Free backlinks for life, straight from your competitors

Your competitors already did the hard work

If a website links to two or three of your competitors, it clearly links to businesses like yours. It just hasn't heard of you yet. That's a warm lead, not a cold one.

1. Step 1 · FindAhrefs Link Intersect: your site + competitors.
2. Step 2 · FilterReferring domains, dofollow → sites that link to them, not you.
3. Step 3 · CleanExport → Claude or ChatGPT removes the spam.
4. Step 4 · Email“You linked to them, here's why we fit too.”
5. Step 5 · SortAsked for money? Skip. Take the free ones.

Step 1 — Open Link Intersect and add your competitors

In Ahrefs, go to More → Link Intersect (it's under the competitive-analysis tools). It needs a paid Ahrefs plan; free alternatives are below.

1. Top boxes (“who is linking to”): add 3–5 direct competitors. Pick ones in your city or niche that rank above you on Google.
2. Bottom box (“doesn't link to”): your own domain, so sites already linking to you are hidden.
3. Click Show link opportunities.

Step 2 — Filter: referring domains + dofollow

Now narrow the results to sites worth contacting.

1. Stay on the Referring domains view (one row per website, not per link).
2. Set link type to Dofollow. These pass ranking value.
3. Filter intersect to 2+: sites linking to at least two competitors are the warmest leads.
4. Click Export → CSV.

Step 3 — Let Claude or ChatGPT remove the spam

Upload the CSV and let AI do the first sort. Then check the shortlist yourself.

The prompt (attach link_intersect_export.csv)

Here's a list of websites that link to my competitors. My business is [interior design studio in Pune]. Remove spam and low-quality sites (link farms, gibberish or foreign-language spam, casino/adult/pharma, "write for us / guest post" sellers, PBN-looking domains). Then group the rest by type: local news, blogs, directories, resource pages, associations, suppliers/partners. For each, tell me why they probably linked to my competitors.

What comes back, roughly

Then a 30-second human check on each kept site

Step 4 — Email every site (personal, short, useful)

The pitch: “You linked to them. Here's why we'd be useful to your readers too.” Match the email to why they linked to your competitor.

A blog that mentions a competitor

To: editor@homedecorblog.com · Subject: Addition to your modular kitchen guide?

Hi [Name], I enjoyed your article "[title]", especially the part on [specific point]. I noticed you mention [Competitor]. We're [Business], a [what you do] in [city], and we've just published [a genuinely useful page: price guide / photos / checklist]. If you ever update the article, it might be a helpful addition for your readers: [URL]. Thanks either way! – [Name], [Business]

A list or directory

To: listings@puneinteriorsguide.in · Subject: Listing for [Business]

Hi, I saw [Competitor] in your list of [category] in [city]. We're [Business], operating since [year] in [area], with [one proof point: reviews / projects / award]. Could we be considered for the list? Happy to share any details you need. – [Name], [phone]

Local news

To: news@localnews-pune.in · Subject: Story idea / expert quote on [topic]

Hi [Name], you covered [Competitor] in "[article]". If you're doing more stories on [topic], I'd be glad to share an expert quote or data from our [X] projects this year, e.g. [one interesting stat]. – [Name], [title], [Business]

Or let Claude write each one

Write a 90-word personalised email for this site using the article that links to my competitor: [URL]. Mention one specific detail from the article. No flattery, no pressure.

Step 5 — Sort the replies: free yes, paid no

• “Sure, added!”Thank them, log it, and check the link is live.
• “Send content / details”Send it fast, and make it genuinely good.
• “Fee is ₹X / $Y”Politely decline and move on.

Polite decline

Thanks for getting back to me! We don't pay for links, but if you ever want a free expert quote or data for an article, I'm happy to help. – [Name]

Track everything

What results look like

Typical outreach gets replies from a small share of sites, often under 10%. That's normal. Out of 40 clean sites, landing 3–5 free links from relevant, real websites is a good result, and those links keep working for years.

Raise your hit rate

• Contact sites that link to 3 competitors first: they're the warmest
• Have one genuinely useful page to point to: a price guide, checklist, photo gallery, local data
• Mention the exact article and why your link helps their readers
• Local first: city news, associations, suppliers and event pages say yes more often
• One polite follow-up only. Never spam

Re-run it every quarter

Competitors keep earning new links. Run Link Intersect again every 3 months and contact only the new sites. That's the “for life” part.

No paid Ahrefs? Free and cheaper alternatives

Checklist

• Picked 3–5 real competitors ranking above me
• Link Intersect: competitors in, my site excluded
• Referring domains · Dofollow · intersect 2+
• Exported the CSV
• Claude/ChatGPT removed spam + grouped by type
• 30-second human check on each kept site
• Personal email matched to why they linked
• One follow-up after 5–7 days
• Declined every paid offer
• Tracked status + checked links are live