“Beginner: how do I get backlinks?” That exact question has 80+ replies on r/SEO, and most of them boil down to “email people” or “make great content.” Both true. Neither helps when you have a brand-new site, no budget, and no idea who to email.
So here’s how to get backlinks as a beginner, step by step, with 12 free methods sorted from easiest to hardest.
Do Backlinks Still Matter in 2026?
Yes. Backlinks still help Google decide which pages to trust. But Google’s Gary Illyes said in 2024 that links aren’t in the top three ranking factors anymore. Content quality and usefulness come first.
So for beginners, the order is simple: build pages worth linking to, then go get links. Not the other way around.
And there’s a bonus now. Mentions on trusted sites help you show up in AI answers from ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews, even without a link.
Before You Start: Make Something Worth Linking To
Most beginners make the mistake of asking for links to a homepage that says nothing special. Why would anyone link to that?
Have at least one of these first:
- A genuinely useful guide in your niche
- A free tool, calculator, or template
- Original data (a small survey, your own numbers, a price comparison)
- A list or resource people in your niche would bookmark
12 Free Ways to Get Backlinks for a New Website
Easy (Do These in Week One)
1. Claim your business and social profiles. LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Crunchbase, and industry directories. These links are mostly nofollow and won’t move rankings much, but they help Google understand who you are and give AI tools something to verify.
2. Get listed in relevant directories. Not 500 junk ones. The 10 to 20 your customers actually use, plus your local chamber of commerce. Local businesses: our local citations guide lists the best ones.
3. Ask people you already work with. Suppliers, partners, clients, your web designer, your coworking space. Many have “partners” or “customers” pages. A short, friendly email works.
4. Join associations and communities. Industry groups, alumni networks, local business groups. Member directories often link to your site.
Medium (Weeks Two to Six)
5. Answer journalist requests. HARO came back in 2025 after Featured.com bought it, and Qwoted and Source of Sources are free to start. Reply fast, keep it short, and give a specific, quotable answer. Our digital PR guide covers what journalists want.
6. Find unlinked mentions. Google your brand name in quotes and exclude your own site. If someone mentioned you without linking, ask nicely. High success rate.
7. Write a real guest post. One great article for a respected site in your niche beats 20 on “write for us” farms. Pitch a specific topic you know better than most.
8. Get on podcasts. Small niche podcasts need guests constantly. Show notes usually link to your site.
9. Share data people can cite. Run a quick survey or publish numbers from your own work. Bloggers and reporters love citing stats, and they link to the source.
Harder (But Worth It)
10. Broken link building. Find dead links on relevant sites (the free Check My Links Chrome extension helps), then offer your page as a replacement. Slow, but clean.
11. Build a free tool or template. Calculators and templates earn links for years. (That’s exactly why we built free tools like our SEO ROI Calculator.)
12. Get into “best of” and resource lists. Search “best [your topic] resources” or “[your niche] tools list.” If your page fits, email the author with a one-line reason it helps their readers.
A Simple Outreach Email That Works
Keep it short. Busy people skim.
“Hi [Name], I read your post on [topic]. Really liked the part about [specific detail]. I noticed the link to [resource] is broken. I wrote a guide on the same thing here: [URL]. Might be a good replacement. Either way, thanks for the great post. [Your name]”
That’s it. No flattery essays. No “I’ll link to you if you link to me.”
Send 10 good emails, not 500 copy-paste ones. Follow up once after a few days, then let it go.
Backlink Traps Beginners Fall For
If you ask anyone who’s been doing SEO for a few years, they’ll warn you about these:
- “500 backlinks for $5” gigs. Spam. Google ignores them at best and they can trigger a manual action at worst.
- Paid guest posts on “write for us” farms. Sites that sell posts to anyone get devalued.
- Link exchanges at scale. A few natural partner links are fine. Swapping with 100 sites is a footprint.
- PBNs (private blog networks). When they get caught, every link vanishes at once.
- Comment and forum spam. Nofollowed, useless, and annoying.
- Paying for links without rel=”sponsored.” That breaks Google’s rules.
Spend that money on one good piece of content or a small survey instead.
How Many Backlinks Does a New Website Need?
There’s no magic number. Look at the sites ranking for your target keywords. If they have links from 10 to 20 relevant sites, that’s your target. New sites often see movement after their first 5 to 10 quality links from relevant domains.
Quality beats count. One link from a respected site in your niche can outweigh 50 directory links.
How to Track Your Links
- Google Search Console > Links shows who links to you (free)
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools gives free backlink data for sites you own
- Track referral traffic in GA4 to see which links actually send visitors
Once you’re past the beginner stage, our full guide to link building in 2026 covers what works at scale and what gets sites hit.
The Bottom Line on How to Get Backlinks as a Beginner
How to get backlinks as a beginner comes down to this: build one thing worth linking to, grab the easy profile and partner links, answer journalist requests, find unlinked mentions, and do a little broken link building. Skip anything that sounds cheap and fast. It usually is, for a reason.
Building a new site? Our guide to SEO for a new website has the full 90-day plan. Want help? See our services or contact us.
FAQs About Getting Backlinks as a Beginner
What is the easiest way to get backlinks?
Start with business profiles, relevant directories, and links from partners, suppliers, and associations you already work with.
How can I get backlinks for free?
Answer journalist requests, find unlinked brand mentions, fix broken links on other sites with your content, appear on podcasts, and create a free tool or data resource.
Is buying backlinks illegal?
It’s not illegal, but buying links that pass ranking credit breaks Google’s spam policies unless they’re marked rel=”sponsored.”
How many backlinks do I need to rank?
It depends on competitors. Check the referring domains of top-ranking pages and aim to match their quality and relevance.
Do backlinks still matter in 2026?
Yes, but less than they used to. Helpful content comes first, and quality links from relevant sites still help pages rank.