In the dynamic world of search engine optimization (SEO), link building is crucial in driving organic traffic and enhancing website visibility.
We conducted a comprehensive survey among SEO professionals and consultants to illuminate the evolving link-building strategies and tools landscape.
Our survey aimed to capture the respondents’ practices, preferences, and perceptions regarding link building. At the same time, our goal was to explore the impact of emerging technologies and recent Google updates.
We conducted our first link building survey in 2020. You can read it here: Link Building Survey 2020, COVID-19 Edition
Summary of Findings
To comprehensively understand the current link building trends, we surveyed a total of 150 SEO professionals. These professionals include individuals working in agencies, in-house SEO experts, and independent SEO consultants.
Here’s a high-level overview of what we found:
- 47.33% of SEO professionals plan to utilize AI tools such as Chat GPT or GPT-3 for link building in future campaigns.
- Regarding the impact of AI in the future of link building, 67.33% of the professionals think it will have a positive effect, while 3.33% fear that AI will leave them jobless.
- The top three link-building methods utilized by respondents in the past 12 months were content creation and outreach (76.67%), guest posts (75.33%), and competitor backlink analysis (64.67%).
- The top link building tool utilized by respondents for themselves or their clients was SEMRush (86.1%). When asked about the single SEO tool they would use if they only had to choose one, a majority 39.33% picked Ahrefs.
- Most respondents (62.67%) reported an average monthly link-building budget of under $1000.
- The main KPI used by respondents to measure the results of their link-building efforts was keyword rankings (77.33%).
- Survey participants emphasized sites with suspicious backlink profiles (61.33%) as their top red flag indicator for link building.
- 34.67% of participants observed a positive impact of link building on SERP rankings following Google’s recent E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) update. 34% mentioned there was no impact, but 26.67% said that the update caused their link-building efforts to be less effective.
- Participants perceived the rankings of link types as follows, from the most valuable to the least valuable: do-follow links, user-generated content, sponsored links, and no-follow links.
- Google’s Link Spam Update had varying impacts on the efficacy of building backlinks, with a significant portion of participants (23.33%) reporting no impact and improved SERP ranking (14%).
2020 vs 2023 Survey Highlights
Before stepping in to the details of this recent survey, let’s compare some of the key findings from the 2020 survey with the results of our 2023 survey.
1.a. Link Building Budget
There’s a big change in link building budgeting in 2023. A few years ago, only 45.21% of the respondents said that their budgets were below $1000. Now, 62.67% of the respondents are working around a tight budget.
1.b. Link Building Method
Comparing the link building methods chosen by SEO professionals in 2020 and 2023, we can notice a big drop in the preference for Content Creation and Outreach. From 50%, it went down to 28%.
1.c. Link Building Tool
Ahrefs still reigns as the most preferred link building tool in our 2023 survey. There may be a drop in votes from the 2020 survey. But it may be due to the new tools that have been released in the past 3 years.
1.d. Sentiment Analysis
Comparing the respondents’ emotions towards link building, we can conclude that there has been some improvement since there’s a big increase in positive sentiments.
The recent Google updates and the rise of AI tech may have played a big role in these differences.
Who Took the Survey?
Our survey includes a wide range of professionals actively involved in SEO.
The fact that the vast majority of participants (54%) identified as independent SEO consultants demonstrates the industry’s thriving community of freelance experts.
Furthermore, 38.67% of the respondents work as SEO professionals within agencies, emphasizing the collaborative and specialized nature of SEO agency services.
A lesser proportion (7.33%) represented in-house SEO experts, suggesting people that work directly within organizations to optimize their online presence.
Link Building Budget
The survey also found some intriguing findings on budget allocation for link-building efforts.
Most respondents (62.67%) indicated a monthly link-building budget of less than $1000. This suggests that many professionals successfully navigate link-building tactics when working with low financial resources.
Furthermore, 21.33% of the respondents reported a budget of $1000 to $2500, indicating a modest expenditure in link-building projects.
Finally, 10% of the participants spent between $2500 and $5000 on link-building activities, indicating a greater commitment to comprehensive link-building tactics.
This emphasizes the heterogeneous environment of SEO specialists, with the majority working as freelance consultants and within a wide range of link-building budgets.
This also demonstrates the SEO specialists’ adaptability and resourcefulness in executing excellent link-building techniques in a variety of circumstances and financial ranges.
Link Building Methods and Strategies
The top three link building tactics used by respondents in the last 12 months were discovered to be content production and outreach, guest posts, and competition backlink analysis.
76.67% of the respondents indicated using content production and outreach as their primary link-building technique, demonstrating its popularity and efficacy in generating backlinks.
A close second, 75.33% of the respondents recognized the benefit of guest posts in developing quality links. Contributing articles or blog posts to other websites in their niche allows them to obtain exposure and important backlinks in exchange.
Competitor backlink analysis was another notable link-building method used by 64.67% of the respondents.
By analyzing competitors’ backlink profiles, these astute marketers uncover feasible link building possibilities and seek to emulate or outperform their competitors’ link-building techniques.
4.a. Most Preferred Link Building Tactic
When the SEO professionals were asked about their preferred tactics, the responses varied.
A consequential preference for content creation and outreach was noted by 28% of the respondents, demonstrating its continued significance as a preferred link building approach.
This strategy entails producing high-quality, valuable content and actively reaching out to relevant websites or influencers in order to obtain backlinks.
Guest articles remained a popular technique, with 24.67% of the respondents supporting it. Guest posting is an appealing choice for establishing backlinks and increasing online visibility since it allows you to exhibit your skills while also reaching a larger audience.
Furthermore, a modest but significant proportion of the respondents, 9.33%, indicated that competitor backlink analysis was their favorite link-building technique.
This technique entails utilizing public relations tactics such as press releases, media outreach, and influencer engagements in order to increase awareness and secure valuable backlinks from authoritative sites.
The findings highlight the significance of content generation and outreach, guest posting, and competition backlink research as effective tactics for building quality links and increasing online exposure.
4.b. Common Link Building Methods
We asked the survey respondents, “In a sentence or two, tell us how you build links for yourself or your clients.”
Their varying answers still had common responses. Based on the responses provided, here are the grouped answers and the percentage value of how many people mentioned each method:
4.b.i. Outreach and Email Campaigns (34%)
Normally, my methods are manual outreach and reverse outreach and AI tools can be very helpful in looking for keywords or writing up the perfect emails.
Building sincere relationships and effective alliances requires manually reaching out and sending personalized communications. Cold email outreach, direct outreach, and organic interaction are also good strategies. Some marketers advise automating cold emails to maximize efficiency. Individual emails to webmasters are now a common practice for productive collaborations in digital marketing.
4.b.ii. Guest Posting (20%)
Guest posting on other websites is a common tactic for building backlinks. It is common to ask for guest post possibilities and provide cost-free, excellent material. Buying guest post insertions has been recommended by various marketers as a way to get multiple backlinks.
4.b.iii. Competitor Analysis (9%)
I find competitors backlinks and reach out to sites they have guest posts on. I reach out to those sites and then also check backlink profiles of other businesses that have posts on that site.
It was stressed by the respondents how important it is to undertake competition backlink research and analysis as a critical component of link building. It is advisable to copy competitors’ link-building strategies to strengthen one’s strategy. Targeting blogs identical to or similar to competitors was also mentioned as a successful strategy for increasing backlink prospects.
4.b.iv. Content Creation and Promotion (9%)
The necessity of creating excellent, worthwhile, and shareable material was emphasized by respondents. Effective strategies were advised, including content marketing and producing high-quality blog content. It was suggested to concentrate on developing engaging content that inevitably draws backlinks.
4.b.v. Tools and Services for Link Building (12%)
Respondents used tools like the SEMrush Link Building Tool, Authority Builders, and link building businesses to help with link building efforts. Some respondents also mentioned using third-party platforms, backlink services, and AI technology to improve their link building tactics. Link exchanges were also mentioned to get links from other websites.
4.b.vi. Research and Analysis (10%)
I am building the links manually after the analysis so that I can give them value for money. Also, it depends on the business niche.
Identifying potential prospects and conducting competitor backlink research were deemed crucial tasks. The respondents frequently used tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, Majestic, and BuzzStream for research and analysis. It was underlined how important it is to find appropriate directories, websites, and citation sources. To build relationships and obtain backlinks, it was also suggested to approach webmasters and look for specialized websites actively.
4.b.vii. Social Media and Online Presence (6%)
Utilizing social media channels for outreach and content marketing has become a popular and successful tactic. The respondents commonly cited using social media sites like Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Reddit to promote links and interact with audiences. It was acknowledged that engaging in social media encourages relationships and connections, eventually supporting link building efforts.
4.b.viii. Buying Links and Paid Promotions (5%)
I’ve used a collection of tools for this purpose in the past. These include RankerX, GSA, and creating PBNs, web 2.0 automations and guest posting services. I much prefer to target high authority blogs and write decent posts that actually get views rather than quick and dirty methods. But building a brand by getting links from top blogs is definitively the way to go for credibility and building authority.
It’s significant to note that some survey participants admitted to buying links straight from vendors or websites. Another technique that was suggested entailed purchasing link insertions from specialized link-building businesses. To maintain the long-term credibility and efficacy of link building activities, handling such practices cautiously and ensuring they comply with moral standards and search engine policies is crucial.
4.c. Link Relevancy Factors
Participants outlined a number of crucial factors to take into account when determining a link’s value.
The two main considerations were the topic of the page (57.33%) and the domain’s niche (57.33%). The relevancy of the text surrounding the anchor text (52.67%) and (56.67%) the written content were also considered as crucial factors.
These results emphasize the value of topical and relevant alignment in link building activities.
4.d. The Most Important Link Building Factor
When building links, survey respondents pointed out the significance of specific factors.
The importance of contextual relevance in link development was demonstrated by the finding that websites in the same niche (78.67%) were regarded as essential.
Websites with a high domain authority (DA) (74.67%) were also given priority because they are regarded to be reputable and authoritative.
Furthermore, an essential factor in choosing valuable links was emphasized as links that generate more traffic (57.33%).
We also asked respondents about the effectiveness of the common types of backlinks. Do-follow links have been rated the most effective at 46.84%, while no-follow links were voted as the least effective at 11.05%.
This shows how websites may have higher demands for do-follow links which may affect the strategies, delivery times, and other factors when it comes to link building efforts.
4.e. Link Building Red Flags
To ensure both the quality and effectiveness of their efforts, link builders must be able to see possible red flags.
Sites with dubious backlink profiles and unrelated content were cited as the two main concerns by survey respondents (61.33%) and (60%).
Links relating to CBD, casinos, and other negative categories were also recognized as potential red flags (39.33%), along with links with poor SEO performance (38.67%).
These observations highlight how crucial it is to keep link development techniques relevant and high-quality.
SEO Tools
Because tools are vital for good link building, we asked respondents about their preferred tools, including AI technologies.
SEO tools aid in the discovery of connection opportunities, the facilitation of outreach, and the study of competitors. AI tools, such as Chat GPT and GPT-3, provide advanced content-generating and data-analysis capabilities.
Understanding how professionals use technologies and artificial intelligence can help practitioners optimize their link-building methods.
We use AI for creating Meta details, short bio, Quora answers, and sometimes blog outlines
In terms of future goals, a sizable portion of SEO experts (47.33%) want to use AI technologies for link development during the next 12 months.
Furthermore, 38.67% said that they might do so in the future, while only 14% said they had no plans to use AI tools in their link building tactics.
In terms of beliefs, a sizable majority of SEO experts (67.33%) think that in the future, link building will be made simpler by AI solutions.
Only a small minority (3.33%) expressed concern about probable job loss as a result of AI tools, while a smaller majority (17.3%) does not expect any impact. Some of them had mixed opinions about AI.
It’s a mix of both. I think in the short term I can work faster and smarter, but ultimately there will be less need for writers of any kind and even ranking in Google is not going to be a concern, as no one will be reading the articles
These results imply that although AI tools are still not frequently used for link creation, their potential benefit is becoming more widely recognized.
It will be interesting to observe how AI technologies, such as Chat GPT and GPT-3, will be included in link building methods as the field of SEO continues to develop. This could present new chances for future improved efficiency and efficacy.
The top three link-building tools used in the last 12 months by respondents were SEMRush (86.67%), Ahrefs (76%), and MOZ (54.67%).
There were other tools mentioned by 7.33% of the respondents which are listed below.
The study participants indicated a modest preference for Ahrefs (39.3%), closely followed by SEMRush (36%) when asked to select just one link-building tool.
According to the survey results, SEMRush, Ahrefs, and MOZ have become the top link-building tools among SEO professionals. SEMRush and Ahrefs have strong adoption rates because of their dependability and efficiency in assisting experts in running successful link-building efforts.
Metrics
The findings of the survey showed that the majority of respondents (77.33%) utilized keyword rankings as their main key performance indicator (KPI) to evaluate link building initiatives, highlighting the importance of search engine rankings.
Furthermore, traffic growth (68%) and SERP visibility (52%) were two other frequently used KPIs, highlighting the emphasis on increasing website traffic and visibility in search engine results.
Keyword rankings were ranked as the most important KPI by respondents (30.67%), followed by traffic growth (20%), SERP visibility (14.67%), traffic from links built (13.33%), and conversions (10%), underscoring the importance of these metrics in gauging the success of link building.
It is clear that through their link building efforts, SEO professionals place a high priority on growing website traffic, ranking well for more relevant keywords, and SERP visibility.
These metrics are crucial success markers since they show how link development affects organic traffic generation and search engine visibility.
Link Building Resources
According to the poll results, SEMRush (64.67%), the Ahrefs Blog (60.67%), and Neil Patel (55.33%) were the top three resources used by respondents for link-building instruction. For efficient link development, these resources offer insightful advice.
The survey results show that the top three websites utilized by respondents to learn about link building are SEMRush, the Ahrefs Blog, and Neil Patel. These sites are highly regarded by SEO specialists due to their astute counsel and thorough treatment of many link-building subjects.
For its wide variety of information on all facets of link building, including tactics, outreach strategies, link analysis, and market trends, SEMRush tops the other websites.
The Ahrefs Blog is praised for its data-driven methodology, which offers in-depth articles, case studies, and tutorials on link building problems.
Respondents also praised Neil Patel’s insightful writing and pragmatic approach to link building and digital marketing, especially among SEO newcomers who value his capacity to distill complicated concepts into workable strategies.
Overall, these tools provide insightful advice and direction for effective link building. This makes them the go-to sources for SEO specialists looking for trustworthy knowledge and tactics to strengthen their link-building efforts.
Link Building Today & Tomorrow
As the world of link building continues to change, it is important to know what people in the field of SEO think.
We asked SEO professionals about their views and experiences regarding how link building affects SERP rankings and how Google’s updates affect those rankings. This is what they said.
8.a. The Future of Link Building
In the next five to ten years, link building will likely have a bigger influence on SERP ranks, according to the vast majority of participants (51.33%).
It’s vital to remember that a smaller number (26%) predicted a less substantial impact and 18.67% predicted no change at all.
With the recent AI progress since Dec 2022 & pragmatic SEO on the rise, link building’s future is uncertain. We are looking at some serious changes in SERPs this year & next. I’m looking forward to how is Google going to combat its current indexing and crawling problems. Content creation has gotten 1000 times easier and with AI agents in play, we are looking at 95% automation which will impact how we look do link building in the future vs. pas
These differing viewpoints draw attention to the ongoing discussion over the long-term impact of link building on search engine results.
8.b. The Impact of the E-E-A-T Update
Participants discussed their views about the effect of link building in light of Google’s most recent E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) update.
It’s interesting to note that a sizable percentage (34%) said there has been no change in the influence of link development on SERP results.
On the other hand, close to 34.67% of respondents thought the upgrade increased link building’s efficacy, while a somewhat smaller amount (26.67%) thought it decreased.
These different responses indicate the constant modifications necessary to conform to Google’s shifting ranking algorithms.
8.c. Effects of the Link Spam Update
Participants noticed varying effects from Google’s Link Spam Update, which sought to eliminate bogus backlinks.
Despite the fact that a sizable portion (23.33%) said their link-building efforts had no effect, others experienced changes like decreased traffic (18%), increased Domain Rating (DR) (4.67%), dropped DR (12%), increased traffic (2.67%), improved SERP ranking (14%), and worsened SERP ranking (15.33%).
The update improved the efficiency of building backlinks by putting emphasis on natural links, link diversification, reducing the impact of low-quality links, and focusing on quality and relevancy
These findings emphasize the necessity for flexibility and a proactive attitude in order to achieve effective backlinking techniques.
Link Building Problems in 2023
We asked SEO professionals, “What are your primary problems with link building in 2023?” and received varying responses.
Here is a breakdown of the primary problems with link building in 2023, along with the percentage of respondents who mentioned each issue:
9.a. Time-consuming
A notable number of the respondents (15%) named link building’s time-intensive nature as a major obstacle.
Significant resources are needed for outreach, relationship-building, and content creation. It is a difficult task to strike a balance between the demand for speedy results and the requirement for effective link building tactics.
9.b. Finding Quality Websites and Prospects
14% of respondents said they had trouble locating high-quality websites and link building opportunities.
It is now more difficult to find appropriate link opportunities due to the congestion of the online space, which has increased the need for reliable and authoritative websites.
9.c. Dealing with Spammy Websites
The prevalence of low-quality or spammy link building techniques that can harm a website’s reputation and ranking, the difficulty in finding relevant and high-authority websites for link building outreach, and the potential risks of penalties or algorithmic updates from search engines for violating their guidelines on link building.
11% of respondents reported running into spammy websites when trying to build links. The reputation and search engine rankings of a site may be harmed by such websites.
It is crucial to separate questionable websites from reliable sources due to the ubiquity of low-quality websites.
9.d Problems Getting Quick Results
Short-term client goals where they expect immediate improvements in search rankings.
Approximately 8% of respondents acknowledged that it can be difficult to achieve the short-term goals and expectations of clients, which are frequently motivated by the need for immediate results.
Aligning customer expectations with link building schedules can be challenging because creating high-quality backlinks takes time.
9.e. Decreased Importance of Link Building in Google’s Algorithm
Concerns regarding the perceived decline in relevance of link building in Google’s algorithm were voiced by 6% of respondents.
Links continue to be an important ranking feature even as search engine algorithms change constantly. But it’s important to keep up with algorithm updates and modify your tactics as necessary.
These problems obstruct effective link building, and they need solutions to be resolved.
Managing deadlines while keeping quality in link building efforts is a challenge for SEO professionals. They also need to choose trustworthy websites to link to while avoiding spammy ones that could damage their online reputation.
Given the time needed to build high-quality backlinks, satisfying short-term client goals, and expectations can be difficult. Lastly, keeping up with Google’s algorithm updates and modifying link building strategies accordingly is essential to maintaining success.
Conclusion
A big shout out to all the awesome SEO workers who took part in our link building survey for 2023. We really appreciate your time and the great ideas you gave us.
Now, let’s talk link building in 2023. So, what do you think? Did the results of the poll match up with what you knew? We’d love to know what you think, so leave a message and join the discussion!
This poll really helped us understand the problems and challenges that SEO professionals face when it comes to building links. It’s not easy to build those quality links, find the right websites, and deal with fake ones. And let’s not forget the push to get things done quickly while meeting different client needs.
Oh, and the Google formula, which changes all the time! It’s like trying to keep up with a hyperactive child on a sugar high. Some of you were worried about how important link building was to Google, but hey, guys, links still matter! We have to keep up with changes to the algorithms and modify our tactics accordingly.
So, once more, thanks for being such great players. Keep making those links, and let’s make 2023 the best year ever for link building. Cheers!
Really great information. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of this survey.
Cheers, Elijah.
Really a gem! Interesting stats. Outreach is my first priority as well. happy to see it on the top!
Awesome, thank you.
Great efforts. This is by far the best survey that was made about COVID-19 impact on the SEO industry. You can see how much the results are shown with great credibility and accuracy.
Cheers, Moataz. I am glad you found the results useful.
Very good information. I liked the statistics built among an equal distribution across the world.
Yes, Jon. We made sure that we got equal distribution across the globe. Cheers.
This is really interesting, thank you for putting this together!
Hey Cynthia, you’re welcome. Happy to help.
Great Job, thank you for invite me. There are a lot of myths around link building.
Thanks for being a part of this survey, Julio.
Thank you! Really interesting to know about the approach of experts all over the world. Very useful!
Cheers, Oleh. Glad you found the post useful.
The most comprehensive link building survey in 2020. Thanks for inviting me for being a part of this survey.
Thanks for being a part of this, Neha.
ahrefs.com on the top and seems like the first choice of many SEO professionals. Thanks for sharing useful stats!
Yes, indeed.
Great research. I’m glad to see what other SEO professionals are doing in terms of link building.
I’m glad you liked the work, Igor.
The results of this study were interesting, indeed. Not surprising, content creation and outreach are most effective.
That’s right, Gabriel. Outreach has been one of our top link building methods too.
Great Information! Thank you for inviting me to be a part of this survey.
Appreciate it, Raton!
Great post! Very insightful and current. Interesting stats for sure. Thanks for allowing us to be part of this.
Paras, thanks for all the great chats we’ve had over the course of this survey. I’m glad you found this interesting.
Thank you for all these detailed information to know what professionals think about link building around the globe.
Thanks for inviting me!
Thanks for stopping by, Sunita. Appreciate it!
Thank You for sharing such a valuable statistics. Feeling great to have a part of this survey.
Nice one, Shilpa. Glad you found the stats to be of value.
Was happy to take part in this survey)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Victoria.
What an interesting article and insights ! I can’t wait for more articles.
Thanks again for sharing these graphs and data.
Cheers
Othmane En.
I’m glad. Yes, we are working on some interesting articles to be published on our blog.
I was happy to be the part of this survey! I love the post!
Hey Alina, I am glad you liked the post!
Thank you for inviting me to take the survey! The survey results report is enlightening and helpful, and I like how you formatted it. Kudos!
Thanks, Linda, appreciate it.
Great post I was happy to be one who participate on this survey! I love the post!
Fabian, I’m glad you love this post!
Good work, Samuel. Keep it up!
Cheers, Viktor.
Thank you for the article and great round-up! I did have a question on what the definition of “Content creation and outreach” is to you guys. I use guest posting as a method for link building but I thought that literally was creating content and reaching out to people to see if I can contribute to their website. Do you have some examples of ‘Content creation and outreach’ ? Thank you again!
Hey Garrett, that’s a great question. What I meant was, creating a linkable content and then outreach to promote that content. This blog post would be an example. We created this content and now we are outreaching to industry influencers to help promote this. I hope this helps!