How to Get a New York Times Backlink: From Blogrunner to 2026

Getting a new york times backlink is every webmaster’s dream. In 2008 I found a steady stream of visitors arriving from NYT links to QuickOnlineTips, thanks to an aggregator called Blogrunner. Here is how that worked, and what actually earns links from major news sites like the New York Times in 2026.

Quick answer: In 2008 NYT pages linked to blogs automatically through the Blogrunner news aggregator widget. Today there is no automatic route. You earn a New York Times backlink by publishing original data, expert insight or newsworthy stories that journalists want to cite, and by being easy for reporters to find and contact.

How QuickOnlineTips got New York Times links in 2008

The New York Times is one of the top news sites on the web. When I analyzed my site traffic logs back then, I was surprised to see regular visits from NYT pages. The New York Times had indeed linked to us.

The links came from Blogrunner, a news aggregator owned by the New York Times and built into its website. Blogrunner collected headlines from established news organizations and blogs, and ranked stories by how popular they were across the web, using algorithms. Sources were picked automatically based on their influence, NYT editors could add their own picks, and at the time it monitored about 12,000 blogs and media sources.

So most active blogs were already indexed and simply needed the right buzz on a hot topic to get listed. The widget appeared in different places on NYT pages, from above the fold to the bottom of the page, and could send decent traffic. A similar trick at the time was to display your blog on Reuters.

How to get a New York Times backlink in 2026

Automated aggregator widgets are no longer a dependable route. Links from major news sites now come mostly from journalists choosing to cite a source. These approaches work best:

1. Publish original data. Surveys, price tracking, tests or analysis that nobody else has are the most cited content on the web.
2. Be the expert. Write deep, accurate guides in your niche and keep them updated, so reporters researching a story find you first.
3. Answer journalist requests. Reporters post source requests on social media and on source-matching services; reply quickly with a short, useful quote.
4. Make contact easy. Have a clear About page, author bios and a contact or press page.
5. Pitch news, not promotion. If you have a genuinely newsworthy story, send a short pitch to the reporter who covers that beat.
6. Write for readers. NYT readers who find your work useful may share it, which can lead to more coverage.

Is a New York Times backlink worth it?

A link from a major newspaper can bring referral visitors, brand trust and coverage from other sites that follow the story. Even if a news link is marked nofollow, it still has value, as we explain in the real benefits of nofollow links. Avoid anyone selling “guaranteed” NYT links: paid links break Google’s spam policies and are often fake. Read our list of link building mistakes to avoid.

To see who links to you, check the Links report in Google Search Console or try other free Google SEO tools.

FAQ

Can I pay for a New York Times backlink?

No legitimate way exists. Offers of paid NYT links are usually scams, and paid links violate Google’s spam policies.

What was Blogrunner?

Blogrunner was a news aggregator owned by the New York Times that ranked headlines from news sites and blogs and showed them in widgets on NYT pages.

How do journalists find sources?

They search the web, use expert databases and post requests on social media and source-matching services. Clear, expert content and a visible contact page help them find you.

How do I know if the New York Times linked to me?

Check referral traffic in your analytics and the Links report in Google Search Console.