According to a recent report, about 94% of blog posts don’t have backlinks. Considering that link-building is one of the surest ways to prove your website’s experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), this stat comes as a surprise.
However, here’s the truth: link-building takes time to master and establish long-term relationships that translate into backlinking opportunities. So, if you are new to the game or struggling to rank, you can consider outsourcing to an agency to help you acquire high-authority backlinks quickly.
This article discusses outsourcing link-building, including choosing the right service provider and common red flags to watch out for.
Let’s get to it!
TL;DR - How to Outsource Link Building
Outsourced link-building services let you transfer the workload to experts so you can focus on core business functions.
Here’s a quick overview of what we discuss in the article:
Prepare your website for link-building.
Familiarize yourself with link-building.
Define your link-building goals.
Set your budget.
Pick an outsourced link-building service.
Purchase a link-building package.
Track deliverables.
Keep reading for in-depth insights on implementing each step to get the most out of your outsourced link-building service.
But if you’re only looking for a reputable link-building service, partner with us.
At Profit Engine, we have over 10 years of experience providing high-quality link-building services to online businesses and SEO agencies. We work closely with our clients to tailor their link-building strategies to their website needs and for maximum ROI.
Let’s delve into the key advantages of outsourced link-building:
Convenience: Link-building is quite time-consuming, often without guaranteed successful backlinks. Outsourcing lets you hand over the task to an agency so you can focus on core activities.
Link-Building Expertise: Outsourcing lets you tap into the link-building agency’s years of experience instead of learning the ropes with an in-house team. Also, link-building agencies stay updated on new trends and advancements, ensuring you receive the best strategies while remaining compliant with backlinking guidelines.
Scalability: You can increase or decrease your link-building efforts without significantly affecting your organizational structure. This differs from an in-house team, where expanding your link-building campaign often means recruiting more personnel.
Cost:Link building in-house increases cost, which eats into your profits. On the other hand, outsourced link-building helps you avoid the cost of setting up and managing an in-house team. For perspective, our Growth link-building package costs $1,340 monthly (about $16,000 annually). This is less than half the annual base salary of a link builder, which is around $36,000.
When Outsourcing Link-Building Makes Sense
Wondering whether outsourcing link-building services makes sense for your online business or SEO agency?
Below are situations where you should opt for outsourced link-building:
You Want to Scale Your Backlinks Profile: As your business grows, there will be an increased need to improve your link-building profile to help your website rank higher on SERPs. And given that organic link building takes time, you should consider outsourcing to a link-building agency to grow your backlinks profile quickly.
Optimizing Your Link-Building Budget: Use outsourced link-building services if you cannot afford to run an in-house team. This helps you receive high-quality backlinks from relevant domains without breaking the bank.
You Need to Diversify Your Backlinks Profile: What happens when you need backlinks from domains outside your known associates? Outsourced link building gives you access to an extensive index of domains that you can leverage to diversify your backlinks profile.
Frustration with Low-Quality Links: You might notice that you only receive low-quality backlinks even with a competent in-house link-building team. This is because high-authority websites are often picky about who they give backlinking opportunities to. Link-building agencies often have relationships with major industry players, which puts them in a better position to land high-quality backlinks.
You are Struggling to Rank: Are you securing quality backlinks, but they aren’t translating to high domain authority or SERP ranking? Outsource link-building services for expert guidance on streamlining your backlinking strategy to optimize your website’s SEO performance.
How to Choose the Right Outsourced Link-Building Service
High-Quality Backlinks: The hallmark of any reputable outsourced link-building solutions provider is the ability to deliver niche-relevant, high-quality backlinks. At Profit Engine, we help clients secure backlink placements in DR60+ websites to improve their domain rating and keyword ranking.
Competitive Packages: The outsourced link-building service should offer backlinking solutions at market rates. For example, our Enterprise link-building package costs about $5,000 for a concoction of niche edits, guest posting, and tiered links. Any agency quoting $6,000+ for the same package is overcharging you.
Customizable Strategies: The service you pick should provide a comprehensive link-building strategy tailored to your SEO needs.Â
Turnaround Times: Check how long the outsourced link-building service takes to deliver high-quality backlinks. Agencies that promise next-day deliveries will likely provide backlinks from spammy sites that could get your website penalized.
Also, avoid service providers that need several months to deliver a backlink. Clients who partner with us often receive high-quality backlinks within 30 days of purchasing their plans.
Regular Reporting: Partner with an outsourced link-building service with proper communication and reporting channels. At Profit Engine, we guarantee our clients comprehensive monthly reports to help them track their link-building progress and SEO performance.
Red Flags to Watch for in an Outsourced Link Building Partner
While the above pointers can help you select a good backlinks agency, you should also be aware of certain factors to avoid.Â
Watch out for these red flags when looking for outsourced link-building services:
Very Cheap Prices: While high prices do not always mean premium backlinks, underpriced packages are the most straightforward indicator of low-quality or spammy links. Purchasing a backlink for $20 likely means it's from a private blog network (PBN), which will hurt your website’s SEO.
Poor Communication: Outsourced link-building partners who are evasive about one-on-one calls are likely sketchy and might scam you out of your money.
No Long-Term Strategy: Any agency that doesn’t present short-term, medium-term, and long-term backlinking strategies for your website is likely incompetent. The foundation of any link building campaign is having a data-driven backlinking strategy focused on achieving your SEO goals.
Unrealistic Promises: Is an outsourced link-building agency promising to double or triple your domain rating within 30 days? Run! Regardless of the backlinks you secure, it takes at least a few months to grow your website’s domain authority significantly.
Quantity Over Quality: Avoid outsourced link-building partners that sensationalize the number of backlinks they can secure for your website in record time. Usually, the backlinks are from low-quality websites, which could cause high-authority domains to disavow your URLs.
No Reports: Be wary of outsourced link-building agencies that do not provide backlinking reports to track SEO performance. Usually, such link-building services are dodgy because they know their backlinks are low-quality.
How to Outsource Link Building Without Losing Control
Follow our step-by-step guide to help you outsource link-building services while maintaining control over your backlinking strategy.
1. Prepare Your Website for Link Building
The most essential step when outsourcing link-building services is ensuring your website is ready for backlinks placement.Â
But how do you do this?
Start with on-page SEO. Create keyword-focused content that offers value to readers. Next, check your website’s technical SEO, including security, page speed, and mobile responsiveness.
2. Familiarize Yourself with Link Building
Even if you're not an SEO expert, you should at least know the basics.Â
This will help you understand what the outsourced link-building service provider is doing and even provide insightful feedback where needed.
3. Define Your Link Building Goals
Now that you understand link-building, you can outline your backlinking objectives to guide your outsourced backlinks agency.
Use the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound) framework to ensure the goals are concise and easily understood. The agency you pick will help you streamline the goals so they align with your business objectives.
4. Set Your Budget
How much are you willing to spend on your link-building campaign? The goals you set in the previous step should give you an idea of how much you should expect to spend.
For example, adding five DR60+ backlinks each month will need a budget of over $1,000 per cycle. However, set a budget that doesn’t strain your cash flow.
5. Pick an Outsourced Link Building Service
Vet potential link-building service providers to get the best one for you. Check online reviews to see what past customers say about the backlinking services.Â
Did they receive quality links? How was the communication? How about their backlinks performance?
These questions can help you narrow down your list of potential agencies until you settle on your preferred service.
6. Purchase a Link Building Package
Once you have selected an outsourced service provider, it's time to pick a package that aligns with your backlinking needs. The right agency will help you settle on the package that offers the best value for your money.
Pro Tip: Start with the basic package to understand how the outsourced link-building service works, and then grow your budget over time.
7. Track Deliverables
Learn essential metrics for link building and track them regularly. This will help you determine whether outsourced link-building services are improving your backlink profile.
Ready to outsource link-building services? Work with a reputable, high-authority link-building solutions provider.
At Profit Engine, we pride ourselves on delivering results-focused link-building strategies that push the SEO needle for our clients. We provide various services for backlinking, including:
Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Outsource Link Building
Next, let’s delve into common pitfalls you might encounter when outsourcing link-building services:
Choosing the Cheapest Service Provider: Cheap is sometimes expensive (especially when discussing link-building solutions). Avoid agencies claiming to offer high-DR backlinks for $20, as they are probably looking to con you or provide spammy links.
Outsourcing without Clear Goals: Lack of clear link-building goals makes it difficult to track performance and the expected ROI. Also, it means the solutions provider doesn't have a framework to help them curate the link-building strategy that fits your website's SEO needs.
Prioritizing Quantity Over Quality: Pressuring the outsourced link-building service to deliver multiple backlink placements in a short period will likely result in low-quality links that hurt your website’s authority.
Not Providing Oversight: Outsourcing link-building and not being involved in the process results in missed opportunities to streamline the backlinking strategy. Also, you might miss potential red flags that could hurt your website’s SEO in the long term.
Not Monitoring the Backlinks After Placement: Failing to track your link-building metrics means you cannot determine your ROI. Also, you cannot assess the impact of the backlinks on your website’s SEO performance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Â
This section answers commonly asked questions about outsourcing link-building services.
What Are the Risks of Outsourcing Link Building?
Some risks of outsourcing link-building include:
You’ll have limited control over the link-building process, which might affect the quality of your backlinks. Low-quality backlinks hurt your website’s authority and SEO performance.
Agencies that use black hat link-building techniques might cause Google to penalize your site.
How Much Does It Cost to Outsource Link Building?
Outsourced link-building services do not have a fixed cost. Factors such as the quality of backlinks, your niche, and link tier often influence the cost.
For example, our DR30+ backlinks cost $185 per URL, while high-quality DR60+ links cost $340. Check out our link building packages to get a plan that works for you.
Can I Combine In-House and Outsourced Link Building?
Yes. You can combine in-house and outsourced link-building to benefit from both strategies.Â
On the one hand, in-house link-building helps you establish and grow relationships within your niche, which benefits your brand in the long term. On the other hand, outsourced link-building enables you to exploit the agencies’ networks to grow your backlinks profile quickly.
How Long Does It Take to See Results from an Outsourced Link Building Service?
There’s no specific timeline for when to expect results from outsourced link-building services. It depends on the quality of the backlinks and the competition in your niche.Â
However, a rule of thumb is to wait at least three months before tracking link-building performance.
Conclusion
The steps discussed in this guide should help you pick an outsourced link-building service that aligns with your backlinking goals. They should also help you notice potential red flags and disengage if the service provider fails to meet expectations.
However, one way to ensure the outsourced link-building services meet your SEO goals is by partnering with a reputable provider.
Profit Engine has a proven track record of over 10 years helping clients secure high-quality backlink placements to improve their website's authority. Our team incorporates AI and SEO tools to make the link-building process seamless for faster turnaround times.
