Link building is one of the most misunderstood parts of SEO. It’s often framed as something overly technical, spammy, or reserved for massive websites with PR teams. In reality, link building is about earning relevance and trust—and small, niche sites can absolutely compete.
To make this practical, we’re using a real test case: a Chicago-focused sports blog built around Bulls analysis and commentary. The site has strong content, consistent publishing, and an engaged audience—but very few (if any) backlinks.
That makes it a perfect example.
Why Link Building Matters (Especially for Blogs)
Backlinks are still one of Google’s strongest ranking signals. In simple terms:
- A backlink = another website vouching for you
- Relevant backlinks = stronger topical authority
- Authority + relevance = better rankings
For a sports blog, links don’t just help SEO. They also:
- Send referral traffic from other fan communities
- Build credibility within the niche
- Open the door to collaborations and future coverage
If your content is good but invisible, links are usually the missing piece.
The Starting Point: Zero (or Close to It)
Our Chicago sports blog publishes:
- Bulls game breakdowns
- Player development analysis
- Draft coverage
- Commentary reacting to national narratives
What it doesn’t have:
- Mentions from other blogs
- Citations in sports articles
- Links from fan sites or newsletters
This is common—and fixable.
The goal isn’t hundreds of links. It’s a small number of highly relevant ones.
Strategy 1: Target Relevant Sports Blogs (Not Big Media)
We’re not emailing ESPN.
Instead, we’re targeting:
- Independent NBA blogs
- Bulls fan sites
- Substack writers covering the NBA
- Local Chicago sports blogs
- Draft and analytics-focused sites
These sites are:
- More approachable
- More likely to link out
- Often looking for good analysis to reference
What We’re Pitching
Not the homepage. Not “check out my site.”
We’re pitching specific Bulls-centric articles, like:
- A detailed breakdown of a recent Bulls lineup trend
- A draft scouting piece tied to a current rumor
- A data-backed rebuttal to a popular national take
The pitch is simple:
“You mentioned X. We recently published a deep dive on that exact topic—feel free to reference it if useful.”
No begging. No link exchanges. Just relevance.
Strategy 2: Create Content Worth Referencing
Link building works best when the content does the heavy lifting.
For this blog, that means leaning into:
- Original analysis (stats, film notes, trends)
- Timely reactions tied to current games or news
- Evergreen explainers (player roles, schemes, development arcs)
A random game recap rarely earns links.
A “Why the Bulls’ late-game offense has quietly improved over the last 10 games” article? That’s linkable.
Strategy 3: Use Internal Authority to Boost Key Pages
Even before external links land, we’re tightening internal linking.
That means:
- Linking new posts to cornerstone Bulls analysis
- Pointing related articles to one primary “hub” page
- Making sure the pages we pitch externally are already internally supported
When backlinks do arrive, Google sees a clearer structure—and the impact compounds.
Strategy 4: Leverage Existing Visibility (Social ≠ SEO, But It Helps)
This blog already has a presence on social platforms.
We’re using that to:
- Tag writers we reference
- Share posts directly with bloggers we want on radar
- Start conversations before pitching links
Cold outreach works better when the name isn’t totally unfamiliar.
What Success Actually Looks Like
For a niche sports blog, success isn’t:
- 1,000 backlinks
- National media coverage
It’s:
- 5–20 relevant links from real sports sites
- Mentions tied to actual analysis
- Gradual ranking improvements for Bulls-related searches
That’s enough to move the needle.
Why This Matters for SEO (Beyond Sports)
This same approach works for:
- Local businesses
- Industry blogs
- Niche content sites
The lesson is universal:
Good content + targeted outreach beats spammy link tactics every time.
If a Chicago Bulls blog can build authority this way, most websites can.
Want Help Building Links the Right Way?
If your site has strong content but no backlinks, you’re not alone—and you don’t need shady tactics to fix it.
We help businesses and publishers:
- Identify linkable content
- Find relevant outreach targets
- Build sustainable, niche-appropriate backlinks
👉 Contact us to talk link building that actually works
