Content is the king. But then there’s the King of Content. Here’s a list of valuable content types that attract the most backlinks.
Backlinks are a great way to increase your website’s authority. Google values backlinks as they serve as a ‘nod of approval’ from credible sources.
And, do you know which of the backlinks Google values the most? Backlinks that are earned naturally. Meaning, you do not pay or agree to exchange links in any way. Other sources link to your website willingly.
For that to happen, you need to create what is called link-worthy content. We will delve deeper into what link-worthy content is and why people love it, but just let us tell you that creating link-worthy content is a great way to earn high-quality backlinks, all naturally.
Here we will share 16 types of content that earn the most backlinks. You can try to create these types of content to attract backlinks from high-authority sources.
What is linkable content
Linkable content is something that you create on your website to attract backlinks from credible sources.
The content you create has to be compelling so that website owners, journalists, and other content creators want to talk about it.
The features that make a piece of content link-worthy are:
- Originality
- Engaging
- Valuable
- Appealing
- Relevant
What makes link-worthy content so special
One of Google’s guidelines is that content should earn backlinks naturally. Though marketers use different tactics to build backlinks, they are not as valued as the ones that are earned naturally.
In other words, people should link to your content because they like your piece. And, people love content that provides them with value. They want to cite it or simply share it across their circle of influence because they love what they are reading.
However, you must keep one thing in mind: not all content types earn backlinks naturally. That is to say, there are specific types of content that earn more backlinks than others.
Types of content that attract most backlinks
Ready to create some great content to attract backlinks? Here are 16 types of content you can try to attract backlinks naturally.
1. Comprehensive How-to Guide and Tutorials
Nowadays, there are guides for about everything; right from how to fix your plumbing issues to how to walk your dog, and everything in between. The interesting part? They work great in earning backlinks, naturally.
Why?
Simply because people find these all-inclusive guides really helpful, and bloggers want to link to these write-ups directing to your page. It’s like saying, if you want to learn about the said topic, you can refer to this post.
A great example of a detailed blog earning a great number of backlinks is Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO.
This guide has earned over 10.8k referring domains over its course as you can see from the Screenshot below.
This is the perfect example of how a great quality detailed blog earns a huge number of backlinks.
Many links to this blog from Moz as a go-to guide for SEO. The reason for this blog being so popular among bloggers from different niches.
But you must remember that creating a blog of this stature is not easy. It must be detailed, like, it must contain all the information that a viewer might be looking for or need to know about a particular topic. In other words, this guide will be the only one people will need to read to learn about a particular topic.
So, if you choose a broad topic like Guide to Marketing it might consist of 5000 to 10000 words and might still not be enough.
So, it’s better to narrow your topic to something like Beginner’s Guide to Facebook Marketing. That way, you can include all that is needed without making the guide too long to follow.
2. Original Research Data/Statistics
Bloggers love data and statistics. A good blogger will always link a source to their write-ups whenever they mention a statistic.
If you collect a good amount of stats in your niche, your post can become a favorite among bloggers.
For example, if you are in the Fitness industry, you can collect data from a massive number of gym goers like:
- Popular workout types (e.g., strength training, yoga, HIIT)
- Percentage of people using fitness apps or wearables
- Average gym attendance frequency by age group
- Motivations for exercising (e.g., weight loss, stress relief, socializing)
- Preferred time of day for workouts
- The impact of at-home vs. in-gym workouts on results
- Emerging trends (e.g., hybrid fitness models, virtual classes)
Think of stats bloggers will be eagerly looking for.
The best thing to do is conduct original research. With original surveys and data analysis, your roundup content will be so rich that every blogger would want to link to your research.
A perfect example of this type of research content is B2B Content Marketing Trends from Content Marketing Institute.
This piece has attracted a large number of backlinks from various blogs and write-ups. It’s such a resource, that every blogger who wants to mention relevant stats in their blogs is willing to link to this research.
This particular research blog has attracted thousands of backlinks since the day it was published.
It’s true that creating this type of original research is difficult but with the help of the right data scientist/programmer, it’s possible.
3. Infographics
Viewers love infographics because they convey information easily. An eye-catching infograph is more digestible than a long piece.
And, infographics often contain stats related to your industry. Thus, others will often link to your infographic which is why they are good link earners.
As they are short representations of important stats and information, they make for good shareable content on social media and other online platforms, which helps generate backlinks for your website.
You can even create infographics in collaboration with others, which is popularly known as guestographics. You can design a captivating infographic with compelling content from others. This strategy is used by Venngage and you can learn more about it in this post.
If you have a compelling infographic you can even connect with other websites and say that they can share it as long as they link back to your website.
Here’s a great example from Visual Capitalist. This infographic content has gained thousands of backlinks because of its uniqueness and relevance.
4. Interactive Tools and Calculators
Innovation always wins the game. If you can develop an original tool many will want to link to it when speaking about related things.
Not only that, with growing interaction, your popularity and brand awareness will also increase.
Think of it.
You find a tool in your niche that you really like. Wouldn’t you want to talk about it? For that tool, it’s a backlink that you are gifting.
We know this because we developed our own backlink monitoring tool and it became quite a favorite among users.
However, creating such a tool is not that easy. You have to either know how to code yourself or hire someone with expertise.
5. Expert Roundups
Roundups go like this.
You pick a topic in your niche and round up opinions from experts in your industry to be published on your page.
This works because the experts you quote will be interested in being mentioned alongside other big names in the industry.
Thus they would also like to promote themselves by linking to your page, showcasing their credibility.
It’s also a great way to build relationships with experts. Roundups are a great way to make the first contact with big industry names. You can utilize this relationship in the future, ask for interviews or anything that would help you build your brand.
For example, you can take a look at this roundup of the best SaaS link building agencies. We used this technique to earn many backlinks.
6. Lists and Resources
A compilation of the best in the niche always works. Think of it!
Why wouldn’t people love to see a list of the best resources that would be really helpful? But you would want to create the list after thorough research. The idea is to gift the users with the best of what they are looking for.
If you are in the SEO industry, you may want to create the absolute list of the best backlink building tools.
For something different like an indoor plant business, you may create a post on the top indoor plants to aid in sleep.
The ideas can be limitless. You just have to use your imagination to create a post that’s truly engaging and valuable.
Lists like this are likely to give you a lot of traction with people wanting to share it on social channels, or even in publications thus offering you a backlink every time.
For instance, you can take a look at this resource list by Smashing magazine.
This post has earned so many backlinks since it was published. Why? Simply because people want to mention such a great list in their articles.
7. Case Studies
Publishing case studies is one of the best things you can do to attract backlinks. People love to read case studies because they want tangible success stories.
Related industries might find your case study valuable. Or it may serve as proof points to other professionals arguing to validate their views.
For these reasons, people want to link to credible case studies.
Also, case studies can be created in different formats, including infographics, presentations, or reports, making them even more link-worthy.
One fine example of a case study attracting a lot of backlinks is a post by Buffer.
This detailed case study has helped hundreds and established Buffer in its niche.
8. Controversial or Opinion Pieces
If relevant, you can create a controversial piece to voice your own thoughts. People love to engage in these pieces because they spark debate and bold discussions.
Controversial topics naturally attract curiosity and sharing. Provoking emotional reactions they engage readers naturally.
A well-written controversial piece may turn into fav among internet users with people wanting to share your piece across social media channels thus gifting you a backlink every time.
It may also establish you as a thought leader in the industry.
A great example of how people fell in love with a controversial topic and shared it everywhere is this post from Verge.
9. Timely News and Insights
Current news can be great pieces to attract links for many reasons.
People on the internet rely on timely news for their own content, linking back for credibility. Niche-specific news attracts backlinks from related websites or blogs covering similar topics. Providing accurate and well-researched insights establishes trust, making your content link-worthy.
Plus, timely news is shared in real-time, making it a highly shareable piece on social media. Media outlets often cite timely insights when reporting on the same subject.
A great example of updated news on the internet is this piece from Search Engine Land. This piece is regularly updated and has earned hundreds of backlinks from bloggers who want to refer to a credible source in their content.
10. Evergreen Content
Evergreen content are those that stay relevant at all points in time. A well-written and informative evergreen content will earn hundreds and thousands of backlinks over its course.
An evergreen content can be like ‘How to lose weight.’ Searches for this topic can never go down and the topic is relevant at all points in time.
People would want to link to it because it is authoritative and any follow-up posts can refer to it as a credible source for study or reference.
An example of evergreen content on the internet is this post from the Blog Starter.
It’s such a favorite among bloggers that they link to it naturally when speaking of a similar subject.
11. Success Stories and Testimonials
Success stories get a high number of backlinks because showcasing tangible results builds trust, encouraging others to link to your success as proof.
It also acts as a source of inspiration, motivating audiences and leading them to share and reference your content.
Also, demonstrating actionable strategies makes the content useful and link-worthy.
For all these reasons and more, people want to link to your success story gifting you a backlink.
A great example of this type of content on the internet is this post from Shopify.
12. Quizzes and Surveys
Quizzes and surveys captivate users making them highly shareable and linkable. It encourages participation, is unique and fun, and stands out as entertaining, prompting others to link as a resource or example.
Surveys can gather original data that other content links to in their pieces. Interactive content spreads quickly on social media, increasing backlink opportunities.
Partnering with influencers for quizzes and surveys further increases the chances of backlinks which can lead to reciprocal linking.
A great example of quizzes with a lot of backlinks is this piece by BuzzFeed.
13. Trending Topics
The internet is all about trends, One who follows trends remains in the market. Others fall back.
Which is why, many want to link to it as a credible source for what’s hot on the internet. Anyone who wants to know about it will read it. And, people who want to write follow-ups will link to it naturally as a credible source.
With high chances of social sharing, you build link-building opportunities.
A fine example of trending topics gaining a large number of backlinks is this post by Social Media Examiner.
14. Comprehensive Comparisons
Comparisons between industry bests always pique interest among those who want to learn which one they should choose. It also saves time for people as they get consolidated information in a single place.
Bloggers, journalists, and reviewers frequently cite comprehensive comparisons for credibility.
That’s why comparisons always fetch many backlinks.
A great example of such a comparison that has earned many backlinks is this post from Elegant Themes.
15. Templates and Free Resources
Freebies always catch the attention of visitors. Everyone would love to grab some free resources and templates they can use.
Hence, it’s natural that people would want to link to it as a valuable resource.
Templates can be as simple as Content Calendar or Presentation templates. Everyone would like to download or refer to it.
That’s why creating a freebie can attract a lot of traffic and backlinks and can be a huge boost to your SEO.
A perfect example of a free resource getting a lot of value is this one from Buffer.
16. Start your own award program
One way to gain a number of backlinks is to start your own award. This works because you are providing the winners with a good source of free PR. If they win they will probably publicize themselves on all channels and would be a natural link earner.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a glitzy event. But you must promote your awards decently. It’s a great way to also increase brand awareness and create a dent in the industry.
You’ll need to set up judging criteria, appoint a panel, and do everything else needed to gain traction.
A great example of an award gaining popularity is this award from Template Monster. This had not only gained a high number of backlinks but also superior popularity.
Conclusion
Create content that brings value to your backlink profile. Choose from the list above and use your skills to create a great piece.
That way, your website and brand can stay ahead of its competitors.
If you are facing any hiccups in creating your backlink profile, you can always contact us for measurable results.
FAQs
Why do some content types attract more backlinks than others?
Some content types, like data-driven research or comprehensive guides, provide unique value, credibility, or utility, making them highly shareable and link-worthy.
How can I make my content more link-worthy?
Focus on creating high-quality, unique, and well-researched content that solves problems, provides value, or sparks engagement.
Can small businesses or new websites attract backlinks using these content types?
Absolutely! Even small businesses can create engaging templates, insightful blog posts, or localized guides that resonate with their target audience and encourage backlinks.
