List of free backlink submitting sites

list of free backlink submitting sites

Of course. Here is a comprehensive list of free backlink submitting sites, categorized by type, along with crucial advice on how to use them effectively and avoid common pitfalls.

Important Disclaimer First: Read This Before You Start

The modern SEO mantra is "Quality over Quantity." A handful of backlinks from high-authority, relevant websites are infinitely more valuable than thousands of low-quality directory or comment links.

• Focus on Relevance: A link from a local business directory is great for a local business. A link from a tech blog is great for a SaaS company. A link from a generic directory that lists everything from dentists to dog walkers is much less valuable.

• Beware of "Link Farms": Many free link sites are considered "link farms" or low-quality directories by Google. Building too many links too quickly on these sites can actually hurt your SEO or trigger a penalty.

• Use "Nofollow" Attributes: Most of these sites automatically add a rel="nofollow" attribute to links. This means Google doesn't pass "SEO juice" (PageRank) through the link. However, they can still bring referral traffic and brand visibility, which are valuable.

• This is a Tactic, Not a Strategy: Use these as a small part of a broader link-building strategy that includes creating shareable content, guest posting, and earning links naturally.

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Category 1: Business Directories & Citations

These are crucial for local SEO. Consistency (Name, Address, Phone Number - NAP) is key here.

1. Google Business Profile (MANDATORY - The most important local citation)

2. Bing Places for Business (Important for Bing/Yahoo search)

3. Apple Maps Connect (Important for Apple users)

4. Yelp (High authority, great for local businesses)

5. Better Business Bureau (BBB) (High authority and trust)

6. Yellow Pages (YP.com)

7. Foursquare (Also powers many other apps like Apple Maps)

8. MapQuest

9. Hotfrog

10. Brownbook

11. MerchantCircle

12. Local.com

13. Manta (Often has do-follow links, but use cautiously)

14. Citysearch

15. EzLocal

Tip: Use a tool like BrightLocal or Whitespark to find niche-specific local directories in your area.

Category 2: Social Media Profiles

These profiles are almost always nofollow but are essential for brand building, social signals, and driving traffic.

16. Facebook (Business Page)

17. Twitter (Profile link)

18. LinkedIn (Company Page + Personal Profile)

19. Instagram (Profile link)

20. Pinterest (Business account)

21. YouTube (Channel About page)

22. Reddit (User profile - Do not spam subreddits with your link)

23. Tumblr (Blog)

24. Medium (Profile - You can also publish articles here with a link back to your site)

25. GitHub (Perfect for tech companies, developers, software products)

Category 3: Content Sharing & Bookmarking Sites

Great for getting eyeballs on your content (blog posts, infographics, videos). Traffic is the primary goal here.

26. Pinterest (Pin your blog images and link back)

27. Reddit (Share ONLY in relevant subreddits where it provides genuine value)

28. Tumblr (Re-blog your content)

29. Medium.com (Publish article excerpts with a link to the full post on your site)

30. Flipboard (Create a magazine of your content)

31. Scoop.it (Curate content, including your own)

32. Instapaper (Profile page link)

33. Pocket (Profile page link)

34. Slideshare (Upload presentations with links back to your site)

35. Issuu (Upload PDFs, e-books, brochures)

Category 4: Niche-Specific Directories & Lists

These are far more valuable than generic directories. Search for "[your industry] directory" or "[your software category] listing".

• Examples:

• For SaaS/Tech: Product Hunt, Capterra, G2 Crowd, SourceForge, AlternativeTo

• For Blogs: AllTop, Blogarama

• For Non-Profits: Charity Navigator, GuideStar

• For E-commerce: Shopify App Store, WooCommerce Extensions

Category 5: Other Opportunities

36. Craigslist (In the relevant services section - local and niche-specific)

37. Quora (Answer questions in your niche and naturally link to a relevant blog post as a resource in your bio or answer. Do not spam.)

38. Startup Listing Sites: (e.g., AngelList, Crunchbase - for tech startups)

39. Google Scholar (For academic or research-based sites, you can list publications)

40. Document Sharing Sites: (e.g., Scribd - upload a document with a link)

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How to Use This List Effectively: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Prioritize: Start with the mandatory profiles: Google Business Profile, Bing Places, and key social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter).

2. Go Local/Niche: If you have a local business, spend 80% of your effort on local citations and niche directories. They will provide the most bang for your buck.

3. Complete Your Profile Fully: For every site you use, upload a high-quality logo, write a complete description with keywords, and ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) is 100% consistent.

4. Pace Yourself: Don't create 50 profiles in one day. This looks unnatural to search engines. Create a few per week.

5. Track Your Links: Use Google Search Console to see which of these sites are actually getting your website indexed and found.

6. Focus on Content: Ultimately, the best way to get free, high-quality backlinks is to create amazing content that people want to link to. Use the sites above for foundational links, and then focus your energy on content creation and outreach.

By using this list strategically, you can build a strong foundation of backlinks that supports your broader SEO and digital marketing goals.