Link Building in 2025: First 10 Links & Assets

Last Updated on November 22, 2025 by Ian Naylor

As search engines evolve, so too do the strategies for gaining competitive SEO advantages. One critical area that remains at the core of digital marketing is link building. In 2025, the game has changed significantly – it’s no longer about aimlessly collecting backlinks or traditional outreach campaigns. Instead, successful link building requires a nuanced approach tailored to your industry, your audience, and the changing expectations of search engines like Google.

This article delves into transformative link-building insights and strategies discussed by SEO experts that will help SEO professionals, digital marketers, and small business owners thrive in the world of ethical, effective SEO practices.

The Concept of "First 10 Links": Laying the Foundation

When launching a new website or business, acquiring those first links can feel daunting. However, these foundational links are critical for getting your site indexed and establishing an initial online presence. According to experts, the following sources are excellent starting points for obtaining those early links:

Existing Networks: Reach out to friends, colleagues, and business partners who can provide links from their websites.
Chamber of Commerce and Local Directories: These are underrated but reliable sources of credible backlinks, especially for small businesses.
Other Sites You Own: Use links from websites you control to pass value to your new site.
Press Releases: While no longer as impactful as they once were, press releases can still help you gain some traction in niche markets.

These simple yet effective methods create a foundational web of backlinks, putting your site "on the board" with search engines. However, the real challenge lies in moving beyond this foundation to build links that genuinely drive results.

Moving the Needle: High-Impact Link Building Strategies

Once foundational links are secured, the focus shifts to acquiring backlinks that truly influence search rankings. These strategies are particularly effective in 2025:

1. Linkable Assets: The Cornerstone of Modern SEO

A "linkable asset" is a piece of content so valuable, unique, or engaging that other sites naturally link to it. Examples include:

Original Research or Studies: Publish data-driven insights or unique findings based on your customer database or industry trends.
Interactive Tools and Web Apps: Tools like calculators, visual generators, or color palette creators serve both as functional resources and shareable assets. For instance, Canva’s color palette generator has garnered thousands of backlinks due to its utility.
In-Depth Guides: Comprehensive, well-researched guides tailored to solving specific problems are highly linkable, especially in technical or niche industries.

Crafting a linkable asset involves creativity and strategic thinking, but the payoff is immense. Well-constructed assets can attract backlinks passively, reducing the need for outreach.

2. Emphasizing Personal Experience

Google’s algorithms increasingly favor content that demonstrates personal expertise and experience. Content creators should:

Use personal pronouns like "I" or "we" to establish authority and authenticity.
Incorporate original images, videos, and anecdotes to show firsthand experience with products or services.
Shift away from "SEO-first" content and focus on human-first content that genuinely answers user queries and solves problems.

For example, a piece comparing products or services benefits greatly from including photos, video demonstrations, and detailed reviews based on hands-on experience.

3. Podcasts as Link-Building Goldmines

Podcasts provide a dual benefit: exposure to a new audience and a high-quality backlink from podcast episode descriptions or show notes. Appearing as a guest on relevant podcasts can help build authority in your niche and secure valuable links tied to your personal or company brand.

Additionally, podcast transcripts on YouTube are often indexed and cited by AI systems, adding a new layer of discoverability and credibility for your brand.

Why Outreach Is Losing ROI

Traditional link-building outreach, where marketers email websites asking for backlinks, has seen diminishing returns. In 2025, this method is considered low ROI for several reasons:

Low Engagement Rates: Cold outreach emails often go unanswered or are marked as spam.
Preference for Organic Links: Google rewards naturally acquired backlinks far more than those obtained through direct requests.
Time-Intensive Process: The effort required for outreach rarely justifies the outcomes.

Instead, focus on link-building strategies that create organic attraction, such as publishing data-driven studies, creating shareable assets, and building your authority through brand mentions.

Technical SEO: Uncovering Hidden Opportunities

Technical SEO remains a vital component of link building and overall SEO success. Some common oversights can significantly impact your link equity:

Crawlability Issues: Ensure all pages are accessible to search engines. For instance, one business discovered that robots.txt was blocking critical subfolders containing thousands of valuable backlinks.
Internal Linking Optimization: Avoid over-optimization with excessive links in headers, footers, or exact-match anchor text. Focus on linking strategically from your homepage or relevant hub pages.
Updating Old Content: Refreshing older content with new data, improved visuals, or updated insights can provide a significant boost. Frequent updates signal to Google that the page remains relevant.

Lessons from the Helpful Content Update (HCU)

Google’s Helpful Content Update (HCU) has reshaped how content is evaluated. Contrary to many assumptions, it wasn’t just about "helpful" content but aimed at reducing the dominance of overly optimized "SEO-first" sites.

Causes of HCU Penalties:

Over-Optimization: Sites that relied heavily on SEO tricks, such as keyword-stuffed pages, took a hit.
Lack of Authenticity: Google favored content that demonstrated genuine expertise and a clear audience focus.

How to Recover:

Shift to Authentic Content: Focus on firsthand insights, user intent, and solving real problems.
Evolve Business Models: Sites relying solely on ad revenue or affiliate links should consider adding forums, subscription models, or selling physical/digital products.
Update Consistently: Regularly refresh content with new data, imagery, or insights.

Practical Takeaways for All Skill Levels

For Beginners:

Focus on gaining foundational links from trusted sources like directories, partners, or local networks.
Avoid over-relying on tools and prioritize creating unique, problem-solving content.
Ensure your content is mobile-friendly, as Google’s algorithms prioritize mobile-first indexing.

For Intermediate SEOs:

Develop high-value linkable assets that naturally attract backlinks.
Shift your focus from traditional outreach to building personal authority through podcasts, interviews, and expert quotes.
Regularly update older content to maintain its relevance and ranking potential.

Key Takeaways

Start with the Basics: Foundational links from directories, partners, or press releases are essential for new websites.
Invest in Linkable Assets: Tools, calculators, and original research pieces drive more organic backlinks than traditional outreach.
Prioritize Experience and Authenticity: Google’s algorithms favor personal expertise, original visuals, and firsthand insights.
Rethink Outreach: Focus on creating content that earns links passively rather than chasing low-ROI outreach campaigns.
Technical SEO Matters: Address crawlability issues and optimize internal linking without over-engineering it.
Refresh and Update: Regularly updating old pages with fresh content gives your site a competitive edge.
Adapt to HCU Changes: Favor authenticity over over-optimization and differentiate your site with unique business models or value-added features.
Leverage Social Sharing: Always share new content on social platforms to boost visibility and drive initial traffic.
Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your site performs seamlessly on mobile devices, as Google’s focus remains mobile-first indexing.

Conclusion

In 2025, mastering link building and SEO means adapting to a rapidly changing digital landscape. By focusing on authenticity, creating valuable assets, and refining your technical strategies, you can achieve sustainable organic growth without relying on outdated shortcuts. The strategies outlined here are not just about ranking higher but building a durable and authoritative presence that aligns with modern search engine expectations. Now is the time to pivot from "old-school" SEO practices and embrace a forward-thinking, human-first approach to link building and content optimization.

Source: "Link Building in 2025: First 10 Links, Linkable Assets & HCU Wins (w/ Cyrus Shepard)" – Edward Sturm, YouTube, Sep 19, 2025 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPEkoQnwErc