High-quality link-building is a must for a successful SEO strategy, as links are still considered the most important off-page SEO factor in improving search engine rankings.
However, link-building is a labour-intensive process that many busy digital agency professionals may not have the time or resources to run in-house. It requires the hiring of experienced staff including outreach specialists, Digital PR experts, and content writers. In addition, it involves software subscriptions for link data software, journalist databases, and rank tracking software to name but a few. In short, a link-building team it’s not an easy or inexpensive operation to build and maintain.
This is where a white-label link-building agency comes in as they already have the people, skills and resources to deliver high-quality link-building campaigns on behalf of their clients. They allow digital agencies without a link-building operation to access advanced SEO solutions without all the challenges and costs associated with running it all in-house.
Let’s take a closer look at how it works.
What is white-label link-building?
White-label link-building involves outsourcing link-building campaigns to a specialised agency, which handles everything from strategy to execution on behalf of their agency clients. The term “white-label” means that the link-building work completed by the agency is rebranded, allowing the agency that is working with the end-client to gain high-quality links without directly managing the link acquisition process.
In short, the agency working with the end-client acquires high-quality links that look and work as though they were internally produced.
Key benefits of hiring a white-label link-building agency
Partnering with a white-label link-building agency offers several benefits. Here are some of the best:
Access to link-building experts
Link-building agencies are staffed with experienced link‐building professionals who specialise in the latest SEO strategies and trends. These experts have the time and scope to continually monitor search engine updates and refine their strategies to ensure optimal results.
This allows your team to focus on things like client management and strategic growth, confident that the technical aspects of link-building are in capable hands.
Build high-quality links
Many assume that link-building is all about securing as many links as possible, but Google much prefers quality over quantity. The problem is that you have to be much more strategic to gain those all-important high-quality, credible links than you do to scatter more, less credible links over the web.
White-label link-building agencies have the time, expertise, networks, and resources to acquire high-quality links. They identify reputable, authoritative sites that are relevant to your client’s niche and create a sustainable network of links that delivers long-term SEO benefits.
Scale your agency without hiring
Scaling can be a challenge. You need more expertise to expand, but expansion also requires significant resources. Typically, gaining that expertise means allocating valuable time and budget to HR, recruiting, and training.
However, third-party agencies such as white label link-building services help you to grow your client base and handle larger workloads without bringing in more staff. With a white-label link-building service, you can help your clients boost their domain authority, improve their SERP rankings, attract more organic traffic, and grow their brand — all without having to recruit more staff or sacrificing in-house productivity.
Be Cost-effective
Contracting a white-label link-building agency can be much more cost-effective than running in-house link-building campaigns. In-house efforts often lead to high costs, as they require dedicated time, resources, and staff to manage. On the other hand, while-label link-building agencies should provide competitive and predictable prices, ensuring you stay within budget without the risk of unforeseen expenses.
Ultimately, partnering with a good white-label link-building agency helps you grow your business and offer more services to your clients — all while protecting your bottom line.
Achieve faster results
White-label link-building agencies have robust systems and processes that help them to deliver great results fast. They don’t have to navigate learning curves that new in-house teams might face, so they can quickly get to work on proven link-building strategies backed by their own acquired expertise.
How to choose the right white-label link-building partner
Picking the right white-label link-building partner is crucial for good working relationships and long-term success. Here are some things to bear in mind when searching for a white-label link-building agency:
Focus on ethical and safe link-building techniques
An ethical, safe link-building partner will make sure that your client’s backlink profile remains healthy and compliant with Google’s webmaster spam policies in the long-term. Look for an agency that prioritises sustainable strategies over quick fixes.
Here are some ethical link-building techniques which are considered safe:
Guest posting
Guest posting involves identifying reputable websites that are relevant to your client’s industry or niche. Having found suitable websites, link-building agencies then contribute high-quality guest posts that earn you a backlink when published. This drives relevant traffic, which in turn boosts reputation and authority. The key to success is ensuring they only obtain links from quality websites, so ask for a sample of guest posts they have already published for their existing clients.
Broken link-building
Links aren’t static. URLs can change, content can be deleted, and links end up ‘broken’ (i.e. nonfunctional). An ethical outsourced link-building partner will scour high-authority websites for broken links, and offer your client’s content as a replacement if appropriate. This is a win-win for everyone involved: the site owner gets an improved user experience, and your clients get a valuable backlink.
Competitor backlink auditing
A competitor backlink audit involves analysing the backlink profiles of your client’s competitors. This helps to uncover opportunities where your client’s competitors have a link but your client doesn’t. Your agency partner can outreach to these sites to see if they can get links to your client’s domain from the same group of websites.
Skyscraper technique
The skyscraper technique involves finding high-performing content and then creating a vastly superior piece of content to obtain the backlinks of the original piece. It’s not easy to execute, as you need to be confident that your fresh content is worthy of publishers either updating their links from the original piece to your piece or adding your piece as an additional link on their site. This is all the more reason why this activity should be done by an outsourced link-building specialist and not a rookie in-house team.
Check which domain metrics they use
Measuring and analysing link-building campaigns is essential in understanding whether the activity will deliver tangible improvements for your end client. One of the most common methods of measuring link-building activity is via third-party site metrics
As such, you should pick a partner who either uses metrics that are familiar and useful to you, or a partner who’s willing to present and explain analytical reports in ways that you can understand.
Typically, link-building agencies focus on metrics that align with SEO objectives, such as:
- Domain authority (Moz DA, Ahrefs DR, Majestic TF/CF and SEMrush AS)
- Organic visibility
- Outbound vs inbound link ratio
- Relevancy
- Quality of website content
However, if there are specific metrics or KPIs that would be useful for tracking your SEO goals, check that potential agencies are willing to align their activity with these.
Ensure transparent reporting
Link-building reporting can seem complicated if you’re not familiar with the jargon. A good outsourced link-building agency will ensure that you’re fully informed and understand everything that’s going on, even if you are not au fait with all the technical language.
Choose a white-label agency that delivers regular reports outlining every aspect of the link-building process in ways that are transparent and comprehensible for you. Ideally, these reports should give you total insight into ongoing processes and the progress achieved.
Consider case studies and reviews
Past performance is the best predictor of future performance. So, look for case studies and client testimonials that show a history of successful campaigns and happy clients. A good white-label link-building agency will be able to demonstrate tangible results across a range of industries.
Look for scalable & customisable packages
There is no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ link-building strategy. Every business has its own unique goals. Look for an agency that’s able to customise and scale its offerings to your business needs.
An agency that offers flexible packages can easily adapt their strategy whenever your clients need to pivot to meet new market dynamics. This ensures a sustainable backlink profile that stays strong and effective, even as the market evolves.
Avoid black-hat strategies
Ethical ‘white-hat’ strategies bring long-term, sustainable growth, but it can be tempting to go for schemes or techniques that promise quick gains. Avoid these ‘black-hat’ strategies at all costs. They go against Google’s guidelines and can risk your client’s website being demoted or penalised.
Things to watch out for include:
Link farms & PBNs
Link farms and PBNs (Private Blog Networks) are a group of low-quality, spammy sites operated and owned by one single source, solely designed for link-building. Although link farms and PBNs can generate backlinks quickly, their lack of editorial integrity could harm your client’s website and may even result in a Google penalty.
Buying links
Exchanging money for a link violates Google’s webmaster guidelines. Sites that accept payment for links often have a low editorial bar, meaning they may accept links from a large number of unrelated sites, including gambling and adult-themed sites. Moreover, a backlink profile full of sponsored links is also vulnerable to penalisation as there are no naturally acquired links.
Low quality content creation
Producing poor-quality content just to generate links can devalue a site and damage your client’s reputation. Spammy content doesn’t look good to users, potential leads, or Google. You’ll want to avoid publishing low-quality content on your site or others and also being associated with (or linked from) low-quality content on other websites
How our white-label link-building works
The Marketing Signals white‐label link‐building process is designed to be transparent, ethical, and tailored to your business goals. We use our resources and expertise to deliver the results you need under your own branding. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Get in touch
We don’t provide off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all solutions, so the first step is to contact us to discuss your client needs and campaign goals. This will give you an opportunity to provide us with details about your website or client’s site, target keywords, campaign objectives, and approximate budget. Together, we will work out an approach precisely tailored to meet your individual needs.
Step 2: Proposal Creation
Once we have all the information we need, we’ll create a bespoke proposal, which will include the various recommended link-building tactics and the timeline of delivery. We also offer transparent pricing with clear campaign deliverables.
Step 3: Campaign Delivery
Once the proposal has been signed off, we’ll start delivering the campaign in earnest. Depending on which tactics we’re deploying, this could mean arranging an internal ideation session for some Digital PR activity or selecting the sites we want to use for a blogger outreach campaign.
Step 4: Reporting
All our activity and output will be documented and chronicled in a weekly update, a formal monthly report, and if needed, a video call. We can design reports in your agency’s livery, ensuring you can seamlessly take our output and present it to your clients as if it were your own.
Step 5: Tracking & monitoring
Tracking and monitoring are incredibly important aspects of successful link-building. At Marketing Signals, we continuously track all the links we build using our proprietary link monitoring software. In the rare event of a link being altered or removed, we’ll be alerted and will immediately contact the publisher in question.
FAQs
What support will I get?
When you work with Marketing Signals link-building services, you’ll get comprehensive support throughout the entire process. You’ll be assigned a dedicated account manager who will be available to answer your questions, provide detailed performance reports, and offer expert advice. We see ourselves as an extension of your marketing team, and we will support you every step of the way.
How long does it take to see improved performance?
Ethical link‐building is a long-term strategy. Depending on the starting point of your client, you may see results within just a few weeks, but the most significant improvements will most likely take several months to show up. The timeline depends on factors like your client’s existing website authority and the competitiveness of their niche.
Regular reports and updates on our link-building efforts will give you a clear understanding of ongoing progress and the factors contributing to that progress.
How much does it cost?
Our white-label link-building costs depend on campaign scope, link volume, and the niche in which your client operates. However, we offer flexible and customisable packages designed to deliver cost-effective results for agency clients, regardless of size and budget.
Are white-label links safe for SEO?
Yes, white‐label links are completely safe for SEO, as long as they are acquired using ethical, white‐hat techniques. Marketing Signals link-building services focus on quality over quantity. Every link is sourced from reputable, high-authority websites, and our strategies are designed to work with search engine guidelines.
