E1048: How do you get backlinks when your website is brand new and has almost no authority?

We break down a real question from a founder who launched an AI tools directory and is stuck in the classic SEO chicken-and-egg problem: if no one trusts your site yet, why would anyone link to it?

We talk through what matters in the early stages of link building, what makes a new site look trustworthy, and practical strategies you can use right away - even if your domain authority is close to zero.

This episode covers: - Why most people cannot tell that your site is "new" (unless you make it obvious) - The biggest mistake founders make when asking for backlinks - How to build relationships before you ever ask for a link - How 15 minutes a day on social media can turn into real backlinks - Why following up with journalists is critical (and how to do it properly) - How to use AI to find journalists, develop angles, and write better pitches - What makes a website feel trustworthy enough to link to - How to create linkable assets people actually want to reference - When to use Help A Reporter Out, Source of Sources, Qwoted, and Featured - Why podcasts are an underrated backlink strategy - Why you do not need massive authority to start earning links

We also discuss: - Whether you should wait for traction before doing outreach - The difference between chasing domain authority and building relevant referring domains - How to structure your site so publishers feel comfortable linking to you - Why most people fail to build ongoing relationships with journalists - How to control the language around your backlinks

If you are building a startup, directory, SaaS, or content site and wondering how to earn your first 10–20 real backlinks, this episode walks through practical strategies that work in the early phase.

⭐️ The Reddit Thread - https://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur/comments/1qugpbd/how_do_you_earn_backlinks_for_a_brandnew_site/

⭐️ The AI System to Find Relevant Journalists, Land Coverage, and Earn Ongoing High-Authority Backlinks - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/articles_ai-system-find-journalists-earn-high-authority-backlinks/

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 Backlink Ideas Kickoff 00:11 The New Site Dilemma 01:10 Look Legit, Not Spam 01:40 Relationship First Outreach 02:24 VA Social Comment Strategy 03:46 Keep Journalists Warm 04:31 Competitor Link Research 06:08 Trust Signals Checklist 07:31 Linkable Assets and Placements 08:28 HARO, Qwoted, Featured, SoS 09:01 Share Functions for Links 09:48 Getting Links Without Assets 10:10 Podcast and Directory Backlinks 10:56 Wrap Up

The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#linkbuilding #backlinks #searchengineoptimization #seo