Learning how to get backlinks for a new website beginners can use without a budget is one of the first real SEO skills worth building. You publish helpful pages, you wait, and nothing happens, because nobody knows your site exists yet. Backlinks fix that problem. They are links from other websites to yours, and Google treats them as votes of trust, especially when they come from relevant sites in your niche.
You do not need high domain authority or paid tools to earn your first links. You need a clear plan, a few pages worth linking to, and steady outreach. This guide covers seven beginner methods, typical costs, what to avoid, and a simple 90-day plan. Follow the steps in order, and you can earn your first links within weeks.
What Is a Backlink?
A backlink is a link on another website that points to a page on your website. If a blog links to your guide, a directory lists your business with a link to your homepage, or a journalist quotes you and links to your site, each of those is a backlink. A link from a real, relevant site your audience trusts beats ten links from random, unrelated sites.
There are two main types. A dofollow link is a normal link that can pass ranking value to your page. A nofollow link includes a tag that tells Google not to pass that same ranking value, although it can still bring visitors and help Google discover your site. Both types are normal in a healthy link profile, so do not chase only dofollow links. Anchor text is the clickable words in a link, and brand name links look the most natural.
Why Backlinks Matter for a New Website
Backlinks help Google find and trust your pages, send real visitors, and support higher rankings over time. A new site has no history, so a link from an established site acts like an introduction. Links alone will not rank a weak page, though: content quality, search intent, and page speed still matter.
Before You Build Your First Link
Do this foundation work before you send a single outreach email. It takes a day or two, and it makes every later step work better.
- Make sure Google can find you. Set up Google Search Console, which is free, and submit your sitemap. Search for site:yourdomain.com to check that your main pages are indexed.
- Publish 5 to 10 solid pages first. Include a clear homepage, an about page, a contact page, and a few helpful articles.
- Create one linkable page. This is a page someone would naturally reference: a detailed guide, a checklist, a comparison, or a template. Most early outreach will point to this page.
- Fix the basics. Use HTTPS, keep load times fast, and link your own pages together with sensible internal links.
Keep a simple tracking sheet from day one: date, linking site, target page, and anchor text for each link.
7 Beginner Methods to Get Backlinks for a New Website
These methods are ordered from easiest to more advanced. Start with the first two, then add one at a time.
1. Get listed in relevant directories
Pick 5 to 10 directories that fit your business and are still maintained, instead of submitting to hundreds of abandoned listings. Start with Google Business Profile and Bing Places, then add industry directories, professional associations, and your local chamber of commerce. Keep your business name, address, and phone number identical everywhere. If you run a local business, our guide to local SEO for small business explains how these listings fit into local rankings.
2. Write guest posts on relevant sites
Guest posting means writing a useful article for another website in your niche, with a natural link back to your site. List 10 to 20 blogs your audience reads, read three recent articles on each, then pitch one specific topic and what the reader will learn. Keep the pitch short: one line about you, the topic, three points it will cover, and one writing sample. Aim for two to four guest posts per month.
3. Try broken link building
Broken link building means finding a dead link on another website and offering your page as a replacement. Find resource pages in your niche, scan them with a free broken link checker, and check what a dead link’s old page covered. If you have a matching page, offer it as a replacement in a short email naming the page and the broken link. Ten personal emails beat a hundred copied ones. To learn the process, read our guide on how to find broken links on a website for free.
4. Answer journalist requests with HARO and similar platforms
Journalists often need a quick expert quote for an article they are already writing. Platforms such as HARO, now known as Connectively, plus Qwoted and Featured, connect reporters with sources. A good answer can earn a mention and a link from a publication that would be hard to approach directly. Set up alerts for your niche, check requests daily, and reply the same day when you can. Lead with a direct, quotable answer plus one specific example from your experience. Not every reply will be used.
5. Create linkable content people want to reference
Linkable content is content other writers want to cite. The best formats for beginners are detailed how to guides, checklists, templates, comparisons, and statistic roundups. A statistics page that collects current, sourced numbers often becomes a go to reference, because writers need numbers to support their claims. Pick a topic people in your niche write about often, make the best simple version of it with original examples, and share it where your audience gathers.
6. Offer testimonials and join resource pages
If you use a tool you genuinely like, offer a short, specific testimonial about a real result. Many businesses publish testimonials with a link back to the customer. Resource pages work the same way: if your content genuinely belongs on one, a short email explaining why it fits is reasonable.
7. Reclaim unlinked mentions of your brand
An unlinked mention is a reference to your brand that does not include a link. Even a new site can pick up mentions from social posts, podcast show notes, and local coverage. Set up a free Google Alert for your brand name, and when you find a mention, email the author, thank them, and suggest the most relevant page to link to.
Backlink Methods Compared: Effort, Difficulty, and Speed
Use this table to choose where to start. Speed is how quickly you are likely to see a result, not a guarantee of rankings.
| Method | Effort per link | Difficulty | Typical speed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relevant directories | Low, 15 to 30 minutes | Easy | Days to weeks | Free |
| Testimonials | Low, 15 to 30 minutes | Easy | Days to weeks | Free |
| Unlinked mentions | Low, 10 to 20 minutes | Easy | Days | Free |
| Broken link building | Medium, 1 to 2 hours | Medium | One to four weeks | Free |
| Guest posting | High, 3 to 6 hours | Medium | Two to six weeks | Free |
| Journalist requests (HARO) | Medium, 20 to 40 minutes | Medium | Days to weeks | Free plans available |
| Linkable content | High, several hours | Medium to hard | Slow, compounds over months | Free |
A practical mix for your first month is directories, testimonials, and unlinked mentions for quick wins, plus one guest post and one HARO reply each week.
How Much Do Backlinks Cost?
Most methods here are free: directories, testimonials, broken link building, guest posts, HARO replies, and your own content cost time, not money. An industry association may charge annual dues, typically tens to a few hundred dollars per year. A paid SEO tool typically starts around $100 to $200 per month, but you do not need one to start. Paid links are risky: Google treats links bought mainly to manipulate rankings as link spam, so mark any paid placement rel=”sponsored”.
Your First 90 Days: A Simple Backlink Plan
Days 1 to 30: foundation and easy wins. Finish the checklist, publish your linkable page, submit your site to 10 to 15 relevant directories, create your social profiles, and offer two or three testimonials. Aim for 10 to 15 relevant profile and citation links.
Days 31 to 60: outreach begins. Publish a second linkable asset, send five guest post pitches per week, reply to two or three journalist requests per week, and send five broken link emails per week. A 10 to 20 percent response rate is normal, so five pitches a week can turn into two to four guest posts a month.
Days 61 to 90: repeat what worked. Double down on the methods that earned replies, refresh your best page, and check which links Google has indexed. Aim for three to five more editorial links, mostly with brand name and URL anchor text.
What NOT to Do: Tactics That Can Get a New Site Penalized
Shortcuts are tempting when growth feels slow, but for a new site the risk is higher, because you have no history to absorb a penalty. Google’s spam policies are clear that links created mainly to manipulate rankings count as link spam.
Do not buy backlinks. Paying for a dofollow link to pass ranking value violates Google’s spam policies. Read Google’s spam policies on links for the official rules.
Do not join link farms or private blog networks. These are groups of sites built only to manufacture links. They may look like real blogs, but they exist to sell links, and Google actively looks for these patterns. Do not run bulk link exchanges. A natural link between two sites that genuinely reference each other is fine, but swapping links at scale is a link scheme.
Do not spam comments, forums, or press releases with keyword links. A helpful comment with no link is fine. Dropping your keyword as anchor text across dozens of comment sections is not. The same applies to thin guest posts written only to get a link. Do not use exact match anchor text everywhere. Mix branded, URL, generic, and partial match anchors instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get backlinks for a new website for free?
Submit your site to a few relevant directories, create your social and business profiles, offer honest testimonials, reclaim unlinked mentions, write one or two guest posts, and answer journalist requests on free platforms.
How many backlinks does a new website need?
There is no fixed number. A useful first milestone is 10 to 20 relevant links from different websites. After that, compare your profile with the sites ranking above you, measured in referring domains, not total links.
Should I buy backlinks for a new website?
No, not as a shortcut. Buying dofollow links to manipulate rankings violates Google’s spam policies, and a new domain is more likely to be flagged for unnatural links. A paid placement is only acceptable when marked rel=”sponsored”.
How long does it take for backlinks to show results?
Expect 60 to 90 days before you see consistent movement. A single new link can take weeks to be discovered, and rankings depend on content and competition as well as links.
How do I find backlinks to my website?
Use Google Search Console, which is free, and open the Links report to see external links and anchor text. Free checkers such as Ahrefs add detail on referring domains and competitor links. See the Ahrefs guide to getting backlinks for more.
What makes a good backlink for a new site?
A good backlink comes from a real website in your niche, appears in relevant content, uses natural anchor text, and points to a page that deserves the link. One link from a trusted blog or industry association can beat dozens from unrelated directories.
Conclusion
It comes down to a simple order: build a few pages worth linking to, earn the easy links first, then move to guest posts, broken link building, and journalist replies, one method at a time. Track every link, use mostly branded anchor text, and avoid paid links and link farms. Start this week with five directory submissions, and repeat what earns replies for 90 days.
