Link Building Strategies That Actually Work in 2025

Link building remains one of the most powerful ranking factors, but the tactics that worked five years ago can now trigger penalties. Here are the strategies that actually move the needle in 2025.

Digital PR and Journalist Outreach

Create newsworthy content and data studies that journalists want to cite. Tools like HARO (Help A Reporter Out) connect you with journalists seeking expert sources. This earns high-authority links from major publications.

The Skyscraper Technique 2.0

Find content in your niche that's earned many backlinks, create something 10x better, then reach out to sites linking to the inferior content. But in 2025, 'better' means more than just longer—it means more useful, current, and comprehensive.

Strategic Guest Posting

Guest posting still works when done right. Focus on relevant, high-quality sites in your industry. Write genuinely valuable content—not thin posts designed solely for links. The traffic and brand exposure are as valuable as the link itself.