3 Simple Ways To Build Links With Images (and Save Thousands!)

Today, I’m sharing 3 Simple Ways To Build Links With Images.

This little-known secret that can save you THOUSANDS of dollars in PR. Imagine achieving the same results as a $20,000 PR campaign with just a day’s worth of work (or a couple hundred bucks if you outsource).

Curious to know how?

In my latest tweet, I shared a method called “Link Building with Stock Photos.”

Let’s dive into that:

Link Building with Stock Photos 

This SECRET link building tactic using stock photos, can build 50+ links a month FOR FREE.

It’s perfect for e-commerce, any image-heavy website, and EVEN competitive niches like CBD and Betting.

Here’s the MAGIC formula:

Step 1. 

Create stock photos related to your site.

E-commerce stores already have hundreds, if not thousands, of images. 

If you don’t, grab your phone and start snapping clear, shareable images. 

Not sure what images to take? 

Go to an image sharing site below and get inspiration. 

Remember, these images should be usable and high quality enough to attract downloads.

You can even go broad like this:

It has over 1 MILLION downloads.

Step 2. 

Upload them to top stock image sites like Unsplash, Flickr, and Wikimedia.

Here’s a list of my Top 17 Sites. You can make a copy for FREE, but I would appreciate it if you joined my newsletter.  You won’t miss any more content like this.

Choose the sites where you want to publish your images.

To help you focus, I put a priority on the sheet. 

This is something I highly recommend being handled by a virtual assistant. 

When uploading your images, I keep track of each image in a spreadsheet, this comes in handy later on. 

You’ll want to wait a month, before moving onto the next step. 

Step 3.

Use Google’s reverse image search to track sites using your images. 

It can be tedious, but outsourcing is an option. 

Go to Google image search.

Copy the image address, navigate to Google image search, and click on the camera icon:

If you paste the image URL into the text box where it asks for the image link, Google will display all instances of that image it can find online.

Next, make a list of these websites and ask for attribution.

It is best to keep it short, polite, but direct.

Step 4. 

Let them know you’d appreciate a link to your site from those images.

Yes, you did upload them for free commercial use, but many people will gladly give you credit when asked.

Here’s 2 outreach templates:

Step 5. 

Track your outreach in a spreadsheet and set reminders for follow-ups. Consistent outreach will maximise your results.

Set up monthly or quarterly outreach campaigns and watch those FREE links roll in.

This simple technique can dramatically increase your backlink profile without breaking the bank.

Give it a shot and see how your SEO improves.

Get 90+ High-Quality Backlinks in Under 5 Minutes

These pillow/foundational links MOST websites have (or should have).

Here’s a quick and dirty tactic that’ll have you grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Here’s why you need to do it. 

The more referring domains, the more you fend off spam and negative SEO attacks, or add paid guest posts and PBNs.

Sticking with the visual theme, the bonus tactic is infographic submissions

Here’s how to do it cost-effectively…

Ask ChatGPT, “Create me an infographic on [Topic], [More Info on Topic], do it in [style].”

Feel free to experiment.

However, It doesn’t need to be perfect (or correct).

We’re doing this SOLELY for backlinks.

Example image: 

ChatGPT infographic Linkbuilding OLIVER.com

Next, go to Fiverr.

It costs between $5-15 for an infographic submission gig

Don’t do this manually; we are on speed run.

Ask the provider for an example report to see the submissions you’ll get.

Some sites are decent quality; others, not so much. 

Avoid links on subdomains (e.g., raymondwqcm16048.blog5.net) as they hold no value.

The goal is to add more referring domains (RF) to fight spam, not to increase it.

Here are some links most gigs include: 

Curate Viral Conference Slides

SlideShare is a POWERHOUSE for discovering, sharing, and captivating audiences with slides.

In case you didn’t know, it’s one of the world’s most visited websites. Currently ranked #687 on Semrush’s global rankings.

I first noticed its potential back in 2018 when Gary Vee published a simple deck that has since garnered over 2,335,136 views.

Here’s a CLEVER way to leverage SlideShare for link building:

1. Curate Event Slides

Create a curated list of slide presentations from all the speakers at a conference or organised event. 

It’s a crafty way to newsjack a popular event, as these visuals are in high demand. 

Think about how often attendees ask, “Will you upload your slides online?” 

Many attendees and even those who missed the event are ALWAYS looking for these decks.

2. Ensure Permissions

Make sure you have permission to share the slides. 

Generally, if the slides are being shared publicly by the organiser or speakers, you’re good to go.

3. Leverage Social Media

Many people take notes and share their opinions on these slides on social media, so why not share them on SlideShare too? 

The platform creates an indexable page that can rank for long-tail industry keywords (which are important), giving you organic visibility.

Say if you do this for each speaker, 5+ slides, it increases the chances of earned links from blogs in your industry, which is relevancy GOLD.

4. Promote Your Slides

Don’t just rely on SlideShare’s traffic — even if it gets thousands of views. 

Promote your slides on your social media and your blog. 

This manual promotion increases your chances of earning valuable backlinks from industry blogs.

5. Link Reclamation

Similar to building backlinks with stock images, you’ll often find your slides embedded on various websites with attribution. 

Contact these publishers and ask if they can link to your website.

Despite being a straightforward link-building tactic, this method is underutilised, even for clients with strong speaking portfolios. 

Give it a try and watch your SEO efforts pay off.

Final words

I wish you the best with this creative image link building.

I covered:

  • Leverage stock images to earn new backlinks month after month.
  • Fiverr infographic link building with ChatGPT
  • Curate conference slide decks to hijack industry attention and authority.

You were also given 17 sites to upload your images.

Put them into action for your brand.

That’s it. 

Happy backlinking!

Cheers,

James Oliver

P.S. Want more tactics to level up your game? Join the Conversion Collective, our exclusive community for ambitious entrepreneurs just like you. Click here to join!