesting backlinks for free or in exchange for something else.  

Best Practices:

• • Personalize every message
  • Offer a strong value proposition
  • Use tools like BuzzStream or Respona
  • Follow up (2–3 polite follow-ups max)

Type 7: Local Link-Building

Definition:
Local link building is acquiring backlinks from local websites, businesses and specialty directories, media outlets, or event pages.

Tactics:

• • Sponsoring local events or charities
  • Joining local business associations (like chambers of commerce)
  • Guest posts on local blogs
  • Press mentions in local news sites

Type 8: Directory Link Building

Definition:
Directory link building refers to getting listed online in relevant business directories. While many are low quality, niche-specific directories still have value.

 Examples:

• • Clutch.co (for agencies)
  • GoodFirms
  • Avvo (for legal)
  • Healthgrades (for doctors)

Type 9: White Label SEO Link Building

Definition:
Outsourcing your link-building efforts to a third-party provider who builds links under your brand name.

 Use Cases:

• • SEO agencies reselling services
  • Brands with no internal SEO team
  • SaaS companies focused on product dev

 Benefits:

• • Scalable
  • Time-saving
  • Access to established outreach networks

White label link building is one of the most effective ways to outsource link-building at scale without losing brand control.

Type 10: International Link Building

Definition:
The process of obtaining links from non-English or foreign market domains to promote visibility of a search engine in international search engines. 

Best Practices:

• • Localized content
  • Native language outreach
  • Regional backlink tools

Type 11: E-commerce Link Building Strategies

Tactics for Product-Focused Sites:

• • Influencer outreach for product reviews
  • Unboxing content on YouTube with backlinks
  • Coupons and promo code distribution
    Brand feature swaps

Integration:

Can be combined with affiliate marketing and digital PR for maximum reach.

Type 12: Advanced Ecommerce Link Building

Go beyond basic outreach to integrate content, partnerships, and data-driven campaigns.

Examples:

• • Partner with fashion bloggers for seasonal roundups
  • Offer first-party data to journalists for features
  • Create AI-generated product guides as link bait

Type 13: SaaS Link Building

SaaS brands require authority and trust. Link building can help you stand out in crowded B2B markets.

Best Techniques:

• • Linkable tools (calculators, templates, widgets)
  • Chrome extensions as passive link generators
  • Developer API guides as technical resources
  • Co-marketing with integration partners

Understanding Dofollow vs. Nofollow Backlinks

➤ Snippet-Optimized Summary:

Dofollow backlinks will help your site’s ranking since they offer “link juice”. Unlike Nofollow backlinks that won’t affect your site’s authority, they can still drive traffic and aid in brand recognition. Both serve to enhance a holistic approach to link building.

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What Are Dofollow Backlinks?

Definition:
Dofollow backlinks are standard links that allow search engines to follow them and pass on link equity or “SEO juice.” These are the links that positively impact your website’s search engine rankings.

 How They Work:

• Help search engines assess your authority
• Contribute to your PageRank
• Act as endorsements of trust and relevance

Example:
A link from Forbes.com to your blog article without any special attribute is a dofollow link—this helps boost your search authority.

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What Are Nofollow Backlinks?

Definition:
Nofollow backlinks contain an rel="nofollow" attribute in the HTML code, telling search engines not to pass PageRank or authority to the linked page.

 When Are Nofollow Links Used?

• Paid or sponsored content (to avoid manipulating rankings)
• Blog comments or forum posts (to deter spam)
• User-generated content (to limit risk)

Example:
A link in a YouTube video description or in a Reddit thread is usually nofollow.

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Key Differences: Dofollow vs. Nofollow

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Are Nofollow Links Still Valuable?

Yes! While nofollow links don’t directly boost SEO rankings, they offer indirect benefits:

• Drive referral traffic
• Build brand credibility
• Help search engines discover your content (Google may still crawl nofollow links)
• Diversify your backlink profile (important for natural link building)

Google’s Updated View (Post-2019):
Google now treats nofollow as a “hint” rather than a strict directive, meaning they may still count in certain contexts.

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Best Practices for Dofollow and Nofollow Links:

• Aim for a natural mix (70–80% dofollow, 20–30% nofollow)
• Prioritize dofollow links from high-authority, niche-relevant sites
• Don’t buy dofollow links from low-quality sources (risk of penalty)
• Use nofollow links for affiliate links, user-generated content, and sponsored posts

Pro Tip:
A healthy backlink profile has both types of links. Even Wikipedia uses nofollow links—yet being cited there boosts your trust and visibility.

SEO Link Building Strategy — A Complete Framework

➤ Snippet-Optimized Summary:

An effective SEO link-building plan includes competitor analysis, creating linkable assets, outreach to specific audiences, and monitoring leads. Focusing on the industry type (SaaS, eCommerce, or local) boosts endurance to outlast competitors.  

Step 1: Audit Your Existing Backlink Profile

Understand your current position before planning the new links you want:

Tools:

• • Ahrefs Site Explorer
  • Semrush Backlink Audit
  • Moz Link Explorer

Audit Metrics:

• • Total referring domains
  • Domain Rating (DR) / Domain Authority (DA)
  • Anchor text diversity
  • Spam score
  • Toxic links (for disavow)

Pro Tip:
Focus on referring domains, not just total backlinks. Google values diversity over volume.

Step 2: Competitive Backlink Gap Analysis

Identify what links your competitors have—but you don’t.

How to Do It:

• • Use SEMrush’s Backlink Gap Tool or Ahrefs Link Intersect
  • Enter 3–5 top competitors
  • Export link lists and tags by type (editorial, guest post, directory, etc.)

Target High-Value Opportunities:

• • .edu/.gov links
  • Niche-specific blogs
  • Media outlets

Step 3: Create Link-Worthy Assets

Not all content deserves backlinks. Your content must be linkable and valuable.

Types of Linkable Assets:

• • Data-driven content (original research, surveys)
  • Ultimate guides
  • Visual assets (infographics, comparison charts)
  • Interactive tools (ROI calculators, quizzes)
  • Industry statistics pages (often cited by bloggers & journalists)

Example:

Backlinko’s SEO Statistics Page earned 12,000+ backlinks and ranks #1 for “SEO stats”.

Step 4: Link Building Outreach Strategy

Outreach is not about spam—it’s about building relationships.

 Framework:

1. 1. Prospecting:
      Identify targets with high DR, niche relevance, and real audiences.
   2. Segmentation:
      Segment contacts into bloggers, journalists, and industry experts.
   3. Personalization:
      Include their name, recent work, and why your content fits.
   4. Value Exchange:
      Offer something worthwhile: expert quote, exclusive data, co-marketing.

Tools for Outreach:

• • BuzzStream
  • Pitchbox
  • Respona (great for HARO link building)
  • Mailshake

Template Example:

Subject: Add this [RESOURCE TYPE] to your [PAGE TYPE]?

Hi [First Name],

I loved your post on [Topic]—especially your point about [Specific Insight].

I recently created a [Type of Asset] that expands on that topic with [Unique Data or Insight].

Would you consider adding it to your resource page? I’d be happy to share it across my network too.

Cheers,
[Your Name]

Step 5: Scale with White Label Link Building Partners

Both outreach and asset creation are difficult to scale on an in-house basis. That’s where white label SEO link building comes in handy. 

What is White Label Link Building?

A process where a third-party agency builds links on your behalf, under your branding.

Benefits:

• • Pre-built outreach databases
  • In-house content teams
  • Turnkey link delivery
  • Ideal for agencies, SaaS, and ecommerce brands

Use case:
A SaaS company hired a white label team for links, and within 9 months, their DR score jumped from 38 to 62 thanks to guest posts, HARO, and digital PR.

Step 6: Track KPIs & Results

You can’t improve what you don’t measure.

KPIs That Matter:

• • New referring domains (monthly growth)
  • Domain Rating / Authority
  • Keyword ranking improvements
  • Organic traffic growth (from linked pages)
  • Conversion from referral traffic

Tools for Tracking:

• • Google Search Console
  • Ahrefs/Semrush (Backlink reports)
  • Linkody (simple backlink monitoring)
  • GA4 for referral traffic tracking

Pro Tip:
Track both brand-level metrics (DR, traffic) and page-level metrics (links to key assets or landing pages).

 

Tools and Techniques for SEO Link Building

➤ Snippet-Optimized Summary:

The most popular SEO link-building tools include Ahrefs, BuzzStream, Pitchbox, Semrush, and Respona. Techniques include building links through broken links, HARO, and contextual content partnerships.

Best SEO Link Building Tools

1. Ahrefs

• • • • Broken link discovery
      • Link Intersect
      • Content Explorer

2. SEMrush

• • • • Backlink gap tool
      • Toxic link audit
      • Brand mention monitoring

3. BuzzStream

• • • • Outreach CRM
      • Automated follow-ups
      • Team collaboration

4. Pitchbox

• • • • Bulk outreach
      • Email personalization
      • Reporting dashboards

5. Respona

• • • • Built-in HARO & journalist outreach
      • Smart personalization
      • Great for link-building outreach campaigns

6. Linkody

• • • • Budget-friendly backlink tracker
      • Daily updates
      • Disavow tool integration
        
        

Proven Link Building Techniques to Deploy

1. Skyscraper Technique (Updated)

Find underperforming linked content, create something 10x better, and outreach for replacement.

2. HARO Link Building

Respond to journalists’ queries with expert insights. High DA backlinks from Forbes, Inc., HubSpot, etc.

3. Expert Roundups

Curate insights from industry leaders. They often link back to the post when it goes live.

4. Unlinked Brand Mentions

Use tools to track where your brand is mentioned without a link, then request attribution.

5. Broken Link Building

Find dead links on top resource pages and suggest your replacement content.

6. E-commerce Link Building via Influencers

Partner with micro-influencers who link to your product pages in blog content or YouTube descriptions.

7. Local Link Partnerships

Co-sponsor local meetups, events, or charities to earn high-value local backlinks.

 

Link Building Methodology by Industry

Industry	Best Tactic	Example
SaaS	Tool-based content, API documentation	Zapier’s blog links
Ecommerce	Product reviews, influencer outreach	Beardbrand’s guest reviews
Local	Directories, newspaper mentions	Law firms on local news
Affiliate Sites	Data studies, niche roundups	Credit Karma’s guides
B2B	White papers, interviews	HubSpot’s co-marketing

 

Real-World Case Studies & Results

➤ Snippet-Optimized Summary:

Case studies show that effective SEO link building can increase organic traffic by 200–500%, improve domain authority, and boost revenue through better SERP visibility.

Let’s look at real businesses that implemented successful link-building strategies.

 

Case Study 1: SaaS Startup Boosts DR by 24 Points in 6 Months

Company: B2B Project Management SaaS
Challenge: Low authority (DR 36), competing in a saturated niche
Solution:

• • HARO link building (responding to 4 queries/day)
  • Guest posts on niche SaaS blogs
  • White label link building service for PR-level links

Results:

• • DR jumped from 36 → 60
  • 150+ high-quality backlinks (DA 50+)
  • 76% increase in organic demo signups

Expert Quote:
“With B2B SaaS, trust and visibility are everything. Link building gave us both.” — Growth Manager, Confidential SaaS Brand

 

Case Study 2: E-commerce Brand Drives 3x Revenue from Organic Search

Company: Niche skincare ecommerce store
Challenge: Limited SEO budget, high CPC in paid ads
Solution:

• • Influencer unboxing and product review links
  • Coupon code placement on affiliate and lifestyle blogs
  • Local PR through charity partnerships

Results:

• • 300+ backlinks in 9 months
  • 210% increase in non-branded organic traffic
  • 3x monthly organic revenue

Case Study 3: Local Law Firm Dominates Legal SERPs

Company: Personal injury law firm in Texas
Challenge: Low visibility against larger firms
Solution:

• • Local link building from bar associations, legal directories (Avvo, FindLaw)
  • Press mentions in local newspapers
  • White label link building for legal blog placements

Results:

• • Top 3 ranking for “best injury lawyer in Austin”
  • 60% increase in traffic within 4 months
  • Doubled inbound case inquiries

Full-Length FAQ Section

Each answer is featured-snippet optimized (45–65 words) for SEO clarity and search intent match.

1.  What is link building in SEO, and why is it important?

Answer:
Link building is acquiring backlinks to your website from other websites. These backlinks serve as endorsements within Google’s algorithm, elevating your site’s authority, rankings and traffic. Even the best content fails to rank without strong backlinks.

2.  How many types of link building in SEO are there?

Answer:
There are well over 15 major types of link-building in SEO, which include white hat, black hat, broken link-building, contextual links, local citations, HARO, and directory link building. Each of them has a unique contribution towards strengthening your site’s authority and relevance.

3.  Is white label link building worth it?

Answer:
Absolutely. Every business can scale up their backlink acquisition without managing outreach or content writing in-house through white label link-building. It is used by agencies, SaaS brands, and ecommerce companies that want high-quality, scalable SEO growth.

4. Can you outsource link building safely?

Answer:
Absolutely. Safe outsourcing requires choosing ethical, white hat providers who offer transparent reporting and high-quality links. Avoid agencies that use spammy tactics or promise instant rankings, as these can lead to Google penalties.

 

Conclusion: Build Links That Build Businesses

Key Takeaways:

• • Link building is a core pillar of modern SEO. Without it, ranking in competitive spaces is nearly impossible.
  • Over 15 methods—from HARO to guest posting and white label SEO link building—offer scalable paths to authority.
  • Your strategy should combine content quality, strategic outreach, and trustworthy partners.

Final Thought:

“Great content is essential. But great content without links is like a car with no fuel.” — Brian Dean, SEO Expert

Ready to elevate your rankings and drive real growth? Visit my SEO service page to learn about my SEO related services.

👉 [Start Building Links That Matter – Contact Me Today]