Build Links
Design a targeted link acquisition campaign using asset mapping, prospect scoring, and outreach sequence design.
Before You Start
Gather this context (ask if not provided):
- Domain and niche. What site needs links? What industry?
- Current backlink profile. Any idea of current referring domains count, domain rating/authority?
- Linkable assets. Does the site have: original research, tools, data, infographics, comprehensive guides?
- Budget and resources. Can the team invest in content creation, outreach tools, or PR?
- Constraints. Industries with strict link building ethics (finance, health) need extra caution.
Domain Profile Diagnosis
Before choosing a strategy, diagnose which dimension of authority is weakest. This determines where link building effort will have the most impact:
| Dimension | What it measures | Signs of weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Citation | Inbound references from quality sources | Few referring domains, low-authority linkers, no editorial links |
| Identity | Brand recognition and entity coherence | No branded search volume, no knowledge panel, inconsistent NAP |
| Trust | Legitimacy and manipulation absence | Spammy backlink profile, no HTTPS, thin content, manual actions |
| Eminence | Visibility and industry standing | Low organic traffic, no SERP features, no media mentions |
Strategy by Weakness
- Citation weakness (few referring domains) → Prioritize volume: guest posts, resource page outreach, broken link building
- Identity weakness (brand not recognized) → Prioritize brand mentions: PR, Wikipedia/Wikidata, industry directories, podcast appearances
- Trust weakness (spammy profile) → Prioritize cleanup first (disavow toxic links), then earn editorial links from authoritative publishers
- Eminence weakness (no industry presence) → Prioritize thought leadership: original research, conference speaking, expert commentary for journalists
Most sites have 1-2 weak dimensions. Diagnose before prescribing.
Link Building Strategies (Ranked by Effectiveness)
Tier 1: High Authority, Scalable
Original Research & Data
- Publish original data, surveys, studies, or industry reports
- Journalists and bloggers cite original data naturally
- Works because: nobody else has this data
- Example: "We analyzed 10,000 pages and found that..."
Free Tools & Calculators
- Build a genuinely useful tool related to your niche
- People link to tools they use and recommend
- Works because: ongoing utility = ongoing links
- Example: ROI calculator, audit tool, template generator
Comprehensive Guides (10x Content)
- Create the definitive resource on a topic
- Must be genuinely better than everything else on page 1
- Works because: people link to the best resource
- Update regularly to maintain link-worthiness
Tier 2: Targeted, Relationship-Based
Guest Posting (Quality)
- Write for relevant, authoritative publications in your niche
- Focus on sites your audience actually reads, not just DA
- 1 link on a relevant, authoritative site > 10 links on generic blogs
- Pitch unique angles, not rehashed content
Resource Page Link Building
- Find pages that curate links to resources in your niche
- Search:
[topic] + "resources",[topic] + "useful links",[topic] + "tools" - Offer your genuinely useful content for inclusion
Broken Link Building
- Find broken outbound links on relevant sites
- Create or identify your content that replaces the dead resource
- Contact the site: "I noticed a broken link, here's a working alternative"
Tier 3: Community & PR
Journalist Query Platforms (Connectively, Qwoted, Featured)
- Monitor journalist query platforms for relevant source requests
- Provide expert quotes with credentials
- Fast response time is critical (within hours)
Community Participation
- Contribute genuinely to communities (Reddit, forums, Slack groups)
- Share expertise, not links — links come naturally when people discover your content
- Build reputation first, then content gets shared organically
Digital PR
- Newsjack trending topics with data or expert commentary
- Create content tied to seasonal events or industry milestones
- Pitch to journalists with data-backed angles
Link Quality Score (LQS)
Score each link prospect (or existing backlink) across 6 factors. Rate each 1-5:
Factor 1: Domain Authority (25% weight)
| Score | DR/DA Range | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | DR 70+ | Major publications, NYTimes, BBC |
| 4 | DR 50-69 | Industry publications, established blogs |
| 3 | DR 30-49 | Mid-tier blogs, growing companies |
| 2 | DR 15-29 | Small blogs, newer companies |
| 1 | DR <15 | New or thin sites |
Factor 2: Topical Relevance (25% weight)
| Score | Relevance Level |
|---|---|
| 5 | Exact match — same niche, same subtopic |
| 4 | Closely related — same industry, adjacent topic |
| 3 | Broadly related — same general field |
| 2 | Tangentially related |
| 1 | Unrelated |
Factor 3: Traffic to Linking Page (15% weight)
| Score | Monthly Traffic |
|---|---|
| 5 | 10,000+ |
| 4 | 1,000-9,999 |
| 3 | 100-999 |
| 2 | 10-99 |
| 1 | <10 |
Factor 4: Link Position (15% weight)
| Score | Position |
|---|---|
| 5 | In-content, editorial mention |
| 4 | In-content, contextual resources section |
| 3 | Author bio or about section |
| 2 | Sidebar or dedicated links section |
| 1 | Footer, sitewide, or hidden |
Factor 5: Anchor Text Quality (10% weight)
| Score | Anchor Type |
|---|---|
| 5 | Descriptive, natural language |
| 4 | Partial keyword match, natural |
| 3 | Brand name |
| 2 | Naked URL |
| 1 | Generic ("click here", "read more") |
Factor 6: Follow Status (10% weight)
| Score | Status |
|---|---|
| 5 | Dofollow, editorial |
| 4 | Dofollow, non-editorial |
| 3 | Sponsored (rel="sponsored") |
| 2 | UGC (rel="ugc") |
| 1 | Nofollow |
Calculating LQS
LQS = (Authority x 0.25) + (Relevance x 0.25) + (Traffic x 0.15)
+ (Position x 0.15) + (Anchor x 0.10) + (Follow x 0.10)| LQS Range | Rating | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0-5.0 | Premium link | High priority — pursue aggressively |
| 2.5-3.9 | Acceptable link | Worth pursuing if outreach effort is low |
| 1.0-2.4 | Low quality | Skip — or review for risk if it's an existing backlink |
Link Profile Health Benchmarks
Use these to assess the overall backlink profile:
| Metric | Healthy | Warning | Critical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dofollow ratio | 60-80% | >90% | >95% |
| Exact match anchor % | <15% | 15-25% | >25% |
| Brand anchor % | 25-45% | <15% | <5% |
| Toxic link % | <5% | 5-10% | >10% |
| Average linking DR | 25+ | 15-25 | <15 |
Outreach Template Framework
Do NOT use generic templates. Personalize every email. But here's the structure:
First Touch
- Personal hook — reference something specific about their content (a post you liked, a point you agree with)
- Value proposition — what you're offering (not asking for)
- The asset — link to your content with a one-sentence description
- Soft ask — "thought you might find this useful for your readers" (not "can you link to me?")
Follow-Up (5-7 days later)
- Brief, adds new value (new data point, related resource)
- One follow-up maximum. Two is acceptable if the first was missed. Three is spam.
What NOT to Do
- Mass-send identical emails
- Lead with "I'd like a backlink"
- Offer to pay for links (violates Google guidelines)
- Use fake compliments or AI-generated personalization that's obviously generic
- Send more than 2 follow-ups
Campaign Tracking
Track outreach in a simple table:
| Prospect | URL | Score | Strategy | Status | Date Sent | Response | Link Live? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ... | ... | 8/10 | Guest post | Pitched | [date] | Interested | Pending |
| ... | ... | 7/10 | Broken link | Sent | [date] | No reply | — |
Benchmarks:
- Response rate: 5-15% is normal for cold outreach
- Conversion (response → link): 20-40% of responses
- Overall: expect 1-5 links per 100 outreach emails
- Quality campaigns with great assets: 10-20 links per 100 emails
Output Format
Link Building Campaign: [domain]
Current Profile Assessment
- Estimated referring domains: [count]
- Profile quality: [strong/average/weak]
- Notable gaps: [what's missing — e.g., no links from industry publications]
Strategy Selection Based on available assets and resources:
- Primary strategy: [which tier and tactic]
- Secondary strategy: [backup approach]
- Rationale: [why these fit this site]
Linkable Assets
- Existing assets to promote: [list]
- Assets to create: [list with brief descriptions]
Prospect List
| Prospect | Score | Strategy | Contact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Outreach Plan
- Timeline: [weekly/monthly cadence]
- Volume: [emails per week]
- Follow-up schedule: [when]
Success Metrics
- Target new referring domains: [per month]
- Target domain authority increase: [over 6 months]
Pro Tip: Use the free Domain Authority Checker to assess your current authority baseline and prospect domains. SEOJuice MCP users can run/seojuice:backlink-auditto see which domains link to you, identify lost links worth recovering, and assess link quality —list_backlinksfinds recently lost backlinks for broken link building.