Earning high-quality backlinks remains one of the most impactful activities for ranking well in search engines like Google. But securing authoritative links takes significant effort and expertise. That’s why many businesses choose to outsource link building to specialized agencies who have proven processes for securing earned backlinks at scale. So how exactly do link building agencies conduct their campaigns and deliver results?
Core Services Provided
At a high level, a link building agency https://searchengineland.com/link-building-companies-to-watch-in-2023-425398 takes care of the end-to-end process of identifying link opportunities, creating compelling assets and content, conducting personalized outreach, and tracking link acquisition.
More specifically:
Link Prospecting and Opportunity Analysis
The first step is thoroughly researching and identifying websites and pages that represent strong opportunities to earn a backlink. Agencies leverage robust databases, technology and experience to surface relevant, high-authority prospects.
Content Creation
Agencies have teams that can create a variety of assets to support link campaigns, including infographics, blog posts, videos and more. These assets provide value and incentivize publishers to link back.
Publisher Outreach
Conducting high-volume yet personalized outreach is where most time is invested. Outreach specialists craft customized pitches and communicate effectively to secure links.
Landing Page Optimization
On-page elements like title tags, meta descriptions and content are optimized to encourage publishers to link when content is shared.
Manual Outreach
Beyond automated workflows, agencies have teams that manually identify and pitch opportunities for links and brand mentions – such as HARO requests.
Syndication
To expand reach, agencies distribute and repurpose content through contributor networks – while securing backlinks wherever possible.
Reporting
Detailed reporting provides visibility into campaign progress, links acquired, and metrics like referring domains and traffic driven.
Key Processes and Workflow
To manage high-volume link prospecting and outreach efficiently, agencies rely on proven processes enabled by technology.
Opportunity Research
Prospects are added to databases through initial research identifying websites that would be logical linking partners.
Content Creation
Blog posts, guides, and other assets are developed based on interests of target prospects and opportunities to provide value.
Personalized Outreach
Email and messaging outreach is conducted at scale while maintaining personalization – follow-ups are automated based on responses.
Link Tracking
Campaigns are monitored through spreadsheet trackers or CRM systems checking-in on pitches and following-up.
On-Page Optimization
Before outreach begins, landing pages are optimized to encourage link clicks with compelling page elements.
Process Refinement
Tactics are continually A/B tested and processes refined based on performance data to improve results.
Tools and Technology
To enable smooth and data-driven workflows, link agencies leverage a stack of software solutions:
- Prospecting Tools like Pitchbox, BuzzStream, and PitchLink aid research.
- Spreadsheets and CRMs like PitchPipe and BuzzStream track outreach.
- Email tools like Mailshake and Lemlist handle personalized mass emails.
- Content creation tools like Canva, Venngage, and TextExpander help product assets.
- Analytics tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush measure backlinks.
The Impact on Rankings and Traffic
So how do agencies’ link building efforts actually pay off in terms of SEO results?
- Authoritative backlinks signal trust/credibility which boosts rankings.
- Link equity passes through links, improving target pages’ authority.
- Anchor text links include relevant keywords, improving keyword rankings.
- New links drive referral traffic to sites by generating clicks.
A successful campaign improves several key metrics:
- Increase in referring domains and total backlinks
- Higher domain and page authority scores
- Lifts in rankings for target keywords
- More organic clicks/traffic from earned links
How Pricing Typically Works
Link agencies generally work on a monthly retainer basis for a minimum 3-6 month contract. Retainers often range from ~$1,000 on the low end up to $5,000+ per month for large enterprises. The scope and volume of outreach is aligned with the monthly budget.
Some agencies alternatively charge per successfully acquired link or an hourly rate. Packages for different types of links and outreach levels are also common.
The Bottom Line
Earning high-quality backlinks at scale requires a structured, optimized process. Specialized agencies provide the workflow, human resources, and technology to identify and secure authoritative links through content promotion and strategic outreach. While outcomes vary by agency and client goals, partnering with link building experts remains one of the most effective investments for moving the needle on organic search visibility.