In the evolving landscape of SEO in 2025, Google’s E-E-A-T framework—Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—has taken center stage. It’s no longer enough to stuff keywords and spam backlinks. Today, your site’s reputation depends heavily on the quality and diversity of backlinks, and how well your web presence aligns with E-E-A-T principles.
This article outlines a detailed backlink strategy that improves your EEAT signal and helps dominate SERPs using a sustainable, white-hat approach. We’ll explore how to get dofollow, nofollow, profile, forum, PDF submission, and government (.gov) backlinks—all structured for maximum SEO value.
Why EEAT Matters in 2025
Google has become smarter in identifying content that is not only relevant but trustworthy and written by knowledgeable sources. EEAT evaluates whether:
- You have first-hand experience on the topic (Experience)
- You are a subject matter expert (Expertise)
- Your site is a recognized authority (Authoritativeness)
- Your information is reliable and safe (Trustworthiness)
A solid backlink profile is one of the key signals Google uses to measure authoritativeness and trustworthiness. But the type, source, and context of those backlinks matter more than ever in 2025.
How to Structure a Backlink Plan to Align with EEAT
1. Focus on Dofollow Backlinks (Power Links)
Dofollow backlinks pass “link juice” to your site and are crucial for SEO rankings. However, it’s not about quantity anymore—relevance, topical authority, and trust of the referring domain matter most.
You should build dofollow links from high-authority blogs, business directories, industry platforms, and content placements.
✅ Table: Dofollow Backlink Sites (2025)
| Site Name | Domain Authority | Type | Link Creation Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (via custom domain) | 95 | Blog post publishing | Write an EEAT-based story and link naturally |
| GitHub Pages | 94 | Documentation/Project | Add in README.md |
| Behance | 91 | Portfolio | Upload design with linked descriptions |
| GrowthHackers.com | 85 | Growth blog | Publish case study |
| Substack | 90 | Newsletter/blog | Write niche email article |
| Google Sites | 89 | Webpage builder | Create a page with citations |
| SlideShare | 80 | Presentation site | Upload with clickable citation |
| Crunchbase | 87 | Startup directory | Add website URL in company profile |
| Indie Hackers | 82 | Community/Storytelling | Share your product journey |
| Visual.ly | 76 | Infographics | Add source link in infographics |
Each of these platforms allows strategic embedding of a backlink in contextual content, which is valued more by Google than sidebars or footers.
2. Use Nofollow Links to Boost EEAT and Diversity
Many SEO beginners undervalue nofollow backlinks, but in 2025, Google does consider nofollow links for trust and traffic—especially from credible platforms like Reddit, Quora, and Wikipedia. These are often seen as “third-party trust signals.”
They might not directly transfer PageRank, but they help build topical authority and visibility, which strengthens EEAT.
✅ Table: Nofollow Link Sources (EEAT-Friendly)
| Platform | Type | EEAT Relevance | How to Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Reference Source | High trust and authority | Add citation to your site in relevant article |
| Community | Experience, topical relevance | Share a guide in niche subreddit | |
| Quora | Q&A | Expertise demonstration | Answer with in-depth analysis |
| Professional Bio | Author authority | Add website in profile summary | |
| Visual Search | Product/service authority | Pin image with site link | |
| YouTube Comments | Community/Branding | Brand mentions | Comment with link (subtle use) |
| Google My Business | Local SEO | Trust/Author signal | Add link in business description |
These links help create a natural link profile, which aligns with how trusted brands grow online—not through paid links, but authentic signals.
3. Profile Backlinks: Build Personal & Brand Authority
A good profile backlink strategy not only brings a mix of dofollow/nofollow links but also increases brand mentions and entity recognition, which matters greatly for EEAT.
Here’s how to structure them:
- Use real names or consistent brand names
- Add high-quality profile photos
- Include a bio with credentials
- Always verify the account if available
- Link your website in the bio or contact section
✅ Profile Backlink Sources
| Website | Link Type | EEAT Role | How to Create It |
|---|---|---|---|
| About.me | Dofollow | Personal brand | Add site in bio |
| Crunchbase | Dofollow | Business credibility | Add URL in startup page |
| AngelList | Dofollow | Startup network | Add site in founder profile |
| ProductHunt | Dofollow | Product awareness | Submit and create profile |
| Behance | Dofollow | Creative authority | Add projects linking back |
| Dribbble | Nofollow | Visual showcase | Link in profile settings |
| Disqus | Nofollow | Comment-based link | Add site in settings |
| Gravatar | Nofollow | Global profile trust | Link through WordPress |
By linking from authoritative personal or business profiles, you enhance both visibility and trust, which boosts your EEAT score holistically.
4. Forum Backlinks: Showcase Real Experience
Forums allow you to demonstrate first-hand experience and help others in your niche. It’s especially effective for improving the “Experience” and “Expertise” components of EEAT.
But beware—don’t spam! Engage in conversations, offer help, and place links where it adds value.
✅ Forum Backlink Sources
| Forum Name | Niche | EEAT Benefit | How to Engage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stack Overflow | Tech/Dev | Expertise via answers | Add source links in answers |
| All niches | Experience sharing | Engage with case study posts | |
| Quora | General Q&A | Detailed, expert answers | Add links naturally |
| Digital Point | Marketing/SEO | Topical authority | Contribute real advice |
| Warrior Forum | Digital Marketing | EEAT through discussion | Link to deeper resources |
| BlackHatWorld | SEO and tools | Tool sharing | Add link in context |
| SitePoint | Web Dev | Niche expertise | Share solutions with sources |
Spend time building a profile, upvoting others, and creating long-form replies to build reputation.
5. PDF Submission Sites: Trust Through Documentation
PDF submissions offer indexable backlinks and a way to present authoritative resources such as whitepapers, guides, case studies, and brochures.
These documents demonstrate expertise and transparency, which are core to EEAT.
✅ How to Do It:
- Write a well-formatted PDF with branded header/footer
- Add clickable hyperlinks
- Use author name and bio inside the document
- Host it on trusted document sites
✅ PDF Submission Sites
| Site Name | Link Type | EEAT Benefit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SlideShare | Dofollow | Authority presentation | Upload detailed guides |
| Scribd | Nofollow | Publication signal | Make file public |
| Academia.edu | Dofollow | Research-style content | Requires academic angle |
| Issuu | Dofollow | Visual brochures | Embed clickable links |
| Calameo | Nofollow | Digital flipbooks | Ideal for magazine format |
| AuthorStream | Dofollow | Presentation type | Link at end of slides |
| Zoho Docs | Dofollow | Business documentation | Add CTA page with link |
Google crawls and indexes these, making them useful for backlink indexing and EEAT enhancement.
6. Government and .Gov Backlinks (High Trust)
Backlinks from .gov domains carry significant weight because they are inherently trustworthy. They’re hard to get but can greatly enhance the trust signal for your website.
✅ Ways to Get Government Backlinks:
- Submit to official local business directories
- Sponsor public educational programs and get listed
- Offer free tools for public use
- List your business in state-funded innovation directories
- Contribute to open data, reports, or surveys
✅ Examples of Government Link Opportunities
| Site URL | Country | Type | How to Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.sba.gov/business-guide | USA | Business listing | List services for small business |
| https://data.gov.in | India | Dataset submit | Upload useful public data |
| https://www.loc.gov | USA | Library/archive | Share digital resource |
| https://www.grants.gov | USA | Grants listing | Include link in funding report |
| https://startupindia.gov.in | India | Startup profile | Register your startup |
These links take effort, but they are extremely rare and powerful, improving both trust and Google indexing confidence.
Additional Tips to Maximize EEAT in Backlinks
- Author Schema: Use author schema and structured data to show credentials.
- Cite Reputable Sources: Link out to scientific, .gov, or high-authority news outlets to build trust.
- Update Bio & Byline: Use consistent bios across all backlinks, showcasing your experience and credentials.
- Monitor Google Search Console: Track which backlinks drive authority and which are toxic.
- Disavow Spammy Links: Clean your backlink profile from bad neighborhoods.
Conclusion: Building EEAT-Strong Backlinks in 2025
Creating backlinks in 2025 is no longer about numbers. It’s about strategic placements that reflect your credibility, professional history, content authority, and real-world engagement. EEAT isn’t just a guideline—it’s a reputation scorecard, and each backlink tells a part of your story.
Your backlink plan should combine:
- High-DA dofollow links for juice
- Smart nofollow links for trust signals
- Profiles and forums to show presence and experience
- PDFs and media for documentation and proof
- .gov sources for unrivaled credibility
By integrating this balanced backlink plan with consistent, quality content, you not only grow in SEO but establish your digital brand’s authority across the web.