I've been involved in link building and SEO for over 16 years. I started by working in agencies, moved on to managing my own websites with the Amazon Affiliate program, and eventually established my own company.
Over the years, I've spent a considerable amount of money on various experiments and tests. Unfortunately, a significant portion of that money ended up being wasted.
Recently, a potential client reached out to me. They had been working with Agency X, paying $5,000 per month for link building for over a year, yet they hadn't seen any results.
I shared the details of this case in this LinkedIn post to highlight the pitfalls of ineffective link-building strategies.
This article aims to protect you from similar budget drains and wasteful spending.
📌 Key points covered:
By understanding these points, you can make informed decisions that will help you achieve better results without wasting your budget.
Outsourced link building is a strategic approach to enhance your website's search engine rankings by hiring external experts to manage your backlink campaigns. These professionals bring years of SEO experience, utilizing their knowledge to improve your site's visibility.
I’m sure that one of the key advantages of outsourcing link building is the convenience it offers. Professional agencies and contractors have well-established processes for getting high-quality backlinks.
To learn more, read my article, 'Hiring a Link-Building Specialist: What You Need to Know and How to Do It Right.’
This means you can avoid the lengthy and complex setup involved in creating a link-building strategy from scratch. At my company, Editorial.link, we provide clients with an estimated timeline for obtaining their initial set of links, usually completing this within 30 days.
By the way, our recent survey revealed that only 31.1% of respondents choose to outsource their link building, while a substantial 68.9% prefer to manage it in-house.
This trend is largely influenced by the respondents, many of whom are agency owners and freelance experts specializing in link-building services.
This data highlights the wealth of expertise available to businesses that decide to outsource, making it a viable option for those looking to optimize their SEO efforts efficiently.
If you're a business thinking about outsourcing, knowing the time you’ll save and the expert insights you'll gain can truly transform your strategy. At Editorial.Link, we streamline the link-building process, using our expertise to achieve fast and effective results.
📌 If you find yourself in any of the following situations, it may be the right time to consider outsourcing.
As your business grows, so does the need for a more comprehensive link-building strategy. Outsourcing allows you to tap into a pool of experts who can significantly enhance your efforts and improve your search engine rankings.
If you're currently acquiring 10-15 high-quality backlinks per month but aim to double or triple that number, outsourcing is a strategic move.
According to our survey, 23% of respondents said that one link builder can create 10-15 links per month. However, scaling up to build more links requires substantial effort and expertise, with 54% of SEO specialists typically building between 5 and 20 high-quality backlinks monthly.
Professional link-building teams have the resources and networks needed for effective scaling, including established relationships with journalists and experience across various niches.
Fact: uSERP.io indicates that outsourced link-building services can provide consistency and predictability in acquiring high-quality backlinks due to their established processes and networks.
Hiring a full-time in-house link builder can be expensive. That’s why outsourcing is a more budget-friendly option.
By partnering with a reliable agency, you can avoid these overhead costs and pay only for the specific services you need.
Agencies typically charge between $2,000 and $4,000 per month. This approach allows companies to make significant savings on salaries, training, and benefits.
Additionally, outsourcing often provides a quicker return on investment. Agencies have established processes and teams in place, speeding up the link-building process. Instead of spending time hiring and training new staff, you can immediately benefit from the expertise of seasoned professionals.
When your internal resources are stretched thin, outsourcing can actually be an effective solution. This is especially true for SEO agencies managing multiple clients and needing to scale their link-building efforts without compromising quality.
By outsourcing to a professional link-building agency, you gain access to experienced teams who can secure high-quality backlinks from top-tier websites.
For example, one of our clients, Sitechecker, struggled to obtain a link from HubSpot using their in-house team. However, by partnering with my agency, Editorial.Link, we successfully secured them a link in a popular HubSpot article.
Fact is, link-building agencies not only bring the necessary expertise but also maintain relationships with high-authority websites, allowing them to acquire valuable backlinks more efficiently than less experienced in-house teams.
When selecting an agency, choose one with proven success in your specific industry. Checking their reviews and portfolio is also a wise step to make sure they’re the best fit.
Thus, if you, say, need backlinks for the automotive niche, look for a company with relevant case studies. This ensures they have the necessary contacts and expertise to deliver results in your specific sector.
Outsourcing link building to experts allows your team to focus on other business activities like product development, customer service, and overall marketing strategy. This way, you ensure it gets the attention it deserves without pulling resources from your core operations.
Outsourced link-building services can deliver quicker results thanks to their established processes and extensive networks. If you need to boost your search engine rankings swiftly, an experienced link-building agency can speed up the process.
Professional link builders can help diversify your backlink profile, which is key to avoiding penalties and boosting SEO performance. They can secure links from various sources, ensuring natural and organic growth in your link profile.
☝️ Pro tip: Remember that your time is valuable, and timing is crucial. Strategically plan your link-building efforts around your business’s seasonal fluctuations, industry trends, and marketing calendar.
If you’re ready to start outsourcing link building, here’s how to make sure you do it right.
The best time to outsource link building is when your website is prepared to benefit from backlinks and when you have a clear understanding of your SEO objectives.
Ideally, you should have high-quality content, a well-optimized website, and defined SEO goals before outsourcing link building.
Thus, before reaching out to link-building agencies, ensure your website is ready to benefit from backlinks.
Here’s what to do:
☝️ Pro Tip: If your content isn’t ranking in the top 100 for your target keywords, you might need to improve it before outsourcing link building. Compare your content with top-ranking competitors and use SEO tools to assess keyword competitiveness.
Here’s a quick insight from my experience:
📌 In the Software Development, SaaS, and IT sectors, I often see companies producing 200-300 articles that don’t rank well. The problem usually isn’t the lack of backlinks but issues with the content itself.
Before choosing a partner, get clear on what you want to achieve with link building. Your goals could include:
I've tried numerous link-building tactics and even surveyed over 16 SEO specialists to identify the most effective ones.
Here are some of the most effective strategies for 2024:
This method involves acquiring links from highly authoritative sites. While it requires significant time and effort, it offers several key benefits:
📌 Note: Organic mentions of your content on reputable websites also fall under editorial link building, enhancing your SEO efforts without direct outreach.
🚨 At Editorial.Link, we secure backlinks for corporate blogs from top sites like Monday, WordStream, HubSpot, G2, and Appsumo. Contact our team to see some samples.
This strategy involves reaching out to relevant websites and asking for backlinks by providing high-quality content or forming a mutually beneficial partnership.
While it sounds similar to editorial link building, there are some key differences.
Most link-building providers, like Editorial.Link, use a mix of blogger outreach and editorial link building. This approach allows more control over link placements and tailors strategies to meet the client’s needs.
Identify broken links on other websites and offer your content as a replacement, helping site owners and earning you a backlink.
Broken link building involves getting backlinks by replacing dead links that lead to 404 pages with active links pointing to your website.
Not every reputable link-building agency offers this service.
This technique allows you to gain links from top-tier sites. It’s a challenging and complex method, but it’s effective and widely used.
The process focuses on identifying broken links on websites and quickly addressing them. By contacting website owners and suggesting alternative links—ideally leading to your high-quality content—you help improve their resources while showcasing your expertise.
Brian Dean from Backlinko has detailed guides on broken link-building methods.
The next step is to evaluate your budget.
Outsourcing link building can be costly, especially if you prioritize quality. However, there are various services available at different price points to fit different budgets.
📍Editorial.Link Plans:
You can also contact our team for a personalized quote tailored to your specific needs. This flexibility ensures that no matter your budget, you can find a plan that works for you.
If you plan to invest $7,000 in link building, aiming for 15-20 high-quality backlinks per month, consider the costs involved in hiring a link-building specialist and the expected output.
In the United States, the estimated total pay for a Link Building Specialist is $62,284 per year, with an average salary of $51,094 annually, according to Glassdoor. However, this can exceed $90,000 for more experienced professionals. This translates to a significant monthly expense.
A full-time link builder typically generates 10-15 editorial backlinks per month. Considering their salary and the additional costs for research, content creation, and outreach, the cost per link can range from $300 to $730.
Consider additional expenses for link-building tools. For example, in my last case, we paid more than $42,000 (!) for an Ahrefs subscription. You'll also need to factor in costs for onboarding, and supervising. What about taxes and other overheads?
With these high expenses, what if outsourcing is a more cost-effective solution?
Outsourcing link building can be more cost-effective.
The average monthly retainer for link-building services is about $10,000, with affordable packages starting at $5,000 per month. These packages usually promise 15 to 30 links per month. The best thing is - you only pay for the results.
If your vendor fails to deliver the agreed number of links, these are typically rolled over to the next month, ensuring you get value for your money.
Understanding the outsourcing process is essential before selecting an agency or freelancer.
Look for indicators of reliability and be wary of potential red flags.
You can find freelancers on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and similar websites. These platforms are useful because they show authentic reviews from previous clients.
While each site has its pros and cons, the main advantage is cost—freelancers are usually much cheaper than agencies.
However, there are downsides. Many freelancers on Upwork or Fiverr use black hat tactics, offering high-quality links at very low prices.
Can you really get quality backlinks for $5-$10? For me, that's a red flag 🚩
Agencies offer a range of services, from long-term link building to placing individual links. The main benefit of hiring an agency is the wealth of expertise they bring.
However, be cautious—not all agencies deliver quality results.
To choose a reliable agency, check reviews on verified platforms like Clutch or G2.
For instance, our agency has 60+ positive reviews on Clutch.
The downside is the cost.
Hiring a link-building agency can be expensive, especially with all-inclusive plans. For example, at our agency, we charge $3,500 for 10 high-quality links and $6,000 for 20.
Yes, it's not cheap, but you will get quality links for this price.
Here’s a list of my quick tips for outsourcing link building:
✔️ Case Studies: Review the case studies provided by the agency. If they have examples that match your niche, it's a good sign they have the relevant expertise. Use SEO tools to verify the authenticity of these case studies.
✔️ Testimonials: Look for reviews on platforms like Clutch or G2. Additionally, you can find the agency's clients on LinkedIn and ask them directly about their experience and results.
✔️ Agency's Own Links: Pay attention to the links an agency builds for itself. This isn't always a definitive factor, but it's worth noting.
Red flags to watch out for:
If you're ready to start, look for potential companies to outsource your link building to.
Contact them to learn how they can help improve your website’s authority, increase traffic, and build your online brand.
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