17 Link Building Best Practice Every SEO Expert Follows

Stop guessing how to build backlinks. This proven, step-by-step link-building checklist helps you through the entire SEO process—from preparation to quality control—to earn links that actually help boost your rankings.

Backlinks are one of the most powerful ranking factors in SEO. But building them the wrong way can lead you into trouble with Google, while doing it right can skyrocket your organic traffic.

This step-by-step link-building checklist will show you exactly how to prepare, find opportunities, evaluate websites, and build backlinks that improve website rankings without risking penalties.

Whether you’re a beginner or an SEO pro, this guide breaks down the process into simple and actionable steps.

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Stage 1: Preparing Your Link Building Campaign

Never start outreach without a plan. This preparation phase sets the foundation for your entire campaign.

Step 1: Analyze Your Existing Backlink Profile

Before you seek new links, you must understand your current landscape. And use a tool like Ahrefs or Semrush to:

• See what links you already have.
• Identify where they’re coming from.
• Find and disavow any toxic or spammy links.
• A thorough backlink audit takes 30-45 minutes and is crucial for avoiding future problems.

Step 2: Set Clear, Measurable Goals

Link building should serve your business objectives. Define what success looks like beyond just “getting links.” Common goals include:

• Moving specific target pages to Google’s first page.
• Increasing organic traffic to those pages.
• Growing revenue generated from organic search.

Step 3: Choose Your Target Pages

You shouldn’t build links to every page. You can focus your energy on pages with the highest commercial value. To find them:

1. Use Google Search Console or Ahrefs to find keywords you rank for on pages 2-3.
2. Identify the most commercially valuable keywords.
3. Select the top 3-5 pages that deserve a link-building push.

Step 4: Calculate Your “Link Gap”

How many links do you actually need to rank? The “link gap” is the difference between your backlink profile and that of the current top-ranking pages.

• Use Ahrefs to analyze the backlink profiles of the top 3 results for your target keyword.
• Determine the number and type of links powering their rankings.
• This gives you a realistic target for your campaign.

Step 5: Set Up a Tracking Sheet

Organization is key. Create a simple spreadsheet to track:

• Date of outreach/link placement
• Target website URL
• Your page is receiving the link
• Anchor text used
• Domain Authority/Rating of the linking site
  For large-scale campaigns, a tool like Pitchbox can automate much of this tracking.

Tracking Sheet Format (General)

ID	Date	Category / Type	Details / Description	Assigned To	Status	Progress %	Deadline	Remarks / Notes
1	30-08-2025	Task / Expense / Link	Short description of the item	Person/Team	Pending / In Progress / Done	50%	10-09-2025	Any notes or comments
2

Stage 2: Finding Powerful Backlink Opportunities

Now for the fun part: discovering where to get links. Here are the most effective strategies.

Step 6: Steal Your Competitors’ Best Links

This is the most effective link-building strategy. Here’s how:

1. Identify the top 5 competitors ranking for your target keyword.
2. Use Ahrefs to export their backlink profiles.
3. Filter out spammy/low-quality links, leaving only the high-quality opportunities.
4. Systematically reach out to those same websites.

Competitors’ Best Links Sheet Format

ID	Competitor Name	Referring Domain	URL of Backlink	Target Page (Competitor’s Page)	Anchor Text	Domain Authority (DA/DR/AS)	Link Type (DoFollow / NoFollow)	Industry / Niche Relevance	Traffic (Est.)	Acquired Via (Guest Post, Mention, Directory, etc.)	Your Action Plan (Replicate / Ignore)	Status	Notes
1	Competitor A	example.com	example.com/article	competitor.com/blog-post	“best tools”	78	DoFollow	High	15K	Guest Post	Reach out for guest post	Pending
2	Competitor B	anotherdomain.org	anotherdomain.org/review	competitor.com/product-page	branded keyword	65	NoFollow	Medium	5K	Product Review	Offer free trial for review	In Progress

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Step 7: Execute Broken Link Building

Find broken links on relevant websites and suggest your content as a replacement. It’s a helpful, win-win strategy.

• Tools: Use Ahrefs’ Broken Backlinks tool or the free Chrome extension “Check My Links.”
• Process: Find a broken link → Use Wayback Machine to see what it was → Email the site owner with a friendly fix suggestion (your link).

Step 8: Find and Reclaim Unlinked Brand Mentions

Often, people mention your brand but forget to link. Reclaim these easy wins.

• Google Search: Use intext:"Your Brand" -site:yoursite.com
• Automate It: Set up a Google Alert for these search terms to get notified of new mentions instantly.

Step 9: Identify Guest Posting Opportunities

Strategic guest blogging is still powerful. Don’t just spam every blog. You need to focus on building relationships with high-authority, relevant sites in your niche.

You can use Ahrefs’ Content Explorer to find sites that accept guest posts.

Minciter also accepts quality guest posts. Contact us if you are interested.

Step 10: Target Resource Pages & Directories

Find curated lists of resources in your industry.

• Resource Pages: Google inurl:resources "your niche".
• Directories: Google "your niche" directory.
  A link from a respected, niche-relevant resource page is incredibly valuable.

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Stage 3: The Non-Negotiable Quality Control Check

This is the most critical stage, and a single bad link can undo months of work.

Step 11: Check for Relevance

Is the website topically relevant to yours? A link from a completely unrelated site is at best worthless and at worst a red flag to Google. If the site’s content doesn’t match your niche, then move on.

Step 12: Evaluate Domain Authority

Not all links are created equal. A link from a high-authority site like Forbes is worth more than 100 links from low-authority blogs.

• Metrics to Use: Check the site’s Domain Rating (DR) in Ahrefs, Domain Authority (DA) in Moz, or Authority Score in Semrush. We prefer Ahrefs’ DR for its accuracy.

Step 13: Check Against a Spam Blacklist

Before you even think of outreach, you should ensure the site isn’t known for selling links or engaging in spammy practices.

You can use a free tool like the Backlink Blacklist to screen your target domains. If a site is blacklisted, avoid it at all costs.

Build Links the Right Way

Building backlinks is not about shortcuts but it’s about following a proven checklist.

If you:

• Audit your site,
• Set goals,
• Target the right pages,
• And build only high-quality links…

…you’ll see your rankings and organic traffic grow — without risking penalties.

Link building is an ongoing process, not a sprint. If you follow this structured checklist, you can shift from a risky approach to a strategic and sustainable SEO asset.

Focus on proven tactics, and never, ever compromise on quality. The results—higher rankings, more traffic, and increased revenue—will follow.

What’s your biggest challenge with link building? Share your thoughts in the comments below!