Podcast Summary: Grumpy SEO Guy – Episode 106: "There are 4 Ways to Get Backlinks. Here They Are"
Release Date: April 30, 2025
Host: Grumpy SEO Guy
Podcast Title: Grumpy SEO Guy
Episode Title: There are 4 Ways to Get Backlinks. Here They Are
Duration: Approximately 30 minutes
Introduction
In Episode 106 of the Grumpy SEO Guy podcast, the host delves deep into the essential topic of acquiring backlinks—a cornerstone of effective SEO strategies. Drawing from 14 years of hands-on experience running an SEO agency, Grumpy SEO Guy demystifies the methods of obtaining backlinks, providing listeners with actionable insights and real-world examples.
Recap of Previous Episode
Before diving into the main topic, the host briefly revisits the key takeaways from the previous episode titled "There are four things you need to rank." The four crucial elements discussed were:
- No Penalties: Ensuring your website isn't penalized by search engines.
- Content: Creating high-quality, relevant content.
- Relevancy: Maintaining topical relevance in your content and backlinks.
- Authority: Building domain authority primarily through backlinks.
“Authority comes from backlinks. So now you understand why you need backlinks.” [05:30]
The Four Ways to Get Backlinks
Grumpy SEO Guy outlines four primary strategies to acquire backlinks, each examined in detail with pros, cons, and practical advice.
1. Do Nothing and Let Others Link to You
Overview:
This passive approach involves waiting for other websites to discover and link to your content organically.
Insights:
- Pros: Requires minimal effort and maintains a natural backlink profile.
- Cons: Ineffective for websites not already ranking; lacks proactive growth.
“If you are not already ranking, nobody's going to find your website and nobody's going to be able to link to you because nobody can find you.” [10:45]
Conclusion:
Best suited for established websites with existing authority. For new or low-ranking sites, this method is largely ineffective.
2. Buy Backlinks
Overview:
Purchasing backlinks from various providers to quickly boost domain authority and search engine rankings.
Insights:
- Pros: Can provide immediate backlink numbers.
- Cons: Often violates search engine guidelines; majority of sold backlinks are low-quality or spammy.
“Most backlink sellers are not selling good quality backlinks because they are selling rubbish.” [15:20]
Advice:
- Quality Over Quantity: Avoid deals like "20 backlinks for $20," which are indicative of poor quality.
- Due Diligence: Understand what you’re purchasing and its potential impact on your SEO.
“Good quality backlinks can be kind of pricey, but you have to understand what you are buying.” [16:05]
Legal Disclaimer:
The host emphasizes that while buying backlinks can be part of SEO strategies, it comes with significant risks and is subject to strict search engine policies.
“I’m not telling you to not buy backlinks, and I'm also not telling you to buy backlinks, okay?” [13:50]
Conclusion:
Buying backlinks can be tempting for quick gains but often leads to long-term SEO penalties. It's crucial to approach this method with caution and prioritize quality.
3. Link Outreach and Guest Posting
Overview:
Active strategies involving reaching out to other websites to secure backlinks through content collaboration.
Subsections:
-
Guest Posting:
- Definition: Writing articles for other websites in exchange for a backlink.
- Example: “Guest posting is when you find a website that you like and you email them and say, hey, I will write a blog for you and in exchange, put a link at the bottom of that article back to my site.” [19:10]
-
Link Outreach:
- Definition: Contacting website owners to request backlinks on relevant pages.
- Example: “Link outreach is when you find a website you like, you email them, you say, hey, I notice you have discussions on your site on certain topics. I have a website in a similar industry. Can you give me a link on that page?” [21:00]
Challenges:
- Cost: High-authority sites might charge for guest posts or backlinks.
- Success Rate: Approximately 5% success rate—“If you email a thousand people, you will get about 50 replies.” [23:45]
- Stability: Reliance on external websites to maintain the backlink; potential for links to be removed.
Conclusion:
While link outreach and guest posting are reputable methods for building backlinks, they require persistence, quality content, and often involve financial investment to secure high-quality links.
4. Build Your Own Portfolio (Private Blog Network - PBN)
Overview:
Creating and managing multiple websites to build a network that provides backlinks to your main site.
Insights:
- Pros: Complete control over the backlinking process; independence from external websites.
- Cons: High initial investment; risk of search engine penalties if detected as a PBN.
“You create links in SEO.” [28:15]
Advice:
- Quality Maintenance: Ensure each site in your portfolio offers valuable content to avoid detection.
- Knowledge Building: “Listen to episodes 3, 4, and 5 before you buy backlinks.” [25:30] emphasizes the importance of understanding the intricacies before embarking on building a PBN.
Ethical Considerations:
Some within the SEO community view PBNs as manipulative, potentially violating search engine terms of service.
Conclusion:
Building a private blog network offers autonomy but comes with significant risks and requires substantial expertise and resources to implement effectively and ethically.
Additional Insights and Community Feedback
Grumpy SEO Guy addresses a comment from Reddit, highlighting an alternative classification of backlink strategies into three categories: Beg, Trade, or Buy.
- Beg: Equivalent to link outreach.
- Trade: Similar to guest posting.
- Buy: Purchasing backlinks.
“This explanation of how to get backlinks didn't include like waiting and just letting people find you and linking to you.” [27:50]
He reiterates the limitations of a passive backlink strategy, especially for sites without existing authority.
Conclusion
Grumpy SEO Guy wraps up the episode by reinforcing the importance of understanding the four primary methods to acquire backlinks. He emphasizes the need for discernment in selecting the appropriate strategy based on one's website's current standing, resources, and long-term SEO goals.
“I hope this episode explains the four ways to get backlinks and I hope it was useful.” [30:00]
Notable Quotes
- “Authority comes from backlinks. So now you understand why you need backlinks.” [05:30]
- “Most backlink sellers are not selling good quality backlinks because they are selling rubbish.” [15:20]
- “If you are not already ranking, nobody's going to find your website and nobody's going to be able to link to you because nobody can find you.” [10:45]
- “Good quality backlinks can be kind of pricey, but you have to understand what you are buying.” [16:05]
- “I’m not telling you to not buy backlinks, and I'm also not telling you to buy backlinks, okay?” [13:50]
- “Guest posting is when you find a website that you like and you email them and say, hey, I will write a blog for you and in exchange, put a link at the bottom of that article back to my site.” [19:10]
- “Link outreach is when you find a website you like, you email them, you say, hey, I notice you have discussions on your site on certain topics. I have a website in a similar industry. Can you give me a link on that page?” [21:00]
- “If you email a thousand people, you will get about 50 replies.” [23:45]
- “You create links in SEO.” [28:15]
- “This explanation of how to get backlinks didn't include like waiting and just letting people find you and linking to you.” [27:50]
- “I hope this episode explains the four ways to get backlinks and I hope it was useful.” [30:00]
Final Thoughts
Episode 106 offers a comprehensive breakdown of backlink acquisition strategies, balancing practical advice with cautionary insights. Whether you're an SEO novice or a seasoned professional, understanding these methods is vital for building a robust and effective backlink profile. Grumpy SEO Guy's no-nonsense approach ensures listeners gain clear, actionable knowledge without the fluff.
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This summary captures the essence of Episode 106, providing a structured and detailed overview for both regular listeners and newcomers seeking to enhance their SEO strategies.