SEO glossary · Updated
Link building: how to earn links without breaking Google's rules
Link building is the work of getting other websites to link to yours, ideally because your pages are worth citing.
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Builds SEO·AEO·GEO and writes the crawler, schema, and citation research published here.
Link building is the work of getting other websites to link to yours. Done well, it's mostly public relations and partnerships: making things people want to cite, then making sure the right people know about them.
Google's spam policies draw the line. Links created mainly to manipulate rankings are link spam: buying or selling links that pass ranking credit, excessive link exchanges, automated programs that create links, and requiring links as part of a contract. Links you pay for are fine only when marked rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow".
Link building tactics, sorted by risk
| Tactic | Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Original research, data, free tools | Low | The most reliable way to earn editorial links |
| Digital PR and expert quotes for journalists | Low | Journalist request services (HARO and its successors) connect sources with reporters |
| Partner, supplier and association pages | Low | Real relationships, relevant links |
| Local links: sponsorships, chambers, local news | Low | Strong for local SEO |
| Guest articles on editorial sites | Medium | Fine when it's real expertise; link spam when done at scale for keyword-rich links |
| Directory submissions | Medium | A few relevant directories are fine; hundreds of low-quality ones aren't |
| Web 2.0 sites, PBNs, link farms | High | Built to manipulate rankings |
| Paid links without sponsored or nofollow | High | Link spam under Google's policies |
Contextual links
A contextual backlink sits in the body of an article, surrounded by related text, rather than in a footer or a list. Google's link guidance says anchor text and the words around a link help it understand what the linked page is about, which is why editorial links in context are valued.
Judging a link building service
- Ask for examples of links they've earned, on real sites you can check.
- Ask how links are obtained. "We have a network of sites" is a red flag.
- Avoid packages priced per link with guaranteed domain metrics.
- Prefer outreach and PR retainers with reporting on every placement.
Check it on your own site
What the free audit tests for this
- External links
One URL, about 20 seconds, no login. You get the result of every check and the exact fix for the top three issues.
Audit your website freeFAQ
Is link building against Google's guidelines?+
Not in itself. Earning links with useful content and outreach is fine. Building links mainly to manipulate rankings, such as buying them or using automated tools, is link spam.
What is HARO in SEO?+
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) was a service connecting journalists with expert sources; quotes used in articles often earned a link. Similar journalist-request services exist today. The links are editorial, which is why SEOs value them.
Do web 2.0 backlinks work?+
Links from pages you create yourself on free blogging platforms are made to manipulate rankings, which Google's link spam policy covers. They carry risk and little value.
Sources
- Spam policies for Google web search — Google Search Central (2026-08-28)
- Qualify your outbound links to Google — Google Search Central
- Link best practices for Google — Google Search Central