It’s time to rethink how we approach backlinks.
In this article, I’ll explain what link earning is, why it’s essential, and the types of results you can generate.
Link earning: What it is and how it differs from link building
I’ve been building links for over 20 years, and I can tell you that it never gets easier.
From shotgun outreach to guest post writing, we’ve been repeating the same approaches and seeing diminishing returns or facing requests for cash in exchange for adding your link.
The message is clear: Links = cash.
Backlink merchants have emerged to capitalize on this trend, acting as the middle person.
How long before generative AI takes over the whole process of identifying link opportunities, writing blog posts, and even emailing sites for you?
Link building is the next big AI task, but it may lose value in the process.
Enter link earning.
That old-fashioned idea that your business and content earn links for you based on merit, not money.
Link earning is coming, and either you’re onboard, or you’ll get left behind.
Link earning: You have to make it and can’t fake it
Back in 2021, Sparktoro CEO Rand Fishkin suggested that inferred links would replace the link graph in the future, saying:
“If you pay an SEO agency to get you 50 “high-quality links” a month for $5,000 and refuse to pay a digital PR agency to get you 10 mentions in relevant publications for the same price, I’d argue you’re making a very unwise tradeoff.”
The idea of inferred links is simple to grasp. If Google can understand entities, it can crawl a page and recognize when a business is being discussed online.
Mentions matter, and links might happen as a result.
Link earning changes a business’s approach to link building.
How to earn links today and beyond
If I were to push a motto for SEO this year, it would be “Move fast, create things.”
Create content.
Create stories.
Create link opportunities.
When it comes to link earning, these things matter.
But first, let’s discard the old methods.
Forget about creating content and promoting it to death
This is what the gurus teach, and it has some merit. But it has significant drawbacks. The article is typically based on your ranking goals, and promotion is based on the hope that people will share, mention, and link to your content.
People are busy. The chances your content will get a backlink are low.
Forget about guest posting for links
Guest posting helps build brand fame, but for links? It’s largely ineffective.
SEO agencies still rely on guest posts for links, but this approach should be abandoned. Instead, focus on earning links.
Link earning = Thought leadership, data, and stories
Link building is selfish. You interrupt webmasters’ days to ask for links.
Link earning is different. It’s about adding to conversations and creating stories from data that people want to hear about—rather than pushing content.
This approach is effective for SEO.
The benefits of link earning
Building E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust) often involves:
- Mentions online.
- Links.
- Content on your site.
- Content on others’ sites.
Quality is critical in link earning.
The benefits are clear:
- Faster rankings.
- Increased traffic.
- Traffic referrals.
- Brand growth.
- Exposure to a new audience.
- Reach.
Link earning creates new traffic
To give you an example:
One of my agency’s clients, a discount code website, struggled to build links traditionally.
The team spotted an interesting social media post and leveraged the client’s brand and expertise to pitch to journalists. The result: more than 50 links, referral traffic, and media mentions.
The demise of ‘do-follow’ links
“Do-follow” links often scream “link buying.” Any experienced SEO or Google can spot paid links.
In 2022, Google’s John Mueller implied that the importance of links might diminish over time as Google understands content better.
Our data show that do-follow links are valuable, but no-follow links also impact websites.
‘No-follows’ lead to fame, and fame leads to ‘do-follows’
Nofollow links can generate traffic and real human interest. Over time, this natural fame can turn into do-follow links.
Link earning is a fame game
Fame makes everything easier.
A news story can sell out products. A social influencer’s post can make you famous.
Link earning is about generating traffic and links, getting people talking.
While outreach emails have their place, choosing fame and link earning should be your go-to strategy.
