The Best Ways to Get Backlinks in 2025

If you’ve been in SEO for a while, you already know one thing: backlinks still move the needle.

But here’s the problem: link building in 2025 doesn’t look anything like it did five years ago. Old tactics (like spamming blog comments) don’t just fail, they can tank your rankings.

The good news? There are proven strategies right now that actually work. And in this guide, I’ll show you the best ones.

So if you want to boost your rankings, get more traffic, and build a brand people trust… you’ll love this list.

What Are Backlinks?

Backlinks are simply links from one website to another.

Think of them like “votes of confidence.” When another site links to you, they’re basically telling Google: “Hey, this content is legit.”

And the more high-quality sites that link to you, the more authority your site builds.

That’s why backlinks are one of Google’s top ranking factors and why every serious SEO still focuses on them in 2025.

In short:

More backlinks = more authority.
More authority = higher rankings.
Higher rankings = more traffic (and customers).

Simple, right?

How Backlinks Impact Your Google Rankings

When it comes to ranking on Google, backlinks are like rocket fuel.

Here’s why: Google’s algorithm is built to measure trust and authority. And backlinks are one of the strongest signals that your site deserves to rank.

In fact, a study by Ahrefs found that pages with more backlinks consistently outrank those with fewer.

But it’s not just about quantity. Google’s way smarter than that in 2025.

A single link from a trusted site (think: Forbes, HubSpot, or a local news outlet) can outweigh 100 random low-quality links.
Context matters too. A backlink inside relevant content is worth way more than one buried in a sidebar or footer.
And let’s not forget anchor text, it helps Google understand what your page should rank for.

Bottom line: backlinks tell Google, “This page is authoritative and deserves to be on top.”

Do Backlinks Still Work in 2025?

Short answer: yes.

But here’s the thing… backlinks in 2025 don’t work the same way they did in 2010. Or even 2020.

Google’s algorithm is a lot better at spotting spammy links, link farms, and PBNs. So blasting out thousands of low-quality links? That won’t cut it anymore.

What does work is quality over quantity. One relevant, high-authority backlink can move the needle more than dozens of random links.

And it’s not just about rankings. Backlinks today also drive:

Referral traffic → clicks from real people visiting your site.
Brand authority → being featured on trusted sites makes your business look legit.
Indexing → backlinks help Google discover new pages faster.

So yes, backlinks absolutely work in 2025. You just need to focus on the right ones.

Hire an SEO Agency (The Smart Shortcut)

Here’s the truth: building backlinks takes time. A lot of it.

Between creating content, finding prospects, sending outreach emails, and following up… it can easily eat up dozens of hours each week.

That’s why one of the smartest moves in 2025 is to hire an SEO agency that specializes in link building. Instead of guessing what works, you get a team that already knows how to land high-quality links.

The best part? Agencies have connections. They’ve built relationships with publishers, bloggers, and journalists so your brand gets placements that would take you months (or years) to secure on your own.

Think of it as a shortcut. You still get the benefits of backlinks, more authority, higher rankings, more traffic but without the grind of doing it all yourself.

If you’re serious about results and don’t want to reinvent the wheel, this is the fastest way to get there.

Create Linkable Assets That Attract Links on Autopilot

If you want backlinks to come to you (instead of begging for them), you need linkable assets.

A linkable asset is any piece of content so valuable, unique, or useful that people want to link to it.

Think:

A data study no one else has.
An ultimate guide that covers a topic better than anyone.
A free tool or calculator people can’t stop sharing.

Here’s why this works: when your content is the go-to resource, backlinks happen naturally. Bloggers cite your stats. Journalists use your research. Businesses share your tool with their audience.

In other words, instead of pushing for links… you’re pulling them in.

And once you’ve got a few of these assets live, they keep attracting backlinks for months (sometimes years) without extra effort.

That’s how you scale link building without scaling your workload.

Use Featured.com to Land High-Authority Backlinks

One of the easiest ways to get links in 2025? Become a source for journalists and writers.

That’s exactly what Featured.com does. It connects experts with publishers who need credible quotes for their articles.

Here’s how it works: publishers post questions, you submit your insights, and if they like your answer, your quote gets featured in their article, along with a backlink to your site.

The beauty of this system is scale. Instead of cold emailing hundreds of bloggers, you’re responding to writers who already want to link to someone.

And these aren’t small blogs either. We’re talking about major publications, niche industry sites, and trusted online magazines.

So if you want backlinks that boost your rankings and position you as an authority in your field, Featured.com is one of the best platforms to be on right now.

Check out this article on how to land more Featured.com backlinks and start turning expert quotes into authority links.

Leverage Guest Posting (The Right Way in 2025)

Guest posting has been around forever. And yes, it still works in 2025, but only if you do it right.

The old playbook was simple: churn out generic articles, send them to any site that would accept them, and drop a link. That doesn’t fly anymore.

Today, Google’s much stricter on thin or irrelevant guest posts. What works now is quality over quantity. That means targeting sites that actually have an audience, writing content that brings real value, and placing links naturally inside the article.

Done right, guest posting does two things at once: it earns you high-quality backlinks and puts your brand in front of a relevant audience.

So if you’re still treating guest posting like a numbers game, it’s time to flip the script. Focus on fewer, better placements and the backlinks you get will carry way more weight.

Build Web 2.0 and Foundation Links for Diversity

Not every backlink needs to come from Forbes or HubSpot. In fact, having only “big” links can look unnatural.

That’s where foundation links come in. Think Web 2.0 blogs, niche profiles, citations, and other easy-to-build properties.

On their own, these links won’t skyrocket your rankings. But together, they create a natural-looking backlink profile. They diversify your anchor text, balance out your authority links, and give Google more signals that your brand is legit.

It’s like the base of a house, not flashy, but without it, the structure won’t stand.

So while you’re chasing high-DR backlinks, don’t ignore these foundational links. They make your entire link building strategy more stable (and scalable).

Proven Outreach Strategies That Still Work in 2025

At the end of the day, most backlinks come down to one thing: outreach.

Sure, you can build assets, write guest posts, or sign up for platforms. But if you’re not reaching out to the right people with the right message, nothing happens.

The good news? Outreach still works, if you do it smart.

That means personalized emails (no generic templates), pitching content that’s actually valuable to their audience, and following up without being annoying.

What’s changed in 2025 is the level of noise. Everyone’s inbox is flooded. Which is why creativity matters more than ever. A fresh angle, a unique piece of data, or even just a well-timed compliment can be the difference between “ignored” and “link secured.”

So don’t sleep on outreach. It’s not the easiest tactic, but when done right, it’s still one of the most reliable ways to land backlinks today.

Common Link Building Mistakes to Avoid

Backlinks can skyrocket your rankings… or tank your site if you do them wrong.

The biggest mistake? Chasing quantity over quality. Ten spammy links won’t help you. One relevant, high-authority backlink will.

Another common slip-up is using the same exact anchor text over and over. That’s a fast track to looking unnatural in Google’s eyes. Mix it up with branded, generic, and long-tail anchors.

And finally, don’t fall for shortcuts like link farms or automated link-building tools. They might work for a week, but once Google catches on, you’ll wish you never touched them.

Play the long game instead. Focus on links that add real value, for your rankings and for users.

How Many Backlinks Do You Really Need?

This is one of the most common questions I get. And the honest answer is: it depends.

If you’re trying to rank for a low-competition keyword, sometimes a handful of solid backlinks is all it takes. But if you’re gunning for a competitive keyword (like “SEO agency” or “best credit card”), you’ll need way more firepower.

The key is to look at what’s already ranking. Tools like Ahrefs or Semrush will show you exactly how many referring domains the top pages have. That gives you a realistic target.

But here’s the catch: it’s not just about hitting a number. Ten relevant links from trusted sites can outweigh fifty random ones.

So instead of asking “how many backlinks do I need,” the better question is: “How many high-quality backlinks do I need to beat the competition?”

That’s where the real wins happen.

Final Thoughts on Getting Backlinks in 2025

Backlinks aren’t dead. Far from it. In 2025, they’re still one of the strongest signals Google uses to decide who ranks at the top.

What has changed is how you get them. Spammy link blasts? Done. Low-quality PBNs? Risky. The game now is all about authority, relevance, and trust.

Whether you hire an agency, build linkable assets, or use platforms like Featured.com, the goal stays the same: earn links that actually move the needle.

If you take one thing away from this guide, it’s this: focus less on chasing every possible link, and more on building the kind of backlinks that Google and real people can trust.

Do that consistently, and the rankings will follow.