White hat link building strategies that work in 2023

The relationship-based approach is rooted in ethical and clean practices, following the principles of white-hat SEO and playing fair in the digital landscape. A website can enhance its credibility and standing in the online community by forging genuine connections within the industry.

Take, for example, the Boxemode site, which succeeded in acquiring a significant number of backlinks with a domain rating of 90+. It would have been unattainable to acquire such links through conventional mass outreach.

How can you achieve such an outcome?

Reverse engineering your competitors for link building or relationship-building purposes can be swift and impactful, and Ahrefs’ Site Explorer is a powerful tool for this task. Simply enter your domain, input the competitor’s domain and identify potential link sources the competitor has acquired.

This strategic approach allows you to identify valuable link prospects that align with your industry and niche, boosting link-building endeavors.

Once you’ve found websites that link to your competitors but not you, take a closer look and select the juiciest ones that match your needs.

Ahrefs’ Batch Analysis tool is your trusty sidekick, helping you check their traffic stats in one go.

Next, find the important people in these companies or websites. Engage them with a friendly message, share your story, and watch those relationships bloom into valuable links.

But how do you initiate contact with representatives of other websites gracefully? One of the best ways is to feature a link to their content in your article and then inform them with a touch of “Hello, your content is fantastic, and I’ve decided to reference it in my article. Just wanted you to know.” And voilà!

But how can you discover the prime opportunities for this? Here’s a quick action plan:

1. Open Site Explorer.
2. Input the website.
3. Choose organic keywords report.
4. Apply a filter for keywords ranked 5 -10.

Although not all of these keywords might be their primary targets, a closer look at the list can usually reveal the ones they aim to rank for.

At first, don’t expect an immediate return; the gifted link will be an investment in the future. After a while, you can re-establish contact, remind them of your connection and eventually seek assistance in placing the link you need.

As you can see, nurturing these connections requires time, effort and finesse. For those seeking a helping hand in this intricate dance, there are Editorial Link experts who have mastered the art of relationship-based link building. These professionals possess a curated network of industry peers and excel in crafting collaborations that yield fruitful results, even up to an increase in traffic from 32 to 3.1k. Their approach transcends the ordinary, yielding exceptional backlinks that traditional methods struggle to achieve. With their expertise, they secure impressive backlinks from top-notch sites like g2.com, cloudways.com, monday.com, blog.hubspot.com, hive.com, hostpapa.com, mageplaza.com and more. 

Link bait content, as the name implies, is the kind of content that’s so captivating and impressive that other content creators can’t resist linking to it. This type of content comes in various formats, each with its own allure:

• Engaging visuals. Captivating images, stunning graphics and eye-catching videos can draw attention and encourage sharing, making them prime candidates for link bait. Here’s an example from a vinepair site that presented a visualization and got top results.

• Interactive infographics. Transforming data into interactive visuals adds an extra layer of engagement. Check out how many backlinks this infographic has garnered:

• In-depth guides. Comprehensive guides and lengthy articles become go-to resources others want to reference and share. Here’s a great example of this kind of content:

• Data-driven studies. Conducting and presenting original research or studies with compelling data sets positions you as an authoritative source, earning you natural backlinks.
• Provocative content. Content that sparks debate or challenges conventional wisdom can be irresistible to those seeking to contribute to the conversation.
• Compelling stats. Sharing intriguing statistics can establish your content as a reliable reference. For example, these stats gained 6,600 backlinks from 2,600 domains.

• Engaging questionnaires. Crafting interactive surveys or questionnaires that gather unique insights can entice others to link back to your content as a source of intriguing data.

The beauty of link bait content lies in its organic appeal. When your content resonates and strikes the right chord, it generates its own buzz.

Moreover, link bait is a dual effort: crafting captivating content and positioning it strategically in the digital landscape. So, keyword research is pivotal.

Let’s take a closer look at one example of successful link bait content and why it worked:

Fundera’s link bait, ‘What Percentage of Small Businesses Fail,’ attracted 9.5K backlinks from 1.4K referring domains. This cleverly designed stats page might seem simple, but it’s an incredibly effective link-building tactic.

The power lies in providing valuable statistics and facts that journalists, bloggers and content creators seek to back up their claims. This illustrates how link bait can serve as a magnet for organic backlinks.

When boosting your SEO strategy, there’s an often overlooked gem known as HARO link building.

HARO, or “Help A Reporter Out,” emerged in 2008 as an online service conceived by Peter Shankman. Originally designed to connect writers globally, it evolved into an expansive database facilitating journalist requests. This platform, now a go-to for media giants like The New York Times and Forbes, has become a potent link-building tool.

If HARO hasn’t crossed your radar, it’s possible your link builders dismissed it. But are there limitations? The answer is a resounding “no.”

While notably popular in finance, business and tech niches, HARO isn’t exclusive. Here’s why it’s worth considering for all types of brands:

• The majority of queries boast a DR of 50 or higher.
• Over 50% of published articles on the platform feature dofollow links.

To illustrate, let’s consider how HARO can secure backlinks from top platforms like Forbes:

But wait, the HARO link building stage isn’t all glitter and glamour:

• Rise above. Amid the pitch commotion, responses must sparkle like stars, outshining the rest.
• Finding opportunities. In the midst of the overwhelming number of daily emails, finding valuable offers can be a challenge.
• Masterful art. Crafting responses is an art that demands finesse and expertise, showcasing industry know-how.
• Building relationships. Creating strong connections with reporters demands dedication, a skill that experts master.

HARO offers a realm of link-building opportunities, but like any grand performance, the mastery turns link builders into true virtuosos. Thus, many savvy individuals opt to entrust this task to seasoned professionals.

HARO is the most popular but not the only service of this kind because it has a number of competitors that can also be considered: Featured, Helpab2bwriter, Prowly, etc.

White hat link building in 2023 is a journey of authenticity and value. Quality triumphs over quantity, as we’ve seen through the allure of link bait content and the power of HARO link building. The relationship-based approach adds depth to your brand, connecting you with industry peers and amplifying your authority.