White Hat Link Building for SEO: 13 Ways to Get It Right

Have you noticed something in the above image?

It’s our blog, “best link building services for SEO,” ranking at #2 for the main keyword “best link building services.” The blog was published in late June 2024, and within just two and a half months (as of today, 12-09-2024), it has become one of ZeroAdo’s top-performing blogs.

But how did it reach #2 in Google SERP in just two and a half months? Any guesses?

No worries! Let me explain.

For those who say create great SEO-friendly content, yes that’s true but it’s one part of the equation. The real driving factor behind this success is white-hat link building. By focusing on ethical, high-quality backlinks, we have significantly boosted the blog's authority and search engine rankings.

So, that's what we’re going to discuss here. In this post, I’m going to cover what white hat link building is, how it differs from other approaches, strategies you can use to grow your own site's rankings, and most importantly, common mistakes you must avoid in whitehat link building.

All while staying on Google’s good side. Because if we annoy Google, it won’t be fruitful for us. 😅

What is white hat link building?

White hat link building is an ethical search engine optimization (SEO) strategy that focuses on improving a website’s authority and search engine rankings by earning high-quality backlinks from reputable, relevant websites. 

These backlinks follow search engine guidelines and are acquired through methods like creating helpful content, guest posting, or building good relationships with other sites. The more quality backlinks you have, the more your website’s authority grows on search engines like Google, Safari, DuckDuckGo, and Bing.

You can understand this with a simple example.

Suppose you move to a new town or city where no one knows you. To build your reputation, you start making friends with people who are well-known and trusted in the town. Over time, as they introduce you to others and speak positively about you, more people start to recognize and trust you as well.

Similarly, in white hat link building, when reputable websites link to your site, they are essentially vouching for you. This builds your website’s authority and trust with search engines, making it more visible to others and improving your ranking.

So, is there only one way to improve your website ranking? Obviously not.

Just like every day has both day and night, there are different approaches to building backlinks. Aside from white hat link building, there are two more categories:

• Black hat link building
• Grey hat link building

Each approach has its own techniques, but as you may know, not all methods are created equal when it comes to following search engine guidelines. Now, let’s dive into the differences between these strategies:

White hat vs. black hat vs. gray hat link building

Like SEO content types, link building also has other types. To fully understand white hat link building, it's important to see how it differs from other methods:

White hat

White hat link building is all about using honest, ethical strategies to improve your website's ranking. These methods follow the rules set by search engines, focusing on providing valuable content and a great user experience. 

Examples for white hat SEO link building include

• earning links through creating high-quality content, 
• guest posting, or 
• building relationships with reputable websites.

White hat methods take time, but they provide lasting results without the risk of penalties.

Black hat

Black hat link building uses manipulative tactics that break search engine rules to get quick results. This include 

• buying links, 
• using link farms (sites created just to generate links), or 
• hiding links in ways that trick search engines. 

While these methods can get fast results, they are risky and can lead to your website being penalized, causing it to drop in rankings or even get banned entirely.

Gray hat

Gray hat link building falls somewhere between white and black hat. It includes techniques that aren't strictly against the rules but can still be risky. Examples of gray hat link building include 

• overusing certain keywords (anchor text) in links or 
• using automated tools to create links quickly. 

These methods can work in the short term, but they may put your website at risk if search engines decide they don't like these practices.

13 white hat link building strategies to grow your traffic organically

White hat link building aims to create a long-lasting strategy that benefits both your website and your audience. Here are some proven methods that can boost traffic and build authority in your niche.

Create valuable and shareable content

Creating valuable content that helps readers is one of the best SEO and content marketing strategies for effective organic growth through link building. High-quality content, such as in-depth guides, case studies, how-tos, or strategy articles, tends to get more clicks compared to low-quality content and naturally attracts backlinks.

Why? Because people want to share and reference content that offers real value. Content that is insightful, well-researched, and visually appealing (like infographics and videos) is more likely to be linked by other websites, influencers, and even media outlets.

Things to keep in mind while creating valuable content

• Focus on solving readers' problems.
• Answer questions or doubts that may arise in the reader's mind while reading.
• Always aim to provide new insights to the reader.

For example, in our “buy backlinks,” we explain why many websites struggle to break into the top 3 rankings, even when they're in the top 20.

Although we're a backlink and SEO agency, we don’t sell services. We educate readers by highlighting the difference between ethical and unethical backlinks, warning against breaking Google’s guidelines to avoid penalties. 

This helps us position ourselves as advisors, not just sellers of a service. We also demonstrate transparency by addressing the costs of paid backlinks, explaining why quality link building involves such significant effort. 

By combining the approaches of education, transparency, and service positioning, we ensure the blog offers real value, building trust and credibility with our audience.

Conduct targeted email outreach to acquire backlinks

Email outreach is a proactive strategy for building backlinks. Begin by identifying websites or bloggers who might find your content relevant and valuable. Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to find sites that align with your niche. Once you have a list, craft personalized emails introducing yourself and your work. 

Explain why your content would be beneficial for their audience and make a polite request for a backlink. After this, create your message to each recipient to increase the likelihood of a positive response. By reaching out to the right people, you can effectively grow your backlink profile.

Create and share infographics to build links

Infographics are visual representations of information or data. They’re basically eye-catching and easy to understand, which makes them shareable. By creating high-quality infographics that provide value, you can encourage other websites to link to your content. 

Share these infographics on social media, your blog, and even submit them to infographic directories like Behance, Dribble, or Pinterest to increase visibility. The more people see and share your infographics, the more backlinks you can earn.

For example, the image I shared above was found on Pinterest, and when I clicked the link, it took me directly to the blog for which the backlink was created.

Blog URL
“https://www.rimidesigns.com.au/6-ways-to-make-facebook-work-for-your-small-business/”

Guest posting on authoritative websites

Guest posting is one of the most reliable white hat link-building strategies. It helps you generate backlinks from relevant and authoritative websites. Many sites offer guest posting opportunities, but it's important to focus only on high-quality websites.

When guest posting, you need to write high-quality SEO content and submit them to website editors in your industry, once approved congrats your article is set to live with your desired link. This not only helps build backlinks but also exposes your content to a wider audience. 

And with all this, cherry on the top is when your content ranks well in search results. The key is to target websites with high domain authority and relevance to your niche, increasing the chances of your guest post being accepted. 

How to pitch for guest posting

• Search for phrases like “write for us,” “guest post,” “contribute,” or “submit an article” along with your niche keywords.
• Look for websites that accept guest posts and are relevant to your industry.
• Look for an “About Us,” “Contact,” or “Write for Us” page for contact details.
• Use tools like Hunter.io or Voila Norbert to find email addresses associated with the site.
• Create a clear and compelling subject line, e.g., “Guest Post Proposal: [Your Article Title] for [Website Name].”
• Describe the topic you want to write about and how it will benefit their audience.
• Clearly state what you’re asking for (e.g., “I’d love to write for your site. Please let me know if this topic interests you.”).
• Send your pitch to the contact email you found or use the submission form provided.
• If you don’t receive a response within a week or two, send a polite follow-up email.
• Write the article according to the website’s guidelines and send it to the editor for review.

Isn't this a long process?

Don’t worry! At ZeroAdo, we offer the best link building services including the guest posting process. We actively engage in guest blogging by reaching out to reputable industry websites, crafting tailored pitches, and offering high-quality content that aligns with their audience's interests.

This not only helps us build valuable backlinks for your website but also positions you as a thought leader in your industry. Let us do the heavy lifting while you enjoy the benefits!

Below is an example of a guest post pitch we sent via email, showcasing how we present our ideas to potential guest blogging opportunities.

Finding and fixing broken link building

Broken link building is a win-win strategy for both you and the website owner. It involves identifying broken or dead links on authoritative sites, then reaching out to the site manager with a suggestion to replace the broken link with one of your relevant pieces of content. 

This helps the website fix broken links, which can harm their SEO, and allows you to gain a valuable backlink in return. SaaS tools like Ahrefs or Broken Link Checker can help you find broken links.

Leverage social communities like LinkedIn

For a moment, think of you like a SEO consultant who recently published a comprehensive guide on “The Future of SEO in 2025.” You can leverage LinkedIn to share this guide with your network and relevant industry groups. By posting about the guide and engaging with users in SEO-related discussions, you can generate interest and encourage others to link back to your content.

For instance, if you actively participate in discussions within SEO-focused LinkedIn groups, your insights might catch the attention of industry influencers or bloggers looking for fresh perspectives. They may reference your guide in their own articles or share it with their network, creating organic backlinks to your site.

The more value you provide through your posts and interactions, the higher the chances of others linking to your content from their own blogs, websites, or social media channels. Additionally, LinkedIn can help you build relationships with potential guest blogging partners or professionals who might be open to content collaboration, further expanding your link-building efforts.

Use HARO (help a reporter out)

HARO is a free service that connects journalists with people like you who have expertise to share. Journalists post questions or requests for expert opinions on various topics, and if you provide useful insights, your contribution could be featured in their article. In return, you’ll often get a mention of your business or website, along with a valuable link back to your site.

The trick to making the most of HARO is responding quickly and offering unique information that helps the journalist tell a better story. Not only can this help you get high-quality backlinks from big news websites, but it also gives your brand more visibility and credibility in your field.

For example, Gymshark, a popular fitness apparel brand, used HARO to gain media coverage and build backlinks to their site. As a growing fitness brand, they responded to HARO queries about fitness trends, workout tips, and athleisure fashion. 

By providing expert insights to reporters writing on these topics, Gymshark earned mentions and backlinks from reputable publications like Men’s Health, Women’s Fitness, and other lifestyle and wellness magazines.

These mentions not only boosted their site’s authority but also increased their brand visibility in mainstream media. Gymshark leveraged HARO to showcase their expertise in fitness and fashion, gaining high-quality backlinks while building credibility and trust with a wider audience.

Join community platforms to build links

Participating in online communities, such as forums or social media groups (like Quora, or Reddit) can help you build links. By contributing valuable insights, answering questions, and sharing your expertise, you can establish yourself as a credible source. 

While putting links to your website in your posts or comments. Just remember to be genuine and focus on providing value first instead of placing the links (avoid spamming).

See how ETMoney an Indian fintech and wealth management platform is utilizing community forums to improve their business.

After offering high-quality content and detailed explanations with an example, they strategically include their link at the end of their response.

Use digital PR to gain backlinks

Digital PR is a great way to generate links from high quality sources. It is about promoting your brand through online channels to gain media coverage and valuable backlinks. Writing press releases is an effective way to communicate important news about your business, such as product launches, events, or milestones. 

Once you craft a clear and engaging press release, distribute it to online publications, journalists, and bloggers who cover your industry. By following up with these contacts, you can increase the chances that they will feature your story, which often includes a link back to your website. This not only boosts your backlink profile but also enhances your brand’s visibility and reputation.

A great example of a brand using digital PR to gain backlinks is Airbnb. Airbnb has used digital PR campaigns to generate buzz and secure high-quality backlinks from major media outlets. But how?

Well they started a campaign "Live Anywhere on Airbnb" where they offered individuals the opportunity to live rent-free for a year while traveling and staying in various Airbnb properties.

This unique initiative gained significant media coverage, with major publications like CNN, The Guardian, and Forbes writing about it, each including backlinks to Airbnb’s website. This campaign not only created excitement around the brand but also helped them earn valuable backlinks from highly authoritative sites.

Get featured on popular websites for exposure

Being featured on well-known websites can significantly boost your online visibility and credibility. Start by identifying popular blogs or websites that attract a large audience in your industry. Reach out to them with a proposal to contribute guest posts or collaborate on content. 

When you write a guest post, you can include a link back to your site, which not only helps with SEO but also drives traffic to your website. Additionally, building relationships with these platforms through consistent engagement can lead to more opportunities for collaboration in the future, ultimately enhancing your online presence.

Use the skyscraper technique to get more links

The skyscraper technique is a method for creating superior content based on existing successful articles. Start by identifying content in your niche that has attracted a lot of backlinks. Use tools like BuzzSumo to find these high-performing articles. 

After identifying them, create something even better without duplicating content. This could be anything like adding more comprehensive information, improving visuals, or updating data. Once your enhanced content is published, reach out to the websites that are linked to the original article. Let them know about your improved version and suggest they link to it instead. This method not only helps you earn backlinks but also establishes you as a valuable resource in your industry.

Look for brand mentions to get backlinks

Many times, your brand may be mentioned online without a corresponding link to your website. Monitoring these mentions can be a great opportunity to earn backlinks. Use tools like Google Alerts or Mention to track when your brand is discussed online. 

When you find a mention, reach out to the author, thank them for the mention, and kindly ask if they would consider adding a link to your website. This not only helps you gain valuable backlinks but also improve relationships with individuals who are already talking about your brand, potentially leading to future collaborations.

Use customer testimonials to earn links

Customer testimonials are a great way to show that your business is trustworthy and to get backlinks. You can start by asking happy customers if they would share their experience with your product or service in a testimonial. Once you have these, you can create a special section on your website to display them.

Often, other businesses will link back to your site when they use your testimonial on their platforms. This helps you get more backlinks and improves your reputation because potential customers can see real feedback from satisfied clients.

Common mistakes to avoid in white hat link building

Link building is essential for SEO, but in the race to build backlinks, people often make mistakes that can harm their SEO efforts and lead to penalties. Fixing these mistakes can help your site gain better traction. So, let's take a look at some common errors.

Focusing on quantity over quality

Prioritizing the number of backlinks rather than their quality can harm your SEO. So, always aim to get links from high-authority, and relevant sites.

Neglecting internal linking

Focusing solely on external backlinks and ignoring internal linking opportunities is a missed chance to enhance your site’s structure and SEO. Reason being internal links help search engines understand the relevance of your content.

Relying solely on guest posts

Guest posting is an effective strategy to build white hat backlinks, but relying on it too heavily can appear as over-optimization. So, diversify your link-building tactics beyond guest posts, such as creating valuable content, use of HARO, and broken link building.

Ignoring relationship building

Cold outreach without building genuine relationships with bloggers, influencers, or site owners can reduce your success rate. Focus on creating authentic, long-term relationships for sustainable link building.

Not diversifying anchor text

Using the anchor text with the same keyword repeatedly can look unnatural and raise red flags with search engines. So try to diversify your anchor text to ensure it feels organic.

For our blog about "SEO Companies in India," we used different types of anchor text to build backlinks, both from other sites (external backlinks) and within our own site (internal backlinks). Although these anchor texts vary, they all share the same intent: to improve the blog's ranking for relevant SEO-related keywords. Here’s a breakdown of the anchor texts we used:

• seo company in india
• best seo company in india
• seo firm in india
• top seo company in india
• best seo company india
• seo services providing company in india
• best seo agency in india
• good seo companies in india
• best seo india companies

Using different anchor texts with the same focus helps us rank for various related keywords without looking spammy. It’s a smart way to build our blog's authority and make it more visible to people searching for SEO companies.

Measuring the success of your white hat link building strategy

"Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can't measure something, you can't understand it. If you can't understand it, you can't control it. If you can't control it, you can't improve it."

~ H. James Harrington, CEO of Harrington Management Systems

‍

If you want to improve your link-building efforts, you need to understand which aspects are moving in the right direction.

Simply counting the number of backlinks does not seem sufficient, you need to track other metrics as well.

Don’t worry if you’re unsure about which metrics to use to track your link-building strategy. I’m here to guide you through the most important ones, so you can effectively measure and optimize your efforts. Let’s get started.

Increase in referring domain

Referring domains are the total number of unique websites that link to your site. Think of these as "votes of confidence" from other websites. The more websites linking back to you, especially those that are high quality and relevant to your niche, the more credible your website becomes in the eyes of search engines. 

This can lead to better rankings on search result pages. So, keeping track of the number and quality of referring domains is one of the first steps in measuring the success of your link-building efforts.

Page rank improvements

Another important link-building metric is improving your page rank because it is a direct result of acquiring quality backlinks. When you gain high-quality backlinks, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable, which can lead to improved rankings. As you build more links, you should notice your important pages climbing up in search results.

Check for keyword ranking

The main goal of link building is to help your website rank higher for specific keywords. By building backlinks, you increase the authority of your site, which helps it rank better for the keywords you’re targeting. 

Keep track of your keyword rankings over time. If your rankings are going up for important keywords, it means your link-building strategy is working. If not, it may be time to tweak your approach.

Analyze anchor text

Anchor text is the clickable text used in a hyperlink that points to your website. For example, if someone links to your site with the words "best coffee maker," that’s the anchor text. It’s important because search engines use anchor text to understand what your content is about. 

By making sure the anchor text of your backlinks is relevant to your target keywords (but not overly repetitive), you help search engines connect your site with those keywords, improving your chances of ranking for them.

Growth of organic traffic

Organic traffic refers to the visitors who come to your website through unpaid search results. The more quality backlinks you build, the higher your site will rank for relevant keywords, and the more organic traffic you’ll get. It’s important to monitor your organic traffic over time. If it’s steadily growing, that’s a clear sign that your link-building efforts are paying off.

Ready to grow your website traffic with white hat link building?

Securing top organic search results is a key goal for any company, as most users tend to click on the first result in Google. By focusing on white hat link building strategies, you can boost your site’s rankings in a sustainable and ethical way.

So If you have the same goal of improving your online visibility and driving more traffic, white hat SEO is the right choice. Keep your efforts consistent, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving lasting success.

And if you need expert assistance with white hat SEO link building, we at ZeroAdo, a top B2B SEO firm, are here to help. We specialize in building quality backlinks, boosting your online presence, and delivering real, measurable results.

Simplify your marketing and grow your business with ZeroAdo! Connect with us today!