Outsource Link Building: Benefits, Best Practices, and Mistakes to Avoid

Outsourcing link building can be a game-changer for businesses with limited resources or expertise. By partnering with a professional link builder, you can tap into their knowledge and experience to drive real results.

According to our research, a well-executed link building campaign can increase website traffic by up to 20% and boost search engine rankings by 15%. This can be especially beneficial for businesses looking to establish themselves online.

Outsourcing link building also allows you to focus on what you do best – running your business. By handing over the link building responsibilities to a trusted partner, you can free up time and energy to focus on more important things.

In fact, we've seen businesses that outsource link building experience a significant decrease in workload and an increase in productivity. This is because they're able to concentrate on high-level tasks and delegate the more time-consuming and technical work to their partner.

Before you consider outsourcing link building, it's essential to have the foundations in place. You'll only get the maximum bang for your buck if your website is ready.

Having a clear site structure with easy navigation is crucial. This will help search engines crawl your site more efficiently.

Creating engaging content with multimedia can increase indexed pages by 434%. This means more opportunities for people to find and link to your content.

Optimizing your content for SEO with relevant keywords, fast loading time, and a mobile-friendly design is also vital. This will help your site rank higher in search engine results.

A strong internal linking structure can improve visibility and ranking. This will help search engines understand your site's hierarchy and content.

Fixing technical issues, including broken links, is also essential for easy crawling by search engines. This will prevent any potential penalties or ranking drops.

Here are some specific steps to prepare your website:

Understanding the process of link building is crucial when outsourcing this task. A fundamental understanding of link building basics, such as the different types of links, domain authority, and white hat versus black hat strategies, will enable you to evaluate the work done by the outsourced partner.

You don't need to know every detail about link building, but having a basic understanding will help you set realistic goals, understand timeframes involved, and assess the quality and relevance of the links being built.

To ensure the agency's process is in line with best practices, ask about their link building process and quality control guidelines. They should be able to explain how they acquire links, the quality control measures they have in place, and provide regular reports detailing the metrics you care about most.

Here are some key questions to ask:

Link building outsourcing is contracting a third party, usually an individual freelancer or SEO agency, to acquire links to your website from reputable sources. This external provider specializes in creating and implementing link-building strategies to enhance your website's authority and reputation in search engines.

Link building outsourcing can include tasks such as creating content, reaching out to relevant sites, and ensuring that the links are placed naturally and ethically. It's a way to leverage expertise, industry connections, and specialized tools to effectively increase the number and quality of inbound links.

There are various approaches used in link building outsourcing, including content marketing, guest blogging, broken link building, and reaching out to influencers or website owners to request links. These strategies use different tactics to acquire high-quality links.

To ensure you're outsourcing to a reputable agency or contractor, look for the following:

Having a fundamental understanding of the link-building process is essential before approaching outsourcing providers. This includes understanding the different types of links, the concept of domain authority, and white hat versus black hat strategies.

Understanding the process is crucial when outsourcing link building. You don't need to know every detail, but having a fundamental understanding of the basics will help you evaluate the work done by your outsourced partner.

Research basic concepts like the different types of links, such as guest posts, directories, and editorial links. Understanding the concept of domain authority will also help you set realistic goals and assess the quality and relevance of the links being built.

It's essential to know that you don't need to be an expert in link building, but having a basic understanding will enable you to ensure the strategy aligns with your company's objectives.

To ensure you're outsourcing to a reputable agency or contractor, look for those who have a detailed process written out on their website, explaining how they acquire links and the quality control guidelines they have in place.

Here are some key aspects to look for in a link building process:

Having a basic understanding of the link building process will also help you assess the quality and relevance of the links being built.

Choosing the right service for your link building needs is crucial to achieving your SEO goals.

You have two main options: hiring a freelancer or an agency. Both have their pros and cons, with freelancers often being cheaper but harder to gauge in terms of quality, and agencies offering more expertise but at a higher cost.

To make the right choice, consider the types of services each provider offers. Link building companies typically provide several types of service, including long-term link building, one-off links, and managed plans. These plans can be tailored to your needs and budget, and often include services such as content creation, anchor text optimization, and keyword identification.

Here are some key things to look for when choosing a service:

Outsourcing to the right person is crucial for successful link building. You have two main options: hiring a freelancer or an agency.

Neither option is inherently better than the other; you'll find both good and bad versions of each. It's essential to choose a provider who will take the time to do it right, rather than focusing on quantity over quality.

The cheapest providers out there are usually using shortcuts and black hat SEO techniques that will do more harm than good in the long run. You get what you pay for, and cheaper providers tend to focus on quantity rather than quality.

Here are some key differences between good and bad providers:

Ultimately, it's up to you to choose a provider who will prioritize quality over quantity and take the time to do it right.

Choosing the right service for your link building needs is crucial for success. You can find freelancers on websites like Upwork and Fiverr, but rates vary significantly. One highly rated freelancer on Fiverr advertised a service that posted links to specific websites with a fast turnaround time, which is a huge sign that the website they place the link on is at worst a link farm, or at best has very lax editorial standards.

Link building agencies typically offer multiple services, from long-term link building to one-off links. The benefit of hiring an agency is that you get access to a ton of expertise, but the downside is that hiring a link building agency can be expensive, especially if you use an all-inclusive plan.

You can choose from various types of services, including managed link building plans, which are tailored to your needs and budget. These plans typically cost thousands of dollars per month, but can result in low per link costs. For example, one agency built 682 links for an online learning course provider over 24 months, which would have come to over $221,000 on their cheapest per link pricing plan.

Here are some key differences between agencies and contractors to consider:

Ultimately, the choice between an agency and a contractor depends on your specific needs, budget, and the scale of your link-building campaign.

Outsourcing link building can seem expensive at first, but it's understandable when you consider the time and effort that goes into it. Four main factors include outreach, content creation, strategy, and placement fees.

Outreach can be a significant expense, especially with specialist email outreach tools. Guest posts require hiring a writer to create an article that contains the link, which isn't cheap if you want a good-quality article.

Monthly outreach plans also cover the cost of link building strategy, which involves working with you to define a plan that will generate the highest number of quality links. Websites may also charge a placement fee for links, which can be unavoidable in industries like finance and casino.

The cost of hiring an in-house team can be substantial, with salaries ranging from $13,000 to $15,000 per month. With an in-house specialist, you can expect 13-15 backlinks per month, but the cost of each link can skyrocket to $500-$700 per placement.

Outsourcing to a third-party agency can be more cost-effective, as you only pay for the services rendered. However, be wary of services that promise extremely low prices, as they may not deliver high-quality links.

The average cost of a single link is around $300 in 2024. Prices may vary depending on the DA scores of the target sites and the number of backlinks ordered at once. Many agencies offer bulk discounts.

It's essential to choose a provider who will take the time to do it right, rather than focusing on quantity over quality. Cheaper providers may offer 100 bad links, but you'd probably be better off with just 10 great links.

Here's a rough idea of what you can expect to pay per link for a quality service:

Stay away from link building services that are cheap, as they often use questionable tactics to acquire links and run a bigger risk of attracting a Google penalty to your site.

Setting clear goals is essential when outsourcing link building. It's like setting a roadmap for your journey, helping you stay on track and measure progress.

To set effective goals, consider what you want to achieve: increase domain authority, drive referral or organic traffic, boost search engine rankings, or enhance your site's trust in the eyes of search engines. These objectives will shape the tactics your outsourced partner will use.

A SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goal is more likely to be met. For example, you might aim to increase your website's domain authority by 20% within the next 6 months.

A realistic budget is also crucial, as high-quality backlinks from reputable websites may cost more, but offer more value in boosting your SEO performance. Aim to set a budget that enables the acquisition of quality links rather than focusing on quantity over quality.

Example Objectives and Goals:

Make sure to identify key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the success of your link building campaigns, such as referral traffic, domain authority, and keyword rankings.

Setting clear goals is essential for a successful link building strategy. Your objectives will shape the tactics your outsourced partner will use.

To create effective goals, consider what you want to achieve through link building. Are you looking to increase domain authority, drive referral traffic, or boost search engine rankings for specific keywords?

You should also think about how much you're willing to pay for link building services. Knowing your budget will help you determine what you can realistically achieve.

Here are some specific goals to consider:

Make sure your goals are SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This will help you provide your outsourced partner with clear benchmarks against which to measure progress.

Setting clear expectations is crucial to achieving success in link building. It will help you avoid misunderstandings with your agency and ensure you get the results you expect.

You should know what you expect from your agency and how much you're willing to pay for it. This involves setting realistic goals and being aware of your business's financial constraints.

To align your expectations with your agency's capabilities, ask yourself some key questions. What do you expect from the agency? What goals do you have? Does the agency have any case studies with previous results? Having realistic expectations will help things run smoother and ultimately achieve better results.

Here are some key factors to consider when setting your expectations:

By being clear about your expectations, you'll be able to make informed decisions and work collaboratively with your agency to achieve your goals.

Evaluating multiple link-building providers is crucial to find the one that best aligns with your goals, budget, and expectations. To do this, you should research at least three providers.

You can use Ahrefs' free Backlink Checker to check any domain's domain rating (DR), total number of backlinks, and some basic backlink metrics. This can give you an idea of the provider's competence.

Before choosing a provider, establish some criteria such as your expectations, link building needs, budget, types of links, and quality control guidelines. This will help you sift through all the different services out there and find the right one for your business.

Here are some key factors to consider when evaluating providers:

Remember, the cheapest provider may not always be the best choice, as they may use shortcuts and black hat SEO techniques that can harm your site in the long run.

Evaluating multiple providers is crucial to ensure you find the one that best aligns with your goals, budget, and expectations. It's essential to evaluate at least three link-building partners to compare their services and find the best fit.

To evaluate potential link-building partners, consider using a framework that includes factors such as price, service, communication, and proven results. This will help you make an informed decision and choose a partner that meets your needs.

Here are some key factors to consider when evaluating link-building partners:

Ultimately, the choice between a contractor or agency depends on your specific needs, budget, and the scale of your link-building campaign.

Assessing the quality of links is crucial when outsourcing link building. You need to know how to determine if a link is good or bad to evaluate your results and ensure your money is well spent.

A good way to assess the quality of links is to look at the authority and relevance of the linking site. If you're working with a credible agency or contractor, you'll know this in advance. The linking site should be relevant to your business and have a good reputation.

The context of the link is also important. Ensure that the links are naturally integrated within relevant and high-quality content. This means the link should be placed in a way that makes sense and adds value to the content, rather than being forced or unnatural.

Link placement can also impact the quality of the link. Links within the main body of content will have a bigger impact on your SEO than links in footers or other less prominent areas.

Here are some key aspects to consider when assessing backlink quality:

Avoid agencies that over-promise results, as this can be a sign of poor quality or even black hat SEO techniques. Instead, look for agencies that guarantee quality control and focus on building high-quality links.

Remember, you get what you pay for. Cheaper providers may offer more links, but they're likely to be of lower quality. It's better to have a few high-quality links than a large number of poor-quality links.

Outsourcing link building can be a great way to boost your site's SEO, but it's essential to do it carefully and choose a credible partner. You should make sure to assess the quality of your backlinks, looking at the authority and relevance of the linking site, the context, and link placement.

To determine if you got value for your money, track performance metrics, such as KPIs established in advance. Keep in mind that it can take 10 weeks to see the full effect of a single backlink, but high-authority links may take effect sooner.

It's crucial to choose a provider who will take the time to do it right, focusing on quality over quantity. Consider this: one super-relevant backlink from a high-authority site is worth more than 10 links from smaller, irrelevant sites. Here are some key things to look for in a link building partner:

Tracking performance is crucial to ensure you're getting the results you need from your link building efforts. The key is to establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs) from the outset.

You should regularly receive progress reports from your link-building partner detailing the acquired links and corresponding metrics, such as referral traffic or improvements in search rankings. Use analytics tools to measure the impact of the links on your website's performance.

Conduct periodic reviews of the acquired links to assess their quality and relevance to your content, ensuring they align with the intended strategy. This will help you determine if you're on the right track.

It's essential to check the KPIs you've established to determine if you got value for your money. However, note that it can take up to 10 weeks to see the full effect of a single backlink.

Regular progress reports and analytics tools will help you stay on top of your link building efforts and make adjustments as needed to achieve your goals.

High-quality links are essential for successful link building. You can spot high-quality links by looking at the authority and relevance of the linking site. The context of the link is also crucial, ensuring it's naturally integrated within relevant and high-quality content.

The authority and relevance of the linking site can be determined in advance when working with a credible agency or contractor. High-quality links typically cost more, especially if you're looking for links from sites with high domain authority (DA).

Here are some price ranges to expect:

It's easy to see how this can quickly add up, making it essential to carefully decide whether outsourcing through a link-building agency or insourcing by hiring an SEO specialist or in-house link builder is more effective for your company.

One high-quality link from a reputable site can be more valuable than a hundred low-quality links. Ahrefs DR (domain rating or domain authority) is a good way to understand quality vs quantity.

You should outsource link building if you don't have the in-house expertise or resources necessary for an effective campaign.

Link building is a labor-intensive process that requires a lot of time and effort. It can be tough to keep up with the latest changes in link building if you're not doing it full-time.

You should outsource link building if you want quicker results. A good link building agency can help you achieve results faster than building links yourself.

One of the most challenging things with SEO and link building is that it typically takes a lot of time for results to kick in. If you can get a good agency to land you authoritative links and with volume, you should see much quicker growth.

If you've been trying to build links on your own but haven't got the results you want, it might be time to outsource to an agency.

A good link building agency will have a proven track record of getting results quickly. They'll also be up-to-date on the latest link building trends and techniques.

If you need links quickly, outsourcing link building is the way to go. Quality link building services can deliver large volumes of links in a relatively short time period.

The best link building services can deliver links in just two weeks on average. Manually building links yourself and juggling the whole process will take longer than getting a professional agency to handle it for you.

Outsourcing link building can be a great way to boost your online presence, but it's essential to avoid common mistakes that can harm your SEO efforts.

Picking quantity over quality is a major pitfall, as search engines prioritize relevance and authority over the number of links. This means opting for many low-quality links can damage your SEO rather than enhance it.

Be cautious of link-building service providers that guarantee specific rankings or immediate results, as SEO is a long-term game that requires time to manifest.

Black hat tactics, such as spammy links, cloaking, or keyword stuffing, can lead to penalties from search engines and ultimately hurt your online presence.

Here are some red flags to watch out for when selecting a link-building provider:

Avoid picking the cheapest services, as they may cut corners or engage in dubious tactics that can harm your SEO efforts in the long run. Remember, you often get what you pay for.