May 11, 2024
In 2025, link building isn’t dead, it just evolved. As AI-generated search results continue to reshape visibility, marketers are learning that the most effective backlink strategies don’t rely solely on DR or DA metrics. Instead, ROI now hinges on a hybrid approach: blending crowd links (from platforms like Reddit and Quora) with editorial outreach (media, blogs, niche news).
This isn’t just about organic traffic. It’s about being part of the answers AI models deliver. To succeed, SEOs must tap into both authority-driven outreach and community-driven citations, a strategy rooted in Generative Link Presence, Upvote Authority, and GEO-native visibility.
Crowd links are mentions or links earned from UGC platforms, think Reddit threads, Quora answers, YouTube descriptions, Discord, niche forums, and blog comments. These aren’t always followed or DR-rich, but they act as ground truth signals to large language models (LLMs).
Unlike traditional backlinks that influence SERP rankings directly, crowd links feed the model's understanding of your brand or entity. LLMs like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini aren’t just looking for keywords; they’re tracing patterns, repetition, and contextual co-occurrence.
Case in point: A marketing SaaS mentioned in three Reddit threads saw its AI Overview inclusion spike by 33% in April 2025, despite no dofollow link ever being placed.
These links also power the Reddit Citation Loop, where visibility on social forums leads to AI-generated references, which then feed more mentions, continuing the loop.
On the flip side, editorial links remain the gold standard. These come from authoritative, manually curated placements: guest posts, HARO quotes, roundups, digital PR campaigns, and thought-leadership contributions.
Editorial links boost trust signals both for Google’s link graph and for generative AI. High-authority placements are more likely to be included in LLM training sets, especially if:
A well-placed link in a niche blog post about “how to scale SaaS content” does more than drive traffic, it can become a training source for AI models to cite your brand in future responses.
So, which works better, crowd links or editorial? The answer is both.
Blended link-building strategies outperform siloed approaches for three reasons:
2025 SEO Survey Insight: Brands that built at least 3 crowd links per editorial placement saw a 41% increase in generative mentions vs. those who pursued editorial links alone.
This hybrid strategy also aligns with Resonance Link Building, where links across diverse platforms amplify each other. Reddit threads link to your guest posts, Quora answers reference your interviews, etc.
Step 1: Start with Linkable Content
Build an anchor, a guide, a case study, or a tool. This is the asset you’ll both pitch in outreach and naturally reference in community conversations.
Example: A study on “Google Core Update Impacts on Local SEO” can power:
Step 2: Pitch the Content (Editorial Outreach)
Use HARO, Terkel, or Buzzstream to pitch your linkable asset to:
Ensure placements have contextual anchors (e.g., “local SEO guide” vs. “click here”) and reference your brand consistently, critical for LLM Confidence Bias.
Step 3: Seed Crowd Citations
Simultaneously, cite your guide in:
Don’t over-promote. The best crowd links act as Mention-First Marketing, embedded in helpful replies, not as sales pitches.
Step 4: Interlink & Monitor
Internally link your assets using contextual anchors and check for echo backlinks, links or citations from others replicating what they saw on forums or blogs.
Tools to help:
A DTC skincare startup in Europe combined:
Result?
Blending crowd links and editorial outreach isn’t just a clever tactic; it’s a necessity in a Generative SEO environment. AI systems reward natural presence, repeated signals, and diverse anchors across both high-trust and high-volume surfaces.
Don’t think in terms of links. Think in terms of entity reinforcement.
Create content people want to cite. Place it where humans read it. And make sure AI sees it everywhere.
Want to get started?Consider combining outreach strategies with smart forum mentions, or try our custom SEO strategies that do the hybrid work for you.
Crowd links come from user-generated content platforms like forums and Q&A sites (e.g., Reddit, Quora). They signal relevance and community presence to AI. Editorial links are earned from curated publications like blogs and news sites, signalling authority and trust to search engines.
A blended strategy is more effective because it creates a natural and diverse backlink profile. Crowd links help your brand get noticed by AI, while editorial links provide the authority needed to be trusted. This combination leads to better overall visibility and a higher return on investment.
Yes, absolutely. While they might not always pass traditional link equity, they are powerful signals for AI models and can drive referral traffic. They show that your brand is part of real conversations, which is a key factor in modern, generative SEO.
The first step is to create a valuable, 'linkable' piece of content. This could be an in-depth guide, a unique case study, or a helpful tool. This core asset will be the foundation for both your editorial pitches and your community discussions.
You can track success by monitoring traditional metrics like referring domains and referral traffic using tools like Ahrefs. Crucially, you should also use tools like Perplexity.ai to check if your brand is being mentioned in AI-generated answers, as this is a primary goal of the strategy.
