Free Web 2.0 Sites Backlink List (High DR, DoFollow, No BS)

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If you search up web 2.0 backlink lists, most are going to give you a completely random, DA-sorted list of sites that probably do nothing…

And that is why:

  • Most SEOs either overhype Web 2.0s as if they’ll rank local sites like magic…

  • Or dismiss them as outdated, spam tier relics of 2012 that should never see the light of day again.

Both are wrong!

Web 2.0 backlinks are still one of the most versatile tools in your SEO toolbox, if you know when, where, and how to use them.

I’m not going to waste time defining what DA or DR are, or giving you 500-word explainers on why Medium.com is so popular instead of your own tiny blog on a subdomain…

Instead, I’ll show you:

  • Which platforms still get indexed in 2025

  • What type of content to post

  • How to stack them for real ranking power

And where everyone else screws up…

What Are Web 2.0 Sites?

Web 2.0 sites are platforms that let you build mini-sites or content hubs under a subdomain or profile, like medium.com/yourusername.

Most people treat them like a checklist item. Drop some spun garbage, slap on an exact match anchor, and expect miracles. What they get instead is a Google slap the next time an algo update rolls round…

But if you treat these platforms like tiered mini-assets that boost indexing, power up parasite pages, and add diversity to your link profile… Now we’re talking!

Why They Still Work:

  • Aged roots – You’re not building on some fresh domain WordPress install. These domains have years (sometimes decades) of trust baked in.

  • UGC Signals – Google’s been pushing UGC harder post-2024. It loves showing community-generated content on platforms it already trusts.

  • Free – You don’t have to fork out $150 for a DR60 link from a blog that gets 200 visits a month.

  • Scalable – You can build 50 of these in a day with the right SOPs and AI prompts.

You’re not building links on these sites. You’re building assets. That’s a big difference.

10 Free Web 2.0 Sites (That Move The Needle)

These aren’t just “high DA”, they’re platforms I or my students have used in parasite stacks, local SEO buffers, and Tier 1 content amplification that actually got indexed, ranked, and in some cases… made money.

1. Medium.com

DA: 95
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Fast (2–48 hours)

A screenshot of charles floate's medium profile.

Why It Works:
Google still loves Medium. Whether it’s because of their syndication network, publication system, or just being too big to ignore, content here gets found. Fast.

Use Case:

  • Syndicate blog content with canonical back to your site

  • Rank a parasite for longtail affiliate keywords (best [niche] for [use case])

  • Internal link from high-trust Medium publications

Pro Tip:
If you’re not using publications (internal blogs within Medium), you’re leaving crawl priority on the table. Build a mini-niche pub or pitch an existing one.

2. Substack.com

DA: 86
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Moderate (2–5 days)

Why It Works:
Substack isn’t just for newsletters. Their posts are public, indexable, and carry strong topical relevance if you structure it right.

Use Case:

  • Topical authority layering for health, tech, finance

  • Great for niche newsletters that double as SEO buffers

  • Drop CTAs + contextual links inside articles

Pro Tip:
Use Substack’s “Series” feature to create a silo effect. 3+ articles interlinked like a blog category, all passing link equity to a T1 property.

3. Vocal.Media

DA: 76
Link Type: NoFollow (BUT still ranks and passes secondary signals)
Indexing Speed: Fast

Why It Works:
You get a dedicated author URL + zero editorial rejection unless you’re posting pure spam. Also pays for reads, not that we care.

Use Case:

  • Publish long-form content with keywords in the slug

  • Buffer for PPL offers, embed affiliate links

  • Build small topical hubs

Pro Tip:
Use non-obvious anchors to avoid tripping filters. Stuff like “this guide” or “see what we found” → clickbait + compliance-friendly.

4. Tealfeed.com

DA: 59
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Slow but stable

Why It Works:
Smaller, less spammed platform. Still lets you embed contextual links without approval hell.

Use Case:

  • Tech/Marketing/Startups = ideal

  • Embed Loom/YT + drive traffic to lead gen or Discord

  • Indexes well if interlinked from Twitter or Quora

Pro Tip:
Use Tealfeed + Medium + Substack in a tri-link strategy. Each points to the others and your main site = crawl spiderweb.

5. LinkedIn Pulse

DA: 97
Link Type: NoFollow
Indexing Speed: Near-instant

Why It Works:
You’re not ranking off the link, you’re piggybacking brand trusts and ranking parasite pages for long tails – But Google has cracked down on it over the last several months…

Use Case:

  • ORM strategy (control branded search)

  • Drive leads to agency/consulting funnels

  • Establish topical authorship footprint

Pro Tip:
Get premium and verified if you are still getting pages noindex tagged.

6. About.me

DA: 92
Link Type: Follow (varies by setup)
Indexing Speed: Fat

Why It Works:
It’s built for personal branding, which means Google actually expects outbound links from the bio. You can load this page with branded anchors, social media, niche authority references, and contextual citations… All without triggering spam filters, and often ranking p1 or p2 for your main brand term.

Use Case:

  • Central entity stacking hub
  • Author profile linking to Web 2.0 cluster + main site
  • Perfect for ORM, niche authority, or branded buffer

Pro Tip:
Treat the About.me page like a Tier 1 mini homepage. Go long-form (300–500 words), embed 4–6 outbound links (socials, Medium, YouTube, etc), and use one partial match (with a branded intersect) anchor to your money site. Indexing almost guaranteed if you give it internal tier 2s from other Web 2.0s or use premium indexing.

7. Strikingly.com

DA: 72
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Medium

Why It Works:
Underrated landing page builder. Easily throw up affiliate cloakers, short bios with links, or interlinked minisites.

Use Case:

  • Link cloaking or redirects for PPL/PPC

  • Create branded microsites with T1 anchors

  • ORM name coverage

Pro Tip:
Use image alt + caption links, Strikingly doesn’t block them and Google still parses those as contextually relevant.

8. Weebly.com

DA: 93
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Fast

Why It Works:
Used to be every spammer’s wet dream. Now it’s cleaner, but the core power is still there.

Use Case:

  • Tier 2 links supporting stronger Web 2.0s

  • DA diversifier

  • Use for “buffer” pages with risky anchors

Pro Tip:
Embed schema-rich content: FAQs, Reviews, How-Tos. Helps index AND gives Google richer snippets to crawl through for SERPs or entity stacking.

9. Jimdo.com

DA: 89
Link Type: NoFollow
Indexing Speed: Moderate

Why It Works:
Hasn’t been spammed to death yet. You can still build 3-5 page microsites with silo structure and get them to index.

Use Case:

  • Citation-style content clusters

  • Brand mention expansion

  • Used in ORM attacks (but don’t quote me 😈)

Pro Tip:
Use exact match domains for free plan (e.g. “bestketo.jimdosite.com”) and include CTAs right in headers.

10. Write.as

DA: 75
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Lightning-fast (usually < 6 hours)

Why It Works:
Minimalist platform that’s built for writers, not marketers, which makes it perfect for SEOs who know how to blend in.

Use Case:

  • Index feeder for buried money pages

  • Build mini topical clusters

  • Link sculpting with anchor control

Pro Tip:
Use “Collections” to cluster posts by topic. Interlink manually with Markdown-style internal links.

Better for Tier 2 / Indexing Layer / Link Diversity

These are web 2.0 sites that I wouldn’t necessarily put directly to my money sites at all times, even with some of them being DR90+!

11. Tumblr.com

DA: 94
Link Type: Follow (on most themes)
Indexing Speed: Moderate

Why It Works:
Still alive. Still crawling. Still letting you dump links like it’s 2013. Most people use it wrong, single post, no theming, no interlinking.

Use Case:

  • Tier 2 pointing to Medium/Substack

  • Contextual anchors using niche hashtags

  • Diversity + legacy trust = safe base layer

Pro Tip:
Use a custom theme that shows tags + post metadata. Helps with indexing and topical relevance. Drop YouTube embeds for bonus crawl action.

12. Blogger.com

DA: 92
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Fast (Google-owned, duh)

Why It Works:
Owned by Big G itself. While it doesn’t pass as much juice as it used to, it’s a killer for indexing other pages and building “safe” trust bubbles.

Use Case:

  • Support blog for your real Web 2.0s

  • Buffer risky anchors on parasite posts

  • Drop “author” content to link between profiles

Pro Tip:
Treat it like a legit blog. Publish 2–3 posts per site, space them out, and interlink then schedule an AI post a month in the same manner… Makes your network look 10x less obvious.

13. Site123.com

DA: 82
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Slow

Why It Works:
Free site builder that mimics Squarespace/Wix. Less popular = less spam = better index rate when tiered right.

Use Case:

  • Create “review” or “compare” pages

  • Use LSI anchors (no exact match)

  • Works well for PPL/pre-lander style plays

Pro Tip:
Use image blocks with alt text anchors + captions. Index them with GSC requests or RSS/ping feeds.

14. Webs.com

DA: 82
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Moderate

Why It Works:
Old platform, but still gets crawled. Interface sucks, but if you can get through the clunk, it’ll host a few strong buffer pages.

Use Case:

  • Geo-specific content (local city pages)

  • Anchor mix: brand + URL + partials

  • Tier 2 to Substack, Medium, etc.

Pro Tip:
Use location keywords in the site name and slug. Helps for building fake author geography and triggering crawler interest.

15. Webnode.com

DA: 81
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Slow (but sticky once indexed)

Why It Works:
You get your own subdomain and can build 3–5 pages per project. Think of it like a mini PBN layer without the hosting headache.

Use Case:

  • Mini “review hub” with multiple outbound links

  • Drops outbound links without moderation

  • Use for Tier 2 pointing to Press Releases, About.me, etc.

Pro Tip:
Don’t post and ghost, publish at least 3 pages, with a nav menu. Makes the whole property look more legit and indexable.

16. Tripod.lycos.com

DA: 91
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Slow (but indexes eventually)

Why It Works:
It’s ancient. Which is exactly why it works, Google still trusts the Lycos root. You can build static pages with hardcoded links.

Use Case:

  • Legacy style blog with affiliate-friendly links

  • Buffer links to parasite pages

  • Looks ancient = good for aged footprint diversity

Pro Tip:
Use this as your “forgotten about” property. Make it weird, off-brand, buried in a silo, it gives you domain age camouflage.

17. Zoho Sites

DA: 86
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Medium

Why It Works:
Corporate frontend, but actually lets you build full sites with link-friendly blocks. Indexing isn’t perfect, but as a diversity layer? Solid.

Use Case:

  • Tier 2 buffer linking to Substack/Web 2.0s

  • Anchor rotation playground (partial, naked, branded)

  • Can stack images, PDF embeds, forms = higher content density

Pro Tip:
Use the FAQ or CTA blocks to drop anchors. These aren’t picked up by spam filters and get parsed like rich media.

18. Yola.com

DA: 87
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Slow

Why It Works:
You can build up to 3 pages on the free tier, and the WYSIWYG builder lets you throw in links easily. Feels like a more awkward Wix, but it works.

Use Case:

  • Add as last link in your tier 2 daisy chain

  • Use generic anchors: “read more”, “click here”, etc

  • Embed video + link combo to help crawlbot

Pro Tip:
Once published, blast with automated tiered links. That’s what triggers initial indexation.

19. Bravenet.com

DA: 78
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Sloooow (2–6 weeks sometimes)

Why It Works:
Old-school, clunky as hell, but precisely what makes it golden. Nobody’s abusing this in 2025, so it slips under the radar.

Use Case:

  • Throwaway brand anchor to diversify Tier 1 profile

  • Use as a “blogroll” style dump page with 3–5 links

  • Link out to your parasite stack with aged-looking content

Pro Tip:
Use 2004-style formatting. Plain HTML, no images, text links only. Makes it feel vintage and gets indexed more reliably.

20. Pen.io

DA: 76
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Fast (when interlinked)

Why It Works:
Single-page publishing. No login needed. It’s like the sticky note of Web 2.0s, perfect for “quick post > index > pass link” action.

Use Case:

  • Perfect for Tier 2: throw a link to your Medium/Substack

  • Add an image, outbound link, and 150 words

  • Auto-deindex risk = low, unless overused

Pro Tip:
Use 1 exact match + 1 branded anchor. Drop internal links to other Web 2.0s. Index it with a premium indexer or social shares.

Experimental / High-Risk-High-Reward Plays

These aren’t for tier 2 fluff. These are SERP disruptors! Parasites in disguise, early movers, or sketchy-but-functional link factories.

Risk = real. ROI = better than 90% of SEOs can handle!

21. Muckrack.com (Author Profile)

DA: 92
Link Type: Follow (in bio + post body)
Indexing Speed: Fast

Why It Works:
Built for journalists, but if you write 1-2 real guest posts on small publications, you can claim an author page and link wherever you want!

Use Case:

  • ORM weapon – Rank a branded name + bury negative results.

  • Pass EEAT trust by linking to Twitter, About.me, Web 2.0 stack.

  • Build massive author authority in your niche.

Pro Tip:
Link to your Medium/Substack as “Published articles.” Then interlink those to money pages. Authorship stacking on steroids.

22. Wattpad.com

DA: 91
Link Type: NoFollow (BUT indexed + high trust)
Indexing Speed: Medium

Why It Works:
It’s a fiction writing platform, but Google loves its user-generated content. People have ranked full affiliate guides disguised as short stories.

Use Case:

  • Parasite-style longform disguised as “fiction”

  • Insert contextual product links inside “story narrative”

  • Buffer social profiles or ORM pages

Pro Tip:
Use fake personas and run “series” format, every chapter = new internal link. Bonus points for comment baiting to look active.

23. Steemit.com

DA: 88
Link Type: Follow
Indexing Speed: Fast (but inconsistent)

Why It Works:
Blockchain-backed blogging platform with surprisingly good trust metrics. Indexes fast and has minimal moderation.

Use Case:

  • Rank longtail KWs via parasite method

  • Syndicate slightly modified Medium/Substack content

  • Build a “crypto” topical cluster with affiliate CTAs

Pro Tip:
Use H2s as keyword anchors. Steemit posts tend to pull snippet-style features in crypto/tech niches.

24. Issuu.com (Document Uploads)

DA: 94
Link Type: Follow (inside PDF/embedded)
Indexing Speed: Fast if interlinked

Why It Works:
You’re uploading content in PDF form, but the page hosting it is indexable and pulls title/description from meta data.

Use Case:

  • PDF Parasite SEO

  • Drop exact match anchors inside the doc

  • Link from blog comment or Web 2.0 to trigger crawl

Pro Tip:
Use a cover page that includes a CTA + link. Make the filename match your keyword, Google picks it up.

25. Hackernoon.com (Contributor)

DA: 91
Link Type: Follow (editorial links allowed)
Indexing Speed: Moderate

Why It Works:
You can pitch and publish legit articles, even if your goal is link building. A bit of effort, but insanely high trust.

Use Case:

  • Tier 1 parasite for tech/startup/finance queries

  • Interlink with Medium/Substack for double parasite hit

  • EEAT play for affiliate brand authors

Pro Tip:
Include author bio with outbound links to About.me, LinkedIn, personal site. Then syndicate the content on Tier 2s for extra crawl power.

The Web 2.0 Sites List

Now you have all 25 sites, here is an easy to use table to quickly reference whenever you need to build these links:

# Site DA Link Type Indexing Speed
1 Medium.com 95 Follow Fast
2 Substack.com 86 Follow Moderate
3 Vocal.Media 76 NoFollow Fast
4 Tealfeed.com 59 Follow Slow
5 LinkedIn Pulse 97 NoFollow Near-instant
6 About.me 92 Follow Fast
7 Strikingly.com 72 Follow Medium
8 Weebly.com 93 Follow Fast
9 Jimdo.com 89 NoFollow Moderate
10 Write.as 75 Follow Fast
11 Tumblr.com 94 Follow Moderate
12 Blogger.com 92 Follow Fast
13 Site123.com 82 Follow Slow
14 Webs.com 82 Follow Moderate
15 Webnode.com 81 Follow Slow
16 Tripod.lycos.com 91 Follow Slow
17 Zoho Sites 86 Follow Medium
18 Yola.com 87 Follow Slow
19 Bravenet.com 78 Follow Very Slow
20 Pen.io 76 Follow Fast
21 Muckrack.com 92 Follow Fast
22 Wattpad.com 91 NoFollow Medium
23 Steemit.com 88 Follow Fast
24 Issuu.com 94 Follow Fast
25 Hackernoon.com 91 Follow Moderate

Now that you’ve got all the sites you’ll need, here are most of the mistakes you’ll need to avoid when building them.

Mistakes Most SEOs Make With Web 2.0s

If you want your Web 2.0 strategy to actually work, not just exist, then get some SEO common sense and don’t make these mistakes:

1. Posting Once and Dipping

This isn’t Twitter/X. Web 2.0s don’t reward one-and-done tactics. You drop a single 300-word post on Medium with an exact match anchor, and you wonder why it’s not ranking or even indexed?

Fix: Treat your top-tier Web 2.0s like mini-sites. Post at least 2–3 times. Build relevance. Stack internal links.

2. Overusing Exact Match Anchors

The fastest way to trip filters and burn the value of your entire stack.
Google knows when the anchor profile looks too “clean.” You’re not fooling anyone with 5 Web 2.0s all using “best gaming chair 2025” to your homepage.

Fix: 80% brand, naked, and partials. 10% exact match, and use it only once across the entire tiered setup.

3. No Interlinking

This is what separates amateurs from operators.

Most SEOs build isolated Web 2.0s that don’t link to each other. Which means:

  • They don’t pass juice

  • They don’t mimic a real ecosystem

  • They look spammy as hell

Fix: Build topical clusters. Interlink your Substack > Medium > Blogger > About.me > back to each other and your site.

4. Ignoring Indexing

If Google hasn’t crawled it, the link does nothing.

Fix:

  • Use GSC on properties that allow it (Blogger, Medium with custom domains)

  • Link from faster indexing sources (LinkedIn, YouTube descriptions, etc.)

  • Use RSS feed submitters, social shares, and good old ping tools

5. Using AI Spam With Zero Optimization

Yes, AI is powerful. But dumping 1,000 words of GPT trash with no formatting, no headers, no internal links, and thinking it’ll stick? Welcome to page 95.

Fix: Use AI to assist, not replace, strategy. Add structure. Inject formatting. Match search intent. Use custom intros and CTAs.

6. No Clear CTA or Link Strategy

What’s the point of the post? Too many SEOs just write content for the sake of it. No direction, no CTA, no funnel.

Fix:
Every Web 2.0 should:

  • Link out to something with purpose

  • Contain a CTA above the fold

  • Build trust, authority, or topical relevance

If it doesn’t? Trash it.

Advanced Tiering & Link Tactics Using Web 2.0s

You don’t just throw up Web 2.0s and hope for the best, that’s rookie level.

Instead, I will show you how to weaponize your Web 2.0s into multi-layered link stacks, build indexing chains, and force relevance into SERPs that weren’t expecting you!

The “Web 2.0 Sandwich” Method

Concept: You’re not pointing all of these Web 2.0s directly at your money site, you’re creating an intermediate layer that builds trust and buffers your risk with a fully tiered approach.

How It Works:

[Web 2.0 Layer 2 (Tumblr, Pen.io, Bravenet)]  
        ↓  
[Web 2.0 Layer 1 (Medium, Substack, About.me)]  
        ↓  
[Money Site or Parasite Page]
  • Tier 2s: Link directly to Tier 1 Web 2.0s using partial/brand anchors.
  • Tier 1s: Contextual links to your site, no exact match overkill.

The “Indexing Chain” Trick

Use faster indexing platforms (Google-owned or high-trust) to drag slower Web 2.0s into the index without paying for premium indexing or waiting months for everything to index.

Combo Example:

  • New AI post on Blogger linking to your Tealfeed
  • New AI post on LinkedIn Pulse linking to your Yola
  • New AI post on Medium linking to Tripod.lycos

You get the idea!

Topical Clustering With Interlinked Web 2.0s

Google wants topical depth? Fine, fake it!

Create 3–5 Web 2.0s around one topic. Each one targets a different keyword variant.

Example:

Niche: “Best Dog Food for Allergies”

  • Medium: “Top 5 Hypoallergenic Dog Foods Reviewed”
  • Substack: “Why Most Kibble Causes Allergies in Dogs”
  • Vocal.Media: “Dog Food Ingredients to Avoid (and What to Buy Instead)”

Now interlink them:

  • Each links to one other article in the stack
  • All link to a central “hub” – A strong tier 1 link, a supporting page, or even a fake affiliate parasite.

Google sees:

  • Topical depth
  • Multi-site entity coverage
  • Zero reliance on your root domain

Anchor Text Rotation & Tier Rules

Anchors are the fastest way to get filtered. Especially from Web 2.0s.

Rules:

  • Tier 1: 70% brand + generic, 20% partial match, 10% exact match.
  • Tier 2: Anything goes, but rotate hard and stay mostly white hat/clean!
  • Avoid: Repeating the same anchor on multiple Web 2.0s.

Pro Move:
Use natural language anchors like:

  • “Check out this guide”
  • “See what experts recommend”
  • “Read more on the topic”

They pass just as much trust without waving a red flag.

Final Thoughts: How to Use Web 2.0s and Win

Here’s the deal: Web 2.0s aren’t dead. They’re not outdated. And they’re definitely not useless.

They’re just misused by SEOs who want “push button backlinks” instead of deploying strategy.

If you treat these platforms like:

  • A layered link ecosystem, not a link list

  • A topical content cluster, not just a profile

  • A scalable indexing machine that feeds your parasite or authority plays

…Then you can rank faster, build trust signals without paying $300 a link, and keep Google’s spam filters guessing.

Want results?

  • Build your tiered structure

  • Mix anchors and link types

  • Interlink your assets

  • Index everything

  • Track what moves the needle, and repeat at scale!

The sites are in the table above. The tactics are laid out. The excuses are gone.

Get building!

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