In this digital age of fierce competition every business needs a website with a strong backlink profile to stay competitive in their niche market.
Yet … not every business has the time or resources to build a link building strategy — let alone follow through with that strategy.
This is why more and more businesses outsource link building to qualified agencies. But we’ve noticed that many businesses aren’t sure how outsourced link building works, or if it’s the right choice for them.
So let’s get into link building, how it’s outsourced, and why outsourcing may just be the “secret ingredient” you need to get to the next level.
If you want to know more about how our agency can assist you in building a strong backlink profile for your website, schedule a call with our Head of SEO now.
Outsourced link building is a business strategy that hires another company to develop a link building process and see it through. So instead of building links, you hire another company to do it for you.
This way, you still get all the benefits of link building — higher domain authority, visibility and, as a result, increased traffic and sales. But! A team of link building specialists takes care of all the hard work for you.
Businesses often outsource link building because they don’t have the time, resources, or expertise to develop and execute an effective strategy.
In which case, many companies prefer to focus on business goals, and outsource link building to an agency to:
Hiring an in-house link builder is costly. According to Glassdoor, an average link builder’s salary is between $30,000 and $40,000 each year … plus benefits. Whereas more experienced link builders have an estimated salary of about $100,000 a year … plus benefits. Not to mention, hiring, onboarding, and training employees takes time.
However, companies that outsource can save on salary and benefit costs. This way, you can pay per month, or negotiate with an agency on a flat rate. Either way, it’s probably going to be less than hiring an in-house builder.
If you need high-quality links NOW, outsourcing is the way to go. Experienced agencies already have strategies in place that are proven to work. But in-house link builders have to research and develop their own strategy.
Link building agencies also have more manpower. So instead of hiring one in-house builder, you get a team of builders.
Link building doesn’t just END when you earn a link. Once you have a solid backlink profile, you have to keep it clean. This means:
Even one spammy link can tank your backlink profile. That’s why many businesses bring on agencies. They have the resources to monitor and maintain healthy profiles.
Anyone who wants to build a strong backlink profile can benefit from outsourcing. But in general, it’s mostly businesses and marketing agencies that outsource link building efforts.
Businesses usually outsource link building because they don’t have an in-house link builder and it doesn’t make sense to hire one.
Some businesses already have an in-house SEO specialist, but want to expand or expedite link building efforts.
The most important reason why companies outsource link building is the lack of expertise. They are looking for professionals, who have:
Lastly, businesses that outsource to a link building partner have more opportunities to network. Link building agencies often work with multiple businesses across many industries. This is a great way to build connections with other companies, vendors, and so on.
Yes, even marketing agencies outsource link building! Not all marketing agencies specialize in SEO, and not all SEO agencies have quality link building manpower.
In which case, agencies can outsource link building to other agencies. This frees up time and resources to take on additional clients or handle bigger projects.
Hire in-house … or outsource … which is the best option for your business? To help you decide, here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of each approach to link building.
Companies that hire in-house have complete control over SEO and link building efforts. This is great news for businesses with tons of resources that also want more transparency. Plus, in-house link builders can customize their strategy to match their employer’s exact needs.
The biggest con of in-house link building is cost. Hiring ONE specialist can cost upwards of $100,000 a year. Keep in mind this figure doesn’t even include things like health insurance benefits, retirement packages, office space, premium software, and so on.
Plus, in-house specialists may need additional support if the company wants to scale. This means hiring more specialists, assistants, or freelancers.
In addition, in-house specialists need time to develop a customized approach to link building. So just because you hire a specialist, this doesn’t mean they’ll be able to produce results ASAP.
Outsourced link building is usually more cost-effective than hiring in-house over time. One reason why is that it’s much faster. When you outsource link building to an agency, you have a team of experts working to acquire links — instead of just one person.
Plus, an agency already has the tools, the software, and a tried-and-true strategy. So they’re ready to start getting you links on day one because they’re already trained.
In addition, you can scale up or down depending on your needs. Many link building agencies offer pay-per-link, flat rate, or hourly fees. This way you can budget accordingly and get EXACTLY what you pay for.
When you outsource to a link building agency, there’s less transparency compared to an in-house specialist. So if you need to know exactly what’s going on 24/7 … an in-house hire may be a better fit.
As well, outsourced link building isn’t as customizable. That’s because quality agencies already have strategies that are proven to work — they’re ready to hit the ground running.
So far, we’ve talked about outsourcing link building to an agency. But there’s actually another option for businesses looking to outsource — and that’s with a package offer. Let’s explore both and discuss the pros and cons of each.
Many link building agencies offer something that’s called a service package. These are pre-built packages that companies can purchase with a one-time payment.
Packages have clear goals, defined deliverables, and they’re often more affordable than hiring an agency for a link building campaign. That’s because service packages take a “cookie cutter” approach to link building — it’s a fixed strategy.
This is ideal for companies that don’t need a lot of customization, communication, or additional services.
Businesses can hire agencies to develop and manage link building campaigns. Campaigns are ongoing and goal-oriented. In which case, your agency can mold their proven strategy around your company’s objective.
This is ideal for companies that want more customization, transparency, and communication. Plus, tailored strategies can get better results at faster rates compared to one-size-fits-all strategies.
Ready to outsource link building to a qualified specialist? Here are FOUR things to consider before hiring an agency.
If you haven’t thought about your budget, now’s the time to outline what you can afford. Once you’ve got a number in mind, talk with a few agencies and remember to ask about hidden fees. Things like consultations, check-ins, and other services may incur additional costs.
Also consider whether you’re looking to pay once for a service package, or if you want to pay monthly for an ongoing campaign.
Keep in mind that (for the most part), you get what you pay for when it comes to link building. Agencies may claim they can get you tons of links in just a few days for $300 … but will those links be of quality? HINT: Probably not.
Remember that link quality impacts your backlink profile. The better the links, the stronger your profile — and vice versa.
Quantity and quality matter here. But if you HAVE to choose, go with quality (even if it takes a little longer).
When choosing an agency, another variable to consider is strategy. Some businesses don’t need a customized approach — in which case a service package may work best.
However, other businesses prefer to be more hands-on. In which case, an agency that offers managed link building campaigns is ideal.
Lastly, check reviews! Unfortunately, some link building agencies engage in black hat strategies. Doing so can yield quick results. But over time, black hat link building leads to serious penalties. Read through reviews and look out for terms like black hat, PBNs, and cloaking.
Organic link building takes time and patience. After all, it’s a long-term investment in SEO. So the agency you work with matters. In which case, there HAS to be trust, communication, and transparency.
We recommend you work with agencies like ours, Loopex Digital. We have the experience, resources, and reputation when it comes to quality link building services. Talk with our Head of SEO now to start building a strategy.
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