Building quality backlinks is arguably one of the biggest challenges most marketers have when it comes to SEO.
Many find it difficult to manage the time and resources needed to establish solid relationships and create the necessary linkable assets, let alone slogging through the difficult and tedious process of securing high-quality backlinks.
To ease this burden, consider outsourcing link building. If done correctly, this move can significantly enhance SEO-focused results.
In this article, you’ll discover the essential steps to effectively outsource link building, ensuring you select the right services and avoid common pitfalls.
Knowing how link building will help your overall SEO efforts is important before you start.
Link building is not a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a tactic that should be integrated into a broader SEO strategy.
Here are some scenarios when link building might be useful:
Understanding your goals and incorporating link building wisely will maximize its effectiveness.
Having content that is just shy of the top search positions is a good scenario for starting link building.
When your articles or pages appear on the lower spots of the first page or within the first few pages, it suggests that search engines already trust your content to a certain extent.
Adding high-quality links into the mix might just be the boost you need to push your content higher up in search results.
If you find your competitors’ sites have more authority, you might benefit from strategic link building.
Website authority plays a crucial role in search engine rankings. Sites with higher authority naturally rank better because of better domain authority (DA).
However, it’s still possible to compete effectively. Improving your link profile can help level the field.
By acquiring quality backlinks, you can start improving your authority, which may lead to a more competitive position in search engine results.
Individual page authority matters, too.
If the pages above you in the SERPs consistently have more inbound links, this could mean it’s time to start building links to your important pages.
Every backlink can increase a page’s authority, making it more likely to rank well in organic search results.
You need to analyze the link profile of pages that outrank your own and develop a strategy to build a similar or better profile for your content. Quality over quantity is key, ensuring each link adds real value.
If your content isn’t appearing in the top 100 search results, there’s likely room for improvement in areas other than link building.
Assess the quality of your content in comparison to what does rank:
By thoroughly reviewing these areas, you might identify elements to refine before considering external link building.
Once your foundational elements are strong, backlinks can elevate your pages within search engine results pages.
Links from authoritative websites are generally more beneficial than those from less recognized sources.
For instance, a link originating from a well-established site like Entrepeneur.com is more advantageous than a link from a newly created website.
Relevance is critical.
If your company provides a real estate software tool, acquiring a link from an industry-related publication would be more valuable than one from an unrelated site, such as a cooking blog.
You need to ensure you’re placing links from resources that are relevant to your business.
Easy-to-acquire links often hold little value.
Links obtained from your social media profiles or directories are common to obtain, but they usually have a minor effect on your search engine rankings.
Links that are difficult to obtain, generally have a higher impact on your link profile, and search rankings.
Avoid links on spammy websites such as those from link farms and PBNs.
These sites might appear legitimate with high domain ratings, but they typically exist merely to sell links.
Such sites are often identifiable by their low organic traffic and articles that cover a wide range of unrelated topics.
Be cautious and scrutinize potential link sources to ensure they’re reputable and relevant to your field.
When planning to outsource link building, assessing what elements contribute to the cost is essential.
Outreach is one significant factor.
Link builders need to establish connections with website owners, which involves not just time but also specialized and often pricey email outreach tools.
Additionally, Content Creation plays a role in the costs. Quality content for guest posts requires hiring skilled writers.
A well-written article that appropriately represents your brand is key, and investing in top-notch writers ensures this.
Furthermore, having a compelling Strategy is crucial. Monthly outreach plans include strategizing to generate a substantial number of quality links.
Link building services collaborate with you to outline a plan tailored to your specific goals.
Lastly, Placement Fees can also affect costs.
Some websites may require a fee to place a link, especially in competitive industries like finance or casinos.
Finding more affordable link-building options might appeal to some, especially if you’re on a tighter budget.
However, keep in mind that less expensive services often compromise on quality.
The links generated by these providers might not meet the standards you need and could potentially harm your website’s reputation.
Lower-quality links aren’t a cost-effective solution in the long run.
They may lead to decreased website authority and SEO setbacks.
Choosing services that offer genuine, high-quality links is vital, even if they come at a premium.
Saving initially might seem beneficial, but investing in reputable services ensures better results.
When you decide to let someone else handle link building, you usually have two choices: go with a skilled individual or partner with a firm that specializes.
Each of these options offers its own set of advantages and challenges, so it’s essential to choose wisely based on your needs.
If you choose to hire an independent professional, there are platforms like Upwork where you can explore various profiles.
These platforms let you check reviews from previous clients, providing insights into the freelancer’s past work.
Upwork allows you to hire by the hour, with each individual providing a unique set of offerings, so it’s beneficial to have a conversation with them to ensure they fit your needs.
One clear advantage is cost-effectiveness. Independent professionals can often be less expensive compared to agencies.
Keep in mind, however, there is a wide range of pricing, and it’s important to evaluate their quality beforehand.
Sometimes, it can be difficult to assess the caliber of work a freelancer provides, and there might be instances of non-compliant practices, like black hat strategies.
A quick delivery with links to specific sites might indicate questionable practices like link farming.
Opting for a service provider usually means you gain access to comprehensive offerings.
Agencies generally provide various services, ranging from ongoing link development efforts to individual link placements.
The primary benefit is tapping into a wide range of expertise.
Agencies often have dedicated teams for strategies, content crafting, design, and outreach.
This collective knowledge can enhance your campaign’s effectiveness far beyond what a single freelancer might achieve.
Although hiring an agency can be investment-heavy, especially if opting for a full-service option, you may find the results worthwhile if you choose a provider with proven success.
Evaluate agencies based on the outcomes they have generated for other successful brands, ensuring alignment with your expectations for quality and return on investment.
When you’re considering ways to enhance your website’s SEO through link building, choosing the appropriate service is a crucial step.
With a comprehensive plan, an agency handles the link building process for you.
This means that for a monthly fee, the agency crafts a tailored strategy that aligns with your specific needs and goals. The service typically includes:
Agencies working on long-term plans focus on building relationships in your industry, which helps secure backlinks from authoritative sources.
These quality backlinks can significantly improve your site’s brand authority and online presence.
Although these services may demand a high investment, they often lower the cost per individual link.
For instance, if your goal is to obtain hundreds of links over an extended period, this method becomes more cost-effective than paying per link or building an in-house team.
Managed services are ideal if you’re committed to steadily increasing your site’s authority and digital footprint without hiring internal staff.
A pay-per-link option allows you to purchase individual links.
This arrangement is budget-friendly and flexible, letting you purchase as many or as few links as needed.
The cost varies based on the authority of the target site—higher quality backlinks tend to sell at a premium.
Even though the provider might give advice on details like anchor text, you might not get the detailed strategic plan that a fully managed service provides.
This approach is excellent if you already have an SEO strategy and wish to augment it with specific types of links such as:
This service is beneficial for anyone looking to improve their search ranking without substantial financial outlay.
Digital marketing agencies often use these plans for white-label services, enabling them to provide link-building solutions to their clients without needing specialized in-house capabilities.
When seeking to outsource your link building tasks, it’s crucial to identify trustworthy providers.
Reliable services will showcase their credibility through several key indicators.
Beware of red flags that may indicate unreliable services:
Outsourcing link building offers a practical solution to one of the most challenging aspects of SEO, allowing marketers to focus on other priorities while leveraging external expertise.
By choosing the right partner and following best practices, businesses can secure high-quality backlinks that improve rankings and drive meaningful results.
Careful evaluation of potential services is essential to avoid pitfalls like low-quality links or unethical practices.
With the right approach, outsourcing link building can be a strategic investment that significantly improves core rankings, and conversions.
Outsourcing link-building can save you time and resources.
Expert agencies can give your website a wider reach by utilizing their connections and experience.
It also allows you to focus on your core business activities while professionals handle the link-building tasks.
The cost of outsourcing link-building can vary. Most businesses spend anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 per month.
This range depends on the scope and scale of the project you have in mind.
Some risks include receiving low-quality links, which could harm your overall traffic.
Always ensure the agency uses ethical practices to avoid penalties from search engines.
Use these criteria to judge the quality and potential impact of the links provided by the service.
Founder of Rock The Rankings, an SEO partner that helps B2B SaaS brands crush their organic growth goals. An avid fan of tennis, and growing micro-SaaS businesses on the weekend. 2x SaaS Co-Founder – Currently working to build and scale Simple Testimonial.
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