If you’re running a CBD business and trying to grow your online presence, you’ve probably realized something: getting good backlinks isn’t easy, and it’s not cheap either.
But the good news? It doesn’t have to be that way.
In this article, we’ll show you smart, low-cost ways to get high-quality CBD backlinks. You’ll learn what makes a backlink valuable, why some links cost a fortune, and how to build a strong backlink profile without draining your budget.
Why Backlinks Are Crucial for CBD SEO Success
The CBD industry is booming, but getting your website to rank well presents unique challenges. Backlinks serve as the backbone of your SEO strategy for several important reasons.
Search Engine Visibility and Domain Authority
When other websites directly point or “link” to your site, search engines interpret this as a valid recommendation for your site. Each quality backlink essentially tells Google, “This CBD site is trustworthy and provides valuable information.”
As these recommendations accumulate, your domain authority increases, impacting your ranking potential for competitive CBD-related keywords.
In short, more quality backlinks = more trust = better rankings.
CBD-Specific Challenges: Google’s YMYL Guidelines and Legal Gray Areas
CBD websites face additional scrutiny because they fall under Google’s “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) category. This classification means Google holds CBD content to higher standards since it relates to health and well-being.
The CBD industry’s semi-regulated nature creates further complications, as Google is cautious about promoting content in legally ambiguous areas.
For CBD websites, this means you need more high-quality backlinks than websites in less restricted industries to achieve similar rankings.
Trust & Traffic: Why Links from High-Authority Sources Matter More in the CBD Niche
Given these industry-specific challenges, the source of your backlinks matters tremendously.
A single link from a reputable health website or recognized medical publication can outweigh dozens of links from random blogs. These authoritative backlinks boost your SEO and build consumer trust, especially in the CBD market, where consumers often research products for serious health concerns.
Understanding What Makes a Backlink “High-Quality”
Not all backlinks are created equal.
Understanding the key factors determining backlink quality will help you focus on opportunities that deliver actual results.
-
Relevance: Industry-Related Domains and Context
Links from websites related to CBD, cannabis, health, wellness, or alternative medicine carry more weight than links from unrelated industries.
The content surrounding your link should ideally discuss topics relevant to CBD or its benefits. This contextual relevance signals to search engines that your link naturally belongs within that discussion.
-
Authority: Domain Rating (DR) and Domain Authority (DA)
These metrics, developed by SEO tools like Ahrefs (DR) and Moz (DA), estimate a website’s ability to rank in search engines. Higher numbers (on a scale of 0-100) generally indicate more powerful backlink sources.
For CBD websites, aim for links from domains with DR/DA of at least 30, though even lower scores from highly relevant sites can still provide value.
-
Traffic & Trust: Organic Traffic and Clean Backlink Profile
A website with substantial organic traffic likely has Google’s trust. Links from sites that receive traffic from search engines pass more value than links from dormant websites that no one visits.
Similarly, look for sites with clean backlink profiles themselves—if they’ve engaged in spammy link building, their outbound links (including yours) could be devalued.
-
Contextual Placement: Natural Placement vs. Sidebar/Footer Links
Links embedded naturally within relevant content (contextual links) carry significantly more value than those placed in sidebars, footers, or massive resource pages.
Google recognizes contextual links as more intentional endorsements of your content.
-
DoFollow vs. NoFollow: What Matters Most for Ranking
While “dofollow” links pass more direct ranking power, “nofollow” links still have value. A healthy backlink profile contains both types.
Many CBD sites obsess over obtaining only do-follow links, which creates an unnatural profile. Plus, nofollow links from high-traffic sites still drive valuable referral visitors who may convert into customers.
Common Pitfalls: Why CBD Brands Overpay for Backlinks
Many CBD companies waste their budget on ineffective backlink strategies.
Let’s examine the most common mistakes to avoid.
Pitfall #1: CBD-Specific Markup: Many Sellers Inflate Prices Due to Perceived Difficulty
Link builders often charge CBD companies premium rates, sometimes 2 to 3x more than standard industries, claiming “extra difficulty” due to the niche.
While CBD does present unique challenges, this markup is often exaggerated and exploitative. Many agencies simply use this as an excuse to charge more for the same service.
Pitfall #2: Overuse of Paid Guest Posts and PBNs
In desperation for quick results, CBD brands often overspend on obvious paid guest posts or links from private blog networks (PBNs). These provide temporary ranking boosts but risk long-term penalties as Google becomes increasingly adept at identifying these manipulative tactics.
The short-term gain rarely justifies the expense and potential long-term damage.
Pitfall #3: One-Off Buys vs. Long-Term Value
Purchasing individual backlinks as one-time transactions rarely delivers sustainable value. These isolated links often come from low-relevance websites and lack the contextual support needed to boost your rankings meaningfully.
The money spent on five random backlinks would generate better returns if invested in a cohesive, ongoing strategy.
Pitfall #4: Scammy Marketplaces and Low-Quality Sellers
The CBD link building space attracts numerous low-quality providers who sell links from websites created solely for link selling. These sites typically have thin content and suspicious backlink profiles themselves.
While their prices seem attractive, these links provide minimal value and could potentially harm your site’s reputation with search engines.
Pro Tip:
Want to skip the guesswork and get the best value for your link building budget? The Blueprints is consistently rated as the most cost-effective provider for CBD backlinks. Their tailored approach ensures you get high-authority links without overspending.
Budget-Friendly Ways to Earn CBD Backlinks
Let’s explore practical, cost-effective methods to secure quality backlinks for your CBD website.
-
HARO-Style Journalist Outreach (Even Without HARO)
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) used to be a well-known platform that connected journalists with expert sources.
While it’s an excellent resource, other similar platforms are specifically beneficial for CBD businesses.
How to Pitch Journalists as a CBD Expert
- Position yourself as a subject matter expert with specific credentials or experience
- Respond quickly with concise, quotable insights
- Include your full name, company, title, and website
- Add value first—focus on answering the question thoroughly before promoting your brand
When pitching, address the journalist’s specific question and provide a unique perspective or data point they’re unlikely to get elsewhere.
Avoid generic responses that sound like advertisements.
Tools:
These platforms function similarly to HARO but often have less competition:
- Qwoted: Focuses on business and finance but includes health topics
- Help a B2B Writer: Great for CBD businesses targeting other businesses
- Featured: Connects you with journalists writing about wellness trends
Most of these platforms offer free tiers, making them perfect for budget-conscious CBD brands.
-
Guest Posting on Health, Wellness, and Lifestyle Blogs
Guest posting remains effective when done authentically on relevant sites.
How to Find Blogs Open to CBD Content
- Use search operators like “CBD + write for us” or “wellness + guest post”
- Explore the backlink profiles of competing CBD sites to find blogs that accept CBD content
- Join health and wellness blogger groups on Facebook, where collaboration opportunities are shared
Look beyond obvious cannabis sites—health, wellness, sleep, anxiety, and natural remedy blogs often accept CBD content and may have less competition.
Pitch Templates and Value-First Approach
When pitching, focus on the blog’s audience’s needs rather than your promotional goals:
- Reference specific articles they’ve published to demonstrate familiarity
- Propose topics that fill gaps in their existing content
- Include your unique qualifications to discuss CBD topics
- Offer to share published content with your audience
Example pitch snippet:
“I noticed your recent article on natural sleep remedies didn’t explore CBD options. As a certified herbalist with 5 years in the CBD industry, I’d love to contribute a science-backed article on ‘How CBD Affects Sleep Cycles’ to complement your existing content.”
-
Skyscraper Technique for CBD Content
This proven technique involves creating superior content and reaching out to sites linking to inferior resources.
Find Outdated or Underperforming CBD Content
- Use Ahrefs to identify CBD-related content with many backlinks but outdated information
- Look for articles with factual errors about CBD regulations or research
- Find “thin” CBD content (under 1000 words) that ranks but lacks depth
Given the rapidly evolving CBD research and regulations, content from even 1-2 years ago often contains outdated information, creating perfect skyscraper opportunities.
Outreach to Sites Linking to Inferior Content
After creating more comprehensive, accurate content:
- Reach out to websites linking to the outdated article
- Politely highlight specific improvements your content offers
- Make it easy for them to review and link to your resource
This approach works particularly well for scientific content about CBD, as research is constantly evolving and many websites link to outdated studies.
-
Leverage Local Directories and Niche Listings
Don’t overlook the value of focused directory listings, which provide both backlinks and local visibility.
Cannabis, Health, Wellness Directories
Create listings on platforms like:
- Leafly and Weedmaps (if you have a physical location)
- Natural health practitioner directories, if you sell CBD for therapeutic uses
- Local chamber of commerce and business associations
Many of these provide dofollow links and send targeted referral traffic of potential customers.
How to Find Citation Sources with SEO Value
- Analyze competitor citations using tools like Whitespark or BrightLocal
- Look for industry-specific directories with strong domain authority
- Prioritize directories that offer detailed business profiles over simple listings
Even paid directory listings can be worthwhile if they have strong domain authority and relevance to the CBD or health industries.
-
CBD Influencer & Affiliate Backlink Swaps
Partnerships with content creators can generate authentic backlinks while expanding your audience.
Partner with Micro-Influencers and Blogs
- Identify CBD reviewers, wellness bloggers, and health influencers with 5,000-50,000 followers
- Offer product samples in exchange for honest reviews
- Provide affiliate commissions to incentivize ongoing promotion
Micro-influencers tend to have higher engagement rates and more dedicated target audiences than the usual major influencers, making them perfect partners for CBD brands on a budget.
How This Earns Natural Backlinks
When influencers review your products, they naturally link to your site.
Additionally:
- Their reviews often get picked up by other sites in the industry
- They frequently update their “best CBD products” lists to include partners
- They mention your products in relevant content beyond the initial review
These relationships continue generating backlinks over time, unlike one-off purchased links.
Before committing to any link building campaign, use tools like LinkBuildingPricing to quickly determine the current market price of backlinks in the CBD niche. This helps you benchmark offers and avoid overpaying.
Tools to Help You Find Quality Backlink Opportunities
The right tools make finding and evaluating potential backlink sources much easier.
Ahrefs / Semrush: Competitor Backlink Research
These comprehensive SEO tools allow you to:
- Analyze competitor backlink profiles to find replicable opportunities
- Identify common link sources within the CBD industry
- Evaluate potential backlink sources for quality metrics
While these tools require investment (starting around $99/month), they provide invaluable data that can save you from wasting money on low-quality links.
Hunter.io / Instantly / Pitchbox: Outreach Automation
Once you’ve identified potential link sources, these tools streamline the outreach process:
- Find contact information for website owners and content managers
- Create personalized outreach campaigns at scale
- Track responses and follow up automatically with non-responders
Even free tiers of these tools can significantly improve your outreach efficiency.
BuzzSumo: Track Trending CBD Topics for Linkable Content
BuzzSumo shows which content performs best in terms of shares and links:
- Identify trending CBD topics that naturally attract links
- Find the most linked-to content formats in the CBD space
- Discover potential link partners based on content sharing patterns
Creating content around proven topics dramatically increases your link earning potential.
Niche-Specific Link Platforms: Authority Builders, Collaborator, etc.
These platforms connect site owners with link opportunities:
- Authority Builders offers vetted links from relevant websites
- Collaborator focuses on genuine content collaborations rather than purchased links
- Guest Post Tracker helps find guest posting opportunities
Why to use them carefully: While these services can provide legitimate opportunities, they are often more expensive for CBD sites. Evaluate each opportunity individually rather than buying packages.
Vetting Opportunities: Avoiding Toxic or Low-Value Backlinks
Not all backlink opportunities are worth pursuing.
Here’s how to avoid harmful ones.
How to Check Backlink Profile Health
Before securing a link from any website:
- Check its backlink profile using Ahrefs or Moz
- Review its organic traffic trends in Semrush
- Analyze the site’s content quality and publishing frequency
A good backlink source should have stable or growing organic traffic and a diverse backlink profile of its own.
Red Flags: Spam Score, Irrelevant Niche, Thin Content Sites
Avoid sites with:
- Moz spam score above 30%
- No clear topical focus or wildly inconsistent content
- Primarily thin content (under 500 words) or AI-generated articles
- Multiple outbound links in every post with commercial anchor text
These signals indicate a website created primarily for link selling rather than providing value to readers.
Avoiding Link Farms and Low-Quality Directories
Be wary of:
- Directories accepting any business without vetting
- Websites offering “instant approval” for guest posts
- Networks of sites with identical layouts and similar content but different domains
- Sites with unusually high numbers of outbound links on each page
These sources typically provide minimal SEO value and could trigger Google penalties.
Bonus Tips to Maximize Results on a Budget
Stretch your backlink budget further with these advanced strategies.
Tip #1: Repurpose PR Wins into Multiple Backlinks
When you secure media coverage:
- Create an “As Featured In” section on your website
- Share the coverage on social media and tag relevant industry accounts
- Develop case studies or success stories based on the coverage
- Reach out to similar publications highlighting your previous feature
One strong media placement can cascade into multiple backlink opportunities when leveraged correctly.
Tip #2: Turn Podcast Features or Interviews into Backlinks
Podcast appearances offer multiple link opportunities:
- The show notes page (direct backlink)
- Your guest profile on the podcast website
- Transcripts published as standalone content
- Derivative content created from interview highlights
Many podcasts in the health and wellness space are eager for CBD experts and don’t charge for appearances.
Tip #3: Join Niche Forums, FB Groups, and Subreddits for Linkable Exposure
Participate authentically in communities like:
- CBD and cannabis subreddits
- Health and wellness Facebook groups
- Industry forums for natural health practitioners
By providing genuinely helpful information without overt promotion, you build relationships that naturally lead to mentions and links.
Tip #4: Internal Linking Structure to Boost Existing Link Value
Maximize the impact of every backlink you earn:
- Create a logical site structure that distributes link equity
- Link from high-authority pages to important commercial pages
- Update old content to link to newer resources
- Use descriptive anchor text for internal links
Proper internal linking ensures that the authority from your backlinks flows to the pages you most want to rank.
Final Thoughts
Building high-quality backlinks for a CBD website doesn’t have to break the bank.
By understanding what truly constitutes a valuable link, avoiding common industry pitfalls, and implementing these budget-friendly strategies, you can develop a robust backlink profile that improves your rankings and establishes your brand as an authority in the CBD space.
Remember that consistency is key—rather than seeking quick wins through expensive purchased links, focus on developing sustainable processes that generate quality backlinks over time.
This approach saves money and creates a more natural, penalty-resistant link profile that will continue delivering value as your CBD business grows.
