Introduction: Building Links That Last Like Love
Taylor’s album Lover teaches that the best relationships are built on trust, mutual value, and persistence. Link building works the same way. Long gone are the days of paying for spammy backlinks or blasting directory submissions. In 2025 the links that last are the ones born from genuine connections, thoughtful content, and mutual benefit.
I am Shrikant Bodke, a web developer and SEO-focused marketer who has worked with businesses in India and the UK. Over six years I have seen relationship-first link building produce sustainable growth rather than short lived spikes. In this guide I will walk you through practical, repeatable steps to earn links people will click and search engines will trust.
Why Link Building Still Matters
Backlinks remain one of the strongest signals Google uses to evaluate authority. When reputable sites link to you, they are vouching for your content. Beyond rankings, good links bring referral traffic, new audiences, and credibility.
Here is why you should care:
- High quality backlinks increase domain authority and organic visibility.
- Contextual links from relevant sites bring targeted referral traffic.
- Genuine relationships lead to repeat referrals and long term collaborations.
For context on how trust and reputation fit into SEO, see my post on reputation and testimonials in Reputation Remix: How Reviews, Testimonials and Trust Drive SEO.
Step 1: Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
One strong link from an authoritative, relevant site beats many low quality links every time. Focus on sites that have real traffic, topical relevance, and editorial control.
Checklist for valuable links:
- The referring site has real, relevant traffic.
- The link appears naturally inside useful content.
- The domain has editorial standards and a clear audience.
- The placement points users to helpful information, not just a directory.
Use your sitemap at https://shrikantbodke.com/sitemap_index.xml to map which pages you want to promote and which pages would logically host inbound links.
Step 2: Produce Link-Worthy Content
You can only earn genuine links if you publish content that people want to reference. Make it useful, original, and easy to cite.
Content types that earn links:
- In-depth guides and long form tutorials.
- Original research, data reports, and surveys.
- Case studies with measurable outcomes.
- Visual assets like infographics and downloadable charts.
- Expert roundups and interviews that quote multiple voices.
For a model of long form content that attracts links, see my analysis in Eras of SEO: From Keyword Stuffing to AI-Driven Strategies.
Step 3: Outreach With Authenticity
Outreach should be about building relationships, not transactions. Approach people as collaborators rather than link vendors.
How to outreach the right way:
- Follow and engage with target authors on social media first.
- Read and reference their recent work in your pitch.
- Offer clear value, such as a bespoke guest post, a data set, or an expert quote.
- Keep the first message short, personal, and focused on them.
Sample outreach line:
Hi [Name], I enjoyed your recent piece on [topic]. I have a short guide that complements that article with practical examples. Would you be open to a quick look?
For more on outreach tone and scripts, see the guest posting guidance in Shake It Off or Step It Up: The Future of SEO.
Step 4: Guest Posting, Done With Care
Guest posting remains an effective method if the content is useful and the site is reputable.
Guest post best practices:
- Choose sites with a relevant audience and editorial standards.
- Write to help their readers, not to promote your services aggressively.
- Place links naturally within relevant paragraphs.
- Avoid sites that accept anything for a fee without editorial review.
A well placed guest post can also become a long term referral source if the relationship is nurtured.
Step 5: Use Digital PR to Create Newsworthy Stories
Digital PR is storytelling at scale. Instead of asking for links, create stories that earn coverage.
Digital PR tactics:
- Publish interesting data or a unique industry report.
- Pitch timely stories or local angles to journalists.
- Use HARO (Help a Reporter Out) or Qwoted to provide expert quotes.
- Collaborate on research with industry partners and promote the results.
Journalists and industry editors often link to data and quotes they can cite. For HARO see Help A Reporter and for Qwoted see Qwoted.
Step 6: Build Links Through Strategic Partnerships
Partnerships create natural linking opportunities that can be repeated over time.
Partnership ideas:
- Co-create resources with complementary businesses.
- Sponsor a niche webinar with an evergreen landing page that links back to both participants.
- Offer training or a workshop that is featured on partner sites.
- Collaborate on industry roundups or local directories respectfully.
I have seen local partnerships between businesses in Mumbai and agencies in the UK produce lasting backlinks and referral leads.
Step 7: Reclaim Broken Links and Unlinked Mentions
One of the most efficient link building methods is reclaiming what you already own.
How to reclaim links:
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to find broken links pointing to your site.
- Reach out to site owners with the updated URL.
- Track brand mentions without links and request a citation when appropriate.
Broken link reclamation is quiet work with high ROI. For crawlers and alerts, consider Ahrefs at Ahrefs.com or Semrush at Semrush.
Step 8: Use Internal Linking to Amplify Value
Internal links distribute authority across your site, making it easier for new link targets to rank.
Internal linking tips:
- Identify cornerstone pages and link supporting posts to them.
- Use descriptive anchor text that explains the target page.
- Link new posts to related older posts to increase discoverability.
- Monitor internal link structure using your sitemap at XML Sitemap.
I routinely connect posts like From Blank Space to Page One and The Archer’s Guide to Content Marketing to create clear topical clusters.
Step 9: Avoid Black Hat Shortcuts
Buying links or participating in link networks might bring short-lived gains but they risk penalties and long term harm. Focus on organic, relationship-based strategies.
Red flags to avoid:
- Paid link farms and private blog networks.
- Mass automated commenting or profile links.
- Low quality guest posts with thin content.
- Exact match anchor text manipulation at scale.
Slow, honest work beats quick tricks when it comes to sustainable SEO.
Step 10: Measure the Right Signals
Track link building performance with metrics that matter to business outcomes.
Key metrics to monitor:
- Number of referring domains and their authority.
- Organic traffic growth tied to pages that earned links.
- Referral traffic from new backlinks.
- Keyword ranking improvements for linked pages.
- Conversions and leads that originate from referral pages.
Use analytics and backlink tools to correlate link activity with business KPIs. This is similar to tracking meaningful social metrics as in my post Social Media Metrics That Actually Matter.
India vs UK: Tailor Your Link Strategy by Market
India:
- Community and regional blogs can be powerful.
- Local partnerships, vernacular content, and regional PR tend to perform well.
UK:
- Journalist and industry publication links carry strong authority.
- Focus on thought leadership, data driven stories, and press outreach.
For cross-border campaigns, see International SEO: Bridging the Gap Between India and Other Countries.
Real-World Examples
India example:
A Mumbai client collaborated with three local tech blogs and a regional business magazine. Those contextual links increased organic traffic by 60 percent within three months.
UK example:
A B2B firm secured a guest feature in an industry publication. The contextual link and accompanying referral traffic boosted their domain authority and led to qualified leads from targeted accounts.
Both examples showed that relationship-led outreach and useful content scale better than blunt link buys.
Conclusion: Build Links Like You Build Relationships
Link building is not a hack. It is relationship work. Focus on useful content, honest outreach, and partnerships that generate value for both sides. Like any strong relationship, links earned through trust and mutual benefit last longer and pay off in visibility, referrals, and credibility.
If you want help building authentic links that move the needle, I help businesses in India and the UK grow through relationship-based SEO. Explore my SEO and digital marketing services and let us build links that stand the test of time.
