Link Building Strategies That Work in 2026

Backlinks continue to be one of the most influential ranking factors in Google's algorithm. However, the approach to link building has evolved dramatically. Gone are the days of mass directory submissions and comment spam. Today's successful link building requires creativity, relationship building, and genuine value creation.

Digital PR has emerged as one of the most effective link building strategies. By creating newsworthy content, conducting original research, or publishing industry surveys, you can earn high-authority links from news outlets and industry publications. The key is to create content that journalists and editors genuinely want to reference.

Broken link building remains a reliable tactic. The process involves finding broken links on relevant websites, creating content that matches what the broken link originally pointed to, and then reaching out to the site owner to suggest your content as a replacement. Tools like Prolific SEO's backlink monitoring feature can help you identify these opportunities at scale.

Guest posting, when done correctly, is still valuable. Focus on contributing genuinely helpful content to reputable publications in your industry. Avoid low-quality guest post farms and instead target sites where your expertise can genuinely benefit their audience.

Resource page link building involves finding pages that curate links to helpful resources in your industry and getting your content included. These pages are specifically designed to link out, making them ideal targets for outreach.

Creating linkable assets is perhaps the most sustainable approach. This includes original research, comprehensive guides, free tools, infographics, and interactive content. When you create something genuinely useful, people naturally link to it without being asked.

Internal linking is often overlooked but equally important. A strong internal linking structure helps search engines understand your site's hierarchy and distributes link equity across your pages. Prolific SEO's internal linking feature automatically identifies linking opportunities within your own content.

Track your backlink profile regularly. Monitor new links gained, links lost, and the overall health of your link profile. Disavow toxic links that could harm your rankings and focus your efforts on acquiring links from authoritative, relevant sources.