Link Building Strategies: Every Tactic Compared
Every link building strategy and technique compared on cost, effort, risk and control, so you can pick the tactics that fit your budget and timeline.
A link building strategy is the method you use to get other websites to link to yours. Some are earned (digital PR, broken link building), some are asked for (blogger outreach, guest posting) and some are paid for (niche edits, sponsored posts).
No single tactic is "best". The right mix depends on what you can spend, how much say you want over where links land and anchor text, and how much risk you're willing to carry. The guides below cover each technique on its own, and the table puts them side by side.
If you're new to the topic, start with the complete guide to link building and how to get backlinks, then come back here to choose your tactics.
How the strategies compare
| Strategy | Cost | Effort | Risk | Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blogger outreach | Medium | High | Low to medium | Medium |
| Guest posting | Low to medium | High | Medium at scale | High |
| Niche edits (link insertions) | Low to medium | Low | Medium | High |
| Digital PR | High | High | Low | Low |
| Media placements and press releases | Medium to high | Medium | Low to medium | Medium |
| Directory links | Low | Low | Low if curated, high if spammy | High |
| Tiered link building | Low | Medium | High | High |
| Broken link building | Low | High | Low | Medium |
| HARO and journalist requests | Low | Medium | Low | Low |
| Link reclamation | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
| Resource page links | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
| Skyscraper technique | Medium | High | Low | Low |
| Sponsored posts | Medium | Low | Low when tagged sponsored | High |
| PBN backlinks | Low to medium | Medium | Very high | High |
| Podcast link building | Low | Medium | Low | Medium |
| .edu backlinks | Varies | High | Low if earned, high if bought | Low |
| Foundational links | Low | Low | Low | High |
"Control" means how much say you have over the linking site, the page, the anchor text and the timing. The ratings are rules of thumb for a typical campaign, not fixed numbers, and real costs vary widely by niche and site quality. For actual price ranges, see how much link building costs.
How to choose a mix
Most sites that build links well combine one tactic for control (guest posts or niche edits on carefully vetted sites) with one for authority (digital PR, broken link building or reclamation) and a handful of foundational and directory links underneath. Whatever you choose, keep it on the right side of Google's rules, which are covered in link schemes and what Google penalises.
All strategies
Blogger Outreach: How It Works and When to Use a Service
Blogger outreach means pitching relevant bloggers for a link or mention. How the process works, what services do, and how to tell good outreach from bad.
Guest Posting: How It Works, What Google Says and What It Costs
Guest posting means writing an article for another site in exchange for a link. What Google says about it, how to find good sites, and what it costs.
Niche Edits (Link Insertions): How They Work and the Risks
A niche edit, or link insertion, is a link added to an existing article on another site. How they work, how to vet them, the risks and the costs.
Digital PR for Links: How Campaigns Work, With Examples
Digital PR earns links by giving journalists stories worth covering. How a digital PR campaign works, the main campaign types, and what to expect.
Media Placements and Press Release Backlinks: What Works
Media placements get your brand into news sites and publications. Earned coverage vs paid placements vs press releases, and what each is worth for SEO.
Directory Links: Which Directory Submissions Still Help SEO
Directory links come from listing your site in online directories. Which directory submissions still help SEO, and which ones Google calls spam.
Tiered Link Building: How Tier 2 Links Work and the Risks
Tiered link building means building links to the pages that link to you. How tier 2 backlinks work, where the risk sits, and the safer version worth doing.
Broken Link Building: A Step-by-Step Guide
Broken link building means finding dead pages others still link to, creating a replacement, and asking those sites to link to yours. Here's how to do it.
HARO Link Building: How Journalist Requests Earn Links in 2026
HARO link building means answering journalist requests to earn quotes and links. What happened to HARO, the alternatives, and how to pitch well.
Link Reclamation: Turning Unlinked Brand Mentions Into Links
Link reclamation means recovering links you've earned but aren't getting: unlinked brand mentions, broken links and lost links. How to find and fix them.
Resource Page Link Building: How to Find and Pitch Resource Pages
Resource page link building gets you listed on curated pages of useful links. The search operators to find them, how to vet them, and what to pitch.
The Skyscraper Technique: How It Works and Whether It Still Works
The skyscraper technique means finding well-linked content, making something better and pitching it to the sites linking to the original.
Sponsored Posts: How Paid Articles and rel="sponsored" Work
A sponsored post is an article a publisher runs for payment. What Google's policy says, how rel="sponsored" works, and when they're worth buying.
PBN Backlinks: What They Are and Why to Avoid Them
PBN backlinks come from private blog networks built only to pass links. What PBNs are, how Google treats them, and how to spot PBN sites before you buy.
Podcast Link Building: Earning Links From Guest Appearances
Podcast link building means appearing as a guest on shows that link to you from their episode pages. How to find shows, pitch them and get the link.
.edu Backlinks: Are They Worth It and How to Earn Them
.edu backlinks come from university and college websites. Why Google doesn't treat them as special, which routes are legitimate, and which to avoid.
Foundational Links: The Baseline Every New Site Needs
Foundational links are the basic profiles, listings and partner links every real business has. What to build first, what they do, and what they don't.