Let’s be honest: link building is like eating your vegetables. Everyone says it’s good for you, most people don’t enjoy doing it, and if you skip it too long, your website health starts to suffer.

Over the years, I’ve tested pretty much every link building strategy under the sun. I’ve begged for links, built hundreds of broken link building campaigns, flirted with nofollow links on social media, and run enough reverse image searches to make Google think I have an obsession with my own face. So I’m not here to preach. I’m here to share what actually works — especially if you’re building links for a SaaS business and want results without burning bridges (or your budget).

So — what are 5 different link building techniques that won’t make you want to throw your laptop out the window? Let’s get into it.

1. Broken link building: the good kind of internet dumpster diving

Ah, broken links — the 404s of opportunity.

Here’s the deal: many site owners don’t realize that their blog posts or resource pages are filled with outdated or dead external links. Your job? Spot those broken links, swoop in with a friendly email, and suggest your content as a replacement.

This method is not only helpful (you’re literally improving their site), but it gets your link to your site onto relevant websites that already have some domain authority.

💡 Pro tip: Use tools like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to identify broken links on pages that rank well for your topic. Then pitch your quality content as the fix.

It’s one of the best link building strategies out there — because you’re not just chasing backlinks; you’re offering value.

2. Guest posting (done right, not spammy)

Before you roll your eyes — yes, guest posting still works. But here’s the catch: it only works if you’re strategic about it.

Skip the templated emails asking other websites for “a dofollow link in exchange for a well-written article.” That train left the station years ago.

Instead, offer relevant sites real value. Do your research. Find blogs that your target audience actually reads. Propose a topic that hasn’t already been covered five times. Write something that doesn’t read like a glorified ad for your own site.

That’s how you get editorial links — the kind of high quality backlinks search engines actually reward.

And yes, it takes effort. But so does building anything valuable.

3. Steal your competitors’ backlinks (ethically, of course)

Why reinvent the wheel when your competitors have already done some of the legwork?

Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz to find competitors’ backlinks. Then comb through the list to spot link building opportunities for your own brand.

• Did they get a mention in a roundup? Reach out to the same author.
• Did they contribute to a blog post on a relevant topic? Offer a fresh angle.
• Did they get listed on a resource page? Pitch your tool as a complementary option.

This link building method isn’t about copying; it’s about being strategically inspired. And it’s one of the most underrated advanced link building strategies out there.

4. Turn mentions into links (aka, link reclamation)

Sometimes you don’t need to generate links — they’re already out there. People might mention your brand in social media, blog posts, or interviews… but forget to link to your site.

That’s like being invited to a party and then told to stay in the hallway.

Set up alerts using tools like Google Alerts, Mention, or Ahrefs to track unlinked mentions. Then kindly reach out and say:

“Hey! Thanks so much for mentioning [Your SaaS]. Would you mind adding a quick link so your readers can find us?”

It’s a small ask, especially when site visitors are already being directed to you — just not in a clickable way.

These are some of the most valuable backlinks you can get because they’re already halfway there. All they need is a little nudge.

5. Create content that attracts links (without begging)

This is the long game — but it pays off in organic traffic and quality backlinks.

When you publish quality content that solves real problems, other people will naturally link to your site as a reference. Think:

• Original data or industry surveys
• Visual explainers or diagrams (bonus: use reverse image search to see who uses them without credit)
• Deep, actionable guides or comparisons
• Templates, checklists, or tools that save people time

When people link to you voluntarily, they usually give you dofollow links. And if you’re lucky, they’ll keep pointing back to your site without you lifting a finger.

This is where content marketing meets link building — and when done right, it creates a flywheel of high quality links, increased search engine rankings, and… more traffic that leads to actual sign-ups. You know, the thing we’re all here for.

📌 Mini Case Study: Turning blog comments into real backlinks (without being spammy)

Client: B2B SaaS productivity tool
Goal: Acquire high quality backlinks and climb in search engine results
Challenge: The site had few links pointing to newly published feature landing pages

Approach:
Instead of scaling up paid link building services, we experimented with value-driven blog comments. The team identified relevant blog posts with strong sites linking to industry-specific content. Instead of drop-and-run spam, they wrote insightful, 2–3 sentence comments that:

• Referenced the blog post directly
• Added a unique perspective
• Naturally included a link to their own resource for more depth (using branded anchor text)

Results after 6 weeks:

• 21 secure links earned via moderation-approved comments
• Referral traffic up 17%
• 4 new links pointing to product pages from follow-up mentions
• 2 pages moved from page 3 to page 1 in search results, improving search rankings
• Increased domain signals helped pass link equity to internal pages, generating more quality backlinks

Conclusion: Strategic commenting on other sites won’t replace full-scale link building efforts, but it’s a clever way to gain more links and visibility without spending a cent.

Bonus: link building don’ts

Before you go, a few things to avoid like the plague:

• Paid links: against Google’s guidelines, and often overpriced.
• Spammy links from comment sections or link farms: if it looks shady, it probably is.
• Chasing how many links you have over relevant links: it’s better to have 10 valuable links than 100 useless ones.
• Relying only on internal links: useful, yes — but they don’t replace inbound links from other sites.

TL;DR – Your 5 go-to link building techniques

So, what are 5 different link building techniques that won’t rot your soul or your website?

1. Broken link building – find dead links, offer your content as a fix.
2. Guest posting – but only where it truly adds value.
3. Competitor backlink analysis – see where they’ve landed links and reverse-engineer the play.
4. Link reclamation – turn brand mentions into clickable, quality links.
5. Create linkable content – earn editorial links by being the best resource out there.

Choose one. Master it. Then move to the next. Great link building efforts aren’t about doing everything — they’re about doing a few things well.

If you're feeling stuck or tired of hitting dead ends, remember: many site owners feel the same way. The ones who win? They're not louder. They're just smarter with their outreach — and pick the right link building tools to support their strategy.

Now go out there and build links that move the needle.

And no, you don’t need to eat your vegetables — but you might want to if you’re doing all that outreach.

FAQ

Should you build links to blog posts?

Absolutely — especially if your blog posts target keywords you want to rank for. Building links to blog posts helps boost search engine results and can also support internal linking strategies that pass link equity to product or landing pages. Think of it this way: a blog post with quality backlinks becomes a traffic magnet and a funnel that strengthens your entire site’s SEO.

How to secure high quality backlinks?

To secure links that actually move the needle, start with value. Create something people want to link to: original data, in-depth guides, or tools that solve real problems. Then promote it through targeted outreach, link building services, and relationship-building with site owners. Avoid spammy tactics. Acquire high quality backlinks by offering high quality content — it’s that simple (and hard).

What are more advanced link building strategies?

Beyond guest posts and broken link building, advanced strategies include:

• Reverse engineering competitors' backlinks
• Securing editorial mentions through digital PR
• Leveraging reverse image search to claim uncredited visuals
• Building mini-tools or calculators to attract inbound links
• Using internal data to pitch exclusive stories to journalists

These advanced link building strategies require creativity, but they pay off in more quality backlinks and stronger search rankings.

How many external links is too much?

It depends on context. A 2,000-word guide can easily support 10–20 external links, especially if they’re relevant links to trusted sources. What matters more than count is intent: Are those external links helping your reader? Are they distracting or diluting your content’s value? Quality > quantity. Avoid spammy links, and never link just for SEO’s sake.

What are best link building strategies?

The best link building strategies are the ones you can consistently execute. For SaaS, that often means a blend of:

• Guest posting on relevant websites
• Broken link building for win-win swaps
• Content marketing that earns editorial links
• Smart use of social media to seed linkable content
• Collaboration with partners to generate links naturally

Each tactic builds toward a bigger goal: improving search rankings, attracting site visitors, and earning valuable links over time.