How to Start a Link Building Campaign: The Beginner Guide

In this article, I’ll show you how to start a link-building campaign step-by-step.

We’ll go through every aspect of a successful link-building campaign.

From identifying the best pages for building backlinks to crafting the perfect outreach email.

So without further ado, let’s jump right into it.

Key Takeaways

• Link-building success starts with clear goals, guiding every step of your campaign.
• The strength of your link-building efforts lies in the valuable content or tools you provide.
• Personal, genuine outreach often leads to better results and lasting relationships in the industry.

What Is a Link Building Campaign?

A link-building campaign is a strategic effort to increase the number of backlinks pointing to your website.

Basically, it’s about convincing webmasters to link out to your content.

How to do it?

Well, that’s what this guide is all about.

How to Start a Link Building Campaign Step-by-Step

1. Set up Your Link-Building Campaigns Goals

Every successful campaign begins with a clear objective.

When it comes to link building, your goals determine your strategies, guide your decisions, and set benchmarks for success.

Here’s how to set precise goals:

a. Understand the Why

You need to pinpoint the reason behind your link-building campaign:

• SEO Rankings: Acquiring high-quality links can improve your website’s position in search engine results.
• Referral Traffic: Links pointing to your website from popular pages can lead to an influx of visitors.
• Brand Visibility and Domain Authority: Being linked by reputable sites can bolster your brand’s reputation and establish it as an authority in its field — which is great for EEAT.
• Build Relationships: Link-building can help you create genuine relationships with other business owners.

b. Choose What Pages You’ll Build Links to

Choosing the right pages to build links to is as crucial as the process of link building itself.

By directing links to specific web pages, you not only influence the authority of that page but also guide your audience and search engines to the most important content on your site.

Here’s how to select the pages that will give you the most bang for your buck:

• Conversion Pages: These can be product pages, service pages, or any page where a user takes a desired action (e.g., signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase).
• Low-Hanging Fruits: Pages that rank on the second or third page of search results can benefit significantly from a few quality backlinks.
• Content Cornerstones: Detailed guides, resources, or articles that provide immense value and cover a topic comprehensively.

c. Be Specific

Instead of “I want more links,” set specific, measurable goals.

For instance:

• “Acquire 50 quality links in the next three months.”
• “Achieve top 5 rankings for three main keywords within six months.”

d. Set Short-term and Long-term Goals

While it’s essential to have an overarching objective, breaking it down into smaller, short-term goals can make the task feel more achievable and give you a roadmap:

• Short-term: “Secure five guest post opportunities this month.”
• Long-term: “Achieve a 20% increase in organic traffic in a year through link building.”

2. Identify Your Linkable Assets

Your linkable assets are the valuable pieces of content or tools that you’ll offer or leverage to attract links.

They should be compelling, unique, and offer genuine value to the audience of the sites you’re targeting.

Here’s how to select and optimize them:

a. Identify What You Already Have

Before creating new content, take stock of what you’ve already got:

• Popular Content: Do you have blog posts or articles that have performed exceptionally well? These could be repurposed or expanded upon.
• Evergreen Content: Guides, courses, or resources that stay relevant over time can be great assets.
• Visual Content: Infographics, charts, or even videos that can be embedded can serve as excellent link magnets.
• Free Tools: Free tools are one of the easiest assets to build links to.

b. Research What Works in Your Niche

Look at what’s generating buzz in your industry:

• Competitor Analysis: Use tools like Ahrefs or BuzzSumo to see what content from your competitors is earning links.
• Trending Topics: Platforms like Google Trends and Exploding Topics can offer insights into what topics are currently popular.

c. Create High-Quality Content

If you find gaps or link-building opportunities, craft content that’s better than what’s already out there:

• Original Research: Conduct surveys, experiments, or studies that offer new insights.
• Comprehensive Guides: Comprehensive, in-depth resources that cover everything one needs to know about a particular topic.
• Interactive Tools: Tools or calculators that serve a specific need in your industry can also attract links.

3. Choose The Proper Link Acquisition Technique

Choosing the right link acquisition technique is fundamental to the success of your link-building campaign.

The method you select dictates your outreach, target audience, and the type of inbound links you’ll earn.

Here’s a quick rundown of effective link-building techniques:

1. Guest Blogging: Share your expertise on another’s blog. Find platforms accepting guest authors, submit high-quality content, and bag a backlink in return.
2. The Skyscraper Technique: Find a well-linked article in your domain, craft an even better version, and then invite the original linkers to check out your superior content.
3. Link Reclamation: Rediscover and reclaim backlinks that vanished. Reach out to website owners who once linked to you and request a relink.
4. Claim Unlinked Mentions: Found a mention of your brand without a link? Reach out and ask for a backlink. Convert mentions into clickable routes to your site.
5. Broken Link Building: Spot broken links, produce content matching the broken page, and suggest a link swap. Help the web and earn links simultaneously.
6. The Moving Man Technique: Spot outdated content, create a refreshed version, and encourage website owners to link to your updated piece.
7. Link Magnet Creation: Design content that’s naturally shareable, such as:

• Unique infographics
• Comprehensive statistics
• Innovative tools

1. HARO Outreach: Register on HARO, provide journalists with insightful answers, and get a shot at earning a backlink when you’re quoted.
2. Testimonial Building: Craft genuine testimonials for products or services you adore. Often, businesses highlight these, offering you a backlink.
3. Digital PR: Modern PR for link builders. Craft buzzworthy content, connect with industry influencers, and watch as your content earns media backlinks.

Remember, the key is to choose techniques that align with your goals, resources, and content strengths.

4. Find Quality Link Prospects

A well-curated list of link prospects is the backbone of a successful link-building campaign.

Here are three actionable strategies to help you pinpoint the most fitting prospects for your campaign:

a. Analyze Your Competitors’ Backlink Profile

Start by eyeing the links that already benefit your competitors.

If these websites have linked to similar content, there’s a good likelihood they might be interested in yours.

Here is how to reverse engineer your competitors:

1. Spot Your Competitors: Use niche-specific keywords on search engines and note down the top-ranking websites. Alternatively, platforms like Ahrefs and SEMrush offer ‘Organic Competitors’ reports which are a goldmine.
2. Perform a Backlink Analysis: Tools like Ahrefs’ link intersect or SEMrush’s backlink gap analysis can reveal sites linking to your competitors but not to you.
3. Filter and Extract: Rank the prospects based on relevant criteria, be it Domain Rating (DR), niche alignment, traffic numbers, or other metrics you prioritize.

b. Harness Google Advanced Search Operators

Advanced search commands in Google can fine-tune your results, ensuring relevancy.

Here’s a quick start:

• intitle:Keyword: This shows pages with your specified keyword in their title, indicating high relevancy.
• inurl:Keyword: Displays pages with your keyword within their URL.

Use a web scraper like Apify to extract these results. This simple step can equip you with a plethora of relevant prospects.

c. Use Link Prospecting Tools

Why not let specialized tools do the heavy lifting for you?

Here are a few that stand out:

• SEMrush’s Link-Building Tool: It’s intuitive and offers suggestions based on competitors.
• Ahrefs Content Explorer: Dive into a vast database of content, filtered by backlinks, organic traffic, and more.
• Respona & Pitchbox: These platforms amalgamate content discovery with outreach, making the process streamlined.

In essence, while the vast web seems daunting, these link-building strategies will carve out a clear path for you, ensuring you connect with the sites most likely to link back to you.

5. Find The Right Contact Info

Even the most compelling pitch won’t work if sent to the wrong inbox.

So, let’s dive straight into how you can find the contact information of your high-quality link prospects.

a. Start with the Website’s Contact Page

Navigate to the website’s contact or “About Us” page and look for email addresses or a contact form.

Some sites might even have a dedicated section for guest posting or content collaboration inquiries.

b. About Page & Author Bio

Writers often list their personal emails or social media profiles in their bios.

This can be a direct route to connect.

A personalized pitch to a writer might yield better results than a generic email to the website’s general inbox.

c. Use Email Finding Tools

Tools like Hunter.io or VoilaNorbert can be real game-changers.

Just input a website domain, and they’ll provide you with associated email addresses.

d. Leverage Social Media

Directly engaging with prospects on platforms like Twitter or LinkedIn can be both effective and personal.

Be genuine in your approach; no one likes receiving automated, impersonal messages.

e. Check Out WHOIS

For websites that are not privately registered, the WHOIS database can provide contact information.

Use this sparingly and responsibly, as reaching out without a clear reason might be perceived as spam.

f. Don’t Forget The Power of Networking

Personal connections can often lead to introductions.

Engage in online forums, communities, or even conferences relevant to your niche.

A warm introduction from a mutual contact might boost the chances of your pitch being seen and accepted.

6. Start Outreaching

Having a list of quality prospects and their contact details is half the battle.

The other half?

Convincing them to link to you.

Let’s demystify the link-building outreach process and break it down into actionable steps.

a. Craft a Killer Subject Line

First impressions count.

And in the world of email, that first impression is your subject line.

Make it catchy but straightforward.

“Collaboration Idea for [Their Website’s Name]” or “Quick Question about Your Recent Article” can be attention grabbers.

b. Personalize Your Pitch

Avoid generic templates.

Begin with a genuine compliment about their content or website.

Maybe mention a recent article they wrote that resonated with you.

Tie in how your content or proposal fits perfectly with what they’ve been doing. Remember, it’s about them, not just you.

c. Be Concise But Clear

Time is gold.

So, get to the point.

Clearly explain why linking to your content or collaborating with you adds value to their audience.

Avoid jargon and keep the email length to a sweet spot where it’s long enough to provide all the necessary details but short enough to retain attention.

d. Show Your Credibility

Why should they trust you?

Perhaps share a piece you’ve written that’s gained traction, mention a mutual connection, or even highlight a comment from their audience that appreciated your insights.

e. Use a Friendly Sign-off

End your email with a warm, conversational tone.

Something like:

“Looking forward to possibly collaborating!

Have a great day,

[Your Name].”

It leaves a positive impression and keeps the door open for future interactions.

7. Follow Up

So, you’ve hit the ‘send’ button and eagerly awaited a response.

But sometimes, emails get lost in the shuffle or overlooked in a busy inbox.

That’s where the power of a well-timed follow-up comes into play.

a. Timing is Everything

It’s important not to rush.

Give your prospect about a week to process your initial outreach.

This allows adequate time for them to read, consider, and act on your proposal without feeling pressured.

b. Keep it Short and Sweet

Your follow-up doesn’t need to be lengthy.

Simply remind them of your previous message, express genuine interest in their feedback, and reiterate the value of your proposal.

Something like:

“Hi [Name],

just checking in about the collaboration idea I shared last week.

I believe it can offer real value to your audience.

Would love to hear your thoughts!”

c. Add a Gentle Nudge

Sometimes, attaching a small piece of your content or providing a snapshot of the value you’re offering can serve as a quick refresher for them.

Consider saying:

“Here’s a quick peek at what I was mentioning.

I’m confident your readers would love it!”

d. Don’t Overdo It

While it’s crucial to be persistent, avoid bombarding them with too many follow-ups.

If you don’t receive a response after two or three attempts, it might be time to move on.

But always leave the door open for future interactions.

e. Be Gracious Regardless of the Outcome

Whether they decide to collaborate or decline your proposal, always express gratitude for their time.

Remember, it’s about building relationships, and a simple “Thank you for considering!” can go a long way.

In the grand scheme of your link-building campaign, following up is a small but vital step.

It reflects your dedication and genuine interest in collaboration.

And who knows?

That second nudge might just be the key to unlocking a fruitful partnership.

8. Track & Measure Your Results

Alright, so you’ve set things in motion, made connections, and possibly secured a few fantastic links.

Congrats!

But remember, the link-building game isn’t just about collecting backlinks like they’re rare Pokemons.

It’s about understanding the real impact these links have on your goals.

a. Stay Organized with a Tracking System

Kick things off by setting up a simple spreadsheet.

Use it to list out:

• The sites you’ve reached out to.
• The content you pitched.
• Their response.
• The link status (is it live?).
• The type of link (e.g., do-follow or no-follow).

This way, you always have a bird’s-eye view of your campaign’s progress.

b. Monitor Your Backlinks

Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to keep tabs on your newly acquired links.

It’s not just about quantity, but quality.

Check out things like:

• The referring page’s authority.
• Traffic generated from that backlink.
• The anchor text used.

c. Analyze Traffic and User Behavior

Remember those objectives you set at the start? Now’s the time to revisit them.

Use Google Analytics or a similar tool to:

• Understand user behavior (like bounce rate and session duration).
• Determine if these visitors are converting into leads or customers.

d. Track Keyword Rankings

One of the sweet perks of quality backlinks is improved search engine rankings.

Regularly check where you stand for your target keywords.

Any upward movement?

That’s a pat on the back for your hard work.

e. Assess Brand Visibility

Beyond just clicks and conversions, link building can boost your brand’s presence.

Tools like Google Alerts or Mention can notify you whenever your brand gets, well, mentioned.

A rising number of brand mentions indicates growing recognition in your niche.

f. Keep an Eye on ROI

Link building does involve resources — time, maybe some money, and lots of effort.

Periodically assess the return on your investment.

Are the benefits — in traffic, sales, or brand visibility — outweighing the costs?

g. Iterate and Adjust

Data is your friend, not just for bragging rights, but for actionable insights.

If something’s working, double down on it.

If not, tweak your link-building strategy. Maybe a different outreach technique? Perhaps a fresh content angle?

What Makes A Good Backlink?

• Relevance: Imagine a friend recommending a burger place right after you asked for a shoe store. Weird, right? The same goes for backlinks. If your website is about gardening, building links on car repair sites won’t make much sense. Always aim for links from sites that are related to your topic.
• Authority: Links from established, reputable sites (think New York Times or a top industry blog) are like gold. These trustworthy sites vouch for your content, which means a lot in the digital world.
• Traffic & Engagement: If Google likes a website enough to reward it with tons of organic traffic, it means that a link from this website will pass a lot of trust signals.
• Anchor Text: This is the clickable text of the backlink. Ideally, it should be relevant to your page and not overly stuffed with keywords. For instance, “check out these awesome gardening tips” is way better than just “gardening”.
• Not Too Many Outbound Links: If a page is linking to hundreds of external sites, the value of each backlink gets diluted.
• Freshness Matters: Search engines love updated content. If a high-authority site recently linked to you, that’s a fresh nod of approval. While old backlinks don’t necessarily lose their value, a steady stream of new quality backlinks can boost your relevancy.
• Diversity is Key: Imagine if the only person vouching for you was your mom. It’s sweet, but not very convincing. Similarly, it’s beneficial to have backlinks from a variety of domains rather than tons from just one site.
• Avoid Spammy Websites: It’s tempting to get a quick link from anywhere, but if a site looks shady, it’s best to stay away. A link from a spammy or suspicious site can harm your credibility and even lead to penalties.
• Check the Link’s Position: A backlink in the main content of a page is typically more valuable than one in the footer or sidebar.
• Social Shares: While not traditional backlinks, mentions and shares on social platforms can amplify your authority and trust in the eyes of Google.

We have a full guide discussing how to assess the quality of backlinks, so make sure to check it out.

FAQs

How Do I Start a Link Building Campaign?

Start your link-building campaign by identifying high-quality pages on your website and choosing the proper link-acquisition technique for each one. Then, outreach to site owners with personalized requests for backlinks.

What Are the Best Link Building Campaign Strategies?

The best link-building campaign strategies are: creating link magnets, publishing unique data studies, and guest posting.

Conclusion

Starting a link-building campaign might seem intricate at first glance.

It takes a lot of time, effort, and strategic planning to make it effective.

However, by following our guide, you’ll find it a lot easier than you think.

Here at Get Me Links, we build thousands of high-quality backlinks per month.

We work with clients in many different niches from all over the world.

If you want to take your link-building campaigns to the next level, feel free to book a consultation call with one of our seasoned link builders.