The best ways to get backlinks in 2026 are directories, relevant link exchanges, profile links, free tools, original data, guest posts, digital PR, broken-link building and unlinked mentions. Start with the low-effort ones to get off zero, then add one high-ceiling tactic such as a tool or data. Skip bought links, which Google's spam policy treats as link spam.
You have published twenty good pages and none of them rank, and every guide you open lists forty tactics with no sense of which to try first. Here are the nine worth your time, ranked by return on effort. Start at the top.
Disclosure: we make Backlinkster, a link exchange platform, which is method 2 below. Every other method works without it.
1. Directories and listings (easiest)
Directories are the fastest legitimate first links: submit to product directories, "best tools" roundups and industry listings. Each gives a backlink plus some referral traffic, and the relevant ones in your niche can be worked through in a weekend. Start here on a new site, and skip any directory that lists anything for a fee.
2. Link exchanges with relevant sites
A link exchange trades in-content links with other site owners in your niche, adding relevant referring domains without buying them or waiting on editors. Keep it in-content, relevant and moderate: Google's spam policies name "excessive link exchanges" as link spam, so volume is the line. Are backlink exchanges safe? covers the rules. On Backlinkster each swap is verified by API, and free members get 5 swaps a month.
3. Profile and community links
Profile links get you off zero quickly: social profiles, GitHub, forum signatures and community member directories. They are legitimate, but most are nofollow, so do not lean on them to rank. Dofollow vs nofollow, explained.
4. Free tools and calculators
A small useful tool earns links for years. Build a calculator, a generator or a checker, and people link to it whenever they explain the problem it solves. High effort once, then passive links. One of the highest-ceiling tactics there is.
5. Original data and research
Writers cite data, and citations are links. Publish a survey, a benchmark or a small dataset; even a modest original statistic in your niche can earn repeated references. 15 linkable asset ideas, ranked by effort and payoff.
6. Guest posts
Guest posts are slower and gatekept, but they land links on relevant, read sites. Expect most pitches to go unanswered: when Ahrefs contacted 180 sites with "write for us" pages, 25.5% replied and about half of those asked for money (Ahrefs). Google's 2017 guidance on article campaigns says it "does not discourage these types of articles in the cases when they inform users," so write for the host's readers and keep links few. Use these for your highest-value targets. Guest posting vs link exchange.
7. Digital PR
Digital PR pitches a genuinely newsworthy angle to journalists and bloggers: a bold guide, fresh data, or a reaction to industry news. It is hit-or-miss, but a single placement on a major site can outweigh months of other work. What is digital PR in SEO.
8. Broken-link building
Broken-link building finds dead links on relevant pages and offers your resource as the replacement. It is tedious, but you are solving the site owner's problem, which makes the pitch easier to accept than a cold request. How broken link building actually works covers where to find dead links worth pitching and how to write the outreach.
9. Unlinked mentions
If someone mentioned your brand without linking, ask for the link. It is the easiest outreach there is, because they already like you.
What is not on this list
Buying bulk links, private blog networks, comment spam and link-farm directories are left off on purpose. Google lists "buying or selling links for ranking purposes" as link spam unless the link is tagged rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". They are cheap and fast, and the quickest path to a penalty. Link exchange vs buying backlinks compares the two shortcuts.
How to actually run this
Do not do all nine. On a new site, build a base with directories, exchanges and profiles, then add a tool or data for compounding links. The goal is not 500 links. It is a steady stream of relevant ones that looks earned, because it is.
When Backlinkster is not the right fit
A link exchange only works if you have articles to swap and a niche with other site owners. If your site is a single landing page, start with directories and profiles. If you want coverage in major publications, digital PR is the route, not a swap.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to get backlinks? Directories, profiles and relevant link exchanges add links within days. They form a base, and slower tactics such as tools and digital PR build on it.
What is the best free way to get backlinks? Unlinked mentions, broken-link building and original data cost only time. Directories and profiles are also mostly free.
Do guest posts still work for backlinks? Yes, on relevant sites with real readers. Google's 2017 guidance does not discourage informative guest articles, only large-scale link campaigns.
Is it safe to buy backlinks? Untagged paid links are link spam under Google's policy. Paid links tagged sponsored or nofollow are allowed but pass no ranking credit.
How many backlinks do I need? There is no fixed number. Compare the referring domains of the pages ranking for your target keyword, and aim for relevance before volume.
Related: Does HARO still work for backlinks? · What is digital PR in SEO? · How to get backlinks for a new website · What is domain authority? · The different types of link building · Which site is best for getting backlinks? · What is guest posting?