Common Mistakes to Avoid When Outsourcing Your Link Building to an Agency

You should know a few things when looking to outsource your link building to an agency or contractor. First, a documented strategy that outlines your goals is non-negotiable. It would help if you also avoided companies that specialize in CBD, betting, casinos, or adult content. These types of links are not worth the risk.

Under-Optimizing

Like other marketing strategies, seeing results from your link-building efforts takes time. That’s why choosing a provider that understands this aspect of SEO and can deliver on expectations is essential. A dedicated link building agency will be able to quickly secure links on high-quality websites that are relevant to your business. It will help your website rank better and drive traffic to it. Look out for agencies that make unrealistic promises about turnaround times for the work they complete. It can be a red flag that they may use shady tactics to manipulate search engine algorithms. It’s also worth checking to ensure they are transparent with their process and timeline throughout the project.

Under-Consulting

When hiring a consultant, you want to ensure they understand your business and that the service they provide will help you achieve your goals. Ask for testimonials and read reviews to determine whether their claims are credible. Also, clearly define the services you want your agency to perform, and don’t be afraid to negotiate. Avoid agencies that promise unrealistic results, especially when it comes to link-building. It’s important to know that everything runs smoothly in SEO, and even a well-established agency will need time to build its authority and land high-quality links. Look for an agency with experience in your industry and existing relationships that they can leverage to get you results faster.

Over-Monitoring

Whether you’re an in-house SEO or are looking to hire a link-building agency, it’s essential to understand what good work looks like. Transparency about procedures, strategies, and outcomes characterizes a quality agency. If you notice any red flags, such as over-promising or black hat SEO methods, it’s best to walk away.

In addition to asking for documented strategies and metrics, asking the agency about their content writing process is also helpful. For example, if they use non-native writers, this can impact the quality of your links. Asking the agency about their writing process is easy, but some won’t volunteer this information, so you may have to do some digging.

Under-Investing

You may have heard about your friend hiring agency X and getting a massive boost in organic traffic. However, it is essential to remember that it takes time for SEO work to yield results. It is a dead giveaway that an agency has shady business practices if they guarantee results too good to be accurate. It involves making bold claims about ranking websites at the top of search results and making quick returns on investment. It is also a red flag when an agency insists on using techniques struck by the Google Panda algorithm. These strategies are rarely effective and can often lead to spammy links.

Over-Micromanaging

While a manager’s desire to help their team members succeed can be beneficial, this concentrated guidance can lead to micromanagement. This management style stalls progress as team members wait for approval to progress projects. It is a particular issue with managers who are exceptionally detail-oriented or hands-on. Their surface-level diligence and dedication to the task may seem admirable, but this can mask an insecurity that leads them to monitor excessively. Don’t try to combat this problem by ghosting the manager. Instead, work with the agency to communicate your objectives and provide regular updates through your preferred methods of communication.

Over-Optimizing

As much as marketing agencies need to provide guidance, imposing strict rules that limit flexibility can hinder the quality of their work. For example, if a client refuses to link to specific publishers, it may be impossible for the agency to achieve its desired results within the scope of the campaign. As a result, clients need to be honest about their expectations and understand that successful SEO campaigns are multifaceted. It means that link-building is just one piece of the puzzle and will require time to cultivate. The more flexible marketers are, the better results they will see.