Understanding the Link Building Landscape in 2016
In 2016, Moz conducted one of the most comprehensive surveys of SEO professionals and link building practitioners in the industry's history. This survey captured the state of link building as practiced by professionals who work with websites across industries, business sizes, and geographic markets. Rather than relying on theory or speculation, the data reflects real-world outcomes from professionals executing link building campaigns daily.
The survey reached hundreds of practitioners and synthesized their experiences, challenges, and strategies into actionable intelligence. This practical orientation makes the findings particularly valuable for organizations looking to optimize their own link building programs or understand how their efforts compare to industry benchmarks.
Key themes covered:
- Tactics and strategies practitioners employed
- How organizations measured success and calculated ROI
- Technical implementation factors that separated successful campaigns
The survey also revealed significant variation in how organizations approached link building. Some had dedicated link building teams with specialized skills, while others treated link acquisition as one responsibility among many for generalist marketers. Moz's comprehensive survey provides the foundation for understanding these professional practices.
To build a sustainable link building program, consider how our enterprise SEO services can help you develop systematic processes for link acquisition that deliver measurable results.
Survey Impact at a Glance
500+
Practitioners Surveyed
3
Primary Link Building Approaches Identified
15+
Tactics Analyzed
Link Building Tactics: What the Data Revealed
The Three Pillars of Effective Link Acquisition
Survey respondents consistently identified three primary approaches to link building, each with distinct characteristics, resource requirements, and effectiveness profiles:
1. One-to-One Outreach Involves identifying specific link prospects and reaching out to them directly. This approach allows for highly targeted acquisition--you pursue exactly the sites you want links from rather than hoping traffic-driven content attracts links organically. However, one-to-one outreach requires significant time investment for research, personalization, and follow-up. Respondents who achieved the best results typically spent considerable effort understanding each prospect's content patterns, editorial preferences, and potential interests before making contact.
2. Broadcast Content Creation Involves producing content specifically designed to attract links through its inherent value. This includes original research, comprehensive guides, interactive tools, and creative assets that publishers naturally want to reference. The advantage of broadcast approaches lies in their scalability--quality content can attract links from dozens or hundreds of sources without individualized outreach.
3. Paid Amplification Uses advertising budget to increase content visibility and the likelihood of link acquisition. This might include social media promotion, native advertising, or sponsored content placement. While paid approaches can accelerate results, they don't directly purchase links--a distinction that matters for both ethical and algorithmic reasons.
According to Moz's pillar methodology, the most successful practitioners strategically combined these approaches based on their specific goals and resources.
Which Tactics Delivered Results
Content-based link building--creating genuinely valuable resources--consistently ranked among the most effective approaches:
- Original research and data studies
- Comprehensive ultimate guides
- Innovative tools and calculators
- Creative content that generated buzz
Broken link building emerged as another highly effective tactic. This approach involves finding existing resources with dead links, creating content to fill those gaps, and reaching out to suggest your content as a replacement. The technique offers clear value to the site owner--you're helping fix a broken resource while earning a link in return.
Tactics That Underperformed
- Article directories and low-quality submission sites
- Comment spam and blog spam
- Mass directory submissions
These tactics had become effectively useless following Google's algorithmic changes and carried significant risk of penalties. Resources devoted to these approaches were better redirected toward tactics with proven effectiveness.
For foundational tactics that have stood the test of time, explore our 2013 SEO playbook which covers evergreen link building principles. Understanding these tactical differences is essential for any comprehensive SEO strategy.
Based on 2016 survey data from industry practitioners
Content-Based Links
Original research, comprehensive guides, tools, and creative assets that attract natural references
Broken Link Building
Finding dead links and offering your content as a relevant replacement
Guest Posting
Contributing to respected industry publications with valuable, relevant content
Resource Pages
Getting listed on curated resource pages within your niche
Search Intent and Strategic Targeting
Aligning Tactics with User Intent
The 2016 survey revealed that successful link building required alignment between the links being pursued and the search intent those links were meant to support. This insight connected link building more directly to overall SEO strategy rather than treating link acquisition as an isolated activity.
Informational Queries - Links from content-rich, educational resources proved most valuable. These links signaled your page as a credible information source on the topic.
Commercial Queries - Links from review sites, comparison resources, and industry directories carried more weight for pages where users evaluate purchasing options.
Navigational Queries - Links from established brand mentions and directory listings helped establish recognition for specific brand or website searches.
Respondents who thought strategically about search intent when planning link building campaigns reported better outcomes than those pursuing links without such consideration. Different pages required different linking sources based on each page's SEO role.
Understanding search intent becomes even more powerful when combined with keyword research that accounts for user intent. This combination ensures you're targeting the right keywords with the right content and building links from the right sources.
Competitive Analysis and Opportunity Identification
Effective link builders invested significant effort in competitive analysis before launching campaigns. Understanding which sites linked to competitors--and why--provided a roadmap for identifying promising prospects for your own link building.
Several approaches to competitive link analysis emerged from the survey data:
- Using backlink analysis tools to identify competitors' linking domains
- Looking for patterns in what types of content attracted links
- Identifying unexploited opportunities that linked to competitors but not your content
Page One Power's analysis methodology provides detailed guidance on implementing these competitive research approaches effectively.
For businesses looking to implement these strategic approaches, our technical SEO services can help identify and pursue the right linking opportunities for your specific situation.
Technical Implementation Considerations
Link Quality Assessment
Successful link builders developed sophisticated approaches to assessing link quality:
Domain Authority and Trust - High-authority sites weren't automatically good link sources. A link from a high-authority site in an irrelevant context might carry less value than a link from a moderate-authority site in a relevant, trusted context.
Editorial Context - Links embedded within relevant, substantive content carried more weight than links buried in sidebars, footers, or navigational elements.
Anchor Text Distribution - Natural link profiles contained diverse anchor text--not just exact-match commercial terms but variations, branded terms, and generic phrases.
Technical Execution of Outreach
- Personalization at scale - Templates needed efficiency while feeling personal enough to warrant consideration
- Timing - Certain days and times produced higher response rates than others
- Follow-up strategies - Varied significantly; optimal approach depended on the relationship being built
Managing Scale and Process
Mature programs had systematic processes for:
- Opportunity identification through tools and checklists
- Outreach management with templates, tracking systems, and response workflows
- Documentation and institutional knowledge transfer
For organizations building scalable link building programs, establishing these technical foundations early is critical for long-term success.
Measurement and ROI Analysis
Defining Success Metrics
The survey revealed significant variation in how practitioners defined and measured link building success:
| Metric Type | Description | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Rank Improvement | Changes in search positions for target keywords | Takes time, influenced by external factors |
| Link Metrics | Total links acquired, authority scores, velocity | Doesn't directly measure business impact |
| Traffic & Conversions | Referral traffic behavior and goal completions | Requires proper tracking setup |
Calculating Return on Investment
Simple ROI - Compared link acquisition costs against ranking improvement value for valuable keywords.
Lifetime Value - Considered links as long-term assets that could deliver value for years after acquisition.
Risk-Adjusted ROI - Incorporated probability of algorithmic impact alongside immediate results.
Reporting and Communication
Effective communication required translation between technical metrics and business outcomes:
- Connecting specific link acquisitions to ranking improvements
- Translating ranking improvements to traffic increases
- Showing how traffic contributed to lead generation or sales
According to detailed ROI analysis, practitioners who tracked these business outcomes made more informed investment decisions about where to allocate their link building resources.
Understanding which metrics matter most starts with a comprehensive analysis. Our guide on SEO audits and key questions provides frameworks for identifying the metrics that matter most for your specific business goals. Our approach to SEO audits can help you establish the measurement frameworks necessary for optimizing your link building investments over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the most effective link building tactic according to the 2016 survey?
Content-based link building consistently ranked among the most effective approaches. Creating genuinely valuable resources--original research, comprehensive guides, tools, and creative content--that other sites naturally wanted to reference produced the best long-term results.
How did survey respondents measure link building success?
Practitioners used multiple metrics including rank improvement, total links acquired, link authority scores, referral traffic, and conversion rates. Those who connected technical metrics to business outcomes made more informed investment decisions.
What tactics were found to underperform?
Article directories, comment spam, and mass directory submissions had become ineffective or harmful following Google's algorithmic updates. Resources devoted to these approaches were better redirected toward tactics with proven effectiveness.
How important was search intent in link building strategy?
Highly important. Practitioners who aligned their link building tactics with the search intent of target pages--informational, commercial, or navigational--achieved better results than those pursuing links without strategic consideration.
Strategic Implications and Recommendations
Building a Sustainable Link Building Program
Sustainable link building programs shared several characteristics:
Strategic Alignment - Link building supported broader business objectives rather than existing as purely technical SEO activity.
Process Maturity - Documented approaches enabled consistent execution across team members and over time.
Quality Investment - Prioritized genuinely valuable content creation over high-volume, low-quality approaches.
Key Takeaways for Practitioners
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Content investment should prioritize uniqueness and value - Content that genuinely served audiences attracted links more effectively than promotional content
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Relationship building amplified effectiveness - Links came from people who responded better to requests from those they knew and trusted
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Measurement and optimization separated top performers - Those who tracked results and refined approaches consistently improved over time
Looking Beyond the Survey
While the survey provided valuable snapshot data, the link building landscape continued evolving. The principles underlying effective link building--creating value, building relationships, targeting strategically--proved more durable than specific tactics.
Practitioners who understood these principles could adapt their approaches as tactics evolved, maintaining effectiveness even as the tactical landscape shifted. Ongoing learning through industry resources, community participation, and continued experimentation remained essential.
If you're looking to apply these strategic principles to your own link building efforts, our team can help you develop and execute programs that deliver measurable organic growth.