How to Outsource Backlink Building Like a Pro: 6 Key Steps to Follow

Outsourcing backlink building can give your SEO a real boost, but to see the best results, it’s important to do it the right way.

Let’s face it – link building is essential to any SEO plan. Yet, if you’re not a pro, it can feel like a major headache. Crafting the right content, building connections with other sites, and keeping up with the latest SEO rules takes a lot of time – time that most site owners just don’t have.

So, the idea of outsourcing backlink-building sounds pretty appealing. You hire a company to handle it for you, and in exchange for your money, they help your website climb in search rankings.

Sounds like a no-brainer, right?

Well, it’s not quite that straightforward. To make outsourcing link building truly effective, there are some steps you need to follow. This guide will show you how to outsource backlink building it right so you can boost your SEO without the guesswork.

How to Outsource Link Building: 6 Easy Steps

Outsource SEO link building can save you time and bring expert strategies to your SEO efforts. With the right partner, you can focus on your business while they handle the heavy lifting of boosting your site’s authority and visibility.

1. Make Sure Your Website is Set Up Right

Link building is only one piece of the SEO puzzle. To get the most out of it, the rest of your SEO basics need to be in order.

Before you dive into outsourcing, take a look at your site and make sure it’s in good shape. Think of it like building a house – you want a solid foundation before adding on. Getting your site ready first will make link-building much more effective, giving you better results for your investment.

Here’s how to tell if you’re ready to outsource link building.

You Understand Link Building’s Role in Your Strategy

Outsourcing link building works best when you already have a clear SEO plan and know exactly how link building will add value. It’s most effective in a few situations:

• You’re launching a new site and want to kickstart its growth.
• You’ve recently acquired a site that could use a strong link-building push.
• You’re looking to give an established project a boost.

Whatever your reason, having a clear strategy will help ensure your links deliver real impact.

If you’re an experienced website builder or SEO pro, you likely already have a strategy in place. But if you’re newer to this, you might wonder if your site is really ready for links.

To help you decide, here are some signs to watch for.

Your Content is Ranking but Could Be Higher

Content is the backbone of SEO—it’s just as crucial as link building. If Google isn’t seeing value in your content, no amount of links will skyrocket it to the top.

A good sign that you’re ready for link building is if your website has content that’s already ranking but isn’t quite where you’d like it. Maybe it’s on the lower end of page one or hanging out on the top few pages of search results.

This is the perfect moment to add link-building into the mix. If your content is ranking, it shows Google already trusts it, so a few strong links might be all it needs to climb higher.

Your Competitors Have Higher Authority Websites

If the websites you’re competing with seem to have more authority, it’s a good sign that link-building could give you an edge.

Now, just because their authority is higher doesn’t mean they’ll always rank above you—better content or more targeted relevance to a search term can still work in your favor. However, higher authority gives them a leg up in rankings by default.

This is where link building can come in handy, helping you close the gap and level the playing field with your competitors.

The Pages Ranking Above Yours Have More Links

Your site’s ranking isn’t just about its overall authority—each page’s backlinks make a difference, too.

If you’re going after a specific keyword and the pages rank above, you all have a stronger link profile, so it might be time to boost your page with more links.

For more on how to maximize the impact of your link-building, check out our article on link-building ROI.

What If My Content Isn’t Ranking Yet?

If you’ve got a lot of content that’s nowhere to be found in the top 100 search results, it might be a good idea to focus on improving that content before jumping into link building.

Check out the top-ranking content for the keywords you’re targeting and compare it with yours—see where you could make your content stronger or more relevant.

Another factor might be keyword competitiveness. Use an SEO tool to check the keyword difficulty and the authority of the sites already ranking.

2. Learn About the Link Building Process

A basic understanding of link building helps you evaluate the agency’s work.

The beauty of outsourcing is that you don’t need to be an expert. However, knowing what goes into a link-building campaign can help you understand what you’re paying for.

Here’s a quick look at some key factors to keep in mind when assessing link quality.

Link Building Basics

• Links from high-authority sites are more valuable than those from low-authority sites. For instance, a link from a well-known publication like the New York Times holds more weight than one from a newer, lesser-known website.
• Relevance matters too. If you’re running a real estate SaaS company, a link from a real estate industry site will generally be more effective than one from an unrelated niche, like a golf site.
• Links that are easy to get, such as those from social media profiles, typically don’t carry much weight for SEO. Similarly, links from general directory sites usually don’t boost rankings in a meaningful way.
• Avoid links from spammy sites, like link farms, which might look legitimate and often have high domain ratings, but exist solely to sell links.

Spammy sites are easy to spot if you know what to look for: they typically have low organic traffic and a mishmash of unrelated topics. Check out more tips on spotting these sites here.

3. Think About Your Budget

Once you’re ready to outsource, your budget becomes a key factor. Quality link building isn’t cheap, but there are options to match different budgets.

If you’re working with a few hundred dollars per month, consider buying one-off links. It might be a slower process, but targeting specific pages with single links can build up your site’s authority over time.

For budgets in the thousands per month, a managed link-building plan could be a good fit. With this approach, you get a dedicated team to develop a link-building strategy tailored to your site. Over time, this approach can also reduce your cost per link.

If you’re an SEO agency looking to outsource all link-building tasks, white-label link-building services can be a smart solution. This lets you avoid the hassle of training an in-house team, saving both time and resources.

What Affects Link-Building Costs?

Link building can seem pricey, but here’s a breakdown of the main factors involved:

• Outreach: Building relationships with website owners takes time, not to mention the cost of specialized email tools used for outreach.
• Content Creation: Quality guest posts require hiring skilled writers to create relevant, high-quality articles—an essential step if you want to represent your brand well.
• Strategy: A good monthly plan includes a customized strategy to help you secure high-quality links in the most efficient way possible.
• Placement Fees: Many legitimate sites charge fees to place links. While you can avoid paid placements, some industries, like finance or casino, may leave you with few options other than paid links.

For a more detailed look at link-building costs, check out our article on link-building pricing.

4. Outsource the Right Person

When you’re ready to outsource link building, you generally have two options: hiring a freelance link builder or working with an agency.

Each option has its pros and cons, and the best choice depends on your specific needs.

Link Building with a Freelancer

Freelancers are easy to find on platforms like KonKer, Upwork and Fiverr, where you can read reviews from previous clients. On KonKer, Fiverr, freelancers offer a range of services, allowing you to select the specific types of links you want. Upwork, on the other hand, lets you hire by the hour and tailor your project more closely.

Freelancers often come with a lower price tag than agencies, which can be a big plus if you’re on a tight budget. But prices can vary, and it’s important to screen carefully for quality. Sometimes, lower-cost options may use questionable methods like black-hat tactics. For instance, if you see a quick link-building offer on specific websites, it might be a sign the freelancer uses link farms or websites with loose editorial controls.

Link Building with an Agency

Agencies offer more than just link building—they often bring a team of experts to the table, including strategists, writers, and outreach specialists. This range of skills means an agency can handle the entire process, from strategy to execution. At a reputable agency, you’re getting the benefit of experience and a proven process.

While agencies bring a lot of expertise, the downside is that their services usually come at a higher cost, especially if you choose a comprehensive plan. However, quality agencies often have a track record of results, which you can check out to make sure they’re a good fit.

Both freelancers and agencies can help boost your link-building, but understanding the strengths and limitations of each can help you make the best choice for your needs.

5. Pick the Right Service for Your Link Building Goals

Link-building companies usually offer a few different types of services, allowing you to choose what fits your needs and budget best.

Here are four common types of link-building services:

Managed Link Building Plans

With managed plans, an agency handles every part of your link-building campaign. You pay a monthly fee, and they work closely with you to create a strategy that suits your specific goals.

Managed plans often include services like:

• Crafting relevant content
• Selecting pages to target with links
• Optimizing anchor text
• Identifying valuable keyword opportunities

Since these are long-term plans, agencies have the time to build strong relationships and secure high-quality links. While these services can cost thousands of dollars monthly, they often bring down the average cost per link over time.

For example, in one of our campaigns, we secured 682 links for an online learning platform over 24 months. If we had billed each link individually, the cost would have been over $221,000—significantly more than what the client paid through the managed plan.

Managed plans also tend to be more affordable than assembling an in-house team, which could run over $150,000 per year.

Who Benefits from Managed Plans: This approach is ideal for websites aiming to boost authority over time but lacking the resources to manage a dedicated link-building team.

Per Link Plans

Per link plans offer an affordable way to get into link building. You simply decide how many links you want, place an order, and pay per link.

The cost varies depending on the authority of the target site—higher authority links tend to come with a higher price tag.

With a per-link plan, the link-building service may provide guidance on things like anchor text, but you won’t receive the in-depth strategy that comes with managed plans.

Who Benefits from Per Link Plans: This option works well if you already have an SEO plan and just need a few specific links to boost your efforts. It’s also a budget-friendly way to build links without committing to larger costs. For digital marketing agencies lacking in-house link-building capabilities, these plans can be a practical solution for delivering white-label links to clients.

6. Link Building Services

At this point, you should have a good grasp of outsourcing link building and the type of service that fits your needs.

Now, the last step is finding the right agency or freelancer to handle your link-building. There are certain signs of reliability to look for, along with some warning signals that may indicate potential issues.

Here are some key indicators our freelancers at Koner.io focus on.

Signs You Can Trust a Link Building Service

✔️ Case Studies: Case studies offer a transparent view of an agency’s work. Look for detailed case studies that explain the strategies used. Case studies mentioning specific websites are especially valuable, as you can verify results through SEO tools.

✔️ Testimonials: Reviews and testimonials from past clients add credibility. Prioritize testimonials from recognizable individuals or brands.

✔️ Links to Their Own Website: Check out the backlinks pointing to the agency’s homepage. These links show real examples of the types of links the agency can achieve.

✔️ Openness to Discuss: Quality link-building agencies are open to discussing your needs and their approach, helping you make an informed choice.

Warning Signs to Watch Out For

Quick Turnaround: Quality link building is a time-intensive process. A service that promises fast results is likely using low-quality sites or link farms.

Unusually Low Prices: Low costs can indicate that links are being placed on easily accessible sites, often of low quality.

Lack of Transparency: Be cautious if the service won’t share successful campaign examples. Even if they don’t display results on their website, they should be able to provide private examples.

Guaranteed Results: Link building is not an exact science, and no service can guarantee specific results. If they do, it may mean they’re using risky methods like PBNs or link farms.

Power Up Your SEO with KonKer’s Link Building Freelancers

Looking to scale up your SEO without the hassle? KonKer connects you with experienced link-building freelancers ready to deliver impactful results. From single high-quality links to full-scale link-building campaigns, you can choose a freelancer who aligns with your specific needs and budget.

Each freelancer’s profile on KonKer features client reviews and tailored packages, giving you the confidence to invest in quality work. No more guessing on results—just proven experts who build the right links to drive up your site’s authority and rankings. For a smart, cost-effective boost to your SEO, KonKer is the go-to choice.

Outsource Link Building Services: What to Do Next?

Start by researching a few agencies to find the right fit for your needs. Reach out to them to see how they can support your goals—whether it’s boosting your site’s authority, driving more traffic, or strengthening your online presence.