Look, I’ll be honest with you. You spent weeks writing that content. Maybe months. You tweaked the headline about fifty times. Your site loads fast. Like, really fast. But you check the analytics and… nothing. That is where backlinks come in. If you are trying to figure out how to get quality backlinks for free, you’re not alone. It’s easily the hardest part of this whole blogging game.
It’s annoying, right?
I’ve been there. When I launched my first site, I thought I just had to hit “publish” and the traffic would show up. Six months later? Zero. It wasn’t until I realized that backlinks are basically the currency of the web that I actually started seeing numbers on the screen.
So, in this guide, I’m going to show you how to get quality backlinks for free. No paying for shady links. No risking a penalty. Just the manual, gritty work that actually moves the needle.
Why Backlinks Are Basically Oxygen
Before we get into the “how,” you need to get why this matters.
The internet is basically high school all over again. It’s a popularity contest. If the popular kid—let’s say, Wikipedia or Forbes—points at you and says, “Hey, this person is cool,” then everyone else listens. That’s a backlink. It’s a vote.
But not all votes matter. A link from a random site created yesterday is like a vote from the kid nobody knows. It’s fine, but it won’t make you popular. You need links from sites Google already trusts. Learning how to get quality backlinks for free is really just chasing those specific endorsements.
The “Free” Mindset
When I say “free,” I mean you aren’t opening your wallet. But you are going to pay. You’re paying with sweat equity. These strategies take time. You’ll get rejected. People will ignore your emails. It happens. But if you’ve ever wondered how long does it take to make money from blogging, the answer usually depends on how hard you work on this specific stuff.
Strategy 1: The Broken Link Method
This is my favorite one. Mostly because you aren’t begging for anything; you’re actually fixing someone else’s problem.
The internet breaks all the time. Sites die. Links rot. Webmasters hate this because Google hates broken links.
So, here is what I do:
- Find a Resource Page: I look for pages that just list a bunch of links in my niche. I go to Google and search stuff like
“your niche” + inurl:resources. - Find the Broken Stuff: I don’t click them one by one. That takes forever. I use a free Chrome extension called Check My Links. It turns the broken ones red.
- The Pitch: I email the site owner. But I don’t say “give me a link.” I say: “Hey, I was reading your resources page and saw a dead link. Just thought you should know. Also, I actually wrote a guide on that same topic recently if you need a replacement.”
See? You’re helping. You aren’t asking for a favor; you’re trading a solution for a link.
Strategy 2: The Skyscraper Technique 2.0
You’ve probably heard of the Skyscraper technique. It’s been around forever. But in 2026, the old version (“just make it longer”) doesn’t work.
The new way? Make it undeniably better.
If you want to know how to get quality backlinks for free, you look at what is ranking right now. Let’s say the top result is “10 Tips for Puppy Training.”
- Don’t write “20 Tips for Puppy Training.”
- Do write “The Ultimate Guide to Puppy Training: With Video Examples and a Printable Schedule.”
Once you have this beast of an article, you use a tool like Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (the free version) to see who linked to that old “10 Tips” article. You email them. “Hey, I saw you linked to X. I just published something that has video modules and updated 2026 data. Might be more useful for your readers.”
I’ve run experiments on this. In my Blogspot SEO 2026 live experiment, we saw that better content beat paid domains just because the backlinks were real. Quality wins. Eventually.
Strategy 3: Connectively (Used to be HARO)
Okay, you want the big links? The New York Times? Forbes? You can’t just email them. They delete those emails. You need to be a source.
Connectively (it used to be called Help A Reporter Out) is where journalists go when they need a quote. They post stuff like: “I need a tech expert to explain iPhone privacy.”
- Sign up.
- Watch the emails.
- When you see one you know, reply fast.
- Give them a quote they can just copy and paste.
I’ve used this to get links from massive sites. The secret is speed. And value. Don’t pitch your company. Pitch your knowledge. This is a huge hack for how to get quality backlinks for free because it makes you look like an expert without hiring a PR firm.
Strategy 4: Testimonials Method
This is low-hanging fruit. It’s easy.
Think about the tools you use. Your hosting. Your email software. Your WordPress theme. Companies love showing off happy customers.
- Email their marketing team.
- Tell them you love the product and want to write a testimonial.
- Ask if they can link to your site in your “author bio.”
It’s a win-win. They get social proof; you get a link. I’ve done this with plugins I use on Trick47. Those links are usually “dofollow” and—better yet—people actually click them.
Strategy 5: Guest Posting (The Right Way)
Guest posting gets a bad rep. Mostly because of spam. “Dear Sir, I want to publish article.” Ugh. Delete.
To figure out how to get quality backlinks for free with guest posts, you have to be human. Build a relationship.
- Find a blog you actually like.
- Read it. Comment. Talk to them on Twitter/X.
- Pitch an idea that fills a gap. “Hey, you have a post on SEO Basics, but nothing on Image Optimization. I could write that for you.”
And when you write it? Don’t stuff it with links to your homepage. Use helpful internal links. If you mention “monetization,” link to your guide on monetization naturally. Editors are smart. If you’re helpful, they usually let you keep a link.
Strategy 6: Reclaiming Your Name
As you get bigger, people start talking about you. It’s cool. But sometimes, they mention “Trick47” or your name without adding a link.
Rude, right? But easy to fix.
- Set up a Google Alert for your brand name.
- When it pings, check the page.
- No link? Send a nice email. “Hey, thanks for the shoutout! You forgot to link the site though. Mind adding it?”
They usually say yes. They already like you enough to mention you; they just forgot to click the button.
Strategy 7: Visual Assets (Infographics)
People are lazy. I’m lazy. Sometimes I need a chart to prove a point, but I don’t want to make one.
If you make a great chart explaining “Android Version History” or something, other bloggers will use it.
When they use it, they should link to you.
- Make it in Canva.
- Put it on your site.
- Share it on Pinterest.
If someone steals it without a link? See Strategy 6. Ask for your link. You earned it.
“Dofollow” vs. “Nofollow”
You’ll hear these terms a lot. Don’t stress.
- Dofollow: Google counts this as a vote. “I trust this guy.” This is what you want.
- Nofollow: Google sees it but doesn’t count the vote as much. (Social media links are usually this).
You want mostly Dofollow. But a natural site has both. If Wikipedia gives you a Nofollow link, take it. Traffic is traffic. If real humans are clicking, it’s a good link.
Don’t Do This (Seriously)
I’ve messed up before. I want to save you the headache.
- Don’t Buy Links: Just don’t. Fiverr gigs selling “10,000 links for $5” will kill your site. It’s like buying fake followers. It looks dumb and it hurts you.
- Avoid Link Farms: If a site has articles about “crypto,” “viagra,” and “slots” all on the home page… run.
- Anchor Text: Don’t make every link say “best SEO tips.” It looks fake. Let people link naturally. “Click here” or “Trick47” is fine. Google is smarter than you think.
Tracking It
You don’t need to spend $100 a month to track this yet. Use Google Search Console. It’s free. Check the “Links” report.
Watching that list grow is addictive. Seeing a new domain pop up is a serious dopamine hit.
If you want to spy on competitors later, you can use Moz’s Link Explorer. They have a free version that’s great for starting out.
The Bottom Line
Mastering how to get quality backlinks for free isn’t magic. It’s a trade. You are trading value—your knowledge, your data, your broken-link-fixing—for authority.
It takes time. You’ll send 50 emails and get 2 replies. That’s normal. Just keep going. Every good backlink is an asset that helps your whole site. So, pick one strategy—try the Broken Link one—and send five emails today.
