Link Building in 2026: How Editorial Links Are Actually Earned (SEO Summit Paris, Mar 2026)

Transcript

1. Nom du conférencier | Société | Fonction Link Building in 2026: How Editorial Links Are Actually Earned
4. Link building has a distribution problem 4
7. 7 Editorial links in 2026
8. 8 Editorial links in 2026 Getting them repeatedly
9. 9 Editorial links in 2026 Scaling without spam Getting them repeatedly
10. Hi! I’m Itamar 👋 Digital Strategy & SEO Consultant • Head of Marketing & Growth (UK), WhitePress® • Global SEO Speaker • Author, “Keywords for SEO” • Podcast Host, “SEO Unplugged” • Worked with $1B+ Companies • Digital Marketer Since 2008 Connect with me on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/itamarblauer/
11. Outreach patterns are broken 11
14. 14 Gmail AI inbox bad practices workflow
15. 15 Gmail AI inbox bad practices workflow 01 Repetitive phrasing
16. 16 Gmail AI inbox bad practices workflow 01 02 Similar send behaviour Repetitive phrasing
17. 17 Gmail AI inbox bad practices workflow 01 02 Similar send behaviour Repetitive phrasing 03 Predictable engagement
18. 18 Gmail AI inbox bad practices workflow 01 02 Similar send behaviour Repetitive phrasing 03 04 Quiet deprioritisation Predictable engagement
19. Mass outreach fails before the editor sees it 19
25. 25 So if links aren’t won in the inbox… where are they actually earned?
27. 27 Narrative fit
28. 28 Narrative fit Theme alignment
29. 29 Narrative fit Theme alignment Timeliness
30. 30 Narrative fit Theme alignment Timeliness Reader relevance
31. If it wouldn’t survive without a backlink… it’s not editorial 31
32. 32 Assets most likely to get you cited
33. 33 Assets most likely to get you cited 01 Data-led insights
35. 35 Assets most likely to get you cited 01 02 Strong quotes / clear claims Data-led insights
37. 37 Assets most likely to get you cited Industry benchmarks 01 02 03 Strong quotes / clear claims Data-led insights
39. 39 Assets most likely to get you cited Industry benchmarks 01 02 03 Strong quotes / clear claims Data-led insights 04 Data visualisations
41. 41 Assets most likely to get you cited Industry benchmarks 01 02 03 Strong quotes / clear claims Data-led insights 04 05 Usable, up-to- date statistics Data visualisations
43. 43 Assets most likely to get you cited Industry benchmarks 01 02 03 Strong quotes / clear claims Data-led insights Interactive widgets / tools 04 05 06 Usable, up-to- date statistics Data visualisations
45. Editors link to brands they’ve seen before 45
46. 46 Mere-exposure effect
47. 47 Editorial links in 2026 Getting them repeatedly
49. Step 1: Map editorial demand 49
52. It’s all about identifying demand 52
54. 54 Identify recurring topics
58. 58 Identify recurring topics Follow # core journalists
61. 61 Identify recurring topics Analyse title patterns Follow # core journalists
66. “What content should we create?” 66
67. “What content should we create?” 67
68. “What stories already exist that we can contribute to?” 68
69. Step 2: Build for citation - not SEO 69
71. Editors cite numbers and claims - not guides 71
72. “We published a 3,000-word SEO guide.” 72
73. “We published a 3,000-word SEO guide.” 73
74. “We analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found…” 74
75. Step 3: Match the same asset to different publication angles 75
76. 76 Publication type What they want
77. 77 Publication type What they want News Timely insights
78. 78 Publication type What they want News Timely insights Industry blog Depth
79. 79 Publication type What they want News Timely insights Industry blog Depth Review site Comparison
80. 80 Publication type What they want News Timely insights Industry blog Depth Review site Comparison Community Debate
81. Research report 81
82. Research report 82 Headline stat for news
83. Research report 83 Headline stat for news Trend breakdown for industry blogs
84. Research report 84 Headline stat for news Trend breakdown for industry blogs Comparison chart for niche sites
85. Research report 85 Headline stat for news Trend breakdown for industry blogs Comparison chart for niche sites Angle for community discussions
86. Step 4: Pitch value - not links 86
87. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity 87
88. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. 88
89. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. 89
90. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. 90
91. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 91
92. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 92
93. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 93
94. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 94 Generic subject line
95. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 95
96. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 96 Generic compliment
97. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 97
98. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 98 Talks about your own content with no angle
99. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 99
100. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 100 No reason
101. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 101
102. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 102 Explicit anchor request
103. Subject: Collaboration Opportunity Hi [Name], I came across your recent article on AI search and thought it was great. We recently published a comprehensive 3,000-word guide on AI visibility and would love to collaborate. Would you be open to adding a link to our article? We think it would add value for your readers. We’d prefer the anchor text “AI visibility strategy” pointing to this URL: [link]. Let me know your thoughts! Best, Itamar 103
104. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage 104
105. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. 105
106. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. 106
107. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 107
108. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 108
109. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 109
110. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 110 Specific subject line
111. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 111
112. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 112 Shows relevance to the publication
113. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 113
114. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 114 Data that their audience cares about
115. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 115
116. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 116 Offering to contribute
117. Subject: Data point for your AI visibility coverage Hi [Name], I saw you’ve been covering AI search visibility shifts over the past few weeks - especially your piece on link prominence in AI Overviews. We’ve just analysed 2.5 billion search queries and found that brands mentioned in three or more industry publications were 41% more likely to appear in AI-generated responses. If useful, I’m happy to share the breakdown or provide a short quote for your follow-up coverage. Best, Itamar 117
118. Step 5: Repeat to build presence 118
119. 119 One placement ≠ authority
120. 120 One placement ≠ authority 3+ environments = pattern
121. 121 One placement ≠ authority 3+ environments = pattern Patterns create familiarity
122. 122 Mere-exposure effect
123. A by-product of this is increased AI visibility 123
124. 124 (for most teams)
125. 125 Consistency is hard
126. 126 Research time Consistency is hard
127. 127 Research time Consistency is hard Asset creation
128. 128 Research time Consistency is hard Asset creation Market variation
129. 129 Research time Consistency is hard Asset creation Market variation Tracking
130. 130 Research time Consistency is hard Asset creation Relationship building Market variation Tracking
132. 132 Editorial links in 2026 Scaling without spam Getting them repeatedly
135. 135 Research report
136. 136 Research report News article
137. 137 Research report Industry report
138. 138 Research report Regional coverage
139. 139 Research report Expert quote
140. 140 Research report Comparison piece
141. 141 Tiered publisher sequence
142. 142 Tier 1 Tiered publisher sequence (authority & validation)
143. 143 Tier 1 Tiered publisher sequence (authority & validation)
144. 144 Create social proof
145. 145 Create social proof Reduce perceived risk
146. 146 Create social proof Validate the story Reduce perceived risk
147. 147 Tier 2 Tiered publisher sequence (amplification & industry authority)
148. 148 Tier 2 Tiered publisher sequence (amplification & industry authority)
149. 149 Mid-tier publications
150. 150 Mid-tier publications Lead with “covered by x”
151. 151 Mid-tier publications Lowers trust barrier Lead with “covered by x”
152. 152 Tier 3 Tiered publisher sequence (saturation & specialist)
153. 153 Tier 3 Tiered publisher sequence (saturation & specialist)
154. 154 Industry-wide coverage
155. 155 Industry-wide coverage Stronger brand equity
156. 156 Industry-wide coverage AI inclusion probability Stronger brand equity
157. 157 Tier 1 Tiered publisher sequence (start here)
158. 158 Tier 2 Tiered publisher sequence (then here)
159. 159 Tier 3 Tiered publisher sequence (then here)
160. Cadence > bursts 160
162. 162 Launch one big report
163. 163 Launch one big report Limited coverage then 0
164. 164 Launch one big report Repeat 6-12 months later Limited coverage then 0
166. 166 Build the dataset, create assets
167. 167 Build the dataset, create assets Extract angles, expand coverage
168. 168 Build the dataset, create assets Update data, revive the narrative Extract angles, expand coverage
169. This is repeatable over time 169
170. 170 But how can you track your editorial link building efforts?
171. 171 # of links
172. 172 # of links DR
173. 173 # of links Traffic DR
174. 174 # of links Traffic DR
175. 175 Environments entered
176. Which ecosystems now include you? 176
177. 177 Global business press Ecosystem examples Industry vertical media AI / marketing analysis coverage Regional trade publications
178. 178 Environments entered Repeat mentions
179. One mention is noise 179
180. 180 Environments entered Brand inclusion in topics Repeat mentions
181. “Did we get a link this month?” 181
182. “Did we get a link this month?” 182
183. “Are we part of the narrative?” 183
185. 185 Execution is the bottleneck
186. 186 Execution is the bottleneck 01 Finding the right editors
187. 187 Execution is the bottleneck 01 02 Pitching repeatedly Finding the right editors
188. 188 Execution is the bottleneck Correct timing windows 01 02 03 Pitching repeatedly Finding the right editors
189. 189 Execution is the bottleneck Correct timing windows 01 02 03 Pitching repeatedly Finding the right editors 04 Managing follow-ups
190. 190 Execution is the bottleneck Correct timing windows 01 02 03 Pitching repeatedly Finding the right editors 04 05 Tracking coverage Managing follow-ups
191. 191 Execution is the bottleneck Correct timing windows 01 02 03 Pitching repeatedly Finding the right editors Market-specific variation 04 05 06 Tracking coverage Managing follow-ups
192. Ideas aren’t the problem 192
193. Ideas aren’t the problem Team capacity is 193
196. 196 Mass outreach
197. 197 Mass outreach DR hunting
198. 198 Mass outreach One-off wins DR hunting
199. 199 Mass outreach One-off wins DR hunting
200. 200 Value
201. 201 Value Repetition
202. 202 Value Structured distribution Repetition
205. Want to build editorial presence at scale? Scan to continue the conversation 👉 Thank you!