Are you looking for a long-term, cost-effective way to capture more of Google’s one billion users?
You don’t always have to spend on ads, where the expenses can easily get out of control.
Instead, you can use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to boost your organic traffic.
Unknown to many, a link-building strategy is one of the most important aspects of ranking in search engines.
You can write the perfect article, but without link-building efforts, you will wait forever in vain to get the attention it deserves.
If you have your hands full with building your blog, you can outsource your link-building process.
With the right service by your side, you can grow your audience exponentially.
In this post, I will talk about how to outsource link-building activities to gain more backlinks from other websites.
Internal linking is a separate strategy. Remember, one of your first tasks as a blogger is to get that first link to help Google crawlers find your site.
Read on to become a master blogger!
What Is Link Building?
Link building is a digital marketing strategy designed to get backlinks from other websites.
It’s one of the most powerful tools you can use as a blogger to expand your online reach.
Think about it. If you create a scroll-stopping piece of content that other pages use as an information source, search engines will notice its value. They will not hesitate to rank it higher if users find it helpful.
However, note that not all links are equal in value. Naturally, you want high-quality links from a high domain authority site. A good link should be relevant to the topic and add value to any content.
Since backlinks are essential in SEO, Google knows that some brands will try to use spammy links to rank higher. Remember, choosing black hat SEO tactics that go against guidelines can get you delisted across several search engine platforms.
Role of Link Building in SEO
Experts claim that search engine giant Google changes its ranking algorithms anywhere between 500 to 600 times yearly. Can you guess which component has remained consistent over the years? If you’re thinking of backlinks from authoritative sites, you’re spot on!
For some time now, backlinks have remained crucial for search engines in determining how to rank sites for particular keywords. Generally, the more backlinks you have from trustworthy pages, the better for your site.
Think of them as votes of confidence for your blog.
Benefits of Outsourcing Link Building
The link-building process may seem straightforward, but it has a steep learning curve. After all, it’s not as simple as getting as many inbound links as you can. You need to invest time and effort in building a solid strategy.
If you want to grow your fanbase quickly, you can outsource your link-building efforts. Below are some of its advantages.
Work With a Link-Building Specialist
Link-building work isn’t rocket science, but you should only trust an expert in acquiring backlinks. After all, whether you choose link-building agencies or freelancers, you will invest in their labor to enhance your SEO strategies.
Work with a pro with solid Google algorithm knowledge, keyword research skills, and industry expertise instead of trying to do everything on your own. Doing so might not work, or worse, damage your online presence.
Get Fast Results
Do you want your blog to reach superstar status quickly? You’ll need a steady pace of quality links coming your way to make it happen. I recommend aiming for ten links monthly to grow exponentially.
When you have someone with link-building expertise on your side, you can expand your reach as soon as possible without resorting to bad practices. Like other SEO tools, you can expect results in as little as two to three months.
Boost Content Rank
Do you often produce quality content — the kind that captivates, engages, and converts? Unfortunately, writing alone isn’t a surefire way to get more links for your blog. If you’re writing better materials than your competitors but still not ranking as well as you’d like, link-building services may be an ideal option.
Increase Sales and Conversions
With reliable link-building services, you get more organic traffic to your site. Having more visitors on your blog can also lead to more sales and conversions. Whatever you offer — merchandise, online courses, or affiliate links — a boost in viewership can transform your business. And a good link-building strategy can do just that.
Save Money
Building an in-house team for your link-building efforts can be pricey. According to Glassdoor, hiring just one person for this task costs an average of $60,779 per year. Naturally, you’ll have to pay more for seasoned experts. This figure doesn’t even include healthcare, insurance, and training.
The thing is, you don’t have to get someone full-time for this task. Instead, you can look for a link-building agency or specialist you can work with on a project-based agreement. Trust me on this: Working with the right person or group can save you massive amounts in the long run.
Elements of a Successful Link-Building Campaign
Now that you know the advantages of outsourcing link-building efforts, it’s time to discuss what makes a good campaign. This section will clue you in on components you should use to dominate search results.
Customer Research
Ideally, the first step to start link building is to know your audience. Attracting more people to your site is always a plus, but not if they’re not interested in what you offer. For instance, if your blog is about veganism, you can’t expect meat eaters, cheese lovers, or zinc-deficient individuals to stay.
For this reason, I suggest doing your research and learning everything you can about your ideal audience. Doing so will help you understand them better and identify the best ways to lead them to your site.
Backlink Review
Next, scan the web to find high-domain authority sites where you can place links. For instance, you can reach out to suitable websites for guest blogging opportunities. You can also try connecting with publishers who can add value to your backlink profile.
Keep in mind that you can use technology to do the work for you. Brands like Ahrefs, Moz, and Semrush excel at finding link-building opportunities. They can even find relevant broken links for your blog.
On the other hand, you can let a link-building agency or freelancer do the work for you.
Link Quality Control
Building a backlink profile may seem like a straightforward strategy, but it’s not. You can’t just add random links to spammy sites. Instead, you should create high-authority links from reputable brands in your niche.
To do this, you can have an SEO agency or expert use tools to determine which other sites link back to your preferred source. If they get quality links from .gov or .edu sites, you’ve struck gold!
Afterward, find out which materials can get you backlinks from such pages and include them in your content marketing plan.
Budget Setting
Outsourcing your requirements to a link-building service requires monetary and time investments. On average, paid links from quality content range from $100 to $500 each. For reference, I’ve managed successful link-building campaigns for blogs that cost $3,000 to $5,000. However, if you want to grow your site fast, you may need to invest more in your link-building strategy.
Also, when you’re ready to expand your reach, you should have a solid content creation plan to create more backlink opportunities. These components go hand-in-hand with growing your blog.
Goal Setting
You can’t keep building links blindly and expect Google’s algorithms to randomly pick them up. Rather, you need link-building campaigns with specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART) goals.
Before talking to link-building agencies, I suggest identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) first. With these targets in mind, you can ensure that every single move you make aligns with what you want to achieve.
Think of your brand, your ideal audience, and how to use external links to scale your business. With these factors in mind, you can piece together a list of goals for your blog to impact your bottom line.
Outsourcing Options
Generally, there are two options in outsourcing link building, working with agencies or freelancers. So, which one is best for bloggers?
The truth is there are no one-size-fits-all solutions for content creators. In the end, only you can choose whether to hire a link-building agency or a freelancer. Below are some factors to consider.
Budget
Your budget is a major consideration in choosing between a link-building agency and a specialist. In most cases, going with link-building freelancers will cost you less than hiring a whole team.
Naturally, the more people you hire, the more overhead expenses you acquire. Plus, some agencies will eventually outsource some of the tasks to freelancers.
If you’re looking for the most budget-friendly solution, working with an independent expert is the way to go. However, you also get what you pay for. Professionals who deliver the best results will likely charge top dollar.
Your SEO Knowledge
Before searching Google for link-building services. Ask yourself first: What will you need from link-building agencies?
If you know almost nothing about SEO, working with agencies may be ideal. After all, these companies have extensive digital marketing expertise and can help you develop a holistic approach to hitting your targets.
On the other hand, if you’re a skilled SEO expert, you can hire a freelancer to handle some aspects of your link-building efforts. For instance, while you handle content creation, someone else can oversee your link-building strategies.
Your Deadlines
So, how quickly do you want to grow your blog? Pro tip: If you want to dominate search engines in as little as two months, working with the right agency can do wonders for you.
However, if you want to take your time scaling your site as you find your niche, you can work with a freelancer instead. Naturally, if you only work with one other person, getting your website on top won’t happen overnight.
Finding the Ideal Link Builders for Your Blog
So, are you ready to outsource your link-building efforts? Once you search Google for potential link builders, know that there are reliable partners for various industries.
However, whether you’re looking for link-building agencies or freelancers, the process is almost the same. Below are some components to consider.
Link Diversity
There are various backlink types you can shoot for, such as editorial links, guest posts, and business profiles. When looking for link-building services, choose a partner who offers a diverse range of links.
Don’t settle for a link builder who specializes in particular backlink types, like directory listings or press releases. Instead, go for a company or contractor who does a little bit of everything.
Niche Expertise
What do you talk about in your blog: food, travel, health and fitness, lifestyle, or DIY crafts? If you want to grow your fanbase fast, I suggest working with a link-building company or professional who knows your niche inside out.
After all, the key to link-building success is content creation and distribution. You want to work with someone who already knows your audience and industry and with a proven track record. Doing so boosts the chances of getting quality backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites.
Realistic Goals
Don’t fall for a link builder who promises to give you the world. Realistically, you might see some impact from a link-building campaign after a minimum of two months, and that’s if you pull out all the stops. In some cases, reaching your goals may take anywhere between three to twelve months.
In my experience, trustworthy SEO agencies perform thorough website research first before setting targets. They won’t promise immediate results.
Good SEO Practices
If a link builder seems too good to be true, it probably is. With link schemes, agencies and professionals should follow specific rules. For instance, spamming guest books will not only harm your campaigns but might also impact your blog’s reputation.
Also, Google may issue a penalty for black-hat SEO practices. In extreme cases, such scenarios may lead to delisting.
Transparent Communication
Any small collaboration requires transparent communication to succeed. Keep in mind that link-building is an ongoing process that needs continuous information exchange. Without it, a link-building campaign may end in doubt, dissatisfaction, and ultimately, failure.
As with any team, communication ensures you can work with an outsourced specialist seamlessly. Don’t trust any expert who hesitates to share data with you.
Backlinks to Their Website
Let’s face it: You want to work with digital marketing agencies or freelancers who can walk the talk. Naturally, you want to check the backlinks to their sites. If they claim to be link-building pros, they should have high-quality backlinks.
Check for links from authoritative pages and social media sites. Doing so can help you judge their work before entrusting any link-building campaign to them.
Customer Service
Customer service is crucial in outsourcing link-building services. Before signing any contract, make sure you can reach your preferred link-building company or specialist once you pay them. If it takes them forever to reply to your inquiries even before you officially work with them, you might want to reconsider your choice.
Plus, ask for the phone number, email, or even an instant messaging username of your contact person. Doing so increases the chances you won’t have trouble reaching out to them whenever necessary.
Evaluating Link Outreach Specialists
Once you’ve made a list of potential agencies and freelancers, it’s time to choose the one who will help you fulfill your link-building goals. Below are ways to determine which one will work best for your blog.
Proven Track Record
There are various ways to check the success of link-building companies and professionals. For instance, you can ask for case studies and check KPIs. Reliable specialists should have the numbers to back their claims, including a number of new links, outreach attempts, and link quality.
Reviews and Testimonials
No one can deny the importance of reviews and testimonials for a brand. In fact, a whopping 84% of consumers trust them as much as recommendations from loved ones.
Check the overall vibe of their past clients and also read the replies. If a company or specialist finds the time to respond to online comments, it shows how much they care about their customers.
Check Their Services
Contrary to popular belief, link-building is a complex, multi-faceted process. Some tasks under this category include outreach, guest blogging, and broken link-building. Afterward, determine if their services match your distinct requirements and goals.
Reporting and Analysis
If you choose to outsource link-building, I suggest asking about reports first. Most clients prefer receiving monthly analytics to know if they’re getting their money’s worth or not. It’s best to review results together and determine ways to meet your goals.
Discuss Pricing
Naturally, you want to make sure you can afford to hire a team or a freelancer. These services often don’t come cheap, but the results are worth it. Apart from boosting search engine rankings, they also provide high-quality referral traffic you won’t get with your other marketing efforts.
However, you don’t have to break the bank to grow your blog. For best results, set a budget and stick with it. Once you see results, you can decide whether to invest more money in your campaigns.
Communicating Your Needs to a Link-Building Vendor
Once you’re set on outsourcing your processes, you should learn how to communicate your needs to a marketing agency or professional. After all, no one understands your vision for your blog like you do. Below are some pro tips to ensure you get your message across.
Clear Brief
A client brief is a useful tool when outsourcing link-building efforts. It guides agencies and freelancers about your procedures, goals, and expectations. It should contain your desired target market and budget.
Don’t worry too much about perfecting this document. Your preferred specialist will usually make recommendations, so nothing is set in stone in the beginning.
Project Specifics
Usually, project specifics include requirements, objectives, constraints, deadlines, and budgets. However, when you outsource link-building services, you should also specify the type of backlinks you want for your blog.
Branding Guidelines
If you haven’t created branding guidelines yet, now would be a great time to do so. They are a set of rules and standards your outsourced specialists should follow when representing your blog to the world.
This guide should help agencies and freelancers create a consistent, high-quality experience for your audience. Without one, achieving top-level brand awareness would be impossible.
Timeline and Deliverables
Creating documents regarding timelines and deliverables can get confusing. However, they can keep you and your preferred specialist up to speed on your campaigns.
Before working with a professional, you should know exactly what you want from them. Don’t settle for agencies that always try to sell the whole package. Instead, request a custom quotation for your particular needs.
Performance Assessment
Lastly, set dates for performance assessment sessions with your link-building partner. Typically, you can discuss KPIs, successes, and challenges. Afterward, you should agree on which actions you should take next to achieve your goals. I recommend monthly meetings, but it’s up to you if you want to speak with your preferred specialists more than that.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a way to grow your reach, link building outsourcing services can do the trick. It offers unmatched referral traffic in terms of quantity and quality.
However, this SEO process is no walk in the park. Without an in-house expert on your side, you can inadvertently do your SEO efforts more harm than good.
For this reason, hiring an agency or freelancer can help you take your blog to the next level. The key to winning campaigns is simple. You should find the right professionals to work with.
When in doubt, choose someone with expertise in your niche. Check out case studies, reviews, and testimonials to help you find the ideal one. The best part is that you get to work with experts, boost content rank, and increase sales and conversions in no time.
