Rather than a generic list of tips, this is a copyable backlink strategy template — the exact structure to set up in a spreadsheet, with the columns and monthly targets that make a backlink campaign trackable instead of vague.
| Month | Focus | Target links | Primary tactic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundation | 15–20 | Directory & citation submissions |
| 2 | Foundation | 15–20 | Directory & citation submissions |
| 3 | Relevance | 8–12 | Niche directories, resource pages |
| 4 | Relevance | 8–12 | Unlinked mention reclamation |
| 5 | Authority | 3–5 | Guest posts, digital PR |
| 6 | Authority | 3–5 | Guest posts, digital PR |
Copy this into a spreadsheet with columns for: date, source site, referring domain (yes/no new), target page, anchor text, status, DR at time of acquisition. That last set of columns is what turns a template into an actual tracking system — see our guide to managing backlinks for what to do with it after links go live.
Jumping straight to authority-tier tactics without a foundation is one of the most common backlink strategy mistakes — it produces a thin profile that looks purchased rather than earned. The tiered sequence in this template exists specifically to avoid that pattern. Full reasoning in our complete backlink strategy guide.
If you'd rather not run the foundation tier yourself, that's exactly what our directory submission service handles — hand-submitted, with a full proof report at the end.
Yes — the tier structure (foundation, relevance, authority) applies broadly; only the specific directories and outreach targets change by industry.
Six months is a reasonable first cycle — long enough to see ranking movement, short enough to evaluate and adjust before committing further.
We submit your product to vetted directories by hand and send proof of every listing.
See pricing →A beginner's explanation of link building: what it means, why backlinks affect rankings, and the main types of link building you'll come across.
Read the guide →What a referring domain is, how it differs from a backlink, and why the number of unique referring domains matters more than total link count.
Read the guide →A step-by-step walkthrough for finding your backlinks in Google Search Console for free, including how to export the full list and what the report does and does not show.
Read the guide →