What is Link Building?
Link building is the process of getting other websites to link to your website.
Think of links like recommendations. If a trusted website links to your page, it’s like them saying, “Hey, this site has good stuff!”
These links are called backlinks—because they link back to your site.
Want a quick definition from the pros? Check out Ahrefs’ beginner guide to link building.
Why is Link Building Important?
Search engines like Google use links to help decide which websites are more trustworthy and useful.
The more good-quality websites link to your site, the higher your site can show up in Google search results. It’s kind of like getting votes!
Google’s own Search Central guide to links explains how they use links to rank pages.
💡 Example: If a popular food blog links to your bakery website, Google sees that as a good sign that your bakery is worth showing in search results.
How Do You Build Links?
Here are some beginner-friendly ways:
- Create Helpful Content
Write blog posts or make videos that people find useful. Others will naturally want to share or link to it.
→ HubSpot’s guide on creating content people link to - Ask for Links
Reach out to bloggers, websites, or businesses in your industry and ask if they’ll link to your article or page. It works best if your content is truly helpful or unique. - Guest Posting
Write an article for someone else’s website and include a link back to yours.
→ Here’s a simple intro on guest blogging for SEO by Neil Patel - List Your Business
Add your website to local business directories or industry listings—many of them give you a link. Try platforms like Yelp, Google Business Profile, or Bing Places.
Good Links vs. Bad Links
Not all links are equal!
✅ Good Links:
- Come from trusted websites
- Are related to your topic
- Add real value to the reader
❌ Bad Links:
- Come from spammy or unrelated sites
- Are bought just for SEO tricks
- Can actually hurt your Google rankings
Want to know which links help and which hurt? Read Moz’s guide on good vs. bad backlinks.
Final Thoughts
Link building is like building your online reputation. The more good websites that talk about you (by linking to you), the more trusted your site becomes in the eyes of Google—and the more people can find you online.
Even doing a little bit can make a big difference.
Ready to start? Try this step-by-step link building checklist from Backlinko.