I still remember the feeling. I had just launched my first real website. I’d spent months writing what I thought was incredible content—deep, well-researched articles that I was genuinely proud of. I hit “publish,” sat back, and waited for the Google traffic to roll in.
And then… crickets.
Weeks went by, and my articles were buried on page 10 of the search results. I was doing everything the “gurus” told me to. I had great content. But I was missing the single most important ingredient that Google still, to this day, cares deeply about: authority.
And in the world of SEO, authority is built with backlinks.
The problem is, most “free backlink lists” you find online are digital graveyards. They’re full of outdated, spammy websites that will do more harm than good. I learned this the hard way, by wasting months on tactics that either didn’t work or, even worse, got my site penalized.
This list is different. This is my personal, curated, and battle-tested collection of legitimate platforms where you can earn real, high-quality dofollow backlinks. This isn’t about finding loopholes or spamming the internet. It’s about strategically placing your flag on authoritative ground to show Google that you deserve to be trusted.
Why Dofollow Backlinks Are Still the Name of the Game
Let’s get this out of the way. In 2025, not all backlinks are created equal. A dofollow link is essentially a vote of confidence. It’s one website telling Google, “Hey, we trust this other site. Their content is valuable, and you should pass some of our authority over to them.”
A “nofollow” link, on the other hand, has an invisible tag that tells Google, “We’re linking to this site, but we’re not officially endorsing it. Don’t pass any authority.”
You need a mix of both for a natural link profile, but dofollow links are the ones that truly move the needle on your Domain Authority and search rankings.
Okay, let’s get to the list. I’ve broken it down by strategy, from the easiest wins to the most powerful, high-effort plays.
Category 1: The Foundations (Profile & Business Listings)
This is your starting point. These are quick, easy, and essential for establishing your brand’s existence online. Think of it as getting your official ID card for the internet.
The Strategy: Create a full, professional profile. Don’t just drop a link and run. Add a bio, a profile picture, and fill out every section.
- crunchbase.com
- about.me
- github.com (Essential for any tech or tool site)
- gitlab.com
- bitbucket.org
- behance.net (For creatives)
- dribbble.com (For designers)
- angel.co (now Wellfound – for startups)
- dev.to (For developers)
- hashnode.com (For tech writers)
- speakerdeck.com
- slideshare.net
- issuu.com
- scribd.com
- pearltrees.com
- mix.com
- folkd.com
- kofi.com
- patreon.com
- medium.com/@yourprofile
Category 2: Content Publishing Platforms (Your Digital Outposts)
This is where you start demonstrating your expertise. You are creating valuable content on a high-authority platform that links back to your own site.
The Strategy: Don’t just spin your existing articles. Write a unique, high-value, long-form piece of content (1,500+ words) that is genuinely helpful. Place one or two contextual links back to the most relevant pages on your site.
- wordpress.com
- blogger.com
- medium.com (Publishing a new story, not just your profile)
- substack.com
- sites.google.com
- wixsite.com
- weebly.com
- webflow.io
- notion.site
- tumblr.com
- pen.io
- telegra.ph
- svbtle.com
- yola.site
- mozello.com
- jimdosite.com
- zoho.com/sites
- hatenablog.com
- liveinternet.ru
- bloglovin.com
- hackernoon.com
- vocal.media
- selfgrowth.com
- articlify.com
- storifyme.com
- write.as
- list.ly
- growthhackers.com
- business2community.com
- linkedin.com/articles (Incredibly powerful for B2B)
- quora.com/spaces
- ezinearticles.com
Category 3: Software & Tool Directories (A Goldmine for SaaS)
If you run a tools-based website like our sister site AllWebToolkit, this category is non-negotiable. These are highly relevant, high-traffic links that also bring in users who are actively looking for a solution like yours.
The Strategy: Create a detailed and honest listing. Fill out every single field. Add screenshots and a clear description. Encourage your users to leave reviews.
- producthunt.com
- alternative.to
- slant.co
- saashub.com
- startupstash.com
- tooltester.com
- capterra.com
- g2.com
- sourceforge.net
- stackshare.io
- saasworthy.com
- devpost.com
- libhunt.com
- softwareadvice.com
- toolify.ai
- aitoolsdirectory.com
- futurepedia.io
- uneed.best
- startupbase.io
- growthlist.co
- pitchwall.co
- betalist.com
- indiehackers.com (More of a community, but has product listings)
- appsumo.com
- topbestalternatives.com
Category 4: Communities & Forums (Engage, Don’t Spam)
This is an advanced strategy. 99% of people get this wrong and just look like spammers. You cannot just join and post a link. You will be banned instantly.
The Strategy: Become a genuine member of the community. Spend weeks or even months answering questions and providing value. Only when your link is the perfect, most helpful answer to a specific question should you post it. One well-placed, helpful link is worth a thousand spammy ones.
- stackoverflow.com (The holy grail for tech answers)
- webmasters.stackexchange.com
- sitepoint.com/community
- warriorforum.com (For digital marketing)
- digitalpoint.com
- reddit.com (Find your niche subreddit, e.g., /r/SEO, /r/Entrepreneur)
- quora.com (Answering questions in detail)
Category 5: The Holy Grail (Manual Outreach & Editorial Links)
This is the final boss of link building. These are the links that truly make a difference. They require the most work, but a single one can be more powerful than all the others on this list combined.
The Strategy: This is about building relationships and creating content so good that people want to link to it.
- Identify websites in your niche (tech blogs, productivity blogs, SaaS review sites).
- Create a “linkable asset”—a truly epic blog post, a free tool, a piece of original research, or a detailed case study.
- Reach out to the owners of those other sites, show them your asset, and suggest why it would be a valuable resource for their readers.
Yes, it’s hard. Yes, you’ll get a lot of “no’s.” But this is how real authority is built.
- Examples of Targets:
- Tech niche blogs
- Productivity blogs
- SaaS review blogs
- Developer blogs
- Startup newsletters
- AI tool roundup blogs
- SEO case study blogs
- YouTube description links (from relevant creators)
- University tools resource pages
The Rules of the Game (How Not to Get Penalized)
Okay, you have the list. Now, don’t mess it up.
- Don’t Build Too Fast: Building 100 links in one week is a massive red flag to Google. Go slow and steady. A few a week is a good pace.
- Vary Your Anchor Text: Don’t always link with your exact keyword. Use your brand name (“AllWebToolkit”), generic text (“click here”), or the URL itself. Keep it natural.
- Focus on Relevance: A link from a high-authority baking blog is useless for a tech site. Relevance matters more than just the raw authority score.
- Create Real Content: Don’t just post a 300-word spun article to drop a link. Write something you’re actually proud of. Google can tell the difference.
Building authority is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about patiently and consistently earning trust across the web. This list isn’t a set of shortcuts; it’s a map of legitimate places where you can go to earn that trust. Start small, provide real value, and watch your authority grow.
