When Google's Search Quality Senior Strategist, Andrey Lipattsev cleared the long overdue speculations in an interview about the top key ranking factors on Google's search engine results pages (SERPs), it became apparent that links and content are the two most considerate and influencing elements that constitute Google’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization) algorithm placement.

Ever since, backlinks have become more integral and indispensable to content marketers, especially when settling for viable and affordable SEO strategies that would have a long-term impact.

This is because Google prioritizes credibility and authority, and quality content alone can't beat the benchmark. There have to be other websites attributing your website, or webpages in their content.

As Brian Dean, the founder of Backlinko suggests "The more high-quality backlinks you have, the higher your website is likely to rank in search results."

That being said, with the market being redefined by cost-push inflation, 61.7% of SEOs are saying that link building is getting more expensive than it used to be. This makes cost-effective backlink tactics a dependable resort. And since not all backlink strategies are created equal, especially when it comes to cost-effectiveness, the puzzle for most content marketers and SEO experts is choosing the appropriate strategy that would suffice their budget.

Either way, this article aims to address the quest for cost-effective white-hat backlink-building strategies. We will discuss proven techniques that have remained effective in 2024.

Let's get into it!

Many content marketers grapple with the challenge of finding robust data to support their claims, at times, the insights they present are outdated, diminishing the relevance and authority of their content. As such, if you position your website or brand as a reliable repository of accurate data—be it original or curated—you’ll set yourself up for long-term SEO success.

For instance, a blog post by Semrush used data reports from a Twitter poll to substantiate its stance.

This tactic can hugely improve your credibility, website's authority, and attract a steady stream of backlinks. A good example is Terranova Security’s 131 Cyber Security Statistics: 2024 Trends and Data, a combination of different industry reports that got them on Google’s first page.

Before you get too hyped up, always register the fact that your brand's reputation relies heavily on the accuracy of the information you put out there. This is especially important when you're dealing with sensitive data. You need to make sure it's super solid and can hold up to your audience's scrutiny.

Similarly, when compiling data from external sources, it’s imperative to ensure its recency and reliability. In taking the aforementioned factors into consideration, you safeguard your reputation and establish your website as a trusted authority in your field.

A survey by Ahrefs compared the efficiency of paid and cost-free linking strategies among link builders. The analysis revealed that paying for links yields only an additional two links per month, while 64.9% of link builders rely on guest blogging as their primary link-building strategy, as reported by Authority Hacker.

Expert contribution, particularly in the form of guest blogging, interviews, and events, is a widely adopted and cost-effective backlinking strategy with a promising ROI. These endeavours showcase one's expertise in the industry and involve publishing content on external platforms.

To become a successful guest blogger, it's crucial to possess proficiency in your field and have a surplus of unique ideas and personal anecdotes to share. Rehashing others' knowledge as your own is not an effective strategy. Once you've established yourself as a recognized expert, you can actively start to seek out guest blogging opportunities to showcase your expertise and connect with a wider audience.

You can deploy a Google Search Method. That is, using a mix of certain keywords to discover blogs or websites that impetrate guest posts. A good example is a meld of [your choice of theme keyword]” + “write for us” or the former with + “contribute.” Something simplistic as 'Cyber security + "write for us."'

Another congenial method is through competitor backlinks. Competitor Backlinks is a technique where you research websites similar to yours, to see where they've written guest posts on other sites.

This can be a great way to find relevant websites that might also be interested in featuring your content. This is easiest with smaller competitors, as giant websites might have too many backlinks to check through.

Another trick not often discussed is to find someone well-known in your field who writes guest articles a lot. Then, target the websites they write for! Chances are, if it's good enough for the influencer, it's good enough for you. To find these guest posts, just search "Guest post" plus the influencer's name. This way, you'll find high-quality websites that might be interested in your content too. Michael Alexis’ blog post on ProBlogger is an up-to-scratch example of guest blogging within a niched authoritative website.

Digital PR is a publicity and brand awareness strategy that can be even more effective when it's intercepted with link-building intentions. A digital PR backlink is a hyperlink embedded on a media outlet's website that serves as an endorsement of a brand's content. It links to a source that's both respected and credible.

Leveraging digital PR for backlinks has become an indispensable cost-effective alternative to conventional link-building strategies. This is because when your brand is featured on well-known credible platforms with extensive readership, it not only amplifies organic traffic to your site but also paves the way for authoritative backlinks.

However, the efficiency of digital PR link-building lies in its ability to weave together traditional PR tactics with digital objectives. Thus, there's a keen focus on crafting content that entraps the attention of these media outlets - something newsworthy. That’s typical of what SimpleTexting did with How Long Does It Take Tech CEOs to Earn Your Salary? This digital PR case in point found its way into articles by credible and authoritative media outlets including The Guardian, Fast Company, and Life Hacker.

A proper step-by-step approach to digital PR is to first know your audience and competitors. Start by understanding who you're trying to reach and who your main competitors are in the online space. This research will help you tailor your content and identify relevant publications your target audience reads. Also, since the number of referring domains is one of Google’s most important ranking factors, your success with digital PR link-building is hugely impacted by the stature (authority and relevance) of the websites linking back to you. The more authoritative the site, the more significant the boost to your SEO rankings.

Ensure not to just push promotional material. Instead, focus on creating informative, insightful, or even entertaining content that journalists and bloggers can plug into their stories. Think about industry trends, data-driven reports, or unique perspectives on current events.

With your content at hand, research journalists and bloggers who cover your niche. Look for publications with a good reputation and audience overlap with yours. Many publications have writer bios or contact information readily available on their websites, therefore, reaching out doesn't have to be a cumbersome task.

Don't blast generic emails. Briefly introduce yourself, your expertise, and the content you've created. Highlight how it aligns with their recent work or a specific topic they've covered. It's also important to know that, when it comes to Digital PR, building relationships with writers and editors would help you cut through the publication chase.

Here's a resource to help you learn more about how to maximize digital PR techniques to bolster your SEO.

Part of Google's latest update involves the refinement of some of its core ranking systems to help the algorithm better understand if webpages are unhelpful, spammy, have a poor user experience or feel like they were created for search engines instead of people.

This is the sole reason educational, informative, and how-to content (practical guides) is an ideal way to gain cost-free backlinks, hence Google's automated system prioritizes helpful and authentic informational content, therefore, there is a higher chance of ranking well in Google's SERPs compared to commercial content. That’s exactly the fate of Backlinko’s How to Become an SEO Expert article ranking second on Google’s SERPs.

Also, creating high-quality educational content is likely to significantly enhance your website's authority and reputation. This, in turn, encourages other websites to naturally and voluntarily link to your web pages because your content is regarded as a valuable asset that supports their own. No wonder why 94% of the world’s content gets zero external links. Tons of content out there is incoherent.

The snowball effect of educational content is that it is a win-win practice. You educate your audience, establish authority, and attract valuable backlinks – all while positioning yourself as the go-to resource in your field.

For a detailed guide on creating educational content that can fetch you backlinks, see 5 Simple Steps to Creating Exceptional How-To Content.

According to a Community Roundtable table report, 63% of communities empower members in the following order: Posting questions: (76%) Delivering solutions: (68%) Networking: (65%) Voicing thoughts: (61%) Getting noticed: (60%) Leading: (35%). Community engagement for backlinks involves actively participating in online spaces where your target audience gathers. This could be industry forums, social media groups, or niche discussion boards.

So, how can you build backlinks through community engagement?

First, you have to consistently provide valuable insights, answer questions, and participate in discussions, in order to potentially establish yourself as a thought leader within the community. As such, when relevant to the conversation, you can include a link back to your website, directing users to in-depth content or resources that expand on the topic at hand. This response to the question "How can you learn faster?" on Quora exemplifies how you can attach a website link to an informative conversation to provide further clarification on a subject matter.

Another way to build backlinks through community engagement is to create contests or giveaways relevant to your niche. Offer exciting prizes that incentivize participation and encourage people to share the event across their social media channels or personal blogs. Often, these posts will include a backlink to your site as the contest source.

Likewise, creating valuable surveys or polls on industry topics can lead to backlinks if you encourage participants to share the survey on their platforms - something as cool as Marketo vs. HubSpot poll on LinkedIn. This is a great way to consolidate research and gain insights from your target audience.

There are several advantages to using community engagement for backlink building. One, backlinks earned through genuine interactions tend to feel more natural to search engines compared to paid placements. In the same vein, active participation in relevant communities can exquisitely augment your brand awareness and attract a wider audience. Also, positive interactions within these communities can foster trust and improve your brand's overall image.

However, there are also some drawbacks to consider. Unlike traditional link-building methods, you have limited control over who links to your site and the quality of those backlinks. Of course, low-quality links from unrelated websites can even hurt your SEO efforts.

There is no doubt that backlink-building strategies are becoming more expensive, less accessible, and even more complex as content marketers and SEOs compete to get the most out of their SEO strategy. However, carefully following the 5 cost-effective strategies listed above will definitely give you an extra edge in the competition pool, regardless of your industry. Like every other SEO strategy, backlink building takes time, effort, and long-term commitment to start having substantial outcomes.