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When Google was born, it mainly judged a website based on how many other websites had linked to it. They figured companies would only link to information they knew to be accurate.

Today, sites with many links from other sites signal trustworthiness and therefore receive better search (and AI) placement.

But you’ve already got a full-time job. How can you get backlinks without much effort? 

Here are a few places to start:

Beginner: You’re already donating to 3 little league teams – ask them for a backlink: 

Inevitably your company donates to a charity or two, like the local high school fundraiser and a bunch of 5K runs.

Because these charity sites tend to be trustworthy, a backlink tells Google you’re trustworthy too.

Here’s are my exact words when asking for a backlink:

“I’m happy to donate to the Rotary Club fundraiser. Would you be able to link my logo from your site to mine? This would be great for my business. I’ve attached aJPG of my logo to this email. The website I’d love you to link to is….”

Intermediate:  Write compelling content on your website

Often, you’ll get backlinks without asking if your content is original and something another writer finds online and needs to reference.

Advanced: Join QWOTED

QWOTED is a free email you can receive once a day. In it, reporters from all sorts of websites are looking for experts in different fields for quotes and opinions. 

This method isn’t easy, and reporters will not always pick up your quote.

But when they do, 99% of the time, they will link your quote on their website back to your website.

Using this method, I’ve received tons of backlinks linking my painting website to trustworthy sites like Sherwin Williams, BobVila.com, and Yahoo. Check out all of my backlinks here for ideas.

Here’s my exact email template for responding to QWOTED requests:

Hi there – as the owner of a large painting company near Boston, I thought I’d chime in on your request.  Here are my thoughts:

•  Write your content here
• Use bullet points and short paragraphs to make it as easy to read for the reporter as possible (remember, lots of others will be responding so you want yours to look easy to read).
• Write something that only an insider like you would know. For example:
  • “When installing a mahogany deck, apply the stain on all SIX sides of the decking boards, including the cut ends (the places where the saw cut the wood).”

I hope this helps.  If you’d like to use my content feel free to edit it. I’d also appreciate a link to my painting  website if you use my content.

I love to write, and I also love a challenge, so helping reporters is fun for me. You don’t have to go this far if it’s not fun for you.

But check around your office – you might find out another staff member who likes to write and can respond to QWOTED requests when they’re not busy.

Very Important: Avoid automatically linking back in return, since reciprocal links are seen as less impactful by search engines.

A natural, one-directional link to your site carries far more weight.