Although thousands of AI tools have been launched since the release of ChatGPT, Open AI's offering has managed to reach a level of popularity no other tool enjoys, and rightfully so. It's sort of a one-stop for everything from marketing and education to coding and content creation.
SEO, particularly link-building, is right up there with ChatGPT's use cases. In fact, our AI SEO Benchmark Report revealed that 57.1% of marketers use ChatGPT as their primary AI tool. Part of the reason ChatGPT is so widely used is that it's easy for everyone to learn. There's little to no learning curve as long as you've perfected your prompts.
Another issue is that many marketers and SEO professionals underestimate ChatGPT's capabilities and don't use it to its full potential. That's why we've put together this guide to explain how to use ChatGPT for link building.
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- 8 Ways to Use ChatGPT as a Support Tool for Link Building
- Automating High-Impact Outreach Emails with ChatGPT
- Finding High-Authority Sites in Record Time
- Creating SEO-Optimized Content and Link Magnets with ChatGPT
- Give Your Old Content a Fresh SEO Boost
- Pitching Guest Posts with ChatGPT
- Automate Influencer and Social Media Outreach
- Winning Competitor Backlinks with AI Insights
- Humanizing AI Outreach: Link-Building with a Personal Touch
- How ChatGPT Can Link You to Higher Rankings
- Frequently Asked Questions
8 Ways to Use ChatGPT as a Support Tool for Link Building
While ChatGPT isn’t a backlink tool on its own, it’s an invaluable asset for streamlining your link building efforts. By analyzing data from dedicated backlink tools like Semrush Backlink Analytics, ChatGPT can offer targeted recommendations—whether it’s suggesting potential outreach targets, crafting personalized email templates, or generating fresh content ideas for guest posts.
In essence, ChatGPT serves as a powerful support system that takes the heavy lifting off your plate. Use it to interpret complex results, refine your strategies, and create compelling outreach content, ultimately allowing you to scale your link building process more efficiently.
Automating High-Impact Outreach Emails with ChatGPT
One of the most time-saving applications of ChatGPT is creating personalized outreach emails. Instead of spending hours drafting individual messages, you can invest just 10 minutes fine-tuning a prompt and then feed ChatGPT details for various competitors or targets. In minutes, you'll have dozens of personalized emails ready—what would otherwise take much longer to craft manually.
For instance, you can create a template that includes recipient-specific information like their website name and relevant guest posting topics. Whether it's for guest posting, podcast interviews, social media partnerships, or broken link building, ChatGPT can quickly generate emails tailored to each outreach opportunity.
Here's a simple prompt for guest posting outreach:
Create an outreach email template that I can use to suggest guest post ideas to a high-authority website in my niche. Mention how my content topic/angle can benefit their audience.
You can further optimize and personalize this prompt by incorporating more detailed recipient information or specific nuances about their audience and style. Experimenting with different prompt variations can help ensure that each generated email feels uniquely crafted and highly relevant to its recipient.
Once you receive the output, simply fill in the template with the specific website and topic information for each recipient. It’s crucial, however, to review and tweak the generated emails to ensure they sound natural and personable—not AI-generated. This extra step ensures your outreach maintains a genuine tone, which is key to successful engagement. While this is just the most basic use case of the tool, we'll discuss the nitty-gritty of using ChatGPT for email outreach in another section below.
Using GMass for Full Email Automation
When you’re ready to launch a larger networking or cold email campaign, you can streamline the process by using GMass. It integrates with ChatGPT for cold email creation, so once you start an email campaign in GMass, you’ll see a ChatGPT icon that lets you build email sequences directly.
You can set follow-ups within the platform, depending on how often you want to send them. ChatGPT will then continue sending personalized follow-up emails to the recipients without any additional effort on your part.
Finding High-Authority Sites in Record Time
In your link-building efforts, you obviously want to target high-authority websites because that's what will boost your site's authoritativeness. However, it can be tedious to search for these websites yourself.
You may know some of the top few in your niche, but they may not be open to guest posts at that time. ChatGPT can help you find some other sites that you may not even have thought of.
Use this prompt to find such sites:
Find me high-authority websites in [your niche] that I can reach out to for link building. Suggest websites with a high Domain Authority score and traffic.
After ChatGPT suggests relevant domains, you can validate their authority using the Semrush Website Authority Checker. It will show you the authority score of the website along with the number of domains that link to it. You can then go to Backlink Analytics for a more detailed analysis of the website.
Alternatively, use the Domain Overview tool in Semrush to get a comprehensive view of selected domains. The tool shows pretty much everything you'd want to know about a website, such as its authority score, organic search traffic, backlinks, top organic keywords, referring domains, and more. Use this data to determine which of ChatGPT's suggested websites would be most beneficial for your link-building strategy.
Creating SEO-Optimized Content and Link Magnets with ChatGPT
A link magnet is a content piece that you create with the sole purpose of attracting links from other websites. It's a highly valuable piece of content that people want to link to because it provides useful information that may not be found elsewhere.
For example, our Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report is a link magnet. We conducted the research to write this report ourselves, and this information isn't available elsewhere. So, other websites in our niche are likely to link to it because it provides value for their readers.
Link magnets don't always have to be written content. They can be webinars, videos, infographics, podcasts, or any other form of content that is share-worthy.
Generating Link Magnet Ideas with ChatGPT
As we've touched on earlier, ChatGPT can generate link magnet ideas specific to your website and niche. Whether you want to get ideas about reports or webinars, ChatGPT can assist you in brainstorming valuable topics that are likely to attract links from other websites.
For example, we are a website focused on all things digital marketing. So, we can use the following prompt to get ChatGPT to suggest relevant link magnet ideas.
My website is influencermarketinghub.com. Suggest link magnets that I can create to generate backlinks. I want to focus on industry reports or guides.
ChatGPT will provide us with specific ideas that we can then work on. Similarly, if you are a health and wellness website, you can use this prompt:
I own a health website that focuses on all female health and wellness. Suggest link magnet ideas to generate backlinks for my website. My focus is on visuals rather than written content.
Since you've specified that you want visuals, ChatGPT will generate ideas like infographics, videos, or images rather than written content.
After you get link magnet ideas from ChatGPT, you can also use the tool to create and refine the content. For example, in the result for the input above, ChatGPT suggested that we create ''Hormone Health Tracking Templates'' for our health-related website. So, we entered this prompt into ChatGPT:
Create a monthly Hormone Health Tracking Template for my audience.
Now that ChatGPT has sparked your creative ideas, you can further polish your content by running it through the Semrush SEO Writing Assistant. The tool shows you keyword suggestions to optimize your content for search engines. It also provides recommendations for tone, content length, image addition, alt attributes, readability, and internal linking.
Give Your Old Content a Fresh SEO Boost
SEO is constantly evolving, and an article from two years ago might now be outdated—especially since AI search engines prioritize fresh content. If your once-popular article has slipped in rankings, consider updating it with current SEO practices, including AI-friendly keywords and voice-search optimization.
Tools like the Keyword Magic Tool can help you find new long-tail phrases, and incorporating question-based queries aligns with how users now search by asking full questions. By refreshing old content, you ensure it remains visible and valuable, rather than letting AI ignore it in favor of newer material.
If you’re looking specifically for question-based keywords, go to the Keyword Overview tool in Semrush. In the “Questions” section, you’ll see relevant queries alongside important metrics like keyword difficulty and search volume, making it easy to prioritize the best opportunities.
Select the questions that you find most relevant and then ask ChatGPT to create an FAQ section based on them. Here's the prompt we used for our example:
Create an FAQ section for our article on TikTok Shop based on these question keywords. We are updating our article with new data, so include the most recent information in your answers.
ChatGPT created the FAQ section so we could update our content. Similarly, you can ask the tool to generate headings and subheadings based on the long-tail keywords you found in the Keyword Magic Tool or include new information in the content that has emerged since you originally wrote it.
Pitching Guest Posts with ChatGPT
It's very common to build domain authority using a content strategy, but it only works if you have a solid pitch that convinces other websites to accept and publish your guest posts. ChatGPT can be your wingman here.
Suppose you've done your keyword research. You've found the keywords with high search volume that you believe will be valuable to the website you're pitching to. To come up with the right angles to take, you use the Semrush Keyword Strategy Builder.
It creates ideas for pillar pages and subpages based on the user intent behind the keywords. You notice that the website you want to pitch to has one of these pillar pages. However, they're missing a few sub-pages that can better contextualize their content for search engines. That's your opportunity right there.
You now want to pitch a guest post that fills in those gaps. Let ChatGPT create a compelling pitch for you with this prompt:
I want to pitch a blog post on the topic [your topic] to [the website you're pitching to]. Create a convincing pitch that shows the value of this blog post for the website and its audience. Mention that I have conducted sufficient keyword research, which I am happy to share.
ChatGPT will craft a pitch that highlights your post's value and explains why it's a perfect fit for the website.
Automate Influencer and Social Media Outreach
Social media influencers have become a force to be reckoned with in the marketing world, some earning tens of thousands of dollars for a single post. The influence they have over their audience is phenomenal. And you can use it to garner visibility for your website.
ChatGPT is one of the best free influencer marketing tools, as it lets you automate several aspects of your influencer marketing campaign. First off, you can use it to find bloggers and influencers for your campaign. Use this prompt:
I want to collaborate with mommy bloggers and social media influencers to increase the visibility of my products that include learning resources for toddlers. Find the best macro mommy influencers that I can collaborate with.
Once ChatGPT recommends influencers, you can search for them within the Influencer Analytics tool in the Semrush App Center. It will provide you with additional information about the influencers, such as their audience demographics and engagement rates. You can use this data to decide who to spend your influencer marketing budget on.
Next, ChatGPT can also write the initial outreach email to the influencers using this prompt:
Write an initial outreach email to [influencer name] offering to send her our products in a PR package.
If the influencer likes your products, you can then strike up a collaboration deal with them. Again, ChatGPT can be used to streamline communication or draw up collaboration contracts.
Winning Competitor Backlinks with AI Insights
Knowing how and where your competitors are getting backlinks can be very helpful in developing your own link-building strategy. For example, you can see which domains your competitors are getting backlinks from and then try to get backlinks from the same websites.
The Semrush Backlink Analytics tool provides you with this information. Search for a competitor whose content is most similar to yours and analyze their backlink data.
In the Referring Domains section, you'll see which websites are linking to your competitor's content. Filter these domains by authority score to weed out low-quality links.
The Semrush Link Building Tool also comes in handy in this regard. It shows you prospective domains you can reach out to to get backlinks. Plus, it suggests the best keywords to target. Even better, the tool shows the competitors who are also getting their backlinks from these domains.
Additionally, if you come across broken links or outdated posts on these sites, these issues present prime opportunities. Reaching out to the website owners to suggest a replacement with your fresh, updated content not only helps them improve their site but also strengthens your own link-building campaign.
At times, your content style may differ from that of the host page where you’re proposing a replacement link. In such cases, it can be beneficial to use ChatGPT to adjust your content so it better aligns with the target site’s tone and focus. For instance, imagine you’re a travel blogger with a broad focus, and you’re reaching out to a blog that specializes in sustainable traveling.
Here, you could use ChatGPT to incorporate a section on eco-friendly travel practices into your existing post. This not only makes your pitch more relevant to the target audience but also demonstrates that your content can be thoughtfully adapted to complement the host page’s unique style.
A sample prompt might look like this:
"I have a travel post about popular destinations, but I'm reaching out to a sustainable travel blog. Can you suggest ways to incorporate a section on eco-friendly travel practices and sustainability tips that align with their audience's interests?"
Using ChatGPT in this manner can yield specific suggestions—such as modifying language, adding relevant data, or emphasizing green travel trends—that seamlessly blend with your original content.
By taking this contextual approach, you’re not just offering any replacement link; you’re providing one that has been carefully adapted to enhance the overall value of the target site. This strategy positions your content as a natural fit, increasing the likelihood that the website owner will accept your proposal and paving the way for a more successful link-building campaign.
Humanizing AI Outreach: Link-Building with a Personal Touch
Sure, ChatGPT can create the outreach templates, but you're the one who needs to personalize them for the recipients. Try to add something in your email that gives off a written-by-a-human vibe. For example, if the recipient has posted a recent accomplishment on LinkedIn, start your email with a congratulatory note.
Link-building is about building relationships and establishing trust, and that can only be achieved through authentic human interactions. ChatGPT is there to save you some time and effort. Diluting AI content with human-generated one will also help you avoid sounding too robotic, which can put off the recipients and may even trigger AI detection at their end.
Also, when using ChatGPT to generate link magnet ideas, make sure you're still doing your own research. Will the link magnet be relevant? Do you have the resources to create it?
When generating content ideas, go through the topics to weed out bias and stale ideas. ChatGPT has improved quite a bit in the past few years, but it's still likely to miss nuances. You also need to make manual adjustments to the content generated by ChatGPT to avoid getting penalized by Google. Here are some tips to do so:
- Include insights you have generated through your own research to make your content authentic and unique.
- Include personal anecdotes or stories related to the topic. These human elements make your content more relatable.
- Add relevant statistics or data from trustworthy sources to back up your points.
More importantly, use the Semrush Backlink Analytics tool regularly to see how your ChatGPT link-building strategies have worked out for you. You can also use the Backlink Audit tool on a monthly basis to disavow spammy backlinks and monitor how your backlink profile has changed since using ChatGPT.
How ChatGPT Can Link You to Higher Rankings
Most marketers have given ChatGPT a shot for SEO efforts. However, many stick to keyword ideation or content creation. ChatGPT's link-building potential is often left untapped, but with the strategies we've discussed above, this will no longer be the case.
ChatGPT can assist you in everything from email outreach and content generation to influencer outreach and link magnet brainstorming. You can also integrate it with other link-building tools to enhance your efforts.
The best part about ChatGPT is that it doesn't only provide you with suggestions or tips. It also helps you implement them. Whether it's a link magnet idea or an outreach email, ChatGPT also assists you in the steps that come after brainstorming ideas, such as creating the actual link magnets or writing personalized emails.
However, there are two things to keep in mind when using ChatGPT for link-building. One, make human involvement a must, and two, use link-tracking tools to measure the success of your efforts. This duo will help get the most out of your ChatGPT link-building strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can ChatGPT help with link building?
ChatGPT can assist your link-building efforts in many ways, such as generating ideas for guest post topics, creating personalized outreach emails, suggesting link magnet ideas, creating link magnets, and writing guest posts. However, it can't do much on its own. You'll have to use the generated content strategically and combine it with other link-building techniques to see the best results.
Is it possible to automate the entire link-building process using ChatGPT?
No, it is not possible to automate the entire link-building process using ChatGPT. It can help with generating content ideas, outreach emails, and analyzing competitors, but a human marketer or SEO professional will have to use those ideas and humanize the emails. Human intervention is also needed to build long-term relationships with website owners through social media or face-to-face communication.
How does ChatGPT create high-quality backlinks?
ChatGPT doesn't create backlinks directly, but it can help you strategize how to get them. It can suggest link magnets that are likely to attract links, like in-depth guides or infographics. Plus, you can use it to draft outreach emails and guest post pitches. Ultimately, the quality of the backlinks you generate will depend on how well you use the content and ideas generated by ChatGPT.
Can non-English websites use ChatGPT for link building?
ChatGPT supports over 50 languages, which means that non-English websites can also use it for link-building the same way as their English counterparts. It can translate keywords from English into your desired language and generate content ideas in that language, too. Similarly, it can write emails in your selected language. However, you might need to fine-tune the output to fit cultural nuances or specific terminology in that language.
Does ChatGPT help identify the best sites for link building?
ChatGPT can suggest the websites you should reach out to for link building by analyzing the top domains in your niche. For example, if you're in the gardening niche, ChatGPT can suggest popular gardening blogs or forums where you could submit guest posts or request backlinks. However, it's not as comprehensive as a specific link-building tool like the one from Semrush, which shows you prospective domains and keywords to use in your link-building efforts.
Is it ethical to use AI for link building?
As long as you're not using AI to spam or manipulate search engine rankings, it's ethical to use. Google hasn't explicitly shown its stance against AI tools, but the search engine places a heavy focus on relevance and user-centricity. You can only meet this criteria if you supplement AI's efficiency with human oversight.
How does ChatGPT improve link-building outreach?
ChatGPT can write personalized emails that you can use to pitch guest posts or collaboration ideas to website owners. It can also create templates that you can customize for different targets, saving you time while keeping your communication fresh. Plus, ChatGPT can provide tips on how to follow up effectively if you don't hear back.
Can ChatGPT monitor my backlinks?
ChatGPT itself can't monitor backlinks directly since it doesn't have real-time access to your website data or the web. However, it can guide you on how to use tools like the Semrush Backlink Analytics or Backlink Audit tool. These tools let you monitor your own backlinks as well as those of your competitors. You can also disavow toxic backlinks and see how your backlink profile changes as a result of your link-building strategy.
What’s the best way to maintain a natural language style with ChatGPT for outreach emails?
You can maintain a natural style in your ChatGPT-generated outreach emails by tailoring your prompt exactly for that. For example, use this prompt for a casual tone: Write an outreach email to [target audience, e.g., bloggers, influencers] introducing [your topic or product] in a friendly and casual tone. You can then go through the output yourself and tweak the areas that may sound robotic. If you know the recipient personally, mention your past interaction with them or include something that an AI tool couldn't’ know.
