Once you understand that link building matters, the next natural question is: which kind should you actually be doing? “Link building” isn’t one single activity, it’s an umbrella term covering several distinct strategies, each with different effort levels, costs, and results.
Some methods focus on relationship-building and content contribution. Others lean on data, media coverage, or simply fixing broken things on other people’s websites. This guide walks through the major types so you can figure out which combination fits your goals.
1. Guest Post Link Building
Guest posting involves writing and contributing an article to another website in exchange for a backlink, usually placed within the content or author bio.
How it works: You pitch a relevant topic to a site in your industry, write a genuinely useful article, and include a natural link back to your own content.
Best for: Building relationships within your niche while earning contextual, editorially-placed links.
Watch out for: Sites that exist purely to sell guest post slots rather than maintain genuine editorial standards.
2. Digital PR Link Building
Digital PR focuses on earning media coverage and backlinks through newsworthy stories, original data, or expert commentary pitched to journalists and publications.
How it works: You create a compelling story angle, often backed by original research or timely relevance, and pitch it to reporters covering your industry.
Best for: Earning high-authority links from major publications, along with genuine brand visibility.
Watch out for: This method requires more upfront effort and often a dedicated PR skill set or agency partner.
3. Broken Link Building
This tactic involves finding dead links on other websites and suggesting your own relevant content as a replacement.
How it works: You identify broken outbound links on relevant resource pages or articles, then reach out offering your content as a working substitute.
Best for: A relatively low-cost, value-driven approach since you’re helping fix something already broken on their site.
Watch out for: Requires having (or creating) content that genuinely fits the gap left by the broken resource.
4. Niche Edits (Link Insertions)
Niche edits involve getting a link inserted into an already-published, existing piece of content, rather than creating something new.
How it works: You identify relevant, already-ranking articles and negotiate having a link to your site added within the existing text.
Best for: Faster turnaround than guest posting, since no new content needs to be written or published.
Watch out for: Some niche edit providers use low-quality or manipulated sites, so vetting the source page matters just as much as with any other method.
5. Resource Page Link Building
Many industries maintain curated resource pages listing helpful tools, guides, or websites related to a specific topic.
How it works: You find relevant resource pages and pitch your content as a valuable addition worth including.
Best for: Relatively straightforward outreach with a clear, low-pressure ask.
Watch out for: Resource pages vary widely in quality and traffic, so vetting each one before pursuing it matters.
6. Competitor Backlink Replication
This approach involves analyzing where competitors already earn backlinks and pursuing similar opportunities for your own site.
How it works: Using tools like Ahrefs or Semrush, you review a competitor’s backlink profile and identify sites likely to link to similar content from you.
Best for: Shortcutting prospecting time by working from a proven list of sites already willing to link within your niche.
7. Local Link Building
Focused specifically on earning links relevant to a local business’s geographic area, such as local directories, chambers of commerce, or local news coverage.
How it works: You pursue links from local organizations, sponsorships, community involvement, or local press coverage tied to your business’s location.
Best for: Businesses relying on local search visibility, like service providers, restaurants, or brick-and-mortar retailers.
8. Editorial (Earned) Link Building
These are links you earn simply because your content is genuinely valuable enough that other sites choose to reference it, without any direct outreach involved.
How it works: This typically results from strong content marketing, original research, or thought leadership that naturally attracts citations over time.
Best for: Long-term, sustainable link growth, though it requires consistent investment in high-quality content.
Comparing the Main Link Building Types
| Type | Effort Level | Typical Turnaround | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest posting | Medium | Weeks | Relationship-building, contextual links |
| Digital PR | High | Weeks to months | High-authority media links |
| Broken link building | Medium | Weeks | Value-driven, cost-efficient links |
| Niche edits | Low to Medium | Days to weeks | Faster placements |
| Resource page outreach | Low | Weeks | Straightforward, low-pressure asks |
| Competitor replication | Medium | Ongoing | Proven-opportunity prospecting |
| Local link building | Medium | Ongoing | Local SEO visibility |
| Editorial/earned links | Low (outreach), High (content) | Ongoing | Long-term, natural authority growth |
Which Type of Link Building Should You Focus On?
The right mix depends on your business type, budget, and timeline:
- New websites often benefit from starting with niche edits and resource page outreach for quicker initial wins.
- Established brands with a content budget tend to see strong results from digital PR and editorial link building.
- Local businesses should prioritize local link building alongside general strategies.
- Competitive industries usually require a blended approach combining several of these types simultaneously.
Most sustainable link building strategies don’t rely on just one type. Combining two or three complementary methods tends to produce a more natural, diversified backlink profile.
Types of Link Building to Avoid
Not everything labeled “link building” is worth pursuing. Steer clear of:
- Private blog networks (PBNs)
- Bulk-purchased links from marketplaces
- Automated link submission tools
- Excessive reciprocal link exchanges done purely for SEO manipulation
These fall under manipulative link schemes that violate Google’s guidelines and carry real penalty risk.
Key Takeaways
- Link building includes several distinct strategies, including guest posting, digital PR, broken link building, and niche edits.
- Each type has different effort levels, turnaround times, and ideal use cases.
- Combining two or three complementary methods generally produces stronger, more natural results than relying on one alone.
- Local businesses and competitive industries often need tailored combinations of these strategies.
- Manipulative tactics like PBNs and bulk link buying fall outside legitimate link building types and carry real risk.
Conclusion
There’s no single “best” type of link building, only the combination that fits your specific business, industry, and goals. Guest posting builds relationships, digital PR earns high-authority coverage, and niche edits offer faster turnaround, each plays a different role in a well-rounded strategy.
The businesses that see the strongest, most sustainable results are usually the ones blending a few of these approaches rather than betting everything on just one tactic.
The Outreach Orbit’s team builds campaigns around exactly this kind of blended strategy, combining guest posts, digital PR, niche edits, and resource outreach based on what actually fits each client’s industry and goals. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all package, the mix of tactics is shaped around which types of link building are genuinely realistic and effective within a client’s specific niche.
