Imagine you have a fantastic website for your business – whether it’s a SaaS startup, a real estate agency, or an international school – but it’s a bit like a great party with no guests. How do you get people (and Google) to notice it? This is where link building comes into play.
In plain terms, link building is about getting other websites to vouch for yours by linking to it. It’s one of the most important parts of off-page SEO and can make the difference between a website that’s a wallflower and one that’s the star of the show.
What is Link Building? (Definition)
Link building is the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own website. These hyperlinks from external sites are often called backlinks. Think of each backlink as a little endorsement or recommendation for your site.
When reputable sites link to yours, it’s like they’re telling search engines, “Hey, this site is worth checking out!” Since these links come from outside your own website, link building is known as an off-page SEO strategy
Why Link Building Matters for SEO
Link building isn’t just a fancy SEO term – it’s a core factor in how well your site ranks on search engines. In fact, backlinks remain one of the top factors that Google’s algorithm looks at when deciding where to place your page in the search results.
Each quality backlink acts like a vote of confidence for your website, boosting your site’s credibility and authority in Google’s eyes
It’s no wonder that 95% of businesses are prioritizing link building as part of their SEO strategy in 2025 and beyond. A strong backlink profile can significantly improve your domain authority (a measure of your site’s trustworthiness) which in turn helps increase organic traffic.
Plus, backlinks aren’t just for search engines – they can bring direct referral traffic too. A well-placed link on a popular site can funnel actual visitors to your page, potentially leading to new customers or inquiries.
That said, it’s not simply about racking up a high volume of links. Quality trumps quantity. Search engines value backlinks from credible, relevant websites far more than links from shady or unrelated sites. (One great backlink from a respected industry blog will beat ten links from sketchy, spammy sites.)
In fact, low-quality link schemes can do more harm than good, so it’s wise to focus on genuine, high-quality links for long-term success
Link Building in Practice: Examples
To make link building less abstract, here are a few real-world examples of how it works for different businesses:
- SaaS Company: Imagine you run a SaaS startup and publish a helpful industry report on your blog. A well-known tech website discovers your report and links back to it in an article about trends. That backlink not only boosts your credibility (off-page SEO love!) but can also send interested readers straight to your site.
- Real Estate Agency: You have a real estate business in Bangkok and manage to get listed on a reputable property directory or mentioned in a local news article online. The directory page includes a link to your website. This backlink is a thumbs-up for your site’s authority, helping improve your SEO rankings for local real estate searches.
- International School: Your international school publishes a great guide for parents on its website. An education blogger or a school review site finds it useful and links to your guide in their article about choosing schools. That backlink gives your school’s site more trust in Google’s eyes and brings in parents who click the link to learn more about your programs.
In each of these examples, another website is effectively saying “This business is worth checking out,” by linking to it. Over time, these links build up your site’s reputation and visibility online.
Common & Effective Link Building Strategies
So, how do you actively build and earn these valuable backlinks? Here are some common and effective link building strategies (that even beginners can use):
- Create High-Value Content (Link Earning): The foundation of earning backlinks is to publish content people want to link to. This could be a comprehensive how-to guide, an insightful blog post, an infographic, or a research piece with original data. When your content is truly useful or unique, other sites will naturally reference and link to it – this is often called “link earning” because you’re earning backlinks with great content rather than begging for them.
- Guest Blogging on Relevant Sites: Contributing guest articles to reputable blogs or online publications in your industry is a tried-and-true link building tactic. For example, a SaaS CEO might write an expert post for a tech blog, or a real estate consultant might contribute an article to a property investment site. In your guest post bio or content, you usually get to include a link back to your website. It’s a win-win: the host site gets quality content, and you earn a relevant backlink and exposure to a new audience.
- Business Directories & Listings: Don’t overlook easy wins like listing your business on respected directories and review sites. For B2B companies, this could mean industry-specific directories, LinkedIn company pages, or sites like G2 (for software). For local businesses (like real estate agencies or schools), it includes Google My Business, Yelp, or education directories. These profiles often allow a link to your website. They might not carry as much weight as an editorial link from a news site, but they help establish your online presence and are simple to set up.
- PR and Influencer Outreach: Public relations is basically link building through storytelling. If you have news or an interesting story (launching a new product, hosting an event, achieving a milestone), reach out to journalists, bloggers, or industry influencers who might cover it. A press mention in an online magazine or a shout-out from an influencer can include a backlink to your site. Similarly, collaborating with influencers or partnering on content (like being a guest on a podcast or webinar) can lead to links on their websites. This strategy is about leveraging relationships and visibility to earn backlinks from high-authority sources.
- Partner Testimonials & Networking: Leverage your business relationships for backlinks. If you have partners, vendors, or clients, consider offering a testimonial or case study that they can publish on their site – with a link back to your company. Many companies love featuring success stories, and it’s an easy way for you to get a backlink. You can also do reciprocal linking with complementary (not competing) businesses in your network – for instance, a software company and an analytics tool might agree to mention and link to each other as recommended resources. The key is that the partnership and links should make sense for users and add real value.
Each of these strategies helps you build your backlink profile in a legitimate way. Remember, consistency is key – link building is an ongoing process, more of a marathon than a sprint. Over time, these efforts compound, and you’ll see your site’s authority and SEO rankings grow.
Ready to Boost Your SEO Rankings?
Link building may sound technical, but at its heart it’s about relationships and reputation. By now, you know the essentials of what link building is, why it matters, and how to start doing it. With a friendly, consistent approach, even a B2B business in SaaS, real estate, or education can earn great backlinks and climb the search results.
If all this still feels a bit overwhelming or you’d like some expert guidance, we’re here to help. Contact our SEO company in Bangkok for a friendly chat about boosting your website’s authority.
We’ll help you craft a smart link building strategy that elevates your off-page SEO and drives real results – higher rankings, more traffic, and more business. Let’s build those links and get your site the recognition it deserves!
