If you have spent any time in the SEO world, you have likely heard the phrase content is king. While content remains crucial, even the most exceptional content struggles to achieve visibility without quality backlinks directing traffic to your site.
Link building continues to be one of the most powerful ranking factors in Google’s algorithm. In 2025, its importance has only intensified. With so much conflicting advice circulating, distinguishing effective strategies from outdated tactics becomes challenging.
This comprehensive collection addresses that challenge with over 45 expert insights from leading SEO professionals. From industry pioneers like Rand Fishkin and Brian Dean to contemporary link building specialists achieving remarkable results today, these quotes provide proven wisdom.
These insights offer more than inspiration. Each quote contains actionable strategies you can implement immediately. Whether you are an experienced professional or just beginning your SEO journey, you will discover valuable techniques that will transform your approach to link building.
Why Link Building Still Matters in 2025
Before exploring the expert quotes, let’s establish one fundamental truth: link building remains essential. Despite algorithm updates and artificial intelligence advancements, Google continues treating backlinks as confidence votes.
Current SEO landscape developments include:
Google’s E-E-A-T Focus: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness have become critical ranking factors. Quality backlinks from reputable sources signal all four elements to Google’s crawlers.
AI-Generated Content Surge: With ChatGPT and similar AI tools flooding the web with content, Google relies more heavily on traditional trust signals like backlinks to distinguish quality content from automated material.
Core Web Vitals Integration: While technical SEO matters, sites with strong backlink profiles consistently outperform technically perfect sites with weak link profiles.
The conclusion remains clear: links form the foundation of SEO success. However, the strategies for earning them have evolved significantly.
Top Expert Quotes on Link Building and Authority
Foundational Wisdom from SEO Legends
Let us begin with timeless insights from the professionals who established SEO best practices.
The best way to get links is to create content so good that people cannot help but link to it. – Rand Fishkin
What this means: Rand’s observation captures the essence of modern link building. Rather than pursuing links directly, focus on creating genuinely valuable content that naturally attracts them. This includes original research, comprehensive guides, or tools that solve real problems.
How to apply it: Before creating content, ask yourself: Would I link to this from my own site? If the answer is no, continue refining until it becomes link-worthy.
I would rather have 5 links from unique domains than 50 links from the same domain. – Brian Dean
What this means: Link diversity consistently outweighs link quantity. Google values links from different domains much more highly than multiple links from identical sources.
How to apply it: When planning link building campaigns, create a spreadsheet to track domain diversity. Target links from completely different industries, geographic locations, and website types.
The objective is not to make your links appear natural; the objective is that your links are natural. – Matt Cutts
What this means: This insight from Google’s former head of web spam provides invaluable guidance. Rather than attempting to manipulate the system, build genuine relationships and create content that naturally earns links.
How to apply it: If you find yourself questioning whether Google will consider a link natural, you are likely pursuing the wrong approach. Focus on earning links through genuine value creation instead.
Link building is not about getting any link from any site. It is about getting the right links from the right sites. – Neil Patel
What this means: Quality over quantity represents more than a slogan – it is a survival strategy. One high-quality link from a relevant, authoritative site provides more value than dozens of low-quality links.
How to apply it: Create a target list of 20-30 high-quality sites in your niche. Focus all energy on earning links from these sites rather than casting a wide net.
Content is the reason search began in the first place. – Lee Odden
What this means: Remember that links serve as means to an end. The real goal connects people with valuable content that solves their problems.
How to apply it: Begin every link building campaign by auditing existing content. Ensure it provides genuine help before asking anyone to link to it.
Modern Link Building Strategies for Today’s Algorithm
Now let us hear from experts succeeding in today’s competitive environment.
In 2025, the best link builders are also the best content creators. – Aleyda Solis
What this means: The era of separating link building from content creation has ended. Today’s most successful campaigns integrate both from the beginning.
How to apply it: When planning content, simultaneously plan your outreach strategy. Identify who might want to link to your content before you begin writing.
AI can help with outreach, but it cannot replace genuine relationships. – Ryan Stewart
What this means: While AI tools can streamline outreach processes, the human element remains crucial for building lasting relationships that generate multiple links over time.
How to apply it: Use AI to research prospects and draft initial outreach emails, but always personalize final messages and follow-ups with genuine human insights.
The future of link building is building something link-worthy, not building links. – Cyrus Shepard
What this means: This perfectly captures the shift from active link building to passive link earning. Focus energy on creating assets that naturally attract links.
How to apply it: Dedicate 80% of your link building time to creating exceptional content and only 20% to actual outreach. This approach yields better mathematical results.
Your competitors’ backlinks are your link building opportunities. – Tim Soulo
What this means: Competitor analysis extends beyond research – it provides your roadmap to link building success. Sites that link to competitors are pre-qualified prospects.
How to apply it: Use tools like Ahrefs to analyze your top 5 competitors’ backlink profiles. Create a list of sites that link to multiple competitors – these represent your highest-priority targets.
Build for humans, earn links from Google. – Marie Haynes
What this means: This succinct principle reminds us that the best SEO strategy involves no manipulation at all – simply create genuinely useful content for real people.
How to apply it: Before launching link building campaigns, test your content with real users. If they do not find it valuable, neither will link prospects.
Link Building vs. Link Earning: Understanding the Difference
Understanding the distinction between building and earning links proves crucial for long-term success.
Link building is something you do TO your site. Link earning is something you do FOR your audience. – Rand Fishkin
What this means: This distinction defines everything. Link building focuses on your needs; link earning focuses on providing value to others.
How to apply it: Transform your mindset. Instead of asking How can I get a link from this site? ask How can I provide value to this site’s audience?
Google does not hate link building. Google hates manipulative link building. – John Mueller
What this means: Nothing prevents actively promoting content and building relationships. Problems arise when attempting to manipulate PageRank through artificial schemes.
How to apply it: Focus on editorial links earned through merit rather than paid placements or link exchanges. If you would not feel comfortable explaining your link building strategy to a Google engineer, reconsider your approach.
The best link building campaigns feel like PR campaigns. – Paddy Moogan
What this means: Modern link building essentially represents digital PR. You build relationships, share newsworthy content, and earn mentions through genuine value creation.
How to apply it: Think like a PR professional. Create newsworthy content, build media lists, and focus on earning mentions that include links rather than chasing links directly.
Black hat link building is like taking steroids. It might work short-term, but it will destroy you eventually. – Barry Schwartz
What this means: Penalties for manipulative link building continue becoming more severe. Google’s algorithms demonstrate incredible sophistication at detecting artificial link patterns.
How to apply it: If a link building tactic feels too easy or promises unrealistic results, avoid it. Focus on sustainable, white-hat strategies that compound over time.
Strategic Takeaways from Link Building Quotes
Focus on Quality Over Quantity
Every expert agrees on this fundamental principle, but what does it mean in practice?
I would rather have one link from a site my target audience actually reads than 100 links from sites they have never heard of. – Ann Handley
Here is your checklist for qualifying link opportunities:
- Relevance Check: Does this site serve your target audience?
- Authority Assessment: Would you personally trust this site for information?
- Traffic Validation: Does this site actually receive visitors who might click through?
- Editorial Standards: Does this site maintain quality standards for content?
- Natural Fit: Would a link to your content genuinely help their readers?
One high-quality link is worth more than 1,000 directory submissions. – Danny Sullivan
Stop pursuing easy wins and start investing in relationships that matter. A single link from an industry publication your customers actually read will drive more traffic and rankings than dozens of low-quality directory links.
Incorporate Link Building into Your Content Planning
The most successful link builders do not treat link building as an afterthought – they integrate it into their content strategy from day one.
Every piece of content should be created with link building in mind. – Julie Joyce
Here is how to plan for links from the start:
The Strategic Content Planning Process: Before writing a single word, identify 10-15 sites that might want to link to your content. Research what type of content they typically link to, then create something even better. This approach reverses the traditional model – instead of creating content and hoping someone will link to it, you create content specifically designed to earn links from predetermined targets.
Topic clusters are not just good for SEO – they are link magnets. – Marcus Miller
When you create comprehensive topic clusters, you are not just helping Google understand your expertise – you are creating multiple link opportunities within a single content initiative. Each piece of the cluster can earn links from different types of sites and for different reasons.
Use Relationships, Not Just Outreach Templates
The biggest mistake most people make is treating link building like a numbers game. It is actually a relationship game.
The best links come from people who know you, like you, and trust you. – Debra Mastaler
This means investing time in building genuine relationships within your industry. Attend conferences, engage meaningfully on social media, and contribute to industry discussions without always pitching your content.
Build assets people want to link to, then build relationships with people who want to link. – Garrett French
Quick tip: Create a link magnet – a resource so valuable that other sites in your industry naturally want to reference it. This could be original research, a comprehensive database, a free tool, or an annual industry report. Then nurture relationships with people most likely to discover and share this asset.
Your network is your net worth in link building. – Eric Ward
The most successful link builders treat relationship building as seriously as content creation. They maintain CRM systems for tracking relationships, remember personal details about contacts, and consistently provide value before asking for anything in return.
Case Studies: Link Building in Action
Let us examine how these quotes translate into real-world success stories.
Case Study 1: The Research-Driven Approach
A B2B software company implemented Rand Fishkin’s advice about creating naturally link-worthy content. Instead of writing generic blog posts about their industry, they invested 15,000 dollars in original research surveying 2,000 professionals about remote work trends.
The result? Their State of Remote Work 2025 report earned 347 links from 289 unique domains in six months, including coverage from major publications like Fast Company and Harvard Business Review. The key was following Brian Dean’s principle about domain diversity – they specifically pitched the research to sites across different industries including HR, technology, business, and productivity.
Case Study 2: The Relationship-First Strategy
A digital marketing agency followed Debra Mastaler’s advice about building relationships before asking for links. Instead of sending cold outreach emails, they spent six months genuinely engaging with industry influencers on Twitter and LinkedIn.
When they finally launched their comprehensive guide to Google Analytics 4, they had warm relationships with 47 industry professionals. Their personalized outreach following Tim Soulo’s competitor analysis approach resulted in 23 high-quality links in the first month, with an average Domain Rating of 65.
Case Study 3: The PR-Style Campaign
An e-commerce brand implemented Paddy Moogan’s advice about treating link building like PR. They created a newsworthy story around their company’s transition to carbon-neutral shipping, complete with data on environmental impact and cost analysis.
By positioning this as a business story rather than just content marketing, they earned coverage from 15 business publications and 8 logistics industry sites. The campaign generated 94 links and resulted in a 35% increase in organic traffic within four months.
Interactive Resources
Downloadable Link Building Quote Checklist
Ready to put these insights into action? I have created a comprehensive checklist that distills all 45+ quotes into actionable steps you can take today.
This free PDF includes:
- A pre-outreach content audit framework
- Relationship building templates and tracking sheets
- Quality assessment criteria for link prospects
- Monthly link building planning worksheets
Download your free Link Building Strategy Checklist here and start implementing these expert insights immediately.
Infographic: The Evolution of Link Building (2005–2025)
Understanding where link building has been helps you see where it is going. Our comprehensive infographic maps major Google algorithm updates against the evolution of link building best practices.
Key timeline highlights:
- 2005-2010: The Wild West era – quantity over quality
- 2011-2015: Penguin and Panda force quality focus
- 2016-2020: Content marketing integration becomes essential
- 2021-2025: E-E-A-T and AI reshape the landscape
View the complete Evolution of Link Building infographic to see how expert advice has adapted to each major shift in the SEO landscape.
Final Thoughts
These 45+ quotes provide more than inspiration – they offer your roadmap to link building success in 2025 and beyond. The common threads running through all of them are clear:
- Quality always beats quantity
- Relationships matter more than templates
- Value creation leads to natural link acquisition
- Sustainability trumps short-term gains
However, quotes are only as valuable as the action they inspire. You could memorize every single quote in this collection, but if you do not implement the strategies behind them, they remain just words.
Here is my challenge to you: Pick ONE quote from this collection that resonates most strongly with your current situation. Then take one concrete action based on that quote within the next 24 hours.
Maybe it involves auditing your existing content through the lens of Would I link to this? Maybe it means reaching out to one industry professional to start building a genuine relationship. Maybe it involves finally investing in that original research project you have been considering.
Whatever it is, do it today. Your future self and your search rankings will benefit.
FAQs About Link Building
What are the best types of links to build in 2025?
The best links in 2025 are editorial links from relevant, authoritative sites in your industry. Focus on:
- Industry publications that your target audience actually reads
- Resource pages on relevant websites that naturally fit your content
- Guest posts on high-quality sites when you can provide genuine value
- Original research citations from academic and industry sources
- Tool and resource mentions in roundup posts and directories
Avoid: Paid link networks, low-quality directories, link exchanges, and any scheme that feels manipulative.
How do I protect my site from black-hat link practices?
Prevention is better than cleanup. Here is how to stay safe:
- Regular backlink audits: Use tools like Google Search Console to monitor your link profile monthly
- Disavow toxic links: If you discover spammy links pointing to your site, use Google’s disavow tool
- Focus on white-hat strategies: Stick to the tactics outlined in this article
- Monitor competitors: If competitors are using black-hat tactics, do not be tempted to follow suit
- Document your strategies: Keep records of your link building activities so you can prove they are legitimate if questioned
Are backlinks still important with AI-generated search results?
Absolutely. In fact, they might be more important than ever. Here is why:
AI-generated content is flooding the web, making it harder for search engines to determine quality based on content alone. Backlinks serve as trust signals that help AI systems identify authoritative, reliable sources.
Google’s AI overviews and featured snippets consistently favor content from sites with strong backlink profiles. Even as search results become more conversational and AI-driven, the underlying ranking factors still heavily weight link authority.
The key is focusing on the type of links that signal genuine expertise and trustworthiness – exactly what these expert quotes have been telling us all along.
Get Started With Your Link Building Strategy
Ready to transform your approach to link building? Here are the tools and next steps that will help you implement everything you have learned:
Essential Link Building Tools:
- Ahrefs: For competitor analysis and backlink research
- Moz Link Explorer: For link prospecting and domain authority analysis
- Google Search Console: For monitoring your existing backlink profile
- HARO (Help a Reporter Out): For earning links through media mentions
Your Next Steps:
- Audit your current content using the Would I link to this test
- Identify 20 high-quality prospects in your industry using competitor analysis
- Create one piece of genuinely link-worthy content based on original research or unique insights
- Start building relationships with industry professionals before you need anything from them
- Track everything so you can double down on what works
Remember, link building is not a sprint – it is a marathon. The strategies that work take time to develop, but they compound over years to create sustainable competitive advantages.
Want help implementing these strategies? Schedule a free consultation to discuss how these expert insights can be customized for your specific industry and goals.
The experts have spoken. The strategies are proven. Now it is time to take action.
