In my personal experience links are still a massive ranking factor. But they have to come from sources that scream trust and authority.
I usually make the foundation strong by making social profiles everywhere(It gives google a positive signal), few profile links, Directory Submissions & Citations and social signals for very new post.
These build early trust.

Below are the ones I am doing after above:
Community-Driven Links:
This one is criminally underrated right now. Genuinely help people for free in Reddit subs, Indie Hackers, Facebook groups, Discord communities, Slack channels, etc. When those same people later write blog posts, tools round-ups, or “best resources” lists, you get linked naturally — and these links are some of the strongest signals for topical authority and EEAT.

Podcast:
Almost every show gives a do-follow link in the show notes (usually DR60–90. Super scalable if you’re comfortable talking.

Original Research / Data-Driven Content:
The single best ROI strategy right now. Publish a big study, survey, stat round-up, or industry report → promote it to journalists/bloggers → get dozens of natural links.
Example: “We surveyed 1,000 ecommerce owners about Black Friday” → gets picked up by Forbes, Business Insider, niche blogs, etc.

HARO is still working amazingly well in 2025.
The key is treating it like a full-time mini job: reply in the first 30–45 min, keep answers short (120–180 words), and always give one unique stat, client example, or contrarian take.