How to Get Free Backlinks: 8 Tactics That Work (With Examples)
Natalia Toth
Getting quality backlinks, especially on a tight budget, can feel like chasing a unicorn.
The average cost of a backlink ranges from $100 to $500 and growing. Some companies spend thousands of dollars per month (!) on link-building - but you don’t have to be among them!
It might sound hard to believe, but you can snag strong links without drilling a hole in your marketing budget.
Actually, you can build impactful links for $0. In this post, we’ll share the best ways to do just that.
1. Invest in Original Content that Naturally Attracts Links
Let’s start with the basics: create something so valuable that people want to link to it. It could be an ultimate guide, a case study with fascinating data, or even a tool that solves a common problem. The goal is to become the go-to source for specific topics or information.
A Reddit user shared:
“It’s all about the content. I created a resource page for a niche topic, and it got picked up by several industry blogs without me having to lift a finger.”
Here are some proven magnets for organic backlinks:
- Product comparisons
- Glossaries
- Industry reports and studies
- Infographics
- Articles with real-world examples and ready-to-use templates
Example: SaaS companies can create “Ultimate Guides” on niche topics like data encryption or CRM best practices, with fresh stats and actionable insights. E-commerce businesses can publish detailed case studies on customer success stories, making them irresistible for industry bloggers to reference.
We loved the example from Tidio, an AI customer service platform. They published a post on writing apology letters to customers, complete with seven ready-to-use templates. In just five months, this article earned backlinks from 78 domains, showcasing the power of practical content.
2. Leverage Digital PR
Digital PR connects journalists with sources, and it’s a goldmine for getting backlinks from high-authority websites like Forbes or The New York Times, but also from smaller, niche blogs in your industry. Studies show that 55% of companies that use digital PR see notable increases in their search rankings within 6 months.
Read more: How to Measure Link-Building ROI in GA4? A 5 steps’ Guide
One of the best platforms for this is Connectively, featured by HARO (Help a Reporter Out), which lets you respond to journalist requests for quotes and stories. All you need to do is sign up for free, receive queries from reporters, and respond to the ones that fit your expertise. With Connectively's free plan, you can send up to 10 journalist pitches per month. For more, they offer paid plans starting at $19, $49, and $149 per month.
To increase your chances of success, here are some solid free alternatives to Connectively you can explore:
- Featured
- Sourcebottle
- Qwoted
- PitchRate
- Terkel
“Answering HARO requests regularly has landed me backlinks from major publications,” one Quora user mentioned. “It’s a bit time-consuming, but totally worth it.”
Example: A SaaS company specializing in cybersecurity could answer a journalist's query on emerging threats, and in return, land a backlink from a major tech publication.
3. Guest Blogging – Done in a Smart Way
Guest blogging is a white hat link-building strategy that’s still alive.
The key is to focus on quality over quantity. You want to guest blog on sites that are relevant to your industry and have a decent domain authority (DA). Instead of blasting out generic pitches, personalize your outreach by showing how your content can provide value to their audience.
One Reddit user remarked:
“Guest posting works if you target the right blogs and offer something valuable. It’s not just about getting the link, but also establishing your authority.”
Example: A SaaS company offering AI tools could contribute to marketing blogs about how AI is reshaping digital marketing strategies. E-commerce brands can guest post about trends in consumer behavior or sustainability in retail.
Here are the search operators you can apply to find guest posting opportunities:
- ‘write for us + {niche}’
- {keyword} intitle:”write for us”
- {keyword} intitle:”write for me”
- {keyword} intitle:”contribute to”
- {keyword} intitle:”submit” + inurl:blog
- {keyword} “submit a guest post”
- {keyword} “accepting guest posts”
- {keyword} “guest author”
- {keyword} “become a contributor”
- inpostauthor:guest {keyword}
4. Take Advantage of Broken Link-Building
Broken link-building is one of those underutilized tactics that can yield high-quality backlinks at zero expense if done right. It’s simple: find broken links on websites in your niche, then offer the webmaster a piece of your content as a replacement.
This approach offers value to both sides: the website owner gets to fix a broken link, and you get a new backlink. It’s a win-win. One Quora user shared:
“Broken link-building works really well if you’re in a niche where people don’t update their sites often.”
Example: An e-commerce business selling eco-friendly products could search for outdated links on sustainability blogs. By offering updated, high-quality content, they can secure a backlink from an established source.
To encourage you more, 94% of webmasters appreciate being notified about broken links because it helps improve their website performance and SEO. This makes it a low-risk, high-reward tactic.
5. Write Testimonials and Reviews
Many companies love showcasing testimonials from their users or customers. It’s an easy way for them to build trust, and they often link back to your website in return. This strategy requires a bit of proactivity—write reviews for tools or services that you genuinely use and appreciate, then reach out to the company to let them know.
Not only do you get a backlink for free, but you also nurture a potential relationship with that company. A user on Reddit noted:
“I’ve gotten some good backlinks from writing testimonials for tools I use daily. It’s a super low-effort way to get links.”
6. Create Infographics or Visual Data
Did you know that visual content is three times more likely to be shared than plain text? Infographics, in particular, are great for generating backlinks. People love to use them in their own content, especially if they are well-researched and visually appealing.
You don’t have to be a design wizard to create these. Tools like Canva, Figma, or Piktochart can help you design professional-looking infographics in no time. When someone uses your infographic, they’re more likely to credit you with a free backlink.
Example: A SaaS company could create a data-rich infographic on the “State of Cloud Security,” while an e-commerce brand might develop an infographic comparing traditional retail with online shopping trends.
An straight-to-the-point infographics is exactly how Act! earned a backlink to their "Best CRM for Small Business" blog post from EngageBay’s article.
7. Offer Free Tools or Resources
If you’ve got the development bandwidth, creating a niche-specific tool is an awesome way to earn free backlinks. Think about what your audience would find helpful—a calculator, a checklist, or even a free downloadable template. If your tool genuinely provides value, people will link to it naturally.
A Quora user mentioned:
“I built a simple SEO audit tool and, within weeks, I had backlinks from several high-authority blogs. Free tools are a huge magnet for backlinks.”
Example: If you work in the SEO space, consider creating a free SEO analysis tool. If you're in e-commerce, you might offer a “Home Décor Style Quiz.”
Take PrimePay, for instance — they built a Bonus Tax Calculator that grabbed 100 backlinks from 12 Fintech domains within a year. It’s now their top-performing page for organic traffic, proving how powerful a well-designed tool can be!
8. Repurpose Content for Different Formats
Content repurposing is a killer way to generate backlinks across different platforms. Take a blog post, turn it into a video, an infographic, or even a podcast episode. Each new format you create opens up new opportunities for backlinks from different channels.
One Reddit user shared:
“I turned my blog posts into slide decks and uploaded them to SlideShare—ended up getting several backlinks from people embedding them on their own blogs.”
Repurposing content keeps it fresh and increases its reach, helping you generate more backlinks without creating new content from scratch every time.
Bonus Tip for Link-Building Outreach
If link-building campaigns fill you with very little enthusiasm, you’re among the 68% of marketers who feel the same. Because prospecting and cold emailing take up a lot of your time, you never know if you’re writing to the right people, and 95% of your emails get no answer.
Ranking Raccoon was created to take the unnecessary struggle out of your link-building campaigns. It’s a platform that connects you directly with verified site admins in your niche. All you have to do is send a link request in a few clicks, discuss the details, get the backlink live, and see your rankings go up.
Wrapping Up: Get Free Backlinks Without Breaking the Bank
Getting free backlinks takes creativity, persistence, and a bit of hustle. It’s not as simple as buying them outright, but the payoff can be much greater in the long run—both in terms of authority and sustainability. By applying the strategies above, you can start building a robust backlink profile without breaking the bank.
As one Redditor put it:
"SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll see results over time if you’re consistent with these tactics."
The best way to get free backlinks is to create content worth linking to and build genuine relationships within your industry. Check out our review of the best link-building tools that can help you speed up the outreach part and get free links faster. Happy link-building!
Natalia Toth
Head of Marketing