My Link Building Tier List (2026 Edition)
This tier list reflects my personal experience with link building. These rankings are based on what has worked for me over the years. A strategy that doesn’t work well for me may still be highly effective for your website, industry, or situation.
High-authority backlinks remain one of the most valuable SEO assets in 2026.
However, their role has expanded beyond improving search rankings. Earning links and mentions from trusted websites also increases your chances of being cited by AI-powered search experiences such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews.
In other words, link building is no longer just about ranking higher in search engines; it’s also about building the authority and recognition that both search engines and AI systems rely on.
Want to learn more about backlinks, how to acquire backlinks, and off-page SEO? Read my complete guide here.
Dimensions Used in This Tier List:
I evaluated every link building strategy using the following four dimensions to determine its placement from S Tier to F Tier:
| Dimension | Description |
|---|---|
| SEO Value | The overall impact on both traditional search rankings (SERPs) and AI visibility, including citations in AI search experiences. |
| Cost | Whether the strategy is free, low-cost, or expensive to execute. |
| Difficulty | The amount of time, effort, and expertise required to implement the strategy successfully. |
| Control | How much control you have over acquiring and maintaining the backlink. |
Every Link Building Strategy Ranked from S to F
- S Tier – Useful
- A Tier – Decent
- B Tier – Average
- C Tier – Not Ideal (At Least for Me)
- F Tier – Avoid or Use at Your Own Risk
- X Tier – Strategies recommended by SEO experts and industry KOLs but that I haven’t personally tried, so I can’t fairly rank them.
This tier list is entirely subjective and based on my personal experience with link building. What works well for me may not work for you, and vice versa.
Every website has different goals, industries, budgets, and levels of authority, so use these rankings as a reference rather than a universal rule.
S Tier:
1: Link Insertions (aka Paid Editorial Placements/ Niche Edits)
Link insertions, also known as paid editorial niche edits, are paid backlinks placed within existing, already-indexed articles on relevant websites.
In my experience, they’re one of the fastest ways to improve search visibility because the page already has established authority, trust, and, in many cases, existing organic traffic.
Think of it this way: it’s like getting your business mentioned in a well-known library book that people are already reading, rather than publishing an entirely new book to include your advertisement.
Since the page has already earned credibility with search engines, your backlink can often provide value much sooner than a brand-new guest post.
2. Link Exchange (Link to Me, I'll Link to You)
Link exchanges or link swaps involve two websites agreeing to link to each other. This is considered a grey-hat link-building strategy. While Google discourages excessive reciprocal linking for SEO purposes, it can still be used naturally when the links genuinely benefit users and make editorial sense.
One approach is a reciprocal partnership link, in which adjacent (non-competing) businesses recommend each other. For example:
- Plumber ↔ Electrician
- Roofer ↔ Renovation Contractor
- Carpenter ↔ Interior Designer
2.1 Content and Resource Partnerships:
- Collaborate with adjacent (non-competing) businesses to create valuable content together, such as original research, industry reports, co-authored guides, or resource pages. When the partnership is built around shared value and high-quality content, the resulting backlinks are among the most natural and sustainable.
These partnership links are natural because the businesses complement one another and provide additional value to customers or your website readers.
Another alternative is a three-way (A-B-C) link exchange, where Website A links to Website B, Website B links to Website C, and Website C links back to Website A.
This avoids a direct one-to-one reciprocal exchange while still creating relevant partnerships.
2.2 Are Link exchanges safe?
Link exchanges become risky only when they’re done at scale or used as your primary link-building strategy.
Google considers excessive link exchanges intended to manipulate rankings a form of link spam, which may lead to ranking penalties.
However, occasional reciprocal links between genuinely related websites are generally acceptable when they exist to help users rather than manipulate search rankings.
The key is to prioritize relevance, editorial value, and real business relationships over simply exchanging links.
Further reading: Google’s Spam Policies
3. Paid Backlink Acquisition
Sometimes, the simplest approach is to be upfront. You can reach out to website owners via cold email and let them know you’re willing to pay for a backlink. If the quoted price is too high, don’t be afraid to negotiate. Site owners are open to discussing a lower rate.
3.1 Get featured on resource pages and recommended hubs
Resource pages are curated lists of useful websites, tools, services, or educational content around a specific topic. Because they’re designed to recommend valuable resources, they can be an excellent source of relevant, high-quality backlinks.
How to find them?
Use search operators to discover resource pages in your niche:
[topic] + “resources”
[topic] + “recommended tools”
[topic] + intitle:resources
[topic] + inurl:resources
[topic] + intitle: best or top
Once you’ve found relevant resource pages, reach out to the site owner and explain why your content, product, or website would genuinely benefit their audience. If appropriate, you can also be upfront and let them know you’re willing to pay for inclusion.
If you don’t want to handle outreach yourself, you can also use a backlink marketplace or hire a link building agency to do everything for you.
3.2 Tips for Hiring a Link Building Agency
Not all agencies deliver high-quality backlinks. Before hiring one, ask the following questions:
The worst-case scenario is hiring an agency that charges premium prices while building cheap, low-quality links from private blog networks (PBNs) or spammy websites. For example, they may charge you $1,000 while sourcing backlinks that cost only a fraction of that price and provide little long-term SEO value.
4. Directory Submissions and Business Listings
Submit your website to reputable business directories that are relevant to your industry or niche. Besides helping users discover your business, these listings can also provide authoritative backlinks and strengthen your online presence.
Examples include:
- G2
- Yelp/ Yellow Pages
- Crunchbase
- Glassdoor
- Industry-specific directories
Focus on high-quality, trustworthy directories that are relevant to your business. Avoid submitting your website to low-quality or spammy directory sites.
Notes:
You can also target location-based directories to strengthen your local presence. A simple way to find these is by using Google searches like “directory + [your industry]” or “directory + [your city]” (e.g., directory “plumbing service” or directory “London”).
A Tier:
1. Warm Outreach and Ask for Backlinks
A practical way to acquire backlinks is to leverage your existing relationships. Instead of relying solely on cold outreach, start with your business’s warm network: people and companies that already know and trust you.
For example, if you use a software tool or SaaS product, offer to write them a testimonial in exchange for a backlink. If you’re lucky, your testimonial could even be featured on their homepage or customer showcase page.
You may collaborate with your:
- Vendors and suppliers
- Agencies you work with
- Clients and customers
- Communities you sponsor
- Integration and technology partners
- Bloggers and publishers in your niche (aka Blogger Outreach)
Look for opportunities where these existing relationships can naturally turn into backlinks, such as:
- Testimonials
- Customer success stories
- Partner pages
- Member directories
- Integration directories
Finding partnership link opportunities starts with mapping the relationships your business already has. These links can be easier to acquire than cold outreach because they’re built on genuine business relationships rather than one-off requests.
2. Create Great Content That Naturally Earns Backlinks
Creating high-quality content is the foundation of SEO and the most sustainable way to earn backlinks. It’s also the approach Google encourages, making it a 100% white-hat link-building strategy.
That said, it’s not the most efficient method if your goal is to acquire backlinks quickly. You have little control over whether other websites decide to link to your content. Even if you publish an outstanding article, it may receive very few backlinks if your website lacks visibility, authority, or promotion.
In other words, great content alone isn’t always enough. Without effective distribution, promotion, or link building, your content may never reach the people who would otherwise link to it.
2.1 Create Linkable Assets
To attract natural backlinks is to publish content that people genuinely want to reference and share. Examples of linkable assets include:
- Free online tools (e.g., a tax calculator)
- Original research, case studies, and experiments
- Create original photos and ask people who use them to credit you with a backlink.
- Statistics and industry data
- Listicles
- Comparison/ Alternative Pages
- Infographics
- Thought leadership content
- Comprehensive guides
- Checklists
- Ebooks
3. Digital PR
Digital PR is the practice of creating newsworthy stories, research, or campaigns and pitching them to journalists and publishers in exchange for media coverage.
When your story gets featured on news websites such as MSN, Forbes, or Yahoo Finance, you often earn high-authority backlinks alongside valuable brand exposure.
Unlike traditional link building, the focus isn’t on asking for a backlink directly. Instead, you create something worth covering, and the backlinks are earned naturally as part of the media coverage.
3.1 Press Releases
A press release is an official announcement distributed through press release services such as EIN Presswire or PR Newswire. Businesses use press releases to share news like product launches, funding rounds, partnerships, company milestones, or major events.
The goal is to get your announcement picked up by journalists, news websites, and industry publications.
Although press releases often include backlinks to your website (many are nofollow), the SEO value comes from earning editorial coverage and additional backlinks when other publications report on your news.
3.2 Digital PR vs. Press Releases vs. HARO
| Method | How It Works | Main Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Digital PR | You pitch a newsworthy story, research, campaign, or data directly to journalists. | Earn editorial coverage and high-authority backlinks. |
| Press Releases | You distribute an official company announcement through a press release distribution service. | Announce company news and potentially gain media pickup and backlinks. |
| HARO / Journalist Requests | Journalists request expert quotes, and you respond with your expertise. If selected, they may quote you and link back to your website. | Earn editorial mentions, backlinks, and establish thought leadership. |
The simplest way to think about it
Digital PR = “I have an interesting story. Would you like to cover it?”
Press Release = “Here’s our official company announcement.”
HARO = “A journalist needs an expert. I’ll provide the quote.”
Although all three can result in backlinks from publications, they use different outreach approaches. Digital PR is proactive story pitching, press releases are official news distribution, and HARO is reactive expert outreach.
B Tier:
1. Social Media and Profile Links
Create profiles for your business on platforms such as LinkedIn, Meta (Facebook), X, Reddit, and other relevant social networks. Add your website link to your profile and, where appropriate, within your posts.
Most of these backlinks are tagged as nofollow or UGC (User Generated Content), so they pass little to no direct SEO value.
However, they still help strengthen your brand presence, make it easier for users to discover your website, and can indirectly contribute to SEO by increasing visibility.
The biggest advantage of this strategy is that you have 100% control over the links. It’s free, quick to implement, and easy to maintain. If your company has a social media team, work with them to ensure your website is consistently linked across all official profiles.
2. Event Sponsorships/ Partnerships
Sponsor industry events, conferences, webinars, meetups, or community initiatives, and ensure your business is listed as a sponsor with a backlink to your website.
These backlinks are often relevant and come from legitimate organizations, making them valuable for brand exposure and SEO. Besides earning a backlink, event sponsorships can also help increase your brand awareness, build industry relationships, and generate referral traffic.
Before committing to a sponsorship, ensure that your company will receive a backlink on the event website or sponsor page. Otherwise, you may miss one of the SEO benefits of the sponsorship.
3. Find Unlinked Brand Mentions
Sometimes, websites mention your brand, company, product, or founder without linking back to your website. The goal is to find these unlinked brand mentions and politely ask the publisher to add a backlink.
Since they’ve already mentioned your brand, they’re more likely to add a link than someone who has never heard of you.
Drawbacks:
This strategy can be quite manual and time-consuming. You’ll typically need to use Google search operators or SEO tools to identify unlinked mentions, then manually verify each opportunity and contact the website owner. If you want to do this consistently at scale, it’s best to have a dedicated person managing the outreach.
4. Guest Posting
Guest posting is a well-known link-building strategy where you write an article for another website in exchange for exposure and, in many cases, a backlink to your own website.
On paper, it sounds like a great strategy. However, based on my experience, I’m not a big fan of guest posting.
Here’s why:
High-quality websites rarely accept unsolicited guest post pitches. Even when they do, the review process can be slow, often taking weeks or even months before you receive a response.
As a result, securing placements on authoritative websites isn’t easy, and consistently publishing multiple high-quality guest posts each month can be difficult to scale.
In reality, many websites also charge a publication fee, even if you’re providing the article yourself. Once you factor in these costs, guest posting starts to resemble paid link building rather than purely “earned” backlinks.
That said, guest posting is still a legitimate white-hat strategy. If you’re willing to invest the time, build genuine relationships, and prioritize quality over quantity, it can be an effective way to earn relevant backlinks and reach a new audience.
C Tier:
1. Backlink Gap Outreach
Backlink gap outreach involves using SEO tools such as Ahrefs or Semrush to identify websites that link to your competitors but not to your website. You then reach out to those websites and explain why they should also link to your content.
It sounds like an effective strategy in theory. However, in my experience, the success rate isn’t particularly high.
First, you’ll likely need a subscription to an SEO tool, which can be expensive. Then comes the manual outreach, where responses can take weeks, or you may never receive one at all if your email ends up being ignored or filtered into a spam folder.
While the strategy can produce results, I don’t find it very efficient.
2. Broken Link Building
Broken link building involves finding broken links on other websites and suggesting your content as a replacement. Another variation is identifying broken backlinks pointing to your competitors and creating or promoting equivalent content to earn those links instead.
The process is time-consuming and typically requires a subscription to SEO tools such as Ahrefs or Semrush to identify opportunities. After that, you still need to perform manual outreach, and many website owners either ignore the email or simply don’t respond.
Even when you do receive a reply, some publishers may ask for payment before updating the link.
Overall, I believe broken link building can work, but the amount of time, effort, and software cost required often outweighs the results, making it less efficient.
Personal Experience Shared:
Both Backlink Gap Outreach and Broken Link Building strategies are highly praised among SEO Key Opinion Leaders and Influencers.
In my opinion, that’s partly because these strategies rely on expensive SEO tools like Ahrefs and Semrush, which are industry giants. Simply put, I think these strategies are a bit overrated.
3. Widget and Footer Links
Widget and footer links are backlinks placed in a website’s footer or within a reusable widget that appears across multiple pages.
While they can generate a large number of backlinks, search engines often discount their SEO value because they’re sitewide rather than editorially earned; hence, I don’t consider them a particularly effective link-building strategy.
The strategies in the F tier are generally considered black-hat or spammy link-building techniques.
They are designed primarily to manipulate search rankings rather than provide value to users and may violate Google’s spam (link scheme) policies.
Some of these methods may produce short-term results, but they carry significant risks, including manual actions, algorithmic devaluation, or long-term damage to your website’s reputation.
Use them at your own risk, or avoid them.
F Tier:
1. Private Blog Networks (PBNs)
Private Blog Networks (PBNs) are networks of websites created or acquired primarily to build backlinks to a target website.
The idea is to use these controlled sites to pass link authority and improve search rankings. While PBNs may produce short-term gains, they are considered a black-hat SEO tactic and carry a significant risk of penalties if detected by Google.
2. Link Farms & Link Networks
Link farms are large collections of low-quality websites created primarily to generate backlinks rather than provide useful content. Their main purpose is to pass link authority to other websites, making them a clear form of link spam.
“Key idea: Fake websites built for links.”
Link networks are groups of websites that coordinate the buying, selling, or exchanging of backlinks to manipulate search rankings. Unlike link farms, the websites may appear legitimate, but the linking arrangement is designed primarily for SEO rather than editorial value.
“Key idea: Real websites working together to exchange/sell links.”
3. Web 2.0 Blogs
Web 2.0 link building involves creating free blogs on platforms such as WordPress.com, Blogger, or Tumblr and placing backlinks to your website within the content. While this tactic was once popular, it has been heavily abused over the years, and backlinks from low-quality or mass-created Web 2.0 sites generally provide little SEO value.
4. Automated Link Building Software
Automated link building tools, such as Money Robot Submitter and RankerX, automatically create large numbers of backlinks by submitting your website to blogs, forums, directories, and other platforms. While they can generate thousands of links quickly, the links are often low-quality and may expose your website to spam signals and search engine penalties.
5. Parasite SEO
Parasite SEO involves publishing content on high-authority platforms such as Medium, Substack, LinkedIn Articles, Quora Spaces, GitHub Pages, or any high-authority domain where users can publish content primarily to leverage their domain authority and rank quickly in search results.
While publishing on these platforms is legitimate, using them solely to manipulate search rankings or redirect traffic to another website can be considered a spammy SEO tactic.
5.1 Forum and Blog Comment Links
Forum and blog comment links are backlinks placed within forum discussions or blog comment sections. These links provide value only when you’re genuinely contributing to the conversation and helping the community. Mass posting comments solely to build backlinks is considered spam and offers little to no SEO benefit.
6. Expired Domains
Expired domain SEO involves buying expired domains that still have existing backlinks and authority, often from domain auction platforms such as GoDaddy Auctions.
The new owner either redirects the expired domain to their main website (301 redirect) or rebuilds the site and adds backlinks to transfer some of the existing authority.
This method carries significant risks if the domain’s history is irrelevant, spammy, or used solely to manipulate search rankings.
7. Bulk Backlinks from Freelance Marketplaces
Offers like “500 backlinks for $10” on freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr or Upwork are usually too good to be true. These services often generate large numbers of low-quality, spammy backlinks from irrelevant websites, directories, or automated tools. They are unlikely to improve your SEO and may even harm your website by triggering spam signals or search engine penalties.
X Tier: Other Link Building Strategies
The strategies in this tier are recommended by SEO experts and industry KOLs.
However, I haven’t personally tested them, so I can’t fairly evaluate or rank them.
Rather than speculate, I’ve listed them here for your reference so you can explore them further.
1. Tiered Link Building
Tiered link building is a strategy where you build backlinks to your backlinks instead of pointing every link directly to your website. The goal is to strengthen your Tier 1 backlinks so they pass more authority to your money site.
Tier 1 (Direct Links)
These are high-quality backlinks that point directly to your website.
Examples: Guest posts, digital PR placements, niche edits, and authoritative business directories.
Tier 2 (Supporting Links)
These backlinks point to your Tier 1 backlinks to strengthen them and potentially improve their authority and indexing.
Examples: High-quality blogs, social media posts, and relevant forum mentions.
Tier 3 (Base Links)
These backlinks point to your Tier 2 links, creating another layer of support.
Pros:
1. Can strengthen Tier 1 backlinks without pointing every link directly to your website.
2. Allows you to use lower-value links to support higher-quality backlinks.
3. May help search engines discover and index Tier 1 content more quickly.
Cons:
1. Time-consuming to execute manually.
2. Can become difficult to manage at scale.
1.1 Backlink Indexing Tools (Indexer)
Backlink indexing tools submit URLs to encourage search engines to crawl your Tier 2 and Tier 3 pages more quickly. However, no indexing tool can force Google to index a page; they can only help trigger crawling. Whether a page is ultimately indexed is entirely Google’s decision.
Examples include IndexMeNow, Indexceptional, Rapid URL Indexer, and Bing IndexNow.
2. HARO / Source Platforms
HARO-style platforms (Help a Reporter Out) connect journalists with subject matter experts. Instead of pitching your own story, you respond to media requests from reporters who are looking for expert quotes. If your response is selected, you may be featured in their article with a backlink to your website.
To maximize your chances of success, create a dedicated email inbox for media requests so opportunities don’t get buried among your regular emails.
Popular platforms include:
- Featured.com
- Qwoted
- Sources of Sources
When signing up as a source, complete your profile with your specific expertise. Generic descriptions like “marketing expert” are unlikely to stand out, while more specific profiles such as “B2B SaaS content strategist” or “Local SEO specialist for healthcare practices” are more likely to attract relevant media requests.
3. Podcast and Video Guest Appearances
Appearing as a guest on podcasts or YouTube channels is a white-hat link-building strategy that helps you showcase your expertise to a new audience. Hosts often include a backlink to your website in the episode description, show notes, or Podcast guest profile, allowing you to earn relevant backlinks while increasing your brand visibility and authority.
Tip: Use PodcastMatcher to connect with podcast hosts looking for guests. Appearing as a podcast guest is a great way to build relationships, establish authority in your niche, and earn high-quality backlinks from podcast websites and show notes.
Sum up
In total, I’ve ranked 25 link-building strategies from S Tier to F Tier, along with an X Tier for strategies that I’ve heard about from SEO experts and industry KOLs but haven’t personally implemented.
Remember, this tier list is subjective and based on my own experience. What works well for my websites or clients may not work for yours, and vice versa.
Use these rankings as a reference rather than a set of absolute rules, and always test what works best for your niche, budget, and business goals.
Buying Backlinks - What You Need To Know
Should You Pay for Backlinks?
My answer is yes, but with important caveats.
“Google’s link spam policies state that links intended to manipulate rankings in Google Search may be considered link spam. This includes buying or selling links for ranking purposes, exchanging money for links, or other arrangements designed primarily to influence search rankings.”
That said, paid backlinks are still widely used in the SEO industry. In practice, Google cannot directly see whether money changed hands. (They can’t check your bank account)
Instead, it relies on signals that suggest a linking pattern is unnatural or intended to manipulate rankings.
Paying for backlinks can be relatively low risk if the placement is editorially relevant, appears natural, and genuinely adds value to readers.
For example, sponsoring a relevant resource page or paying for a high-quality niche edit on a reputable website is very different from buying hundreds of spammy backlinks.
If you choose to buy backlinks, focus on relevance, quality, and user value, not quantity.
What to look for before buying backlinks? A full checklist:
When evaluating a backlink opportunity, don’t rely on a single metric. Instead, look at the referring websites from multiple angles:
1. Check multiple authority metrics
Don’t rely solely on Domain Rating (DR), Domain Authority (DA), or Authority Score (AS).
These metrics can be manipulated, especially by websites using private blog networks (PBNs) or other artificial link-building tactics. Compare multiple metrics instead of trusting just one.
2. Would you want to be associated with this website?
If the website looks spammy, publishes low-quality content, or is filled with paid links, it’s probably not worth getting a backlink from.
3. Review the website's traffic
Check whether the website has genuine organic traffic and a healthy, consistent traffic trend. You can also set your own minimum threshold—for example, at least 1,000 monthly organic visits, depending on your industry and budget.
Also, consider where the traffic comes from. If your business primarily targets the U.S. market, it’s generally a good sign if a significant portion of the website’s organic traffic also comes from the United States.
Ideally, the referring website should have an audience that aligns with your target market.
4. Make sure the website is relevant
The website should operate in your niche or a closely related industry and rank for keywords that are relevant to your business. Relevance is often more important than raw authority.
For example, if you’re promoting a SaaS tool, a marketing or technology website is a much better fit than a cooking blog. The closer the referring website is to your industry, the more natural and valuable the backlink is likely to be.
5. Review its backlink profile.
You don’t need to inspect every backlink, but spend a few minutes looking at a sample. If most of the site’s backlinks appear natural and come from reputable websites, that’s a good sign. If they’re dominated by spammy directories, PBNs, or low-quality sites, consider looking elsewhere.
6. Anchor Text and Link Placement
Pay attention to both where the backlink is placed and how it’s anchored.
- Link placement: Contextual links placed naturally within the main body of an article are generally more valuable than links placed in the footer or sidebar. The link should fit naturally within the content and provide value to readers.
- Anchor text: Keep your anchor text natural and diverse. You can use branded, partial-match, exact-match, generic (e.g., “click here”), or naked URL anchors. There’s no single “best” anchor text; the key is maintaining a natural-looking backlink profile rather than over-optimizing for exact-match keywords.
7. Decide the type of paid backlinks
- Paid Guest Post Placement: You write a new article for another website, and they publish it with a backlink to your website. This is generally the safer and more transparent approach because the content is created specifically for that publication.
- Paid Niche Edit (Link Insertion): Your backlink is inserted into an existing, already-indexed article where it fits naturally within the context. This can be effective because the page may already have authority and organic traffic.
Guest Post vs. Link Insertion:
| Guest Post | Link Insertion (Niche Edit) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pros | You have full control over the content, anchor text, and landing page. The article can be written specifically to support your SEO goals. | The content is already published and indexed, so you only need to identify a relevant page and insert your link where it fits naturally. Existing pages are also more likely to have authority, internal links, and organic traffic. |
| Cons | Writing a quality article takes time and effort. In addition, newly published guest posts can become orphan pages if the referring website doesn’t link to them internally, limiting their visibility and SEO value. | You have little control over the surrounding content or anchor text, and finding a contextually relevant page for your link isn’t always possible. Some publishers may also be unwilling to edit existing content without charging a fee. |
Based on my experience, I generally prefer link insertions because the pages are already indexed, have established authority, and often receive existing organic traffic.
8. Which Page Should You Build Backlinks To?
Not every backlink needs to point to your homepage. Depending on your SEO goals, you can build backlinks to your homepage, product or service pages, blog posts, category pages, or collection pages. Choose the page that is most relevant to the referring website and the keywords you want to rank for.
9. What's Your Budget?
Finally, and perhaps most importantly: decide on your budget before you start buying backlinks. For example, you might set a maximum budget of $100 per backlink based on your goals and resources.
Price matters. Don’t expect a $20 backlink to deliver the same quality as a $200 backlink. While there are always exceptions, high-quality backlinks from reputable, relevant websites typically come at a higher cost.