Link Building Strategies for 2025: What’s New and What Works
As we move into 2025, the landscape of link building continues to evolve, raising new questions for business owners seeking effective strategies to enhance their online presence. Last year, I shared insights on this topic, which prompted a lively discussion and numerous inquiries about the intricacies of link building.
While we may not have complete visibility on all the changes brought about by the latest updates, one thing is clear: links remain a crucial factor in determining search engine rankings. My experience has shown that, in the wake of the HCU (Helpful Content Update) and early 2024 updates, the significance of high-quality links has only grown. Unfortunately, the internet is rife with misinformation regarding this subject, leading many to either overthink the process or settle for mediocre results.
In this post, I aim to consolidate well-founded strategies I’ve gathered over the past year, based on what has worked for my clients. If you’re already well-versed in link building, you may find this information basic; however, my intention is to guide business owners in crafting a robust link profile.
Let’s dive into effective strategies you can adopt to elevate your link-building efforts.
1. Rethinking Link Inserts
Previously, one of my clients relied heavily on link inserts, which yielded inconsistent results. As a major B2B machinery seller, they often found that the links didn’t significantly impact their rankings for competitive keywords.
Link inserts can be a cost-effective option, but they frequently fall short of their potential. Many large agencies push these inserts en masse, neglecting crucial factors that ensure their effectiveness. It’s essential to categorize link inserts to maximize their impact. Here’s a tiered approach based on my experience:
- Tier One: Links inserted in non-indexed content—these provide little to no benefit.
- Tier Two: Links in indexed pages—better, but still must align contextually with your link.
- Tier Three: Links in content that ranks—these hold more value as they signal Google’s trust.
- Tier Four: Links in content that ranks for industry-specific keywords—ideal but challenging to secure.
- Tier Five: Links in content ranking for your target keywords—though often unattainable, these are highly effective.
After reassessing our strategy and pivoting toward custom content creation, my client experienced a turnaround in their link-building efforts within four