Free backlinks- Part 1

I used to hate link-building and never wanted to have to do it- this was me 12 years ago, when I started blogging.

Good for me, I was accepted by a blogging duo (now making it a trio). These people were more than happy to teach me the basics of link building and do most of the heavy lifting themselves.

So, I could rest easy, write my best content, publish on our WordPress blogs, and collect 20% of all the profits that our team made.

This was my first successful businesses venture as a 17 year old

But, I was so reliant on other people for executing links for me. At a point, the venture took off and the other two launched a big company with their savings.

I had little compared to them, was still in college, and lacked vision- so, I was out in one way or another.

And now, I was back on my own and either I could build links myself or be out of business.

For a while, I chose the latter and then I got back- well rested, fresh, and with more sorted academics.

Now, I saw a problem- kids like me (the ones struggling to get through their exams) often felt stranded, embarrassed, and abandoned.

This lack of morale resulted in more kids failing more often.

My Solution

Make a social networking website where all these kids failing in exams could connect with each other, plan study sessions, prepare for exams, share notes, and all in all, just get together and figure out how to clear their next exam.

It was a WordPress website- My Exam Chum.

I used WPSocial Plugins and a compatible theme to build the platform- 100% No code!

And yes, it wasn't perfect, but it worked- let people create groups, join groups, add friends, and chat together.

Reaching My Audience

I remained incognito, like I did with my first project- DTU's Cloud2Shout and started creating content and posting it regularly in DTU's open Facebook groups.

The blog started gaining regular traffic- at least 5/7 people used to be active at all times and it started making $1/day.

But, that wasn't the achievement.

I had done it earlier. What I had never achieved before was- getting a backlink without even asking for it.

A student blog on IITKGP's website mentioned My Exam Chum.

The next week, a Delhi based fashion institute (INSD) mentioned my website in their news section.

And both of these were edu domains- something that mattered a great deal back then.

This gave me little confidence to build backlinks, but I didn't move any rocks with this motivation.

The website was eventually shut by me after I cleared my pending exams- I wanted to focus on my job.

Cut to 2026, I needed to summon back my powers for building backlinks and this time I outdid myself completely and boy, I was surprised!

Stay tuned, I'm writing the next details in Part 2 tomorrow.