Why White Hat Link Building Should Be Part of Your SEO Strategy

Prince Kapoor
20 January, 2025
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Why White Hat Link Building Should Be Part of Your SEO Strategy
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White Hat Link Building Strategies

Earning links from other websites (also called backlinking) is one of the most fundamental methods of boosting your website's ranking on Google. As per Search Engine Journal, Google's top three ranking factors are high-quality content, user page experience, and links.

Doesn’t building backlinks make ranking top on Google look like a simple drill? After all, you just need to gain more backlinks - by hook or crook.

That's wrong! If you build backlinks using the wrong methods, your website could pay the heavy price of being penalized by Google!

And that’s why knowing the proper technique for creating backlinks for your website is important. They are known as white hat link-building strategies.

In this blog, we will understand what white hat link building is, why it is important for your website ranking, and how you can ensure its implementation while planning backlinks. Make sure to read the blog till the end so that you don’t miss out on the Gray Hat concept.

What is White Hat Link Building?

White hat link building can be defined as ranking your article on Google while adhering to Google's guidelines.

Many experts interpret the term “white hat” to be derived from classic movies where a hero styles a white hat, and the villain bears a “black hat” on his head.

Similarly, when your website uses fair means of earning backlinks, it falls under the white hat category, but if it uses foul means that oppose Google's guidelines, it falls under the black hat tactics.

Amongst multiple backlink-building strategies for boosting your article visibility, it takes some talent to align those tactics with white hat techniques.

These methods are least likely to land your website into any trouble or penalty so as to negatively impact your website DR (Domain Rating).  On the other hand, bad DR, acquired due to black backlinking strategies, makes your website objectionable to being referred by other websites.

So, if you plan to grow your domain safely on Google, understand what Google intends with white hat techniques.

Google intends to provide its users with a great user experience, which demands providing user-friendly and high-quality content in simple terms. As we explore multiple white hat factors, consider high-quality content as the pivot of whitehat link building techniques.

Why is White Hat Link Building Important?

The simple answer is - because Google loves it!

A straightforward answer is that you don't want to face any trouble from Google. Despite your good backlinking intentions, a wrong tactic can severely penalize you.

Google rewards websites that follow white hat link building techniques, which benefits greatly in the long term. Unfortunately, some websites look for shortcuts for short-term benefits, which causes them to lose authority amongst their niche websites.

Google would not take an interest in improving its rank, nor would high-quality link websites take an interest in referring to it.

Here's what would happen if Google never implemented whitehat link building strategies:

  1. Irrelevant Search Results: Search engines aren't just about keywords; it goes beyond that. It includes user search intent as well. While white hat techniques optimize your website for search intent and keywords, black hat tactics are optimized just for keywords. Data duplication and low-quality content are the benchmarks for such websites that are centered around black hat games.
  2. Unexpected Websites: Imagine searching baseball scores and coming across websites that sell you baseball gloves and other accessories. That's what you can expect without Google's guidelines or white hat framework.
  3. Poor User Experience: If websites properly follow white hat techniques, users who search on Google benefit greatly by coming across the right website that they are looking for because white hat-aligned websites are designed per user intent.
  4. Website Owners Degrade: The white hat approach inspires site owners to stick with the proper ranking methods without falling for unfair shortcuts and tactics or black hat tactics.

Altogether, white hat creates a high-quality user experience, making Google a go-to site for most users. 

It’s for this reason that if your website strays away from the black zone, the consequences can be punishing – not only does it drop your ranking, but it also drops your website visitors.

You may imagine your website holding all relevant business data, designed carefully for the visitors, now receiving a lifetime ban. This means Google will never re-list your website ever.

In conclusion, following white techniques is rewarding in the long run while following black hat techniques costs you visitors and visibility.

Top 7 White Hat Link Building Strategies

While there are plenty of white hat strategies to implement for good SEO, we found the following seven to be the prominent factors that result in good SEO or white hat tactics.

1. High Quality Content

We all hear that content is the king. Because making high-quality content solves most of your problems, saving you from reasons to adopt black hat tactics.

Google always looks for high-quality content that hooks readers, keeps them engaged, and solves their problems. It looks forward to ranking such content.

That's why good content is not just good for the SEO; it's also great for the users.

After all, along with the content, it's also the customer who's the king.

To analyze your content quality, SEO writing tools such as Semrush's writing assistance tools can provide great insights. It decides this based on the content’s length, readability, voice of tone, and SEO quality in real-time.

One thing is certain: if you plan to create fantastic content, it should include everything the top-ranking content offers. For example, consider including the subheaders that appear on the top-ranking websites.

It also stands unique compared to your competitors' research data, original information, and experience. 

It’s important to take care of the fact that your content is not a mere copy or rephrasing of the original content from the competitor's website. That’s because Google's advanced algorithm can easily pick up such repetition or reframe in your content.

In summary, adhering to white hat tactics becomes easier when you have valuable content, which is the foundation.

2. Guest Blogging

Guest Blogging is the most classic and commonly used strategy for building links that align with white hat SEO. While it may sound as simple as publishing content on another blogger's website, there's more to it.

The goal of guest blogging is to gain authority from other websites (certainly that are white hat) through valuable backlinks included in the guest blog. This gives you a reach to a new audience that you never knew.

Not every website may be open to guest blogging, but most of them are, and a little research can help you spot the right ones. At ViralChilly, we use tested and proven SEO tools to achieve these results rather than simply relying on Google searches.

Let's make this more illustrative.

Imagine contacting top-tier blogs in your niche (or blogs with great DRs). When you propose a guest blog request to them, they review it.

They will approve your blog only if they feel it will add value to their website and audience. The guest blog should be share-worthy. 

This natural backlinking approach of guest blogging is what makes it the best white link-building strategy.

Once your guest blog is posted, the audience of your guest website trusts its credibility and views it. This boosts your traffic and SEO both.

Pro Tip: When done on popular industry blogs, guest posts have a higher chance of ranking well on search engines. That means your post could become a steady source of referral traffic for years.

It earns you more link juice and high-quality backlinks. This is a perfect example of white hat link building because Google expects this approach toward link building.

How to Get Started?

  • Craft a personalized email pitch to the blog owner or editor.
  • Refer to their existing content to highlight why your idea fits.
  • Show them you've done your homework.

You might think guest blogging is a well-known concept, so can there be any chances of implementing it the wrong way?

There's always a risk of associating with low-quality or black-hat sites that can damage your reputation. That’s why always research your potential sites - check their domain authority, audience engagement, and relevance to your niche.

Ultimately, focus on quality over quantity, and you'll reap the rewards sooner or later.

3. Satisfy Search Intent

Search intent is the secret sauce to creating content that ranks and converts.

It's about understanding the "why" behind a search query.

When someone types a phrase into Google, they seek specific information. Your page should not just be designed to answer the query but also to match the intent perfectly.

Search intent can be categorized into four main types:

  1. Informational Intent

The user is looking for information or answers to a question. For example, queries like "What is white hat SEO?" or "How does coffee affect productivity?" indicate informational intent.

To satisfy this, you should create detailed, authoritative content. Include well-researched insights, infographics, or explainer videos to engage the reader.

  1. Navigational Intent

The user wants to find a specific website or brand. For example, someone searching "LinkedIn login" or "Nike official site" has navigational intent.

For such intent, make sure your site is easy to find for brand-related queries by optimizing your homepage and making your brand name visible for search results.

  1. Transactional Intent

The user is ready to act, like purchase or sign up. Phrases like "buy coffee maker online" or "subscribe to SEO tools" indicate transactional intent.

In this case, you need to provide optimized product pages, clear calls-to-action (CTAs), and a great user experience to convert visitors into customers.

  1. Commercial Investigation Intent:

The user is researching before making a decision. For example, "Best SEO tools for small businesses" or "Top-rated running shoes 2024."

In this scenario, your content should include comparisons, reviews, and testimonials to help the user make an informed choice.

Where to Begin?

Start by identifying your target audience and the types of keywords they use. Are they looking for informational content, like "how-to" guides? Or are they ready to buy, searching for terms like "best budget laptops under $500"?

Knowing their intent helps you design content so that readers find the exact answer they've been searching for.

Pro Tip: Format your content to align with the intent. If the query demands a list, make it skimmable with bullet points. Create a detailed guide or even include explainer videos if it's a complex topic. People engage with content that feels tailored to their needs.

Google rewards pages that satisfy user queries by keeping them on the page longer.

And when you satisfy your audience, they're more likely to trust and return to your website.

4. Digital PR

Digital PR is where creativity and strategy come together to make viral content.

Digital PR aims to win the attention of journalists and bloggers who want to cover your story. If you succeed at this, you earn high-authority backlinks and massive exposure within a very short time!

Think about the last time you saw a product launch or campaign go viral. 

Mostly, it wasn't just the product itself that performed but also the connecting story behind it that captured their attention. 

That's what digital PR is about: creating something newsworthy and pitching it to the right people.

Once one major outlet picks it up, others will follow. 

It's what's known as the flywheel effect, where one good PR placement snowballs into more exposure, more links, and more authority.

However, pulling off a successful PR campaign is no cakewalk. You need a genuinely newsworthy angle, a well-crafted pitch, and a strong network of media contacts. Success ultimately lies in persistence and creativity.

But when done right, this link-building technique solidifies your brand as a thought leader in your industry. Though it's a long-term game, the rewards are worth the effort.

In contrast, black hat tactics can never replicate this kind of authentic reach.

5. HARO: Building Links Through Authentic Expertise

White Hat Link Building Strategies

HARO (Help A Reporter Out) is a pure white hat link building strategy.

As the name suggests, this online platform connects journalists to a network of businesses, experts, and thought leaders who can quickly find in-depth resources that journalists or reporters are looking for.

The website is created to provide instant and top-notch resources to journalists and their audiences. And the reward for you? High-quality backlinks from trusted sources!

Here's how the system works. 

Journalists and reporters often need expert opinions to strengthen their content. And you, armed with expertise, can respond to them with the right content.

If your contribution is the missing piece of their puzzle, your quote gets published and earns you a quality backlink to your website.

The website posts the requests nearly thrice a day. You can expect the number of opportunities to range between 10 to 100 every day.

However, considering the competition or number of experts, any opportunity posted 24 hours ago can be considered a missed opportunity. 

But these tips will surely help you submit a quote that gets selected:

  1. Be Quick: Journalists are often working on tight deadlines. Respond promptly to their queries to increase your chances of being selected.
  1. Be Relevant: Stick to topics that align with your expertise. Don't force a connection—it's better to skip irrelevant queries than risk a weak response.
  1. Be Concise: Journalists appreciate well-structured, crisp replies that get straight to the point. A clear, concise pitch stands out more than a long-winded one.
  1. Be Selective: Not every opportunity is worth chasing. Focus on queries from reputable publications or websites that align with your brand.

Other platforms like ProfNet, SourceBottle, and Terkel operate similarly, expanding your chances to secure high-quality backlinks.

Journalists get credible information to enhance their articles and gain exposure and backlinks from these reputable sites. Unlike black hat tactics, there's no manipulation involved in this process.

6. The Skyscraper Technique

White hat SEO is not just about playing fair but also playing wise, and the Skyscraper technique makes an ideal white hat link building strategy that proves this.

Instead of creating thin, keyword-stuffed content (a hallmark of black hat SEO), this strategy delivers an improvisation of the original content that already ranks.

The idea is to find content in your niche that's already performing well and improve it. 

Once located, you have just to make it bigger and better – longer (without the fluff), detailed (with relevant links), and more engaging.

With the skyscraper technique, you're setting the benchmark through your high-quality content.

For example, if there's a popular article on "10 Tips for Remote Work Success," you could create "20 Proven Strategies for Excelling in Remote Work." 

Additionally, you can add credible quotes, stunning visuals, relevant references, or interactive elements to make your content the go-to resource.

Once you have done this, reach out to websites, linking to the original article.

Explain to them why your updated version offers more value and ask them to consider linking to it instead.

Now, this same procedure can be approached with a black hat tactic where websites might try to automate this process by spamming site owners with irrelevant requests. Instead of approaching high DR sites, it will try to gain links from every site owner.

And Google labels this as promotional. 

The skyscraper technique was coined by Brian Dean in 2015 and stands as our best choice for whitehat link building techniques.

7. Unlinked Mentions

Often, the best white hat link building strategies with great ranking opportunities go unnoticed. Unlinked mentions are a prime example of this.

Unlinked Mentions are scenarios where someone talks about your brand but doesn't include a clickable link. And unlike black hat methods (that fabricate mentions), this strategy relies on genuine recognition.

Where to begin?

To detect unlinked mentions, you can start with a simple Google search.

Additionally, you can use tools like Google Alerts to find mentions of your brand. When you spot one, request the author to provide a polite email to link the mention. 

Thank them for mentioning you, and please request a link to your site. Most people are happy to oblige. 

While it's a small effort for them and a big win for you.

For instance, if a travel blogger mentions your eco-tourism company in their post but doesn't link back, a friendly request can quickly turn that mention into a valuable backlink.

This approach aligns perfectly with white hat principles.

You're not creating fake mentions or resorting to shady practices. Instead, you're building on real recognition and strengthening your backlink profile honestly and sustainably.

What’s Gray Hat?

White Hat Link Building Strategies

Gray hat SEO can be considered to be the middle ground between white and black hat practices. While it doesn’t outright violate Google’s guidelines, it operates in areas where the rules are unclear or loosely enforced. 

Interestingly, Google’s policies often use terms like "may" rather than "must," leaving a wide room for interpretation. And experts consider it to exist for a reason.

Take, for instance, buying expired domains with existing backlinks. While not explicitly forbidden, it’s not a practice Google encourages. Similarly, over-optimizing anchor text can edge into gray territory if not done cautiously.

While gray hat tactics might seem like a clever shortcut, they come with risks. An algorithm update or closer scrutiny could risk your site into trouble. When in doubt, it’s best to lean towards ethical practices that are favorable to good user experience and choose shady manipulations. It’s a safer and smarter bet for long-term success.

To Sum It Up

White hat SEO isn’t just about following the rules; it’s about building sustainable growth for your business. By choosing strategies as discussed in the above blog, you can create a solid SEO foundation that ranks and connects with your audience. While black hat shortcuts may tempt you, remember they can jeopardize everything you’ve built. If your website needs help to catch up with ever-evolving SEO trends and keep your audience's go-to landing page, we have a team of SEO experts here to help you. Through result-driven and whitehat link-building strategies, we take your website to the next level, ethically and effectively.

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While gaining backlinks is rewarding, ignoring white-hat link-building techniques can hurt your SEO efforts. Discover what white hat SEO is.

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