56 Most Asked Link Building Questions Answered

Is link building really worth the hype? 

To save you from endless searches, we’ve done the heavy lifting.  We asked our team, including our CEO, and looked up the most searched link building questions to give you all the answers in one place.

No fluff, no jumping between sources—just accurate information to help you understand link building better.

Happy reading!

Link Building Questions Every Beginner Wonders About

Before we start, we highly recommend you check out our SEO glossary to familiarize yourself with common terms and watch “Off-Page SEO: Beginner’s Guide to Backlinks,” which covers the most important information about link building in a more engaging and accessible way.

#1 What is link building?

Link building refers to the process of getting hyperlinks from other websites to your own to improve search engine rankings and drive more traffic.

#2 What is a backlink?

Backlinks, also known as incoming or inbound links, are links that direct from one website to another.

Pro tip: Prioritize quality over quantity. A couple of great backlinks from credible sources beat hundreds of spammy ones.

#3 What makes a good backlink?

A good backlink shares the following or at least some of these qualities:

• Authority: backlinks from authoritative websites have more value.
• Relevance: backlinks from websites in related industries are preferred.
• Anchor Text: Descriptive and diverse anchor texts are recommended.
• Placement of backlinks: Links within the content (rather than in the footer or sidebar) are more valuable.
• Dofollow tag: These links pass ranking power to your site.

Further reading:

#4 What’s the difference between do follow and no follow links?

No follow links are links with the rel=”nofollow” attribute in their HTML code, which tells Google not to crawl the linked page to pass ranking power.

Dofollow links, on the other hand, are standard links without any attributes in the code and can boost the search ranking of the page they link to.

#5 Can no follow links harm my website?

No, no follow links won’t harm your site, but you still need a mix of both do follow and no follow links. 

If you only have do follow links, search engines may view it as unnatural,  as it’s uncommon to have no no follow links at all. This can raise red flags and potentially harm your rankings.

#6 Why is link building important for SEO?

Link building is important for SEO, as it improves a website’s authority, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable. 

Better rankings mean more visibility, more traffic, and consequently, more conversions.

#7 What is the difference between link building and SaaS link building?

SaaS link building is a specific form of link building focused on getting backlinks from SaaS (Software as a Service) business websites.

#8 What’s the difference between SaaS and only-content websites?

SaaS websites are legitimate businesses offering tools and/or services, have distinctive features, pricing, and a separate ‘Blog’ section, whereas only-content websites only offer content about different topics.

#9 When should I start link building?

Start link building once you’ve optimized the on-page elements and technical SEO of your website.

Also, be ready to invest—effective link building typically requires a minimum budget of $3,000 to see meaningful results.

Further reading: 

Skills Every Link Building Expert Needs

Link Building Outsourcing Questions: Costs and Considerations

#10 What does a link building agency do?

A link building agency helps businesses grow their backlink profiles using strategies like link insertions, guest posting, broken link building, etc.

#11 What does a link builder do?

A link builder is a specialist who builds backlinks for clients’ websites and makes their backlink profiles stronger.

#12 How to outsource link building?

To outsource link building, hire a dedicated agency with a solid track record, ethical or white hat practices, and transparent communication.

Further reading: 

#13 How much does link building cost?

Link building costs vary depending on the strategy, quality of backlinks, and the agency or provider. 

We recommend backlinks that cost at least $70-$80 if you aim to have a strong and healthier backlink profile. 

Here, at SayNine, we offer affordable backlink packages that can help you achieve your SEO goals without breaking the bank.

#14 Can I get only one backlink?

No, it’s not recommended to get only one backlink, as it won’t have any impact on your rankings. 

We recommend starting from a minimum of ten backlinks to improve your rankings and domain rating.

#15 When can I see the results from link building?

The truth is, there’s no set timeline for seeing results from link building, and no link building agency can guarantee a quick turnaround (even if they promise major improvements in just a month). 

SEO success is built on strong on-page and technical optimization, as well as a solid brand reputation. So, be patient—good SEO takes time and consistent effort!

#16 How many backlinks do I need to rank monthly?

There’s no set rule, but we recommend building at least 10 backlinks per month to see impact.

Then, you can gradually increase the number of backlinks, as long as they come from credible and relevant sources.

#17 Why does SayNine build backlinks from 50+ DR websites?

We set a DR of 50 as our minimum to ensure a sustainable and long-term SEO strategy.

Backlinks from websites with a DR below 50 are typically considered below medium quality, while those with a DR above 50 are more valuable, supporting stronger SEO results.

Link Building Metrics and Essential Tools Questions

#18 What’s the difference between DA and DR?

DA (Domain Authority) by Moz and DR (Domain Rating) provided by Ahrefs are metrics used to assess a backlink profile’s strength of a website with slight differences in their methodologies.

#19 Do backlinks from domains with DR 80 and DR 50 hold the same value?

No, they don’t. Backlinks from domains with a higher DR are more valuable because they come from more trusted sites.

#20 How important is spam score in link building?

Spam score is an important metric for assessing link quality, but it doesn’t directly affect your SEO or lead to penalties, as Google doesn’t use it in their algorithm, so the Spam Scores of websites linking to you won’t affect your own scores.

#21 SEMrush says one of my backlinks is suspicious. Should I disavow it?

Not necessarily. While SEMrush and other SEO tools have developed their own metrics to evaluate backlinks, it doesn’t mean you should fully rely on them.

If the backlink comes from a good source, there’s no need to disavow it. So, always assess the context and relevance of the link before making a decision.

#22 If the referring domain’s traffic is mainly from India, but I want it from the US, will I get traffic only from India?

It depends on the keyword you’re targeting. If the keyword’s search volume is mainly from India, you’ll see traffic from there, but there’s still potential to receive traffic from other regions, like the US, with proper SEO optimization.

#23 Which tools to use for checking link building metrics?

Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMRush are ideal for tracking backlinks, analyzing domain rating/authority, measuring traffic, and assessing link quality.

#24 What are the best tools for link building?

Some of the best tools for link building include Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, Majestic, Mailmeteor, Streak, and so on. 

Further reading:

Top Link Building Tools You Need

Link Building Strategies and Techniques Questions

#25 What are link exchanges?

Link exchange, also called reciprocal linking, is a common SEO strategy where two websites agree to link to each other’s content.

#26 What is the difference between A-B and A-B-C exchanges?

A-B exchanges refer to a link exchange where two websites exchange links directly with each other. A-B-C exchanges involve three websites where A links to B, B links to C, and C links back to A, creating a circular link structure.

A-B exchanges are more straightforward and can be easily detected by Google’s crawlers, while A-B-C exchanges can appear more natural and less manipulative to search engines.

#27 What is guest posting and why is it important in link building?

Guest posting is the practice of writing and publishing a blog post on other websites. 

It’s an effective link building strategy because it helps build backlinks, improve SEO metrics like domain rating, boost brand awareness, reach broader audiences, and more. 

Further reading:

#28 Is one link insertion more effective than guest posting with a few links?

Guest posting can be more effective than a single link insertion, as it not only helps build backlinks but also boosts brand visibility. However, there are certain limitations that make it less ideal for a long-term strategy.

For one, legitimate websites offering guest posting opportunities are limited. Additionally, guest posting comes with challenges such as delays, as posts might not go live as planned or the person you negotiated with may leave the company.

#29 What is broken link building?

Broken link building is a strategy that involves finding broken or dead links on relevant websites and suggesting your content as a replacement.

#30 Can AI generate backlinks?

AI can automate tedious link building tasks, such as finding link opportunities and doing backlink outreach.

However, AI cannot create quality backlinks on its own; human effort is required, especially when it comes to building and nurturing relationships with link building partners for backlinks.

#31 Why is building unique backlinks important?

Building unique backlinks is important because they help make your backlink profile more diverse, improve domain ratings, and avoid Google penalties associated with link schemes.

Plus, having unique backlinks from a variety of credible and relevant sources signals to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy.

#32 Should I consider forum link building?

No. Backlinks gained through forum link building are not great in terms of SEO and won’t help you rank better. Google’s Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst, John Mueller, confirmed this in one  Reddit thread question.

#33 Should I build backlinks for service pages, home pages, or blogs?

It depends on your goals. If you aim to boost brand visibility, then you’ll need to build backlinks for your homepage.

However, if you want to attract more traffic and better keyword rankings, then get backlinks for both service pages and blogs.

#34 Should a referring domain be relevant to my niche/industry when building backlinks?

While it’s ideal to build backlinks from websites within your industry, it’s not a strict requirement. Backlinks from unrelated industries can still be valuable, as long as they appear natural and relevant in context.

#35 Should I get backlinks from websites with no traffic?

Yes, backlinks from websites with little or no traffic can still be valuable. In fact, research by Ahrefs shows that 96.55% of all pages receive zero traffic from Google.

If we treated zero traffic as a red flag, link building would be incredibly difficult, since many pages, even those with authority, don’t drive significant traffic. Therefore, don’t dismiss backlinks just because the referring page has low or zero traffic.

#36 Does link quantity matter in referring page’s content when doing niche edits?

There isn’t a hard-and-fast rule for how many links a page should contain, but it’s generally better to avoid paragraphs stuffed with links.

#37 Is the quality of backlinks more important than the quantity?

While the quality of backlinks is crucial, focusing only on one or two backlinks per month isn’t enough to make a meaningful impact.

It’s important to keep a balance between quality and quantity for an effective link building strategy.

Link Building Done Right: Ethics and Best Practices

#38 What does Google say about building?

Google emphasizes that PageRank-passing links or randomly exchanging links are the worst ways of building backlinks and they can negatively impact your site’s performance over time. 

However, focusing on legitimate link building strategies can work and deliver results without getting you in trouble for violating Google’s guidelines.

#39 Is link building illegal?

No, link building itself is not illegal. However, implementing black-hat techniques, such as buying links or involving in link schemes to manipulate search rankings can violate Google’s guidelines and lead to penalties (which can be really harsh).

#40 How to spot link building scams?

To spot link building scams:

• Check if the referring domain or page for backlink placement is indexable
• Avoid investing in overly cheap backlinks
• Be cautious of agencies promising excessive backlinks ((e.g., 1000+ per month)
• Review their case studies and trusted clients
• Check their contract terms
• Ask how long backlinks remain live; guarantees of lifetime backlinks should raise red flags

#41 Is buying backlinks bad?

Yes, buying backlinks is bad because it violates Google’s guidelines. They are often seen as manipulative and can lead to penalties or even deindexing by search engines.

#42 Which websites to avoid for building backlinks?

While poor SEO metrics are commonly seen as a red flag, it’s important to remember that metrics can sometimes be misleading.

Based on our link building survey, we recommend avoiding backlinks from sites in certain industries, such as casino, CBD, and news/magazine websites. These sites may have strong SEO metrics, but the backlinks they offer are often low quality and may not contribute to long-term SEO growth.

#43 Are A-B or direct exchanges bad?

Yes, direct exchanges are bad, as they are against Google’s guidelines.

Its algorithms are smart enough to detect “Link to me and I’ll link to you” exchanges or pages created solely for cross-linking.

Link Building Communication Questions

#44 Which channels to use for link building communication?

There are several channels available, but we recommend using email, LinkedIn, and Slack for both link prospecting and ongoing communication.

#45 How to build trust with link exchange partners?

To build trust with link exchange partners:

• Offer them your help (e.g. finding a relevant niche edit for them) 
• Be responsive, reply to their emails on a timely manner
• Be honest and never promise anything you cannot do 
• Get to know their interests and hobbies, and try to connect on a personal level beyond just the business side (but don’t be a stalker).

Further reading:
How to Build Relationships for Better Backlinks

#46 What are the biggest mistakes in link building communication?

The biggest mistakes in link building communication are:

• Over relying on link exchange partners
• Not having a Plan B when something goes wrong
• Forgetting to follow up on time
• Not tracking communication and collaboration, which can lead to confusion

Questions On Link Building Outreach

#47 What is link building outreach?

Link building outreach refers to connecting with websites, blogs, or other prospects through different platforms to find link opportunities for your site.

Further reading: 

Guide to Successful Link Building Outreach

#48 How to find domains for link building outreach?

Our team of developers has made special scripts allowing them to gather domain data from Google SERPs, Ahrefs, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator for link building outreach. 

If you are looking for more targeted data, such as startups with specific revenue ranges, consider platforms like Crunchbase or ZoomInfo.

Further reading:

Link Prospecting: A Complete Guide

#49 How to find relevant people to reach out to?

Use LinkedIn to simplify your search:

#50 How to find emails for link building outreach?

If you have a person’s or company’s name, you can create variations of potential email addresses basically by “guessing” them. 

Let’s say a link prospect’s name is John Smith and he works at X company, the email addresses can be 

Etc. 

Pro Tip: Always verify email addresses to reduce bounce rates and ensure you’re reaching the right person.

#51 What tools to use for link building outreach?

Mailmeteor simplifies cold email outreach for link building by allowing you to send personalized bulk emails directly from Gmail. It offers features like customizable templates, tracking for opens and clicks, and seamless integration with Google Sheets for managing campaigns more efficiently.

#52 Are follow ups necessary in link building outreach?

Yes! We recommend following up three times, with each follow-up adding value to the conversation.

#53 Should I consider timing for link building outreach?

There’s no fixed time for outreach, but it’s important to be mindful of the time zones of link prospects to ensure your emails are received at convenient times.

#54 Do I need to include the unsubscribe button while link building outreach?

Yes, always include an unsubscribe button. It helps keep your emails from being flagged as spam and respects recipients’ preferences.

#55 What are the best link building outreach practices?

We recommend the following tips to succeed in your outreach:

• Warm up your emails
• Verify email addresses before the outreach
• Avoid spam words
• Personalize emails
• Keep emails short 
• Maintain consistency in sending emails
• Keep an eye on bounce rates

#56 Which metrics to check for link building outreach?

Monitor open rate, answer/response rate, positive answer rate, unsubscribe rate, and click-through rates to adjust and improve your outreach strategy over time, ensuring you get the best results.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

You’ve got the knowledge and answers to key link building questions—now it’s time for action. 

With the right strategy in place, you can start building a stronger backlink profile and see the benefits of your SEO efforts. It may take time, but each step will eventually bring you closer to better rankings and traffic.