Getting backlinks for a new website might feel like trying to sell ice in the Arctic nobody knows you yet, your domain authority is low, and even Google hasn’t fully trusted your site. But here’s the truth: backlinks are still one of the most powerful ranking signals, and the earlier you start building them (the right way), the faster you gain online visibility.
In this complete guide, you’ll learn effective, actionable, and ethical strategies to get backlinks for your new website even if you have no connections, no traffic, and no budget.
How To Get Backlinks For New Website.
Before diving into how to get backlinks, let’s understand why they matter so much, especially for a new site:
- Boosts SEO Ranking: Backlinks are considered votes of trust by Google. The more high-quality backlinks your site gets, the more trustworthy your site appears to search engines.
- Increases Organic Traffic: Ranking higher means more organic traffic from Google, Bing, and other search engines.
- Faster Indexing: New sites often struggle to get indexed quickly. Backlinks from active domains help search engines discover your pages faster.
- Builds Authority: A backlink from a respected site in your niche builds credibility and helps you become a known voice in your space.
Now let’s dive into the most effective, safe, and scalable ways to get backlinks for a new website.
1. Create Link-Worthy, Evergreen Content (That Actually Deserves a Backlink)
People link to what helps them.
Before you run after backlinks, you need to make sure your content is actually worth linking to. That means:
- Solving a problem better than competitors.
- Providing updated statistics, data, or insights.
- Writing in-depth, beginner-friendly, or expert-level guides.
Content Ideas That Attract Backlinks:
- Original Research/Surveys
- Ultimate Guides (Step-by-step articles)
- Comparison Articles (X vs Y)
- Case Studies
- Infographics with embedded code
Instead of writing “How to do email marketing,” write “Step-by-Step Email Marketing Strategy For Coaches [With Templates]”. This adds value, specificity, and relevance all things that make others want to link to it.
2. Use HARO (Help A Reporter Out)
HARO is a free platform that connects journalists with sources. As a new website owner, this is your shortcut to getting backlinks from high-authority domains.
How HARO Works:
- Sign up as a source at helpareporter.com.
- You’ll receive emails 3 times a day with journalist queries.
- Pick relevant ones and pitch your expertise.
- If they use your quote, you’ll usually get a backlink.
Respond quickly. Most journalists go with the first few replies. Keep your answer to the point and include your credentials and website link.
3. Guest Posting On Niche Blogs
Guest posting is still one of the most effective ways to get quality backlinks, especially when you’re just starting out.
How to Find Guest Post Opportunities:
- Google search:
“write for us” + your niche“submit guest post” + your topic- Use tools like Hunter.io or FindThatLead to find email addresses.
- Pitch unique, valuable topics that match their audience.
What Makes A Guest Post Worthwhile:
- Relevant to your niche.
- Natural anchor text (avoid keyword stuffing).
- Adds value to their readers.
Use your guest posts to link to your cornerstone content this boosts internal SEO as well.
4. Broken Link Building (A Hidden Gem)
Broken link building means finding links on other websites that no longer work and offering your content as a replacement.
Steps:
- Use a tool like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Broken Link Checker.
- Find broken links on competitor sites or relevant blogs.
- Contact the site owner:
“Hey, I found a broken link on your page here’s the link. I have similar content that might be useful to your readers.”
You’re helping them fix their SEO while earning a backlink a win-win.
5. Leverage Online Communities & Forums (Smartly)
Don’t underestimate the SEO value of community backlinks, especially for niche industries. But don’t spam!
Platforms to Use:
- Quora
- Facebook Groups
- Indie Hackers
- Warrior Forum (for marketing)
- Stack Exchange (for tech-related content)
Strategy:
- Look for relevant threads or questions in your niche.
- Provide detailed answers.
- Add your website link only when relevant and natural.
Over time, this builds referral traffic and some nofollow (yet valuable) links.
6. Build Free Tool Pages or Templates
People love free value. If you can create a simple free tool, calculator, checklist, or template you’ll get organic backlinks.
Examples:
- “Free Budget Tracker Template” (finance niche)
- “SEO Title Generator” (marketing niche)
- “Workout Planner PDF” (fitness niche)
Why This Works:
Websites love to reference helpful tools. You can even submit them to:
- Product Hunt
- GitHub
- Reddit communities
- Tool directories
These pages attract evergreen backlinks over time.
7. Collaborate With Other New Website Owners
You’re not alone. There are thousands of new website owners just like you, trying to grow.
Start By:
- Finding bloggers in your niche on Twitter/X or LinkedIn.
- Offering to do a backlink exchange (safely and naturally).
- Commenting on their blogs and engaging on social media.
Eventually, you can offer:
- Guest post swaps
- Collaboration content
- Roundup inclusion
Create a “Top 10 New Blogs In [Your Niche]” post and reach out to those you featured. Most will happily link back.
8. Use Local Citations & Business Listings
If your website has any local component — or even if it doesn’t — you can leverage local SEO platforms for backlinks.
Submit Your Website To:
- Google My Business
- Yelp
- Bing Places
- Crunchbase
- Foursquare
- Yellow Pages
- Sitejabber
- JustDial (India-specific)
These are easy wins, especially for brand awareness.
9. Write Expert Roundups (And Let Others Know)
This strategy is powerful for attracting backlinks from people you feature.
How It Works:
- Choose a topic like “21 SEO Experts Share Their Link-Building Tactics”.
- Email 15–30 experts to contribute a quote.
- Publish it and notify them.
Most of them will:
- Share it on their socials.
- Link to it from their site.
This works brilliantly for long-form evergreen content.
10. Steal Your Competitors’ Backlinks (Legally)
You can literally reverse-engineer your competitors’ backlink strategy using tools like:
- Ahrefs
- Ubersuggest
- SEMrush
How To Do It:
- Enter your competitor’s URL.
- Look at their backlinks report.
- Identify where they got links from.
- Create similar or better content and reach out to those domains.
This is one of the most data-driven backlink strategies for any niche.
11. List Posts and Resource Pages Outreach
Many websites curate listicles like:
- “Top 100 Tools For Freelancers”
- “Best Blogging Resources”
You can find these via search:
“top tools for” + [your niche]
“best websites for” + [topic]
“useful resources” + [keyword]Reach out with a friendly message offering your site or tool as an addition. Make sure you highlight the value you bring.
12. Start A Newsletter Or Blog Series
Creating recurring content like a newsletter, podcast, or blog series helps attract attention and backlinks.
Ideas:
- Weekly industry roundups
- Interviews with influencers
- New trends in your niche
Once you have a few editions, reach out to featured brands or personalities — many will link to your content to showcase their appearance.
13. Submit Your Content To Aggregator Sites
High-authority content aggregators are great for building nofollow backlinks and driving traffic.
Some Popular Ones:
- Medium (syndicated content)
- GrowthHackers
- Hacker News
- Scoop.it
- Zest (marketing)
- SlideShare (for visual decks)
Be sure your title is catchy and your meta description is engaging.
14. Create Skyscraper Content
Coined by Brian Dean, the skyscraper technique means creating content that is 10x better than what’s already ranking.
Steps:
- Find a popular post in your niche with lots of backlinks.
- Create a longer, better-designed, more useful version.
- Reach out to those linking to the old one — show them your better version.
Done right, this can attract dozens of quality backlinks.
Conclusion.
Getting backlinks for a new website can feel overwhelming, but it’s entirely doable when you approach it the right way. Instead of chasing shortcuts or shady tactics, focus on building real relationships, sharing helpful content, and showing up where your target audience hangs out. Backlinks are not just about SEO—they’re about trust. The more value you offer to others, the more likely they’ll link back to your content naturally. So take it one step at a time, be consistent, and soon your backlink profile will start working for you.
Backlink building is not about tricking Google. It’s about earning trust and creating value people want to share.
Don’t rely on shortcuts like buying links or using shady PBNs. Instead:
- Focus on building relationships.
- Create helpful content.
- Engage with your community.
- Give before you ask.
As your content library grows and your relationships expand, backlinks will start flowing in naturally — and your rankings will rise.
Key Takeaways:
- Start with content that deserves links.
- Use ethical and proven outreach techniques.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for backlinks — politely and with value.
- Consistency is more important than speed.
