Updated on 9 November 2026 by Nicolas Finet, CEO of Sortlist. This guide has been rewritten for 2026: it explains what makes a backlink worth having, why Domain Authority is not a Google metric, how to earn links through digital PR and original data, what UK link building costs and how links relate to AI search visibility.
Backlinks, meaning links from other websites to yours, remain one of the signals Google uses to judge credibility. They also bring referral traffic and brand visibility. But the tactics that worked ten years ago, such as mass outreach, directories and paid posts, now carry risk. This guide shows how to earn links that help and avoid ones that hurt.
Key takeaways
- Links still matter but with less weight: Google's Gary Illyes said in 2025 that Google needs very few links. Quality, relevance and editorial context beat volume.
- Paid links that pass ranking credit break Google's spam policies unless they carry rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow".
- The most reliable method is to create something worth citing, such as original data, a useful tool or expert commentary, and then tell the right people about it.
1. What makes a quality backlink?
Authority metrics: DA and PA
Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) are scores created by Moz that estimate how likely a site or page is to rank. Other tools have their own versions, such as Ahrefs' Domain Rating. They are useful for comparing sites quickly, but they are third-party estimates.
“Keep in mind that the Moz DA value is not a Google ranking factor and has no impact on SERPs.”
Pryard, Moz DA explained
Use these scores to screen out poor sites, but judge a link by what a human can see: is the site real, relevant and read by people?
Relevance and context
A link is more valuable when the linking page covers a related topic and the link sits naturally within the text, not in a footer, sidebar or a list of unrelated links. A link from a respected trade publication in your sector usually beats several links from generic sites.
The role of anchor text
Anchor text is the clickable wording. Natural anchors, such as your brand name, a page title or a descriptive phrase, look organic. Repeated exact-match keyword anchors across many sites can look manipulative. You do not control most anchors, and you should not try to.
Other signs of a good link
- The linking site has real traffic and an audience.
- The page is indexed and not part of a link network.
- The link is editorial: placed because the author found your content useful.
- The page also sends referral visits, which is a sign of genuine value.
2. The pitfalls of unsolicited link requests
Risk of manipulative link building
Google's spam policies treat link schemes as violations, including buying or selling links that pass ranking credit, large-scale article exchange and automated link creation. Google says it is not a violation to have such links if they are qualified with rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored".
- Paid links without qualification, including paid guest posts and "niche edits" in existing articles, risk being ignored or, at worst, a manual action.
- Link exchanges at scale ("you link to me, I link to you") look unnatural.
- Directories and low-quality sites create little value and some risk.
Relationships over requests
A cold email that says "please link to my site" is rarely successful. People respond to requests that help them: an expert quote for an article, a fresh statistic, a correction for a broken link. Build relationships before you need a link.
Value comes from quality content
Nobody links to ordinary content. Create pages that deserve citation: original research, definitive guides, calculators and templates. See our Google SEO guide for how content and links work together.
3. How to earn and request a link properly
Research link prospects
- Find sites that already link to similar content (use a backlink tool, or search for your topic and look at who is cited).
- Check relevance, traffic and editorial standards.
- Identify the right person: the author or editor who covers your topic.
Establish a relationship
Engage with their work first: share it, comment thoughtfully, send useful tips. Introduce yourself when you have a reason.
Make a clear, specific request
Say who you are, what you noticed on their page and how your content adds something, with the exact URL. Keep it short and personal, and make it easy to say yes or no. One polite follow-up is enough.
Offer something of value
- A statistic, quote or visual they can use.
- A fix for a broken link or outdated figure on their page, with your resource as a replacement.
- An exclusive angle or early access to data.
Link reclamation
Find unlinked mentions of your brand or your people and ask for a link. Check also for broken links pointing to your site and redirect them.
4. Alternatives to link requests
| Tactic | How it earns links | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Digital PR | Newsworthy stories, data and expert comment placed with journalists | High |
| Original research and data | Surveys, studies and analyses that others cite | High |
| Expert commentary | Responding to journalist requests with quotes | Medium |
| Tools, templates and calculators | Useful resources that people link as references | Medium to high |
| Guest contributions | Bylined articles on relevant publications | Medium |
| Community and forum participation | Helpful answers that build reputation and referral traffic | Low to medium |
| Partnerships and local links | Suppliers, sponsors, charities, local press, awards | Low to medium |
Digital PR and journalist requests
Journalists look for experts and data, and responding well earns coverage and links. HARO, the best-known source of requests, was shut down by Cision in December 2024 under the name Connectively and was revived by Featured.com in 2025. In 2026 the best results come from using a small stack of platforms, such as Featured, Qwoted and UK-focused services such as Roxhill, and from watching social media requests. Fast, specific, useful answers win, while generic or AI-generated pitches are ignored.
Guest blogging done properly
Guest articles can work when they are genuinely useful to the host's readers and not written mainly to place a keyword link. Choose publications your audience reads, write original pieces and link only where it helps the reader. Paid placements must be labelled and links qualified; see advertorials and UK rules.
Create shareable, citable content
- Industry surveys with clear headline findings and charts.
- Annual reports and indexes that you update, so that links accumulate.
- Free tools, checklists and templates.
- Strong visuals that others can embed with credit.
Engage in online communities and forums
Answer questions on forums, Reddit, LinkedIn groups and Q&A sites honestly and with expertise. Many community links are nofollow and some forbid promotion, so treat them as visibility and reputation builders, not link-building shortcuts.
5. Building strong web relationships
- Join industry associations and event programmes, which often link to members and speakers.
- Collaborate with complementary businesses on content or research.
- Support local organisations, charities and universities when it is genuine.
- Thank people who link to you, and keep them informed of updates.
Local and professional examples are in SEO for architects, where directories, awards and press are realistic sources.
What does link building cost in the UK?
Prices vary widely, and published rates should be treated as guides. A 2026 UK pricing review found links sold three ways: individually from a menu (roughly £72 to £456 each by authority tier), as a managed monthly campaign (£2,500 to £14,000 a month) and as digital PR (from about £2,750 a month or £4,950 or more per campaign). A separate guide puts single data-led campaigns at £5,000 to £20,000.
- Be wary of per-link menus. If a supplier promises links on a list of sites for a fee, ask how the links are obtained and whether they are marked as sponsored.
- Ask for evidence: examples of placements, the process and what happens if a link is removed.
- Measure outcomes: referral traffic, rankings for target pages and coverage quality, not only link count.
See also how to hire an agency.
Links and AI search
As AI-generated answers become more common, brands want to be cited in them. Early 2026 studies, reported by industry publications, found that brand mentions on the web correlated more strongly with AI visibility than backlinks did (a correlation of about 0.66 compared with 0.22 in one analysis of 75,000 brands). These are correlations, not proof of cause, but they point in a direction: being talked about by trusted sources matters beyond classic links. Digital PR, genuine expertise and consistent brand presence serve both traditional and AI search.
How to track and manage your link profile
- Use Google Search Console's links report and a backlink tool to see new and lost links.
- Review the quality of referring sites regularly.
- Do not use the disavow tool unless you have a manual action or a clear paid-link problem; Google's systems mostly ignore spam links.
- Strengthen internal linking too: it passes authority around your own site. See internal linking.
Off-page SEO checklist for 2026
- Publish at least one piece a quarter that is worth citing.
- Respond to journalist requests where you have real expertise.
- Reclaim unlinked mentions and fix broken backlinks.
- Claim and consistently describe your business in key directories and profiles.
- Label paid and sponsored content and qualify links.
- Track referral traffic and rankings, not just the number of links.
- Do keyword research so that your link-worthy content matches demand: see best keyword research tools.
Conclusion
The best way to get quality backlinks is to give people a reason to link: useful content, real expertise and good relationships. Avoid shortcuts that Google's policies prohibit, and measure the results in traffic, visibility and revenue. A few strong links from relevant sources are worth far more than hundreds of weak ones.
Frequently asked questions about quality backlinks
What is a quality backlink?
A link from a relevant, trusted site, placed editorially in useful content and likely to send real visitors.
Do backlinks still matter for SEO?
Yes, but with less weight than in the past. Google's Gary Illyes said in 2025 that Google needs very few links.
Is Domain Authority a Google ranking factor?
No. DA is a Moz metric that estimates ranking potential. It is a useful comparison tool but not a Google signal.
Is buying backlinks allowed?
Not if they pass ranking credit without rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow". Paid links must be qualified.
How can I get backlinks for free?
Create citable content, respond to journalist requests, reclaim unlinked mentions, fix broken links and build relationships in your industry.
How much does link building cost in the UK?
Guides for 2026 cite roughly £72-£456 per link from menu suppliers, £2,500-£14,000 a month for managed campaigns and £4,950 or more per digital PR campaign.
Want support with SEO and PR? Post your project on Sortlist and compare UK SEO and PR agencies for free.
Sources: Google Search Central, spam policies, Search Engine Journal, Google needs very few links, Moz, Domain Authority, Prezly, HARO alternatives, Whito, UK link building costs, Omnibound, GEO statistics. Cost figures are provider-published.
