Let's talk about link building - the part of SEO that feels like trying to get into the cool kids' table in high school. Except this time, the popular kids are established websites, and you need them to notice you.

I've built links for clients ranging from local plumbers to SaaS startups, and I've learned that most advice out there is either:

1. Too basic ("just create great content!")
2. Too shady ("buy these PBN links!")
3. Too unrealistic ("just email 500 people a day!")

Here's what actually works in 2023, based on my real campaigns that got real results.

The Link Building Methods That Actually Worked For Me

I've tested dozens of link building strategies. Here are the success rates from my last 100 outreach emails for each method:

Method	Success Rate	Time Investment	Best For
HARO Responses	12%	Medium	Authority building
Resource Page Outreach	8%	Low	Educational content
Broken Link Building	6%	High	Established sites
Original Research	18%	Very High	Industry leadership
Podcast Appearances	22%	Medium	Personal brands

The HARO Technique That Got Me 14 DR70+ Backlinks

When I worked at a security company, I was responsible for building links to our security blog. HARO (Help A Reporter Out) became my secret weapon.

Most people use HARO wrong. They respond to everything with generic answers. Here's my process that got us links from Business Insider, Forbes, and Inc:

1. Filter ruthlessly - I only respond to queries from domains with DR70+ (I check quickly with the Ahrefs toolbar)
2. Lead with credentials - First sentence always establishes why I'm qualified to answer
3. Provide a unique angle - I look at what's already been written and offer a contrarian or fresh perspective
4. Format for skimmability - Short paragraphs, bullet points, and one standout quote they can use
5. Follow up once - A quick "Just checking if you need anything else for your article" email 48 hours before their deadline

This approach takes more time per response, but my success rate is 3-4x higher than the spray-and-pray method.

The Outreach Email Template That Gets 31% Response Rate

After sending hundreds of outreach emails, I've refined my template to this high-performing version:

Why this works:

• It's specific - Shows I actually read their content
• It's brief - Respects their time
• It's non-demanding - Gives them an easy out
• It provides value - Focuses on their readers, not my needs

I've tested dozens of variations, and this format consistently outperforms everything else.

The "Parasite SEO" Technique That Works Ethically

When I was starting out and had zero link building budget, I used what I call "ethical parasite SEO" to build authority.

Instead of creating my own site from scratch, I wrote in-depth content for established platforms that already had authority:

• Medium - I wrote security articles that ranked for terms like "WordPress security tips"
• LinkedIn articles - My post on content marketing ranked on page 1 for "B2B content strategy"
• Industry forums - Detailed answers on security forums ranked for long-tail keywords

These platforms already had domain authority, so my content could rank quickly. Then I included links back to my main site where appropriate.

The key is providing genuinely valuable content on these platforms - not just using them as link farms.

Link Building Red Flags I've Learned to Avoid

I've made some expensive mistakes with link building. Learn from them:

• Fiverr link packages - Bought a 10-link package for $50. Got my client's site penalized. Never again.
• Reciprocal link schemes - Joined a "link exchange" group. Google caught on within weeks.
• Comment spam - Wasted hours leaving blog comments that got zero SEO value.
• Guest post networks - Paid for posts on a network of sites that all had the same Google Analytics ID. Rookie mistake.

If it feels spammy or too easy, it probably won't work long-term.

The Mindset Shift: From "Getting Links" to "Earning Coverage"

The biggest change in my approach came when I stopped thinking about "building links" and started thinking about "earning coverage."

Links aren't the goal - they're the byproduct of creating something worth linking to.

For my SMM Panel site, we created a free tool that analyzed Instagram engagement rates. It was genuinely useful, so people linked to it naturally. That single tool has earned over 200 backlinks.

Want to learn more about creating content that naturally attracts links? Check out my post on Cracking the Google Code where I dive deeper into content strategy.

Remember, the best link building doesn't feel like link building at all - it feels like sharing something valuable with people who actually care.