Link Building Tactics Compared: Guest Posts, Digital PR, Broken Links and Resource Pages

Four tactics come up in almost every link building conversation: guest posts, digital PR, broken link building and resource page outreach. None of them is "the best." Each fits a different situation, budget and tolerance for uncertainty. This guide compares them, shows a basic workflow for each, and names the trade-offs. For the wider context, see Link Building Strategy & Use Cases.

The quick comparison

These are general tendencies, not measurements. Your niche and execution will change them.

Guest posts

A guest post means writing an article for another site in exchange for a contextual link, usually in the body or author bio. Whether it still pays off depends on the sites you choose. See Is guest posting still worth it for link building? for the longer discussion.

Workflow

1. List sites your audience actually reads, not just sites with a "write for us" page.
2. Check for real traffic signals, editorial standards and topical fit. Skip sites that publish on everything.
3. Pitch two or three specific topics, tied to gaps in their existing coverage.
4. Write something you would be happy to publish on your own site.
5. Link only where it helps the reader, and keep anchor text natural.

Trade-offs

• You control the content and the message, which is rare in link building.
• It is time-intensive, and acceptance is not guaranteed.
• Sites that sell placements openly carry more risk of being treated as link schemes. Paid links should follow search engines' guidelines on disclosure and link attributes.

Digital PR

Digital PR earns links by giving journalists and editors something worth covering: original data, a useful study, an expert opinion or a timely angle. It overlaps with brand building, which is part of its appeal.

Workflow

1. Pick an angle journalists in your niche already cover.
2. Build the asset: a dataset, survey, tool or well-sourced commentary. Be honest about your method and sample size.
3. Build a targeted media list by topic and reporter, not a mass blast.
4. Send short, personalized pitches with the key finding in the first lines.
5. Follow up once, then move on. Track coverage and links.

Trade-offs

• Links can come from strong, authoritative publications.
• Costs are front-loaded, and a campaign can earn little or nothing.
• Results are harder to forecast than with the other tactics.

Broken link building

You find a dead outbound link on a relevant page, then suggest your own content as a replacement. It is helpful to the site owner, but good opportunities are limited. Read Does broken link building still work? for realistic expectations.

Workflow

1. Find relevant pages with outbound links, then check them for 404s.
2. Confirm that you have, or can create, a close equivalent to the dead resource.
3. Email the owner: name the page, the broken URL, and your suggested replacement. Keep it brief.
4. Track replies and refine your targets.

Trade-offs

• Low-pressure pitch, because you are fixing a problem for them.
• Many dead links point to topics you cannot credibly cover.
• Expect modest reply rates and plenty of manual checking.

Recommended for youHow to Build a Repeatable Link Building Process: A Step-by-Step Workflow

Resource pages

Resource pages curate links on a topic. If your content is truly useful, you can ask to be included. The hard part is finding live, maintained pages. Our guide on finding resource pages covers search operators and filtering.

Workflow

1. Search for topic-specific "resources," "tools," or "useful links" pages.
2. Discard pages with no recent updates or with cluttered, spammy link lists.
3. Check that your page is better, or at least different, from what they list.
4. Pitch with a one-line explanation of why it fits their readers.

Trade-offs

• Relevant, contextual links with a clear logic behind them.
• Your content has to be good enough to deserve a spot.
• Some pages are abandoned and no one answers.

How to choose

• New site, little content: start with content worth linking to, then resource pages and selective guest posts. See the best strategy for a new website.
• Original data or expertise: digital PR is a natural fit.
• Large existing content library: broken link and resource page outreach can match it to many targets.
• Tight budget: you can start with free options. See whether you need a paid tool.

Many teams combine two tactics rather than committing to one. Whatever you pick, expect a long runway: how long link building takes to improve rankings varies, and no tactic guarantees movement.

Make it repeatable

Tactics matter less than process. Learn how to find opportunities, qualify prospects, and run a consistent outreach workflow. Then document it as a repeatable process. Agencies and freelancers can extend that across accounts with these scaling methods.

Choosing tools

Prospecting and tracking tools can save time, but features and pricing change. If you are comparing options, check our review and comparison pages, and confirm current details on each vendor's official site before buying.

Keep reading

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