How to install link-building
npx skills add https://github.com/kostja94/marketing-skills --skill link-buildingFull instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from kostja94/marketing-skills.
name: link-building description: When the user wants to build backlinks, acquire links, or improve off-page SEO. Also use when the user mentions "link building," "backlinks," "off-page SEO," "link acquisition," "outreach," "guest posting," "broken link building," "link outreach," "acquire backlinks," "how to build backlinks," or "link building strategy." For profile audit, use backlink-analysis. metadata: version: 1.0.1
SEO Off-Page: Link Building
Guides link building strategy: acquiring quality backlinks to improve domain authority and rankings.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1-2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Scope (Off-Page SEO)
- Link building: Acquire backlinks from relevant, authoritative sites
- Broken link building: Find broken links on others' sites; suggest your content as replacement
- Unlinked brand mentions: Turn mentions into links via outreach
- Guest posting: Contribute to relevant publications; earn links
- Journalist requests: Respond to #JournoRequest; provide quotes/assets
- Digital PR: PR campaigns for backlinks and E-E-A-T — see eeat-signals
Initial Assessment
Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read it for product, audience, and proof points.
Identify:
- Current backlink profile: Domain authority, referring domains
- Target keywords: What to rank for
- Linkable assets: Research, tools, guides, data, testimonials
Link Building Strategies
| Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Content marketing | Create link-worthy content (guides, research, tools) |
| Guest posting | Write for relevant sites with author bio link |
| Broken link building | Find broken links, suggest your content as replacement |
| Unlinked brand mentions | Turn mentions into links via outreach |
| Journalist requests | Respond to #JournoRequest; provide quotes/assets |
| Directory and curated list submission | Get listed on directories (Taaft, Product Hunt, G2) and curated "best-of" lists; cold-start channel—see directory-submission for submission workflow, cold-start-strategy for launch plan |
| Digital PR | Press releases, news, expert quotes; earn authoritative links at scale |
| Partnerships | Partner links, co-marketing |
Quality Over Quantity
| Factor | Good | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | Links from related sites | Irrelevant niches |
| Authority | High-quality, trusted sites | Spammy, low-quality |
| Anchor text | Natural, varied | Over-optimized, exact match |
| Context | Editorial, contextual links | Footer, sidebar link farms |
Outreach Best Practices
- Personalize each outreach message
- Offer value (content, data, quote) before asking for link
- Follow up politely; don't spam
- Track outreach in spreadsheet or tool
Output Format
- Linkable asset ideas
- Outreach strategy and templates
- Target sites (types, not specific URLs)
- Metrics to track (referring domains, DA, traffic)
Related Skills
- seo-strategy: SEO workflow; link building is Off-Page phase
- backlink-analysis: Analyze current backlink profile
- content-strategy: Content strategy supports link building
- keyword-research: Target keywords inform link targets
- cold-start-strategy: Cold start and first-user acquisition; directory submission as part of launch
- parasite-seo: Parasite SEO; high-authority platforms for backlinks
- github: GitHub repos, gists, awesome lists for backlinks
- directory-submission: Directory and curated list submission--preparation, platform-specific copy, Taaft/Product Hunt/G2; use when user wants to submit product to directories or get listed on best-of roundups
- eeat-signals: E-E-A-T implementation; Digital PR supports authority
Related skills
More from kostja94/marketing-skills and the wider catalog.
copywriting
When the user wants to write or optimize short-form marketing copy—headlines, CTAs, ad copy, landing page copy, email copy. Also use when the user mentions "copywriting," "headline," "CTA copy," "ad copy," "landing page copy," "sales copy," "conversion copy," "PAS," "AIDA," "BAB," "copy formula," or "differentiation." For long-form article bodies (blog posts, guides), use article-content.
linkedin-posts
When the user wants to create LinkedIn post copy or optimize for LinkedIn. Also use when the user mentions "LinkedIn post," "LinkedIn article," "professional post," "post to LinkedIn," "LinkedIn content," "LinkedIn copy," "B2B LinkedIn," "LinkedIn engagement," "LinkedIn feed," "share box," "document post," "poll," "Newsletter," "reshare," or "LinkedIn marketing." For LinkedIn ads, use linkedin-ads.
youtube-seo
When the user wants to optimize YouTube videos for search, create video descriptions, or improve channel visibility. Also use when the user mentions "YouTube SEO," "YouTube description," "YouTube tags," "YouTube thumbnail," "YouTube title," "YouTube channel," or "video SEO." For YouTube ads, use youtube-ads.
tiktok-captions
When the user wants to create TikTok video captions, scripts, or optimize for TikTok. Also use when the user mentions "TikTok post," "TikTok caption," "TikTok video," "post to TikTok," "TikTok script," "TikTok content," "TikTok copy," "TikTok hashtags," or "TikTok marketing." For TikTok ads, use tiktok-ads.
video-marketing
When the user wants to plan video marketing, create video scripts, or optimize for short-form or long-form video. Also use when the user mentions "video marketing," "video script," "short-form video," "long-form video," "TikTok script," "Reels script," "YouTube script," "video hook," or "video content strategy." For on-site video SEO, use video-optimization.
meta-ads
When the user wants to set up, optimize, or manage Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads. Also use when the user mentions "Meta Ads," "Facebook Ads," "Instagram Ads," "Meta Pixel," "Conversions API," "Advantage+," "lookalike audience," or "Meta retargeting." For landing pages, use landing-page-generator.