International Link Building Strategies: A Guide to Growing Your Global Backlink Profile

Building high-quality backlinks from international websites is an essential strategy for expanding your site's visibility and authority in foreign markets. Developing a strong global link profile takes planning, research and outreach, but can significantly boost your international SEO rankings and website traffic over time. Here are some tips for growing your international backlinks.

Research Link Building Opportunities in Target Countries

The first step is to research link building opportunities in your key target countries and languages. Identify:

• Relevant blogs, news sites, review sites, directories and other publications that accept guest posts or links. Look for sites with high domain authority, traffic and social shares. This is something an international link building agency can help you with.

• Influencers, journalists and industry experts who might be interested in featuring or linking to your content.

• Local business directories, web 2.0 platforms and niche community sites where you can create listings or user profiles with backlinks.

• International affiliate programmes, sponsorships and partnerships that allow linking opportunities.

  
  

Join country-specific forums and groups to find link prospects. Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush and Moz to discover new link sources. 

Create Localised Link Bait Content

Create content that is formatted, designed and optimised specifically to attract international links, such as:

• Localised landing pages and site sections in the country's language.

• Location-specific resources like city guides, maps and local service directories. 

• Content comparing global vs local products, laws, culture.

• Lists and statistics focused on the country and region.

• Interviews with local experts and influencers.

• Viral contests and giveaways open to residents of the country.

  
  

The content should use local search terms and answer questions unique to that audience. Focus on topics that resonate emotionally with cultural values and trends.

Build Relationships with International Site Owners

Doing outreach blindly rarely gets results. Take time to build real relationships with site owners and editors in each country.

• Comment on their blogs regularly. Share their content. Offer helpful tips.

• Join their social media communities. Follow, share and engage regularly.

• Offer unique, newsworthy content that fills a need before pitching your own content. 

• Personalise emails. Show you understand their site, audience and needs.

• Use proper language and cultural customs for introductions and communication. 

• Participate in any of their online events, webinars or courses.

• Send personalised thank you notes when they share or reference your content.

  
  

Building trust takes time but results in higher quality backlinks and referrals to new contacts.

Get Featured on Niche International Websites

Looking beyond general news and web 2.0 sites, identify niche sites related to your industry in each country. Guest post on international sites focused on your product, service, technology, hobby or interest.

For example, a US software company could look for opportunities in the UK on sites focused on:

• Business, technology and SaaS blogs

• Mobile application review sites

• Software tips, tutorials and guides 

• Startup, entrepreneur and small business sites

• Tech events, conferences and trade publications

• University tech clubs and programs

  
  

Getting featured on niche sites closely aligned with your offerings lends credibility and reaches engaged, relevant audiences.

Leverage International Social Media

Social media offers many link building opportunities internationally:

• Join relevant LinkedIn Groups to share expertise and link to your site.

• Use hashtags popular in the country to gain visibility for your brand on Instagram, X, Facebook.

• Create and share content on international YouTube channels and TikTok.

• Build an international following on Pinterest with localised pin descriptions. 

• Participate in popular forums and communities like Reddit, Quora, Tapatalk.

• Run contests and sweepstakes for local social media followers.

• Repurpose content into native social posts, videos, live streams.

  
  

Interact and share helpful advice regularly. Add links sparingly from accounts fully completed with local details.

Sponsor International Events and Conferences

Look for conventions, conferences, trade shows and other events related to your industry taking place abroad. Become a sponsor and take advantage of:

• Links from the event website to your landing page 

• Mentions in email promotions, newsletters and social media

• Signs, brochures and materials distributed on-site  

• Speaking opportunities to connect with attendees

• Exhibit booths to showcase your brand and offerings

• Networking events to build local relationships

  
  

This raises brand visibility and trust with a qualified, engaged audience.

Utilise International PR and Outreach Services

Consider hiring link building and PR agencies based in your target countries. They have existing media relationships and understand the language, culture and unwritten rules of local outreach.

When vetting agencies, ask about their international SEO experience, links acquired and past client examples. Starting small with one country first reduces risk. 

Request monthly reports detailing outreach efforts, placements achieved, and opportunities in the pipeline. Monitor progress continuously.

Acquire International Brand Mentions

Pursuing brand mentions on international sites helps build awareness.

• Identify award programmes to apply for - nominations often get announced online.

• Submit your product or service for consideration for best lists and reviews on international sites.

• Highlight company milestones like international expansions through press releases.

• Secure interviews with international publications to share expertise.

• Write guest articles for overseas newspapers and magazines.

  
  

While harder to directly control, brand mentions add diversity to your backlink profile.

Monitor and Maintain Your Global Footprint

Manage your growing international link portfolio by:

• Using SEO tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs to identify toxic links that should be discontinued.

• Regularly checking that current links remain active.

• Continuing outreach and relationship-building efforts to sustain momentum.

• Tracking rankings to see impact in target countries.

• Adding new countries and languages steadily over time.

  
  

International link building is an ongoing process requiring constant care and expansion into new markets.

Work with a Link Building London Agency

While international link building can be done in-house, there are advantages to hiring an expert link building agency:

• Agencies have existing relationships with site owners, streamlining outreach.

• They stay on top of the latest trends and tactics in each country.

• They have knowledge of cultural nuances that provide an edge.

• Agencies allow your internal team to focus on other priorities.

• Experienced agencies have proven results across multiple industries.

• Agencies have wider international resources and contacts.

• Link building at scale can be done more efficiently by an agency.

  
  

For companies new to international SEO, bringing on an established agency reduces the learning curve and jumpstarts link acquisition abroad.

With proper planning and relationship building, you can gain high value backlinks from around the world. This international approach builds a diversified link profile able to boost rankings across multiple countries and languages. Start with a few core markets, then expand your outreach for long-term global growth.