12 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Link Building Company

Thinking about hiring a link building agency? Good move, as relevant backlinks can help your SEO.

But picking a link building company isn’t easy. With so many options out there, it may be tricky to know which is the right fit for you and how to tell the difference between empty promises and services that deliver real results. 

The key is asking the right questions.

This guide will cover the most important questions to ask before hiring an agency and what answers to expect.

Let’s start!

What is a Link Building Agency?

A link building agency is a company that helps businesses improve their SEO by getting valuable, relevant backlinks from trusted sources.

The best link building agencies handle everything from strategy development and planning to outreach and execution. This means you can improve online visibility without the headaches and simply check in with them for updates on your backlink campaign.

But not every link building company is worth working with. Some make big promises they can’t keep. To avoid wasting time and resources, you will need to ask the right questions before outsourcing link building to someone else. And, without further ado, let’s explore the ones that matter the most!

Further reading:
Link Building Outsourcing in 2025
Link Building Consulting Guide

Looking for a Link building Company? Ask These 12 Questions First

Here are the most common questions we often hear during free consultations and a few we believe everyone should ask to choose the best link building company.

Question #1: Do They Have Any Real Case Studies?

It’s easy for an agency to say they’re experienced or can improve your rankings, but talk is cheap. What really matters is proof. Ask if they have real case studies that showcase how they’ve helped other businesses grow through link building.

Review the case studies, look at the strategies they used, and what results they delivered. If they don’t have any to show, that’s a red flag. A good agency should be proud and open to share its wins and success stories.

Question #2: Can They Show a Backlink Sample?

Wondering about where your backlinks will actually appear? That’s quite normal. Just ask the link building company to share a real example of a backlink they’ve built for another client.

Again, credible and trustworthy agencies will be open to sharing this information if they are confident in their offerings. 

Question #3: What’s Their Pricing and Do They Offer Discounts?

Pricing information is one of the most important questions you should ask for. Especially when you are a business with a tight budget, every dollar counts, so exploring all the available pricing models, including custom link building packages, upfront, is a must to avoid any surprises or confusion. 

When looking for a link building company, be careful not to fall into the trap of agencies offering overly cheap backlinks. While $2 backlinks might seem a great deal, they won’t do much for your SEO. These backlinks usually come from irrelevant or spammy websites, which can negatively affect your rankings. 

However, don’t assume that expensive always means better. A high price tag doesn’t guarantee quality.

Good backlinks typically start at $100, which is a reasonable price. And to make things even easier, we offer affordable backlink packages that can help you grow your business without breaking the bank. 

Oh, and here’s a little tip: if you’re ready to commit for a year, don’t forget to ask about discounts. (And, yes, we’ve got some great ones.)

Question #4: Do They Have a Test Run or Trial Period?

If you’re unsure whether link building is the right fit for you or don’t want to commit long-term, ask the agency if they have a trial period. This gives you a chance to see how they work and what kind of backlinks they build, without locking into a full contract.

By the way, we offer a test run. Check out our link building pricing for more details.

Question #5: What Strategies Does a Link Building Company Use?

It’s important to learn about the strategies the agency uses to build backlinks. 

You’ll want to hire a link building company that uses white-hat strategies like link exchanges or guest posting. Avoid services that rely on paid backlinks or excessive direct exchanges.

Important: Black-hat strategies not only harm your SEO but may also get you a Google penalty.

Question #6: What Types of Websites Do They Build Backlinks From?

A good link building company offers relevance and quality. But what if the agency you are considering is building backlinks mainly from public blog networks (PBN), directories, forums, or news and magazine websites? 

While these sites have surprisingly high metrics, the quality leaves much to be desired. So, what’s a better alternative?

SaaS backlinks are the answer. They come from legitimate businesses that are actively working to grow their websites. As these sites and their metrics improve, the value of your backlinks increases too.

It’s far better to have 20 SaaS backlinks each month than 100 poor backlinks from irrelevant and untrustworthy sources.

Question #7: What Results Do They Promise?

Businesses seek various goals when investing in link building. Some want to promote specific pages, others want to rank higher on Google, or achieve more brand awareness. 

A link building company that claims to provide the best services will be honest about whether they can help you achieve your goals, because you want to see results for the investments. 

When clients ask us, “How long do backlinks take to work?”, we always say that it usually takes three months to achieve solid results from backlinks. In some cases, you can see improvements in just a few weeks, too. It all depends on different factors like how well your website is running and how compelling your content is.

Be cautious of agencies promising things like “We’ll get you to the top of Google in a week.” Those kinds of claims are a red flag and won’t lead to the results you want. 

Question #8: Does a Link Building Company Have a Reporting System?

A clear reporting system is key when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of the link building efforts. 

It’s a good idea to ask upfront how the agency keeps track of the backlinks, where they’ll share the results, and when they’ll share the monthly reports. 

At SayNine, we have two reporting systems in place. 

A dedicated client sheet: When onboarding new clients, the first thing we do is create a client sheet that clients can access anytime. They can see exactly which domains they have backlinks from, and all the key metrics like Domain Rating (DR) and Traffic.

A monthly report: When the client batch is ready, our customer success manager sends over a detailed backlink report. It includes important updates on:

• Domain Rating (DR) change
• Traffic change
• Target keyword(s) position change
• Total number of backlinks provided
• Number of backlinks built for each anchor 
• Number of backlinks built for each URL

This way, our clients know how the backlink campaign is progressing and stay in the loop.

Question #9: What Metrics Do They Use to Measure Results?

Every agency has its own way of measuring the results, depending on the SEO tools they use. So, make sure to ask what metrics they use to assess the quality of a backlink to understand if their reporting aligns with your SEO goals

For example, we use Ahrefs and focus on link building metrics like Domain Rating (DR), traffic, and keyword position changes. 

Question #10: What Are the Contract Terms and Cancellation Conditions?

Before working with an agency, learn the contract terms and how cancellation works. Ask whether there’s a minimum commitment, how to cease the contract if needed, and if any fees apply. This way, you can avoid unexpected obligations or extra charges.

At SayNine, we offer both monthly and yearly contracts (the yearly ones are more budget-friendly). And if you ever need to cancel, just give us a two-month notice, and there are no cancellation fees.

Question #11: How Long Do Backlinks Stay Live and What If They’re Removed?

When investing in backlinks, it’s important to know how long they’ll stay active. Plus, you should also ask the agency what happens when a backlink gets removed. Are they going to fix it or compensate with a new one? 

At SayNine, we guarantee our backlinks will stay live for at least 12 months, though they last even longer. As we exchange backlinks, it’s rare for them to be removed. Even if it happens, we’ll either fix the link or offer a replacement.

Question #12: Do Clients Approve the Websites Before Links Go Live?

We’ve been hearing this question a lot, and here’s the deal: we don’t work with pre-approvals. 

However, if you are concerned about the quality of a backlink and want to have more control over the process, it’s better to ask the agency if they have that option. 

4 Signs a Link Building Company Isn’t Right for You

Should you blindly trust a link building company just because it showed up on a “Top 10” list or a friend recommended it? Absolutely, not.

Even if the referral comes from a good place, it’s still important to look out for red flags before you commit. Below are a few warning signs to watch out for:

• They promise 1,000+ backlinks every month: We’re not saying it’s impossible to build thousands of backlinks in a month, but doing it consistently without sacrificing quality? That’s unrealistic. If the link building company provides that many links monthly, they’re likely backlinks from forums, news, or magazine websites, which are all types of backlinks you should avoid. 
• They offer backlinks at an unusually low price: Of course, everyone wants to pay less and get more, but $2 or $5 backlinks are a red flag. They mostly come from shady sources and won’t help your SEO but hurt your rankings and even lead to Google penalties. 
• They communicate using a generic Gmail account: If the link building company uses a basic Gmail account, that’s not a good sign. A legit and trustworthy business will communicate via a proper company email. 
• They guarantee quick results and a #1 ranking on Google: Run the other way if someone promises instant rankings or the top first position on Google. Ok, but jokes aside, real SEO doesn’t work like that. Rankings depend on many factors like your website’s health, content quality, brand reputation, and more.

Final Thoughts

There are two ways to approach link building: rush in and hope for the best, or ask the right questions and get what you paid for. We vote for the second one.

Now that you know what to ask, you’re one step closer to finding a team that provides the best backlink services (and doesn’t ghost you after the invoice).

If you’re ready to work with a reliable partner for your backlinks, our link building services page is a good place to start. And, if you’ve got questions, we’re just one call away! Schedule a free consultation with us to learn more!

FAQ about a link building company