Last Updated on January 30, 2026
If I’m being honest, I didn’t plan on writing another post about link building.
There are already plenty of them. Most of them follow the same structure, use the identical terminology, and end up saying the same things in slightly different ways.
The reason I’m writing this now is simple: the way links actually get built today looks very different from what most guides still recommend.
Over the last few years, I’ve tested outreach strategies, followed “best practices,” ignored my instincts and sometimes paid for it. What consistently worked wasn’t more tools or better templates. It was understanding why someone would link in the first place and building around that.
This post isn’t a blueprint or a universal formula. It’s just how I approach link building now, after seeing what breaks, what scales, and what quietly builds up over time.
Some of this will sound obvious. Some of it might go against what you’ve been told. I’m fine with that. I’m not trying to win arguments, I’m trying to explain what I actually do and why it works for me.
If you’re looking for a neat checklist, this probably isn’t it. But if you want a link-building plan that feels realistic, human, and sustainable in 2026, this is the approach I’d start with.
Why Most “Link Building Plans” Don’t Work Anymore
Most link-building plans fail for a simple reason: they’re built for an internet that no longer exists.
Most guides still treat link building as a mechanical process: find prospects, send emails, collect links, and repeat. While this seems scalable in theory, it is no longer effective in practice.
Website owners are flooded with outreach emails, editors are more selective than ever, and Google has become far better at identifying links created solely for SEO.
Tactics that once worked at scale now produce inconsistent results.
Another issue is that most plans are tactic-driven, focusing on guest posts, broken link-building, or digital PR, without first considering why someone would trust the site enough to link to it. Without a clear reason, outreach becomes ineffective.
Google’s algorithms have quietly shifted toward evaluating context, consistency, and credibility. A backlink on its own means very little if it doesn’t correspond to real-world signals, brand mentions, topical relevance, audience overlap, and relationship history.
This is why many sites continue “building links” yet see minimal results. The issue is not in structure, but in philosophy: focusing on acquiring links rather than earning trust.
This is why I no longer follow traditional link-building plans and instead begin with a fundamentally different approach.
My Link Building Philosophy (Before Tactics)
Before considering outreach, tools, or tactics, I focus on one key question:
Why would someone choose to link to this site, without being asked?
This question fundamentally changes the approach to link building.
I don’t treat links as SEO currency. I treat them as a byproduct of relevance and relationships. When a site links to you naturally, it’s usually because one of three things is true:
- You said something worth referencing
- You helped someone solve a problem
- You’re already part of their ecosystem
Most SEO strategies overlook this step, moving directly to execution without establishing a persuasive reason for links to exist.
My approach values people before SEO. I focus on visibility within relevant circles rather than seeking mass exposure.
This results in fewer emails and links, but much stronger signals.
Google has made it clear that links that represent real-world relationships are more significant than those created purely for ranking purposes.
Community involvement also serves as a force multiplier.
Rather than pursuing individual site owners, I invest in environments where marketers, founders, and SEOs already collaborate and share ideas.
Once trust is established, links arise readily from conversations, partnerships, and joint work, rather than feeling transactional.
This philosophy guides every decision in my link-building plan. While tactics and methods may change, trust continues to build over time.
The Foundation: Make Your Site Link-Worthy
Before pursuing link building, your site must be worthy of links. Most plans overlook this step, which often leads to underperformance.
When evaluating a site, I do not ask, “How many links can we build?”
Instead, I ask, “Would I confidently refer someone to this site?”
This decision depends on several non-negotiable factors.
First, clarity: It should be immediately clear who the site serves, what problem it addresses, and why its content is trustworthy. If visitors struggle to understand this, link opportunities are lost, particularly among cautious editors and site owners.
Second, substance: Thin content does not attract links, regardless of outreach efforts. I favor pages that demonstrate depth, provide real explanations and opinions, and showcase experience. First-hand insights, examples, and clear positions are more valuable than word count.
Third, trust signals: These include clear site design, HTTPS, author transparency, consistent publishing, topical focus, and demonstrated expertise. While Google may not capture every detail, it effectively infers trust.
Finally, restraint: I do not attempt to make every page link-worthy. Instead, I identify a select group of pages that best represent the brand and focus efforts there. Link building is most effective when it amplifies quality rather than compensating for its absence.
With this foundation established, link building becomes a matter of alignment rather than persuasion.
Phase 1: Authority-Safe Links (Month 0-1)
When beginning link building for a site, I do not immediately start outreach. The first month focuses on normalizing the site’s link profile and establishing a trust baseline to support future efforts.
I refer to these as authority-safe links. While they may not dramatically improve rankings on their own, they signal legitimacy to both Google and users.
The initial focus is brand consistency. I ensure the site is precisely represented on business profiles, professional networks, and platforms where the brand is active. These links are expected, relevant, and low risk.
Next is selective directory exposure. I avoid mass submissions or generic SEO directories, choosing only those that are:
- Topically relevant
- Moderated or curated
- Actually visited by humans
I disregard directories that exist solely to host links. If a directory helps users discover services or resources, I consider it appropriate.
I also use this phase to reinforce social proof. Active social profiles, even if they do not produce significant traffic, help validate the brand.
When recipients later encounter outreach or content mentions, these signals reduce friction and build trust.
The goal of this phase is credibility, not link volume. By the end of the first month, the site should appear as a legitimate entity within its niche, not as a site created solely for link building.
Once this baseline is established, earning more meaningful links becomes significantly easier.
Phase 2: Community-Led Link Building (The Unfair Advantage)
At this stage, my link-building plan diverges significantly from traditional SEO approaches.
Rather than relying on cold outreach, I focus on community-led link building in a practical, repeatable way, not on vague relationship-building.
I manage the Marketing Lad Slack community, a private space where marketers, founders, SEOs, and operators impart insights, obtain feedback, and collaborate. Over time, this has become a valuable link-building asset, not due to link exchanges, but because trust is already established.
This is a key distinction that many overlook:
Links originating from communities are rarely transactional. They occur naturally as a result of:
- Content is being cited in discussions.
- Members collaborating on guest posts or reports.
- People linking to resources they already know and trust.
Within a community, the focus is on participation rather than pitching.
When others consistently observe your analyses, opinions, decision-making skills, and experience, linking to your site becomes a natural choice, requiring no persuasion.
Another advantage is relevance. Communities are typically niche, so links from them are topically aligned, contextually relevant, and connected to genuine brand mentions, the signals Google values most.
This approach also scales better than traditional outreach. A single strong community relationship can generate multiple links over time, including blog mentions, resource inclusions, partnerships, and press opportunities.
Community-led links develop gradually, but their impact builds up over time. Once established, they are difficult for competitors to replicate.
Phase 3: Content That Attracts Links Automatically
Once the foundation and trust signals are established, I focus on producing content that attracts links organically, without the need for outreach.
Many sites waste effort at this stage by prioritizing quantity over quality in their content.
I do not create articles solely for ranking purposes. Instead, I develop pages that act as valuable references, typically in one of three formats:
First, opinionated explanations: Content that takes a clear position is cited more often than neutral or generic guides. Explaining why something works or does not work provides material for others to reference.
Second, experience-driven insights: I highlight content that reflects first-hand experience, including what I have tested, what failed, and what replaced previous approaches. These authentic details are hard to replicate, making them appealing to organic links.
Third, content consolidation: Rather than inventing new concepts, I provide comprehensive explanations of existing topics. When others need to reference background or explanation, these pages are preferred.
The key is intent: I write with the expectation that others may reference the content in the future. When content is created with this mindset, links occur naturally rather than being forced.
A Real Example From My Own Site
A good example of this approach is a post I published on ChatGPT users and usage data.
I did not write that piece to “build links.” Instead, I intended to answer a frequently referenced question: how widely ChatGPT is being used, supported by clear data and explanations. This type of content is naturally cited by writers, bloggers, and marketers seeking reliable sources.
That single post has earned approximately 36 backlinks from 13 referring domains without aggressive outreach. These links resulted from supplying valuable, reference-worthy content for others.
This is precisely what I intend for when creating content designed to attract links:
not virality or volume, but reference value.
When a page acts as the definitive explanation for a topic, links follow consistently and organically.
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Phase 4: Planned Outreach (Not Spray-and-Pray)
I still use outreach, but only selectively and after all fundamental elements are in place.
Most outreach fails when used as a substitute for proper positioning. Without a clear reason to link, emails become mere persuasion attempts, which I avoid.
For outreach to be effective, three conditions must be met:
First, the site must appear trustworthy. If visitors encounter thin content, unclear positioning, or weak signals, outreach activities are unlikely to succeed, regardless of email quality.
Second, the content being promoted must have reference value. I do not pitch generic articles, but instead provide specific reasons why a page fits naturally into the recipient’s existing or upcoming content.
Third, outreach must be targeted. I prefer sending 10 thoughtful emails over 100 generic ones. This involves:
- Reaching out to sites I already recognize
- Prioritising topical alignment over domain metrics
- Referencing a particular detail from their content
I also avoid outreach solely to obtain a link. Some conversations result in mentions or joint efforts later, while others may not yield immediate results. Not all interactions must convert right away.
The role of outreach in my link-building plan is simple:
to accelerate visibility for content that already merits attention.
Efforts beyond this often generate noise rather than meaningful results.
Homepage vs Inner Page Linking Strategy
A common mistake is treating all links as equal. The destination of a link is as important as the link itself.
I categorize link building into two areas: authority building and relevance building, each targeting different pages.
In the early stages, I prioritize links to the homepage or key commercial pages to establish brand authority. Homepage links signal to Google that the entire site is trusted, not merely individual content, which aids future efforts.
Once baseline authority is established, I turn attention to inner pages, particularly those already performing well or with strong ranking potential. These links are more contextual, relevant, and effective for targeted keywords.
I refrain from adding inner-page links prematurely. If a low-authority site suddenly receives many deep links, it may appear unnatural. Link profiles should develop like real brands: broad trust first, then depth.
Internal linking also serves an essential function. When a strong page earns links, I use internal links to distribute authority to related pages, maximizing the value of each backlink without extra effort.
This strategy is flexible and adapts as the site grows, but the core principle remains:
Build trust at the brand level first, then direct it to the most important areas.
How I Track Link Quality (Not Just Quantity)
I do not evaluate a link-building campaign by the number of backlinks generated. This metric is easily inflated and largely meaningless on its own.
I focus on whether the campaign is building the right signals.
The primary factor I consider is relevance. A single link from a genuinely related site is more valuable than multiple links from loosely connected blogs. Context is important to both readers and search engines.
Next is placement. Editorial links embedded naturally within content are far more valuable than those in author bios, footers, or templates. Links that appear natural typically perform better.
I also consider traffic potential. Even small sites can provide strong signals if they have an engaged audience. Links that can realistically generate referral traffic are generally valuable.
Anchor text is another important indicator. I avoid over-optimization and use natural anchors. Brand names, URLs, and descriptive phrases are more secure and environmentally friendly than keyword-heavy anchors.
Finally, I assess continuity over time. Healthy link profiles grow gradually, with varied sources and linked pages. Sudden spikes or repetitive patterns may indicate manipulation, even if the links appear legitimate.
If a link meets most of these criteria, I consider it successful. If not, I do not pursue it, regardless of its metrics.
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Common Link Building Mistakes I See Daily
After working on link building across various niches and growth stages, I have observed recurring mistakes, even among experienced teams.
The most common mistake is purchasing links without a clear strategy. While paying for links is not inherently wrong, indiscriminate link buying is risky. Links placed on irrelevant sites with unrelated content rarely provide value and often create long-term risk.
One more significant mistake is over-optimizing anchor text. Exact-match anchors may seem effective in theory, but in practice, they make link profiles appear manipulated. Natural language is preferable to excessive precision.
I also observe too much emphasis on metrics at the expense of context. Domain ratings, traffic estimates, and SEO scores are useful filters, but they do not replace sound judgment. Links that make sense to human readers are typically stronger signals than those that only perform well in tools.
Another issue is pursuing links before addressing basic components. Weak content, unclear positioning, and poor internal linking cannot be compensated for with backlinks. Without a solid foundation, links provide only temporary benefits.
Finally, impatience is a common problem. Link building yields results through consistency. Frequent tactical changes lead to mixed signals and wasted effort.
Most of these mistakes stem from viewing link building as a shortcut. In reality, effective link building corresponds to the natural growth of real websites.
A Simple Monthly Link Building Plan (Realistic & Scalable)
This is a simplified version of my monthly link-building approach. It is not aggressive and does not rely on constant outreach, but it is scalable and safe.
Month 1: Set the Baseline
The first month is about credibility, not volume.
I focus on:
- Cleaning up brand signals (profiles, mentions, consistency)
- Identifying 2–3 pages that are actually worth building links to
- Publishing or improving at least one strong, reference-worthy piece of content
No outreach is conducted at this stage. The goal is to ensure the site appears trustworthy before seeking attention.
Month 2: Promote What Deserves Attention
Once the foundation is established, I begin with light promotion.
This usually includes:
- Sharing content in relevant circles where it genuinely adds value
- Reaching out to a small number of highly relevant sites (not mass emails)
- Looking for natural inclusion opportunities, not guest post swaps
At this stage, even a few high-quality links can have a significant impact.
Month 3: Build Depth, Not Just Authority
Now I shift my focus to the inner pages.
I look at:
- Which pages are already getting impressions or clicks
- Where a contextual link could realistically improve rankings
- How internal links can increase external ones
This is where link building starts supporting specific outcomes, not just overall authority.
Ongoing: Repeat, Refine, Compound
From this point, the cycle repeats each month:
- Create or refine one strong content asset
- Promote selectively
- Let organic mentions accumulate
- Use internal links to spread value
Some months yield more links than others, which is normal. The key is that the link profile grows naturally and continues aligned with genuine activity.
This method will not generate hundreds of backlinks overnight, but it creates a valuable link profile that grows with the brand and endures over the long term.
Build Links Like a Brand, Not an SEO
Link-building is not about volume, hacks, or shortcuts. It is about harmonizing your content and positioning with the audiences who choose to reference your work.
Every strategy in this plan comes back to the same idea: links are a consequence, not the goal. When a site is clear, credible, and useful, links come naturally, sometimes slowly, but in a way that compounds.
I have shifted from pursuing every opportunity to focusing on doing fewer things better: publishing content worth citing, engaging in relevant conversations, and using outreach only when appropriate.
If you take one thing from this post, let it be this:
Stop building links solely to satisfy algorithms. Start building links as a brand to earn trust.
This shift alone will position you ahead of most sites still depending on outdated strategies.
If you are looking for assistance with link building, I am available to help.
