To help small businesses master the art of link building, we’ve gathered eight insightful strategies from CEOs and SEO specialists. From leveraging HARO and Featured for link building to developing linkable assets for referral traffic, these experts share their most effective tactics for boosting your online presence.

Leverage Connectively (formerly HARO) and Featured

Connectively (formerly HARO) stands as the most cost-effective strategy for link building. For us, Connectively, together with Featured, has really helped our websites achieve a significant increase in organic traffic and Domain Authority.

What I like about these platforms is that you don’t have to invest a single dollar for them to be effective. Sure, we are now using Connectively and Featured’s standard subscription for more optimal results, but this is not a requirement. The only investment that you will put in here is the time and effort that you will take to write high-quality pitches that will get selected.

As long as you produce high-quality responses to journalists, you are guaranteed a 15-25% chance of getting a backlink from high-authority sources. This is very valuable for small businesses since exposure to big media outlets entails big boosts to their websites. Personally, my link building efforts with HARO and Featured have allowed me to be mentioned in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Yahoo!, and Fox Business.

Samantha Hawrylack, CEO, SJ Digital Solutions LLC

Partner with Local Businesses and Venues

The single most effective way to build relevant, and potentially authoritative, links quickly as a local business is to leverage other local businesses, clubs, venues, etc., that you either partner with or can sponsor.

There are a few reasons this is such an excellent strategy:

1. Locally relevant links: If you’re an Australian business earning a bunch of links from other .com.au domains, that’s great.
2. A quick way to build website authority: Local clubs, restaurants, and magazines often have fairly authoritative sites. Links from these are great if you can get them.
3. Eyeballs on your business: The always overlooked aspect of link building. Traffic and brand reach. Local links will also ensure you get people in the community seeing your business. That’s key in driving more brand reach, leads, and sales.

Ben Poulton, SEO Consultant and Founder, Intellar

Create Original Research

Creating original research or industry reports is powerful. Original data is a gold mine for link-building because everyone loves citing unique, valuable insights.

By conducting surveys, aggregating data, or generating insights that are unique to your business or industry, you can create content that is highly shareable and link-worthy. Journalists, bloggers, and other businesses in your industry will likely link to your original research when discussing the topic, providing you with high-quality backlinks.

This strategy, while time-consuming, can pay off exponentially in terms of SEO, brand authority, and visibility. It positions your brand as a thought leader in your industry, and these backlinks can significantly boost your SEO rankings.

Matt Janaway, CEO, Marketing Labs

Engage in Industry Forums

Actively engage in industry forums and provide valuable insights to establish yourself as a thought leader. As other members reference your expertise, you naturally gain back-links from relevant websites.

For example, if you run a small graphic design business, you can participate in design-related forums and contribute helpful tips, critique designs, and answer questions. As forum members recognize your knowledge, they may link back to your website when referencing your advice or expertise, improving your link profile while also positioning you as a credible authority.

Ben Lau, Founder, Featured SEO Company

Produce Unique, Shareable Content

The best way to separate yourself from the pack, in my opinion, is to create unique, top-notch content that people will want to share. This could include thorough guides, research studies, or in-depth analyses of industry trends.

By providing unique and helpful resources, you enhance the likelihood of other websites connecting back to your material as a credible source, boosting your website’s credibility and search engine results.

Max Whiteside, SEO and Content Lead, Breaking Muscle

Utilize Guest-Blogging

Many content creators use guest-blogging to build backlinks, but this process works in reverse, too. As a blogger myself, I welcome guest-post pitches because I know that people who contribute to my blog are likely to share the content and link to it.

This benefits me just as much as the guest contributor and has helped me to earn many backlinks to my website. It also costs nothing but a little of your time, making it one of the cheapest ways to build backlinks.

Alli Hill, Founder and Director, Fleurish Freelance

Embrace Strategic Content Collaboration

To boost your online presence, consider a powerful approach: strategic content collaboration. Partner with influential bloggers, industry experts, and complementary businesses to co-create valuable, shareable content.

Craft compelling guest posts, infographics, or even joint webinars that cater to your target audience’s interests. Through this symbiotic relationship, you’ll tap into their existing followers, reaching a broader audience and earning high-quality backlinks.

Additionally, leverage social media and email campaigns to maximize visibility. This creative strategy fosters strong relationships, establishes authority, and elevates your brand, driving sustainable growth. Embrace strategic content collaboration to conquer the digital realm and thrive amidst the competition.

Vikas Kaushik, CEO, TechAhead

Develop Linkable Assets for Referral Traffic

Create linkable assets, such as free tools, templates, and interactive content, that other websites will find valuable for their audiences. If you work in marketing, for instance, you could release a free search engine optimization tool or a social media content schedule template. These assets naturally attract backlinks and can become a substantial source of referral traffic.

Faizan Khan, Sr. Content Marketing Specialist, UBUY Australia