Some content gets clicks. Great content gets shared. But linkable content? That’s the kind people can’t stop referencing.
Backlinks remain one of the strongest signals of authority in SEO yet most articles never earn a single one. The difference often comes down to whether your content is built to earn links or simply to rank.
Linkable assets are high-quality content pieces specifically designed to attract backlinks. These assets include guides, infographics, original research, case studies, and interactive tools. Linkable assets earn links because they provide unique value, are highly shareable, and help other creators support their own content.
In today’s AI-driven search landscape, where generative engines summarize and cite fewer sources, earning visibility through mentions and backlinks has become even more competitive. SEO tools track backlinks as a core ranking factor and for good reason.
Links and brand mentions signal credibility not just to traditional search algorithms but increasingly to AI models learning what sources to trust.
In this guide, we’ll unpack what linkable assets are, why they matter more than ever in the age of AI search, and how to create content that attracts backlinks organically, not through spammy outreach, but through real value.
The SEO landscape has changed, again. AI summaries, zero-click searches, and evolving ranking signals mean your content now competes not just for clicks but for citations.
That’s why linkable assets are your best long-term investment. They do more than attract backlinks; they build authority, credibility, and trust signals that AI and search algorithms increasingly rely on to determine which brands deserve visibility.
Recent Ahrefs research backs this up. After analyzing 75,000 brands, the study found that the strongest correlations with visibility in Google’s AI Overviews were all brand web mentions, brand anchors, and brand search volume. In short, the more your brand is mentioned and linked to across the web, the better your chances of showing up in AI-powered search results, proving that linkable assets directly fuel visibility in the new search era.
A strong linkable asset can:
Think of it as compounding SEO equity. One well-crafted asset can keep earning links, traffic, and visibility long after it’s published.
Not every content format earns backlinks equally. Some are naturally more reference-worthy, offering original value, data, or insights others want to cite. Here are the most common types of linkable assets that consistently attract backlinks.
Original data is one of the most powerful link magnets. Whether it’s a proprietary survey, benchmark study, or aggregated industry statistics, data-backed content provides something other creators can’t easily replicate, making it highly linkable.
For example, G2’s 2025 Buyer Behavior Report and AI in Customer Engagement Report are strong linkable assets. Both combine original data with expert insights to reveal new trends in software buying and customer engagement — the kind of research that other brands, journalists, and analysts cite repeatedly.
In-depth resources that serve as definitive references often earn links over time. Think “ultimate guides” or step-by-step tutorials that thoroughly cover a topic and stay relevant long after publication.
A great example is G2’s CRM software category page, effectively an ultimate guide to the best CRM platforms. It combines rankings, user reviews, and data-driven comparisons to help buyers choose the right tool. With more than 9,000 backlinks, it shows how authoritative, evergreen guides can attract continuous links and citations from other sites and publications.
Visually rich assets simplify complex information and are easy to embed or share. Infographics, comparison charts, and process visuals often get cited in blog posts and presentations.
A good example is OneLittleWeb’s AI Chatbots infographic, a data-backed visualization comparing web traffic across AI chatbots and search engines. The infographic, which was even shared by Elon Musk, went viral for its clarity and insight, earning significant attention and backlinks.
Well-designed visuals like this not only drive traffic but also help your brand become a trusted source for digestible data.
Case studies showcasing measurable results, especially in niche or emerging areas, attract backlinks from those citing real-world examples. They also strengthen brand authority when paired with actionable takeaways.
A well-known example is Brian Dean’s Skyscraper Technique case study on Backlinko, which explains how he used data-driven content to earn high-quality backlinks. The post itself became a linkable asset, accumulating more than 7,500 backlinks from marketers, SEO experts, and publications referencing his results.
Interactive tools and downloadable templates tend to earn backlinks because they offer immediate, practical value. Calculators, estimators, templates, and comparison tools help users do something, not just read about it , making them highly shareable across blogs, communities, and social channels
A standout example is Ahrefs’ Free Backlink Checker, which has earned over one million backlinks. Its utility is clear: it lets users instantly analyze backlinks for any website, delivering value in seconds. Because of its usefulness and accessibility, it’s cited by SEO professionals, bloggers, and digital marketers worldwide as a trusted resource.
When grounded in expertise and originality, opinion-driven articles and predictions can earn mentions and backlinks. Especially in the AI and SaaS space, credible perspectives spark discussion and citation.
A classic example is Marc Andreessen’s essay “Why Software Is Eating the World”
on a16z.com, which has earned over 361,000 backlinks. Its forward-looking insight on the software revolution turned a personal viewpoint into one of the most-referenced essays in tech history, proving that strong opinions, when rooted in expertise, can be powerful linkable assets.
Reports that rank, benchmark, or compare products, features, or performance metrics often attract backlinks from media outlets, researchers, and businesses looking to cite reliable reference material. These pieces position the publisher as an authority in their field and serve as ongoing sources of truth for industry trends.
For example, Stanford University’s 2025 AI Index Report has earned over 12,000 backlinks. It compiles global data on AI research, investment, and adoption — making it one of the most widely cited benchmark studies in the tech space. High-quality comparisons and data-led rankings like this consistently earn links from journalists, analysts, and educators alike.
Now that you know what linkable assets are and what types of content most commonly attract links, let’s take a look at how you can create linkable assets for your website or blog.
The below is a 5-step process that you can use when you want to create linkable assets for your site.
Before you create anything, you need to know who you’re creating it for and why they’d link to it. Audience insight isn’t just a marketing formalit.It’s the foundation of every successful linkable asset.
Start by asking:
The best linkable assets tend to:
Let’s take Venngage, a tool that allows you to create infographics online, as an example. If you take a look at the top 5 performing pages for Venngage in terms of backlinks…
...you’ll notice that Venngage creates content that’s directly connected to its product and thus can have instant value for its audience. Their audience, marketers and content creators, often link to it's esign guides, data visuals, and infographic templates for their educational value, and to its free tools for posters and banners for their hands-on utility and time-saving features.
This alignment between audience need and product expertise is what makes their content naturally linkable.
Now you should know that what’s “linkable” in one industry may flop in another. For example, a SaaS company might perform well with data-driven reports, while an e-commerce brand could earn links through trend studies or buying guides.
From a practical standpoint, go beyond assumptions. Use a combination of tools and qualitative insight to understand what resonates:
While shareability and linkability aren’t the same, share data gives you an early signal of audience interest. If people are already talking about it, refining that idea into a richer, better-structured, and reference-worthy asset can turn social buzz into backlinks.
Once you’ve mapped your audience’s interests and discovered what types of content attract attention in your niche, the next step is to match those insights with search intent: understanding what people are looking for and why they’d engage with your content in the first place.
Every high-performing linkable asset aligns with the intent behind its target keyword ,whether users are looking to learn something (informational), evaluate options (commercial), or use a resource (transactional).
Conduct a SERP analysis for every potential topic before you start creating. Look closely at:
This tells you what kind of content Google, and by extension, your target audience, currently considers most relevant for that query.
For instance, if you’re targeting the keyword “keyword research”, analyze the top-ranking pages. You might notice that the top three organic results are free keyword research tools.
This tells you something critical: people searching for this term want utility, not just theory.
In this case, an article explaining keyword research won’t cut it. You’ll need to build or feature a tool that helps users perform keyword research directly; that’s the content-intent fit you’re after.
Don't try to reinvent the intent. Mirror what ranks and improve on it. Add more depth, data, or interactivity. This positions your content to satisfy both search algorithms and human curiosity.
This is where most teams stumble. Everyone produces “good” content but stop short of exceptional. A linkable asset is not just long-form or visually polished. It must offer original value that’s difficult to replicate.
Here’s how to make your content stand out:
And if you want your content to look and read better than your competition, content creation software can make a big difference. You can explore the best tools for writing, design, and optimization on G2.
This is the part most people struggle with. You see, creating a great content piece is one thing. Actually getting that piece in front of the right eyes is where magic happens.
If you think about it, the reason why you put so much effort into creating a linkable asset is:
If your piece doesn’t get seen, then all your hard work would be for nothing. The big question is: what can you do about it?
Here are three effective ways to amplify your linkable assets:
Reach out to relevant website owners, journalists, and creators in your niche. Personalize your outreach — reference their work, explain why your asset adds value to their audience, and make sharing effortless.
For larger opportunities, consider journalist pitching through platforms like HARO or Qwoted, and targeted outreach to bloggers or publications that have linked to similar assets before.
Don’t underestimate the reach of social platforms. Promote your asset on LinkedIn, Reddit, or niche forums where your audience is active. A single share from an industry influencer or even a well-timed discussion thread can create a ripple effect of backlinks and mentions.
Use your email list, company blog, and social channels to give your asset an initial push. Your existing audience is often your best amplifier, when they share, it signals to others that your content is worth linking to.
In short, amplification is what transforms a great piece of content into a remarkable linkable asset. Sometimes, one strategic mention or influential share is all it takes to ignite momentum but only if you’ve put in the work to get it seen.
You’ve created a link-worthy asset, you did the best you could to promote it and now you can sit back and relax, right? Well, not exactly. You see, in marketing, nothing is effective if it’s not measured.
Key metrics to track include:
For a more advanced approach, the framework we can use here is what Ross Hudgens, Founder & CEO at SiegeMedia, calls “Post Value Ratio.”
→ (Monthly Value of a Content Piece * 24 Months) / $ to Create That Content Piece
The Overview report on Ahrefs makes this calculation relatively easy.
Let’s take as an example the following content piece based on Ahrefs’ Overview report:
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Source: Ahrefs UI
Let’s also assume that this company paid $1,000 to create that linkable asset.
The Post Value Ratio, as per Ross Hudgens, in this case will be: ($12,800 * 24 Months) / $1,000 = 307:1
As Hudgens suggests, an ideal Post Value Ratio is 10:1.
As you can imagine, the company with this linkable asset has therefore done a great job and should have an extremely positive ROI from this content piece. This great formula can tell us if our content marketing efforts are paying out, as well as whether or not we’re paying what we should to create linkable assets based on our returns.
If you’re measuring effectiveness solely based on links, you should use the Link Value Ratio (introduced by Ross Hudgens), which is similar to the one we just saw. In any case, measuring the effectiveness of your efforts based on certain metrics is critical.
Not necessarily. Linkable assets are meant to attract backlinks, but not all content serves that purpose. Some pieces may focus on conversions, product education, or thought leadership. A strong content strategy balances both.
Yes. AI content creation platforms can help with ideation, research, writing, and even visual design — making it easier to produce polished, high-quality content faster.
Building 100 backlinks in a month requires focused effort and scalable tactics:
While possible, prioritize quality over quantity — a few strong links from trusted domains outperform dozens of low-authority ones.
Use digital PR, outreach, and social media promotion to amplify your asset. Share it with journalists, industry publications, and relevant online communities. Even a single share or mention from a credible source can help it gain traction.
Buying backlinks isn’t illegal, but it violates Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Paid links intended to manipulate rankings can lead to penalties or loss of visibility. It’s always better to earn links through high-quality content, outreach, and digital PR.
Earning backlinks isn’t easy. It’s about creating content that deserves attention. Linkable assets do exactly that: they combine originality, credibility, and shareability to deliver real value that others want to reference.
You also have to be okay with the idea that most of the content you publish won’t get as many links as you want or initially expect. As mentioned earlier, publishing a great article is simply not enough. You have to actively promote it and make sure you do the best you can to get it in front of the right eyes.
There is one particular truth that can’t be overlooked here: no marketing strategy can be effective without experimentation. In that context, you’ll need to experiment with different types of content before hitting upon the types that will help you build links for your website.
Ready to create high-quality, linkable content faster? Explore the best AI content creation platforms on G2 to plan, write, and optimize your next linkable asset.
This article was published in 2019 and has been updated with new information.
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