Link Building Consulting: What To Know Before Choosing Your Agency

Think about it: we can control our future on some level by making smart choices today, right? The same goes for the “future” of your website’s online presence. 

So, choosing the link building agency you will work with can determine the visibility and authority of your website and, ultimately, the success of your SEO efforts. Don’t just take our word on the importance of link building, as statistics prove that 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine.

These factors make the link building consulting stage even more important because it will help you make informed decisions when choosing your link building agency.

So stay with us to find all the nuances for finding a link building company to help elevate your SEO game. 

What is link building consulting?

Let’s not rush anywhere and first discuss what link building consulting is anyway.

Link building consulting is a process when you research potential link-building agencies and examine them to eventually find one that will help you reach your link-building goals.

In this stage, you can also explore the link building company’s reputation, portfolio, and link building practices they engage in. Having all these facts on your hands, you can make a smart and reasonable decision when picking the right link-building agency.

Why do you need link building consulting?

You may still wonder why you should put effort in link-building consulting. The short answer is to make the right decision when choosing your link-building agency. Since there are many points in the importance of backlinks for SEO, it’s crucial to choose the right agency when outsourcing. There are many agencies out there that prove that they can help you take off-site SEO efforts to the next level.

The real question is how to choose one that can really help you reach this goal. Research shows that 60% of organizations outsource their link-building efforts to agencies.

If your company is one of them, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to find out important information about link building services that agencies offer before starting collaboration.

Here are several reasons why you shouldn’t avoid the link building consulting stage:

✓ Learning agency’s track record

Link building consulting provides an opportunity to get insights into the potential of the link-building agency’s qualifications, ensuring they have the expertise to help you accomplish your link-building objectives.

✓ Uncovering agency’s strategies 

You will get information on link building agencies’ strategies to know whether they are tailored to your goals.

✓ Identify red flags and mitigate potential risks

Thanks to link building consulting, you can find and mitigate potential risks.

Overall, link building consulting is important for laying the groundwork for successful and long link-building campaigns.

Important factors to keep in mind when selecting your link building agency

Now, you are in the link-building consulting stage and want to decide which link building company you need to work with. In this phase, you should have a list of qualities to look for in a link building agency and some factors that you should consider.

So let’s discuss some of them.

Identify your link building goals

Setting link-building goals is the first and most crucial step you should take. Before finding your link-building agency, you must have an idea of what you expect from them.

Link building goals can vary from increasing website DR, enhancing new product ranking, or boosting website authority. What kind of goals you have should be the roadmap that guides you throughout not only the consulting phase but the whole collaboration.

Once you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve in your link-building efforts, finding an agency to help you achieve them will be easier.

Check the agency’s reputation and expertise

One of the first things you should consider when you are in the link-building consulting process and choosing your link building agency is checking potential candidates’ track records and reputation. You should ensure they have a proven history of building a strong backlink profile for their clients and delivering great results.

In this case, you can check the SEO performance of certain companies that they work with. However, before getting in touch with them, it would be good to learn some link building expressions, right? Our SEO glossary is here to help you with that.

To check it during the link building consulting phase, examine the agency portfolio and website for a link building case study and client testimonials to assess their past success. This way, you can get an idea of the agency’s past achievements and how satisfied their clients have been with the results the agency provided.

Also, ask about their link-building strategies to ensure they are accepted by Google and other search engines.

Lastly, look for agencies that have experience working with businesses in the same industry as yours and have similar target audiences. They will master link building campaigns that match your business goals and are tailored to your target audience’s needs and preferences.

Prioritize the agency’s transparency and communication

You are probably planning to partner with a link-building agency for the long term. So, in this case, you need a company that prioritizes open and transparent communication. Remember, accessible and effective client communication is a must not only for the link building consulting stage but throughout the partnership.

In this matter, during the link-building consulting process, you need to check whether a company is responsive and maintains effective communication.

Moreover, a link-building company should be open and honest about its strategies and tactics to gain authority backlinks for you.

An agency should also offer transparency into how it plans to work to help strengthen your backlink profile and what real results you can expect both for the short and long term.

The link-building consultant should regularly communicate and update you about how their link-building campaigns work on your website. On top of this, a professional link building agency should be ready to address any questions you may have during collaboration.

Ask about their link building tactics

It’s a no-brainer that you want to partner with a link-building company that can help to improve your search engine rankings and not get penalized by search engines. So, during link building consulting, ask potential link agencies what kind of tactics they follow and whether those tactics are ethical and “Google friendly”.  

In the next step, check whether the agency guarantees the authority and credibility of backlinks that you get because when it comes to backlinks, focusing on quantity instead of quality is not the right solution. Focusing on link prospecting for quality rather than quantity is crucial for effective and sustainable link-building strategies. 

Lastly, ensure your link-building agency avoids spammy techniques, prioritizes the originality and relevance of content, and follows effective link insertion tactics for a more organic and reputable link profile.

Pricing and Budget

Before starting the link building consulting process and choosing your agency, you should make a clear budget for your link-building campaigns. To do so, you can use payroll software to calculate your total expenditure and ensure that you allocate enough funds specifically for link building services.

So, during link-building consulting, check whether the agency’s pricing fits. Make sure the company’s cost matches what you can afford and if they have flexible plans.

Ensure that the pricing structure agencies suggest is transparent and helps you evaluate the value you’re getting for your investment. Also, check there aren’t hidden fees or unexpected costs to avoid any surprises.

Questions to ask potential agencies during link building Consulting

You already have a list of link building agencies that you consider working with. In the next stage, you should prepare a list of questions to ask them. Let’s discuss some of them: 

What are your strategies?

A professional link building agency will have unique tactics for bringing backlinks for its clients, so they would share about it during link building consulting. So, don’t hesitate to contact SayNine’s team members to discuss link building strategies they suggest for improving your website’s performance.

What kind of tactics do you follow?

When you’re choosing a link-building agency, make sure they follow ethical link building techniques. 

Can you provide case studies and client testimonials?

Ask for references and client testimonials. This will allow you to learn about the experiences of their previous clients and get an idea of the quality of their work.

Do they provide a trial period?

This trial period will let you know if they are a good fit for your needs. So you can ask during link building consulting whether they suggest a trial period and ensure setting clear expectations before starting it.

What is your pricing structure? 

Find an agency that offers transparent pricing to ensure that they aren’t hidden fees.

What makes you different from competitors?

There are many link agencies out there, so ask during the link building consulting stage to know what unique strategies and successful approaches set them apart from competitors.

To Sum Up

To simplify, let’s remember what we’ve learned:

• Link building consulting is the process of researching potential link building agencies to find one that best aligns with your goals and objectives.
• Link building consulting is essential for informed agency selection, offering insights into qualifications, strategies, and risk mitigation before starting a collaboration.
• When choosing a link-building agency, examine factors such as reputation, expertise, strategies, transparency, communication, pricing, and budget.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask the link-building agencies you are considering working with.

FAQ About Link Building Consulting