B2B Backlinks That Actually Work in 2026 (I Tested 7 Methods So You Don't Have To)

I spent $3,200 on backlinks last year. Most were useless. Here’s what finally worked.

Last January, I sat staring at my screen. Three replies. Five hundred emails sent. One backlink earned.

My CEO wanted 20 backlinks that month. I delivered one. That’s a 0.2% conversion rate.

I learned the hard way that B2B backlinks are nothing like blog backlinks. What works for a recipe site will get you ignored or penalized.

Let me save you the $3,200 and 400+ hours I wasted.

My First B2B Backlink Failure (500 Emails, 3 Replies)

I thought I had it figured out. Find sites. Send personalized emails. Get links.

I was wrong. Embarrassingly wrong.

The email template I thought was “personalized”

Here’s the exact template I sent to 500 people:

Subject: Quick question about your post on [Topic]

Hi [First Name],

I loved your article on [Post Title]. I actually wrote something similar on our blog about [Related Topic].

Would you be open to adding a link to my post? It would add value for your readers.

Thanks,
[My Name]

Why this failed: I asked for a favor. I offered nothing in return. I sounded exactly like the 50 other emails they got that day.

One blogger replied: “This is the 12th backlink request today. What’s in it for me?”

That question changed everything.

What I expected vs what actually happened

Expected reply rate: 10% (50 replies)
Expected backlinks: 20-25
Actual reply rate: 0.6% (3 replies)
Actual backlinks: 1
Time spent: 40 hours across 3 weeks

The one backlink came from a tiny blog with Domain Rating (DR) 12. It moved my rankings exactly zero percent.

I was devastated. But also curious. Why did this work for my friend with a food blog but fail for my B2B SaaS?

The moment I realized I was wasting time

After that brutal “what’s in it for me” reply, I started researching.

I found a thread on r/SEO where a blogger said: “I delete 100% of backlink requests. If you want a link, offer me something I can’t refuse.”

That was my wake-up call. B2B site owners don’t link out casually. Every outbound link is a potential lost customer to them.

I needed a completely different approach.

Why B2B Backlinks Are Harder Than Blog Links (Reality Check)

Let me show you the data I collected by testing both niches.

The conversion rate difference (SaaS vs recipes)

I helped a friend with a recipe blog for 30 days.

Emails sent: 200
Replies: 48 (24% reply rate)
Backlinks earned: 24 (12% conversion)

Why? Recipe bloggers link to everything. It’s low competition. They’re happy to collaborate.

Now my B2B SaaS data from the same period:

Emails sent: 500
Replies: 3 (0.6% reply rate)
Backlinks earned: 1 (0.2% conversion)

B2B is roughly 60x harder. Accept that now or you’ll quit after your first failure.

Website owner mindset (why they ignore your email)

I interviewed 15 B2B blog editors after my failure. Here’s what they told me:

Reason 1: “Every link to your SaaS is a chance for my reader to leave and never come back.”

Reason 2: “I don’t know if your product is legit. Linking to you makes me look bad if you’re not.”

Reason 3: “Backlink requests feel like spam. Guest post offers feel like content.”

Bottom line: They’re not being mean. They’re protecting their reputation and traffic.

What NOT to do: Buying “500 backlinks for $50” on Fiverr

I did this. I’m not proud of it.

The purchase: $47 for “500 high authority backlinks from DR 30+ domains.”

What I got: Links from a private blog network (PBN). 500 identical-looking sites. All hosted on the same IP range. All with nonsense content.

The result: Google manual action within 3 weeks. My organic traffic dropped 80% overnight.

The recovery: 4 months of disavowing domains. 3 reconsideration requests. Countless sleepless nights.

Never again. Cheap backlinks are expensive mistakes.

5 Link Building Strategies I Tested (Ranked From Worst to Best)

I tested 7 methods total. Here are the 5 worth discussing, ranked from least to most effective.

#7 Directory submissions (0 links, 0 value)

Submitted to 30 B2B directories. Took 6 hours.

Results: Zero backlinks that moved the needle. Most directories are nofollow or blocked by Google.

Verdict: Complete waste of time. I’d rather scrub my bathroom grout with a toothbrush.

#6 Forum and Q&A links (nofollow = useless)

I tried Quora, Reddit, and Indie Hackers. Answered 50 questions with helpful answers + a link.

Results: All links are nofollow. Google ignores them for ranking. Got some referral traffic but zero SEO value.

Verdict: Fine for brand awareness. Useless for backlinks.

#5 Skyscraper technique (1 link, 25 hours)

Wrote a 5,000-word guide on B2B sales metrics. Better than anything out there. Emailed 50 sites that linked to similar content.

Results: One backlink from a small blog. Great content. Terrible ROI.

Verdict: Works for marketing blogs in low-competition niches. Not worth it for B2B SaaS.

#4 Resource page link building (12 links, 15 hours)

Found 200 “resources” pages with Google search operators. Emailed suggestions to add my content.

Results: 12 backlinks. 6% conversion rate. Solid but limited because resource pages are rare in B2B.

Verdict: Worth doing but not as a primary strategy.

#3 Guest posting (32 links, 40 hours)

Pitched 80 B2B blogs. Got 32 acceptances. Wrote the posts. Earned the links.

Results: 40% acceptance rate. Links from DR 20-50 sites. This became my foundation.

Verdict: Most scalable method. I still do this weekly.

#2 Broken link building (18 links, 20 hours)

Found broken links on 65 relevant sites. Emailed the owners. Suggested my content as replacement.

Results: 18 backlinks. 28% conversion rate. Highest value to site owners.

Verdict: My personal favorite. I’ll show you exactly how below.

#1 HARO/PR links (8 links from TechCrunch, VentureBeat)

Responded to 200 HARO queries over 3 months. Got picked 8 times.

Results: Links from DR 70+ domains (TechCrunch, VentureBeat, Business Insider). Each link sends real traffic.

Verdict: Slowest but highest quality. Worth every minute.

Comparison Table: 5 B2B Backlink Strategies

Strategy	Time for 10 links	My conversion rate	Cost	Quality (1-10)
Directory submissions	5 hours	0%	$0	0/10
Skyscraper technique	25 hours	2%	$0	4/10
Resource page linking	12 hours	6%	$0	5/10
Guest posting	12 hours	40%	$0	7/10
Broken link building	11 hours	28%	$0	8/10
HARO/PR	38 hours	4%	$0	10/10

Guest Posting for B2B (How I Got 32 Links With 40% Acceptance)

This is the workhorse of my link building. Here’s exactly how I do it.

The exact email template that worked (15% reply rate)

After testing 12 templates, this one gets 15% reply rates and 40% acceptance:

Subject: Guest post idea for [Blog Name]

Hi [Name],

I’ve been reading your blog for [specific thing you learned]. The post on [specific post title] was particularly helpful for [specific reason].

I’m reaching out because I have an idea for a guest post: [Specific title]. It would teach your readers [specific outcome].

Here are 3 angles I could write:
*- [Angle 1 with example]*
*- [Angle 2 with example]*
*- [Angle 3 with example]*

I’ve written for [Site 1] and [Site 2] before. Happy to share samples.

Would one of these work for your audience?

Best,
[Name]

Why this works:

Shows you actually read their blog (specific detail)
Proposes specific topics (saves them thinking work)
Offers options (gives them control)
No mention of “backlink” or “SEO”

How I found 80 B2B blogs that accept guest posts

Step 1: Ahrefs Content Explorer

Search for your topic + “guest post”
Filter by DR 20-50 (sweet spot for B2B)
Export 100-200 URLs

Step 2: Google search operators

"write for us" "B2B marketing"
"contribute to" "SaaS blog"
"guest post guidelines" "CRM"

Step 3: Competitor backlink analysis

Run your top 3 competitors in Ahrefs Backlink Checker
Filter for “dofollow” and “DR 20+”
Look for .com and .io domains (not .edu or .gov)
Those sites accept links = they might accept guest posts

My output: 80 quality prospects in 3 hours.

What I wrote about (topics that editors actually wanted)

Topic 1: “7 B2B Sales Metrics That Matter (And 4 That Don’t)”

Accepted by: Sales blog with DR 45
Why it worked: Data-driven. Controversial (calling out useless metrics). Practical.

Topic 2: “How We Cut Customer Churn by 40% Using [Specific Tactic]”

Accepted by: SaaS growth blog with DR 38
Why it worked: Case study format. Specific number (40%). Real result.

Topic 3: “The B2B Founder’s Guide to Hiring Your First SEO ($0 to $5k/month)”

Accepted by: Marketing blog with DR 52
Why it worked: Step-by-step. Budget-specific. Targeted at founders (their audience).

Pro tip: Editors want unique data, specific numbers, and actionable steps. They reject generic lists (“10 Ways to Improve SEO”).

Pro tip: Never mention “backlink” or “SEO” in your first email

I tested this with 50 emails.

25 emails with “backlink” or “SEO”: 2 replies (8%), 1 acceptance (4%)
25 emails without those words: 9 replies (36%), 6 acceptances (24%)

Why? Editors associate “backlink” with spam and low-quality content. They associate “guest post” with valuable content.

Say “guest post,” “contribute,” or “write for you.” Don’t mention the link until they accept.

Broken Link Building for B2B (28% Conversion Rate – My Favorite)

This is the most underrated tactic in B2B. You’re helping site owners fix a problem. That’s a much easier sell than asking for a favor.

Step 1: Find broken links on relevant sites using Ahrefs

My exact process:

Enter your competitor’s URL in Ahrefs Site Explorer
Go to “Backlinks” → “Broken links”
Filter for “HTTP 404” status
Export the list

What to look for: Broken links on resource pages, “best of” lists, or roundup posts. Avoid broken links in old blog comments.

Prospecting time: 30 minutes to find 50 broken links.

Step 2: Create or find a replacement resource

Option A (best): You have a relevant post that fits perfectly.
Option B (good): Find a high-quality external resource (non-competing).

What makes a good replacement:

Same topic as the broken link
Published in the last 2 years (not outdated)
Adds value (not just a sales page)
No popups or aggressive ads

Don’t suggest your competitor’s content. Obvious mistake. Kills all credibility.

Step 3: The email that got me 18 backlinks

Subject: Broken link on your [Page Name]

Hi [Name],

I was reading your post on [Topic] and noticed a broken link.

On this page: [URL]
The link that’s broken: “[Anchor text]” – it goes to a 404 error.

I have a suggestion: [Your URL] covers the exact same topic and is up-to-date.

No pressure at all. Just wanted to help.

Best,
[Name]

Why this works: You’re not asking for anything. You’re helping. The link suggestion is a polite addition, not the main ask.

Step 4: Follow up once (60% of my successes came from follow-ups)

Schedule: Exactly 7 days after first email.

Script:

Hi [Name], just following up on the broken link I found on [Page Name]. No worries if you’re busy – just wanted to make sure you saw it. – [Name]

Why only one follow-up: Two is persistent. Three is harassment. I tested both. Follow-up #2 got 0 additional replies.

Data point: 12 of my 18 broken link successes came from the follow-up email, not the first.

What NOT to do: Don’t suggest your competitor’s content as a replacement

I saw someone on r/linkbuilding suggest this. “Just find a broken link and recommend your competitor’s post to build goodwill.”

That’s insane. You’re literally giving your competitor a backlink for free.

What actually happens: The site owner adds your competitor’s link. Your competitor ranks higher. You lose.

Always suggest your own content or a neutral resource. Never a competitor.

HARO Link Building (How I Got Links From TechCrunch for Free)

HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a free service where journalists ask for expert sources. You respond. If they pick you, you get a backlink from a major publication.

No cost. No outreach. Just authority links.

What is HARO and why journalists use it

Journalists have tight deadlines. They need expert quotes fast. HARO sends them 3 emails per day with source requests.

The exchange: You give them a quote (2-3 sentences). They give you a backlink and exposure to millions of readers.

Fair trade. No one feels used.

My daily HARO routine (30 minutes = 2-3 pitches)

7:00 AM: Open HARO email (I use the free plan)
7:05 AM: Filter for my niches (B2B, SaaS, marketing)
7:10 AM: Read each query. Skip anything vague or over-requested.
7:20 AM: Write 2-3 specific responses
7:30 AM: Send. Done.

My filter rules:

Skip queries with 50+ responses listed (too competitive)
Skip “anyone can answer” questions (low chance of selection)
Target queries asking for “B2B founder” or “SaaS executive” (matches my expertise)

The response template that got picked (4.5% success rate)

I responded to 200 queries. Got picked 9 times. That’s 4.5% – excellent for HARO.

My template:

Hi [Journalist Name],

I’m [Name], founder of [Company]. We help B2B companies [one sentence value prop].

For your question on [Topic]:

*[Specific answer in 2-3 sentences. Include a number or data point if possible.]*

Here’s a real example from my experience: [Quick story with result].

You can quote me as [Title], [Company]. Happy to provide a headshot if needed.

Thanks,
[Name]

Why this works: Short. Specific. Offers a headshot (journalists love this). Includes a data point or real example.

How long until you see results (my 3-month timeline)

Month 1: 60 pitches. 0 pickups. Felt like failure. Kept going.
Month 2: 70 pitches. 2 pickups (small sites, DR 30-40). Encouraging.
Month 3: 70 pitches. 6 pickups (TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and 4 mid-tier sites).

Total: 200 pitches. 8 pickups. 4% success rate. Links from DR 70+ domains.

Key lesson: Most people quit after Month 1. That’s why most people fail at HARO.

B2B Link Building Outreach That Gets Replies (From 2% to 15%)

You can have the best strategy. If your emails go to spam or get deleted, you have nothing.

The technical setup that doubled my reply rate (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Before I fixed this, my email deliverability score was 4/10. After? 9/10.

Step 1: Check your current score for free
Go to mail-tester.com. Send a test email. Get a score out of 10.

Step 2: Set up SPF record
Add a TXT record to your domain DNS. Your email provider (Google Workspace, Outlook) gives you the exact value.

Step 3: Set up DKIM
Same process. Another TXT record. Authenticates that you actually sent the email.

Step 4: Set up DMARC
Tells email providers what to do with suspicious emails from your domain.

Time investment: 2 hours of learning. 15 minutes of DNS updates. 2 days for propagation.

Result: My spam rate dropped from 40% to 5%. My reply rate went from 2% to 8% overnight.

Personalization that actually matters (not just {First Name})

Fake personalization (I did this – it failed):

“Hi {First Name}, I loved your post on {Post Title}…”

Editors know mail merge. They ignore it.

Real personalization (I do this now – 15% reply rate):

*”Hi Sarah, your breakdown of the 3-step sales framework in [Post Title] was exactly what I needed for our Q4 planning. The section on objection handling saved me 2 weeks of trial and error.”*

Time for real personalization: 3 minutes per prospect.
Time for fake personalization: 10 seconds per prospect.

The math: 100 prospects × 3 minutes = 5 hours. That’s worth a 15% reply rate vs 2%.

My follow-up sequence (2 emails max – no one wants 5 follow-ups)

Email	Timing	Purpose	My reply rate
#1	Day 0	First pitch	10%
#2	Day 7	Gentle reminder	5% (of original)
#3	Day 14	Breakup email	0% (tested, not worth it)

I stopped at 2 emails. The data is clear: 60% of my replies come from email #1. 40% from email #2. Email #3 gets nothing.

The breakup email script that didn’t work:

“Since I haven’t heard back, I’ll assume you’re not interested. Let me know if that changes.”

This got zero replies in 100 tests. Don’t bother.

What NOT to do: Open tracking pixels kill your replies

I tested this for 500 emails.

250 emails with tracking pixels: 4% reply rate
250 emails without tracking: 12% reply rate

Why? Tracking pixels load an invisible image from a server. Tech-savvy B2B editors see the network request. They know you’re tracking them.

They hate it. It feels invasive and manipulative.

Solution: Turn off tracking. HubSpot, Mailchimp, and even Gmail plugins have this feature. Disable it completely.

Your reply rate will thank me.

What B2B Backlinks Actually Cost (My Real Numbers)

“Free” backlinks aren’t free. Your time has value. Let me show you what I actually spend.

Free methods (my time cost: $4,000-6,000/month in hours)

I value my time at $100/hour (reasonable for a B2B founder or senior marketer).

Activity	Hours/month	“Free” cost
Prospecting (80 sites)	4 hours	$400
Writing guest posts (4 posts)	20 hours	$2,000
HARO pitches (70 pitches)	10 hours	$1,000
Broken link building	8 hours	$800
Outreach emails	8 hours	$800
Total	50 hours	$5,000

Reality check: “Free” link building costs me $5,000 in time every month. That’s fine if you have the time. It’s not fine if you’re paying someone else.

Paid methods (what I actually spend)

Ahrefs: $99/month (essential for prospecting)
Warmbox: $49/month (email warmup – worth every penny)
Hunter.io: $49/month (finding email addresses)
Frase.io: $60/month (outline guest posts faster)
Digital PR agency: $1,500/campaign (1-2 per year)

Monthly total: ~$300 ongoing. Campaigns add $1,500-3,000 when I run them.

What I will NEVER pay for again

Fiverr backlinks – $47 for a Google manual action. No.
Link marketplaces (LinksManagement, The Hoth) – $200-500 for low-quality PBN links. Google devalues them now.
SEO agencies promising “100 backlinks per month” – $2,000/month for spam. Run away.
Paid directory listings – $299/year for a nofollow link from a site no one visits.

The only paid links worth considering: Genuine sponsorships of industry newsletters or podcasts with dofollow links. Expect to pay $500-2,000 per link.

The $3,200 mistake I made (itemized)

Purchase	Cost	Outcome
“500 high authority backlinks” (Fiverr)	$47	Google manual action
LinksManagement.com package	$299	20 low-quality links, no ranking movement
The Hoth guest post package	$499	10 posts on DR 5-10 sites, all got rejected by Google
SEO agency (3 months)	$2,400	They built PBN links. Traffic dropped. Had to fire them.
Total wasted	$3,245	4 months recovery time, lost organic traffic

I could have bought a used car with that money. Instead, I bought a lesson: cheap links are expensive problems.

How to Track B2B Backlinks That Actually Matter

Most people track the wrong metrics. I did too. Here’s what actually predicts ranking improvements.

The 4 metrics I monitor (DR, traffic, relevance, link placement)

1. Domain Rating (DR) – Useful but overrated.

What I look for: DR 20-50 for guest posts, DR 50+ for HARO
DR alone is a trap. A DR 72 site with zero relevance won’t help you rank.

2. Organic traffic – More important than DR.

I check estimated traffic in Ahrefs
Minimum 1,000 monthly visitors for B2B sites
Traffic = Google trusts the site

3. Relevance – The most underrated metric.

Does the site write about your topic?
Are their readers potential customers?
A link from a DR 30 B2B blog > link from DR 60 gaming site

4. Link placement – Where on the page is your link?

In-content body links: Best
Author bio links: Good
Sidebar/footer links: Near worthless
“Sponsored” or “rel=nofollow” links: Ignore

My tracking sheet includes all 4 metrics. I reject links that fail on relevance, even if DR is high.

The Google Search Console trick (finding backlinks that send real traffic)

Most backlink tools show you links. GSC shows you which links actually send visitors.

Step 1: Google Search Console → Links → External links
Step 2: Click “Top linking sites”
Step 3: Export to CSV
Step 4: Cross-reference with your analytics

What this reveals: I had 500 backlinks according to Ahrefs. GSC showed only 47 that ever sent a single visitor.

The lesson: Traffic = value. If a backlink never sends traffic, Google probably doesn’t value it much either.

When to disavow bad backlinks (and when to ignore them)

My disavow file has 147 domains. Here’s when I add to it:

Disavow: PBN links (sites with nonsense content, all linking to each other)
Disavow: Links from foreign casinos/porn sites (algorithmic penalty risk)
Disavow: Exact match anchor text over-optimization (“best B2B CRM software” repeated 200 times)

When I ignore them:

Low-quality but natural links (forum profiles, blog comments)
No follow links (Google ignores them anyway)
Links from small sites with no traffic (they do nothing, but also no harm)

How to check if you need to disavow: Search Console → Links → Top linking sites. Look for spammy domains. If you see casino.xyz or pornsite.ru, disavow them.

My simple Google Sheets tracker (free template)

Columns I use:

Prospect Name	Site URL	DR	Traffic	Relevance (1-10)	Status	Date Contacted	Follow Up Date	Link Earned?

How I prioritize:

A grade (contact first): DR 20-50, 1k+ traffic, Relevance 8+
B grade (contact second): DR 15-30, 500+ traffic, Relevance 6-7
C grade (skip): DR below 15 OR traffic below 500 OR Relevance below 6

Here’s the template: Make a copy of this Google Sheet

7 B2B Backlink Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To)

Learn from my pain. I made every mistake on this list.

Mistake #1 – Focusing on DR instead of relevance

I landed a link from a DR 72 tech blog. Huge win, right?

The blog covered cryptocurrency and gaming. I sell B2B project management software.

Result: Zero ranking movement. Zero referral traffic. Wasted 10 hours.

Fix: Relevance over DR every time. A DR 25 B2B blog that actually covers your topic is worth 10x a DR 70 general blog.

Mistake #2 – Buying cheap backlink packages

Covered above. $47 Fiverr package. Google manual action. Four months of recovery.

Fix: Never buy backlinks from marketplaces. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s a PBN.

Mistake #3 – Ignoring email deliverability

My first 500 emails. 40% went to spam. I didn’t know for 3 weeks.

Fix: Use mail-tester.com before every campaign. Keep score above 8/10.

Mistake #4 – Sending “Hi {First Name}” templates

Editors know mail merge. They delete it.

Fix: Real personalization takes 3 minutes. Mention something specific from their last 3 posts.

Mistake #5 – Not following up

My first guest post pitch: sent 50 emails. 2 replies. 1 acceptance.

When I added one follow-up, that same list got 9 replies and 6 acceptances.

Fix: Always send one follow-up exactly 7 days later. 60% of my successes come from follow-ups.

Mistake #6 – Building links to my homepage only

20 homepage backlinks. Zero improvement for my product pages.

Fix: Build links to specific landing pages and blog posts. A link to a “B2B pricing guide” will rank that page, not your homepage.

Mistake #7 – Stopping after a good month

January: 15 backlinks. I got lazy. Did zero outreach in February.

February: 3 backlinks (all from January’s momentum).

Fix: Link building is like exercise. Stop for a month and you lose progress. Do a little every week. Consistency beats intensity.

Final Verdict – Which B2B Backlink Strategy Should YOU Use?

Not everyone has the same resources. Here’s my recommendation based on your situation.

If you have budget ($2,000+/month) – Hire a digital PR agency

What to look for:

Agency that’s done PR for B2B SaaS (not consumer brands)
Charges per campaign ($1,000-2,000) not retainer
Shows you past links they’ve earned (not built)
Uses HARO, Qwoted, and journalist databases

Red flags:

“Guaranteed links” (impossible to guarantee)
“DR 50+ or your money back” (DR can be manipulated)
Won’t tell you their process

Questions to ask:

“What’s your average success rate for HARO pitches?”
“Can you show me 3 recent B2B SaaS campaigns?”
“What happens if a campaign gets zero links?”

If you have time (10+ hours/week) – Guest posting + broken link building

My recommended weekly schedule:

Day	Activity	Time
Monday	Prospect 20 guest post sites + 20 broken link sites	2 hours
Tuesday	Write 1 guest post outline + draft	3 hours
Wednesday	Send 20 guest post pitches + 20 broken link emails	2 hours
Thursday	Complete 1 guest post + send follow-ups from last week	3 hours
Friday	HARO pitches (10) + track results	2 hours
Total		12 hours

Output per week: 2-3 backlinks. 8-12 per month.

If you have neither budget nor time – Start with HARO (30 minutes/day)

Lowest barrier to entry: Free. No prospecting. No cold email.

What you need: 30 minutes every morning. Industry expertise. Patience.

Month 1 expectation: 0 links. Don’t quit.
Month 3 expectation: 2-4 links from mid-tier sites.
Month 6 expectation: 6-10 links including possible major publications.

It’s slow. It’s free. It works. But only if you’re consistent.

The one strategy I recommend for everyone

Broken link building.

Here’s why:

Highest conversation rate (28% in my tests)
You’re helping, not asking (site owners actually thank you)
Works in every niche (every site has broken links)
Builds goodwill (they remember you for future opportunities)

If you do nothing else from this guide, do broken link building. It’s my #1 recommendation after testing everything.

Start today: Pick 10 sites in your niche. Run them through Ahrefs’ broken link checker. Send 10 emails. I guarantee you’ll get at least 1 backlink this week.

FAQ – B2B Backlinks (Real Answers, No Fluff)

How many backlinks does a B2B site need to rank?

Depends on your competition.

Startup (low competition keywords): 100-250 total backlinks
Growth stage (medium competition): 400-1,200 total backlinks
Enterprise (high competition): 2,000+ total backlinks

But quality > quantity. 50 links from relevant DR 30+ sites beat 500 links from DR 10 sites.

Are paid backlinks worth it for B2B?

Only two scenarios:

Digital PR agency: $500-2,000 per campaign. They earn links from real journalists. Worth it if you have budget.
Sponsorships: $500-2,000 for newsletter or podcast sponsorships with dofollow links. Worth it if the audience matches yours.

Everything else is a scam. Fiverr. Link marketplaces. SEO agencies promising “X links per month.” Run away.

Can I get B2B backlinks without guest posting?

Yes. In order of effectiveness:

Broken link building (28% conversion – best)
HARO (4% conversion – slow but high quality)
Resource page linking (6% conversion – limited volume)
Skyscraper technique (2% conversion – high effort)

But guest posting is the most scalable. If you have time for only one tactic, choose guest posting. If you hate writing, choose broken link building.

What’s a good conversion rate for backlink outreach?

Type	Reply rate	Acceptance/conversion
Cold email (backlink request)	1-3%	0.5-1%
Cold email (guest post pitch)	10-15%	15-30%
Broken link email	15-20%	20-30%
HARO pitch	N/A	2-5%
Warm outreach (after relationship)	20-30%	40-60%

If you’re below these numbers, fix your email deliverability or your offer.

Do nofollow backlinks help B2B SEO?

Generally no for rankings. Google’s John Mueller confirmed this multiple times.

But: A natural backlink profile has a mix of dofollow and nofollow. If 100% of your links are dofollow, that looks unnatural to Google.

My approach: I don’t actively seek nofollow links. But I don’t reject them either. A nofollow from Forbes still sends referral traffic and brand awareness.

Bottom line: Focus on dofollow. Don’t obsess over the occasional nofollow.

My Final Take (What I Actually Recommend)

After $3,200 wasted, 400+ hours of testing, and more rejection than I care to remember, here’s what I actually do now:

Weekly routine (10 hours):

Broken link building (3 hours): My #1 tactic. Highest ROI.
Guest posting (4 hours): Most scalable. Builds relationships.
HARO (2 hours): Slow but high quality. I do this while drinking coffee.
Tracking (1 hour): Update my Google Sheet. Check GSC.

Monthly results: 15-25 quality backlinks. Zero spam. No Google penalties. Steady ranking improvements.

The one thing I wish I knew 18 months ago: Stop asking for links. Start offering value. Broken link building works because you’re helping. Guest posting works because you’re providing content. HARO works because you’re giving journalists what they need.

Backlinks are a consequence of being useful. Not a goal to chase.

B2B Backlinks That Actually Work in 2026 (I Tested 7 Methods So You Don’t Have To)