Editorial.Link, Page One Power, Siege Media, FATJOE, Outreach Monks - these are among the top link building agencies marketers trust to strengthen search visibility, earn authoritative backlinks, and improve long-term organic performance through proven outreach and content-driven strategies.
We handpicked a list of leading link building companies after carefully reviewing over 3,700 agencies, considering their services, awards, portfolios, industry reputation, pricing, and client reviews. Explore these leading agencies and their specializations to find a credible partner to boost your organic visibility.
The Number 1 Link Building Company as Selected by DesignRush Is:
uSERP
- Best for: Overall
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Minimum budget: $1,000-$10,000
- Founded: 2019
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Lone Tree, CO
- Notable clients: Preply, Monady.com, CrowdStrike, Robinhood, Freshworks
On a mission to help brands scale traffic, rankings, and revenue, uSERP uses a content-first approach to attract high-authority backlinks and brand mentions. Its expertise covers link building, niche edits and resources, guest posting, unlinked mentions, and digital public relations (PR). Combining these backlinking services with performance-driven optimization tactics, uSERP aims to make search engine optimization (SEO) a customer growth engine that propels revenue and business advancement to its clients. The agency has used this unique strategy to help over 300 clients cumulatively acquire 27,340 quality links.
uSERP Success Story
- Challenge: Competing in a highly saturated market vertical, Preply struggled to rank for relevant yet highly competitive keywords in the language learning space. Seeking to elevate topical authority and acquire higher rankings for difficult keywords, the company reached out to uSERP for assistance.
- Solution: Recognizing the impact of contextual brand mentions when trying to outrank stiff competition, uSERP produced highly captivating content and reached out to top online publications. In doing so, it placed Preply in front of its ideal customer profile, built domain authority, improved keyword ranking, and drove referral traffic and quality leads.
- Results: By obtaining over 450 authority backlinks from websites with domain ratings of 50 and above, Preply achieved impressive results — the learning platform increased traffic from 790,000 monthly visitors to 2.4 million monthly visitors, accounting for a 203% spike and ranked first for the keyword “Spanish tutor” on Google.
LinkDoctor
- Best for: Guest posting
- Average hourly rate: $125
- Minimum budget: Inquire
- Founded: 2020
- Size: 100-249
- Location: Sheridan, WY
- Notable clients: Express Legal Funding, TopSpeed, ArcStone, ProxyScrape, MaxBurst
Committed to delivering only topically relevant, high-quality backlinks to its clients, LinkDoctor provides data-driven link building strategies that cover analysis, strategy, execution, and reporting. In doing so, the link building agency has helped over 500 clients rank on the first page for 138,000 keywords, granting them features on prominent sites like Forbes, Fordham University, and AT&T. Moreover, its Link Replacement Guarantee policy allows clients to replace or change any suggested link to an equally high-authority one at no cost and risks.
LinkDoctor Success Story
- Challenge: Pre-settlement funding company Express Legal Funding was struggling to rank on search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords and enhance its website’s domain rating. Wanting to change this, it consigned LinkDoctor to audit its website, identify causes of hindered organic growth, devise a link building strategy, and elevate website authority.
- Solution: Considering that the client’s operations were predominantly in the finance and legal industries, LinkDoctor targeted niche-relevant keywords and websites. The link building company deployed a guest posting strategy, providing opportunities to organically insert keywords and track their progress, improving the client’s keyword ranking and credibility. Moreover, it added new keywords to the client’s content and optimized it further after tracking its performance.
- Results: Through a combined strategy of link building and keyword optimization, the client improved its website domain rating from 7 to 15, leading to a 155% uptake in keyword ranking and a 1,030% growth in organic traffic.
Check LinkDoctor Agency Profile
HigherVisibility
- Best for: Data-driven linkable assets
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Minimum budget: $1,000 - $10,000
- Founded: 2008
- Size: 50-99
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Notable clients: Allied Van Lines, Caliber Collision, BBQGuys, Warner Bros, Ebay
HigherVisibility is an award-winning digital marketing agency, recognized five times as the “Best SEO Agency.” The company offers a full suite of SEO services, including link building, dental SEO, local SEO, and technical optimization, intended to improve rankings organically across SERPs. Its proprietary Targeted Growth System® has been engineered to help clients achieve higher search rankings, stronger brand visibility, and sustainable ROI. With advanced technology, proven expertise, and a reputation for consistent results, HigherVisibility has established itself as one of the most trusted names in search engine optimization.
HigherVisibility Success Story
- Challenge: Moving company Allied Van Lines endured declining online visibility despite its strong market reputation. Past SEO vendors left the brand with spammy backlinks, thin content, and reduced search rankings against major competitors.
- Solution: HigherVisibility tailored a new strategy involving conversion optimization, link rebuilding, keyword research, and a full technical audit. The team strengthened user engagement with heatmap insights, reclaimed high-quality links, and developed SEO-rich content aligned with search intent.
- Results: Organic traffic rose from 466,657 to 479,007, accounting for a 2.6% year-over-year increase. The strategy restored Allied’s digital authority and strengthened its competitive standing despite pandemic-related market challenges.
Check HigherVisibility Agency Profile
Outreach Monks
- Best for: SaaS backlinks
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Minimum budget: Inquire
- Founded: 2017
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Mohali, India
- Notable clients: Raven360, Sephora, Tripadvisor, Coinbase, Express VPN
Outreach Monks strives to unlock business growth potential through powerful link building strategies encompassing guest posting, white-label link building, link insertions, blogger outreach, and local citation services. The agency also provides country-specific backlink services, spanning multilingual links, global outreach campaigns, and international SEO strategies. Building more than 20,000 links for over 2,000 businesses, Outreach Monks has earned brand mentions from publications like HubSpot, Zendesk, BigCommerce, and G2.
Outreach Monks Success Story
- Challenge: New to link building, corporate learning management system (LMS) company Raven360 partnered with Outreach Monks to build a stronger online presence, elevate website credibility, and outrank competitors.
- Solution: Outreach Monks performed a comprehensive competitor analysis to determine the most relevant websites for its client. Following the analysis, it crafted a custom link building campaign and targeted relevant SaaS websites with a domain range of 30-80. It also implemented guest posting and niche edits and reached out to its huge network of SaaS website partners.
- Results: In the span of six months, Raven360 grew its domain rating from 42 to 48 (14% increase), grew its organic website traffic by 455%, and registered a 102% rise in number of ranked keywords. Moreover, the client’s traffic value rose from $1,608 to $8,824.
Check Outreach Monks Agency Profile
Page One Power
- Best for: Resource link building
- Average hourly rate: Inquire
- Minimum budget: $1,000-$10,000
- Founded: 2010
- Size: 100-249
- Location: Boise, ID
- Notable clients: Atera, Hyatt, Quickbooks, Bostitch, WorkWave
Seeking to drive sustainable business growth, Page One Power offers custom link building strategies comprising guest posting, unlinked mentions, resource link building, broken link building, outreach management, and editorial update link building strategies. Its offering extends to enterprise link building, linkable content creation, SEO, and content marketing. Across its 14 years of industry experience, Page One Power has served 1,000 clients and created 6,100 onsite assets, averaging 15,000 links annually.
Page One Power Success Story
- Challenge: With a limited marketing budget, Atera relied on organic search engine marketing (SEM), particularly link building, to compete with other brands. However, having endured underperforming campaigns with outsourced marketing agencies, it sought a credible link building company that could deliver on its promises.
- Solution: Page One Power conducted a market analysis of Atera’s industry to identify relevant technical terms and keywords. The agency uncovered new link building opportunities, optimized some existing linked content, and produced five linkable articles and one long-form guide to secure links on resource pages. Page One Power prioritized linking top-funnel content to build funneled link equity and strategically chose relevant link building websites.
- Results: Within six months, Page One Power acquired 29 links, improved keyword rankings by 18 positions, generated 43,000 impressions, and gained 166clicks. More importantly, Atera increased monthly organic sessions by 306% and monthly new users by 285%.
Check Page One Power Agency Profile
Editorial Link
- Best for: Editorial backlinks
- Average hourly rate: $25
- Minimum budget: $1,000-$10,000
- Founded: 2020
- Size: 50-99
- Location: Petersburg, FL
- Notable clients: Belkins, Capital.com, PandaDoc, Innowise, Intellias
Amassing a robust network of partner sites, Editorial Link supplies clients with quick, niche-specific backlinks that drive business value. Its link building suite comprises linking resource planning, outreach management, and implementation, where clients can tap into partner sites like HubSpot, Forbes, Wallstreet Review, and Monday.com. By solely targeting corporate blogs as partner sites, Editorial Link assures the usage of only quality, reputable, and permanent backlinks. To date, the agency has delivered over 5,000 editorial links to 100 clients.
Editorial Link Success Story
- Challenge: Facing high industry competition, international business-to-business (B2B) marketing company Belkins approached Editorial Link to increase organic traffic and website credibility through high-quality organic links.
- Solution: After analyzing the competitors’ backlink strategies, Editorial Links focused on building branded links to the client’s homepage, leveraging its vast number of lead-generation website partners. Next, it secured more targeted links from websites associated with technology and sales for specific pages, beginning with low-traffic sites. After two months of active efforts, the agency acquired backlinks from higher-traffic sites as well.
- Results: Within a year, Belkins earned 60 high-quality backlinks from high-traffic sites like Envato, HubSpot, and Venngage. Because of this, it has improved its website’s domain rating from 58 to 70, monthly website traffic to 9,300 visitors, and keyword ranking from 5,100 to 6,800.
Check Editorial Link Agency Profile
LinkBuilder.io
- Best for: HARO link building
- Average hourly rate: $149
- Minimum budget: $1,000-$10,000
- Founded: 2016
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Notable clients: JobSage, Snack Nation, Identity Guard, Follow Up Boss, LegalZoom
Leveraging big data analytics to power its process-driven, cutting-edge link building strategies, LinkBuilder.io is on a mission to help clients rank at the top of SERPs. The agency specializes in over 20 link building techniques, including relationship-based link building, broken link building, guest post link building, editorial outreach, unlinked brand mentions, helping a reporter out (HARO), journalist pitching, competitor link building, and PR link building, to name a few. Since its inception, LinkBuilder.io has procured over 20,000 links for 350 companies worldwide.
LinkBuilder.io Success Story
- Challenge: Operating without a link building strategy, employee review platform JobSage was quickly outranked by industry giants like Glassdoor and Indeed.com. Seeking to improve its rankings, it commissioned LinkBuilder.io’s expertise.
- Solution: To build a strong foundation of homepage links, LinkBuilder.io implemented HARO and PR link building strategies to build the initial website authority. It then proceeded to target high-performance and relevant websites in the career, education, job, and human resources (HR) fields while building links to various blog posts and excluding direct commercial pages.
- Results: Through its comprehensive link building strategy, LinkBuilder.io acquired 1,500 links for the client, elevating its domain rating from 3 to 53. Moreover, JobSage saw a 14,852% surge in organic traffic and a $56,632% traffic value increase.
Check LinkBuilder.io Agency Profile
Blue Tree Digital
- Best for: PR link building
- Average hourly rate: $149
- Minimum budget: $1,000-$10,000
- Founded: 2017
- Size: Under 49
- Location: Miami, FL
- Notable clients: Credit Donkey, Freshbooks, CloudDefense, Cloudwards, Dooly
With over 450 prominent publication partners, Blue Tree Digital offers tailored link building services that fuel brand visibility, credibility, and customer growth. Supplying editorial link building, digital PR, custom blog outreach, guest posting, HARO link building, linkable asset campaigns, white label link building, and content writing, the backlink company has built 3,700 links and helped clients save an average of $6,000 in monthly SEO costs. Notable publication partners of Blue Tree Digital include BlackBerry, Investopedia, Forbes, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and Crunchbase.
Blue Tree Digital Success Story
- Challenge: Personal finance company Credit Donkey approached Blue Tree Digital with three challenges threatening its top organic marketing position: increasing competitors, limited high-quality mentions, and difficulty targeting the right keywords.
- Solution: To address the client’s concerns, Blue Tree Digital conducted a comprehensive market diagnostic and reached out to thousands of relevant finance and fintech publications with an average domain rating of 70 and a minimum of 20,000 monthly followers. It also submitted unique blog topics and content for each website that agreed to partner and ensured the natural placement of Credit Donkey links.
- Results: Within a year, Credit Donkey recorded a 227% traffic increase, growing from 210,461 to 477,356 monthly visitors, and registered a 159% rise in domain referrals.
Check Blue Tree Agency Profile
Sure Oak
- Best for: Niche backlink building
- Average hourly rate: $135
- Minimum budget: $1,000-$10,000
- Founded: 2017
- Size: Under 49
- Location: New York City, NY
- Notable clients: Mercedes Benz, GAP, American Red Cross, Ann Taylor, Advance Auto Parts
Focusing on results, experience, and strategy, Sure Oaks strives to deliver long-term growth to its clients through premium link building services. Its expertise spans backlink audit services, editorial link insertions, guest posting, toxic link management, competitor link analysis, broken link building, unlinked brand mentions, link reclamation, value exchange strategy, digital PR, and white label link building. As a testament to its capabilities, Sure Oak has been named one of the leading SEM and SEO agencies by Digital.com, Centauri Awards, and Rank Hacker.
Sure Oak Success Story
- Challenge: A solar marketing company reached out to Sure Oak as it faced difficulty finding relevant websites link building. Without a team to consistently implement SEO and link building strategies, the client endured high keyword competition, making it more difficult to establish its online presence.
- Solution: Having helped other clients in similar situations, Sure Oaks knew guest posting would be the most effective strategy for this difficult link building niche. The company meticulously searched for website partners relevant to the client’s audiences and industry, developed compelling content that reflected the client’s unique views, and highlighted its benefits, targeting low-competition keywords.
- Results: Sure Oaks boosted the client’s pageviews to target pages by 400%, total organic pageviews by 98.5%, keyword rankings by 64%, and domain referrals by 102%.
Stan Ventures
- Best for: Outreach campaigns
- Average hourly rate: $100
- Minimum budget: $1,000-$10,000
- Founded: 2009
- Size: 500-999
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Notable clients: Norsteel Building, FCA Canada, Swyft X, SFL Worldwide, CBD Dog Health
Trusted by over 2,500 businesses, Stan Ventures boasts an expansive network of 50,000 bloggers for powerful backlink services. Across its link building portfolio, the agency offers white-label link building, guest posting, blogger outreach, niche editing, and content writing. Additionally, its bespoke link building packages connect clients to websites with extensive organic traffic, allowing them to reach wider audiences. By supplementing backlink strategies with fully managed SEO, the link building agency helps businesses implement strategies that scale and maximize profit margins.
Stan Ventures Success Story
- Challenge: Construction company Norsteel Building wanted to attract prospects from the American and Canadian regions, but its website was underperforming in terms of traffic and quality leads. Seeking to improve its organic performance, it partnered with Stan Ventures.
- Solution: Stan Ventures initiated an outreach campaign, targeting websites with high domain ratings and organic traffic for guest posting opportunities. After witnessing the link building company’s capabilities, the client upgraded to a full SEO plan. Throughout the collaboration, Stan Ventures leveraged Quora, local citations, image submission, and document-sharing techniques to improve the client’s local presence.
- Results: Norsteel Building saw an uptake in monthly organic traffic from 1,500 to 3,5000, keyword ranking from 35 to 114, and referring domains from 215 to 722. Significantly, Norsteel Buildings has become one of the most searched branded keywords, having a search volume of 1,300 — almost matching the search volume of “steel buildings.”
Check Stan Ventures Agency Profile
How We Picked the Best Link Building Agencies
We selected the best link building agencies by assessing thousands of agency profiles based on their skills, achievements, reported strategies, client references, and collaborations. In doing so, we developed an effective evaluation process to identify the leading agencies capable of expanding audience reach and building website credibility through comprehensive link building solutions.
Our team of industry experts analyzes agencies based on the following criteria:
- Reviews: Client satisfaction, level of trustworthiness, project management, communication style, and work ethics
- Portfolio: Successful projects showcasing the agency’s approach to delivering tangible results
- Awards and recognitions: List of notable achievements and affirmations by reputable third-party agencies
- Team bios: Overview of employee profiles and relevant link building experience
- Top services: Core competencies and areas of focus
- Link building expertise: Ability to drive organic traffic growth, obtain quality customer leads, and build brand authority via tailored link building strategies
Visit the DesignRush Agency Ranking Methodology for more information on how we research agencies.
10 Most Popular Link Building Companies Compared
| Agency name | Location | Hourly rate | Size | Best for |
| uSERP | Lone Tree, CO | Inquire | Under 49 | Overall |
| LinkDoctor | Sheridan, WY | $125 | 100-249 | Guest posting |
| HigherVisibility | Memphis, TN | Inquire | 50-99 | Data-driven linkable assets |
| Outreach Monks | Mohali, India | Inquire | Under 49 | SaaS backlinks |
| Page One Power | Boise, ID | Inquire | 100-249 | Resource link building |
| Editorial Link | Petersburg, FL | $25 | 50-99 | Editorial backlinks |
| LinkBuilder.io | Edinburgh, United Kingdom | $149 | Under 49 | HARO link building |
| Blue Tree Digital | Miami, FL | $149 | Under 49 | PR link building |
| Sure Oak | New York City, NY | $135 | Under 49 | Niche backlink building |
| Stan Ventures | Chicago, IL | $100 | 500-999 | Outreach campaigns |
Building Trust, Boosting SEO. Your UK Link Building Pros!
At UK Linkology, we are a high-quality link building agency. We've been building backlinks trusted by thousands of SEOs and brands globally since 2010. [... view UK Linkology profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Public Relations
- eCommerce
- Location
- Derby, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $150/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
Express Yourself.
We are a client-centric organization dedicated to unlocking the full potential of our clients. In our approach, we consider every facet as a distinct brand entity, prioritizing the maintenance of a pristine image and messaging clarity. Our core expertise lies in the realm of brand identity, offering a suite [... view VXC Express profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Pretoria, South Africa
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $80/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
Your Partner In Digital Growth
Blue Crocus Solutions is focused on providing ROI-Driven marketing results through Search Marketing Efforts (SEO, PPC, Leads, Google Business Listings) for home service companies. With over 100 five star reviews, we don't just say we will help you, we make sure you get results. [... view Blue Crocus Solutions profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Design
- Digital Marketing
- Location
- Fredericton, Canada
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
It's all about results
Smart SEO is one of the leading and oldest digital marketing companies in Israel. The company was founded in 2009 and has since provided internet marketing and advertising services, website promotion, and sponsored advertising on Google Ads.The higher you rank in the results pages, the more clicks and [... view Smart SEO profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Marketing
- PPC
- Location
- Tel Aviv, Israel
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $90/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
Premium Link Building Services Company
We help ambitious brands get high authority backlinks and make SEO their customer growth engine. Drive revenue from organic search 10x faster than hiring in-house. [... view Link Crafters profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Link Building
- Location
- London, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $100/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
We Create Amazing Digital Ads for you.
At Digital Ads Lab, we specialize in revolutionizing your digital presence through our comprehensive online ads services. Whether it's Google Ads, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube, we meticulously create, optimize, and manage all your campaigns and advertisements. With our expertise, rest assured that your [... view Digital Ads Lab profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Porto, Portugal
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $35/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
Your Marketing Superhero
We're not just another marketing agency; we're your trusted allies in the battle for brand supremacy. [... view Marcom Solutions profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Design
- Digital Marketing
- Location
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $25/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
Elevating Your PR & Media Strategies
Don't Be A Little Pitch is a PR agency based in Toronto, Canada. From tailored communication strategies to garnering awards and media features, the agency elevates brand perception, ensuring maximum exposure and impact. The agency embraces open communication channels and fosters a culture of teamwork, working [... view Don't Be A Little Pitch profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Public Relations
- Social Media Marketing
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $99/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
Empowering eCommerce Growth
Leaf is a creative agency specializing in performance marketing and data science for next-generation eCommerce brands. By combining hands-on expertise with cutting-edge technology, Leaf helps clients optimize paid media spend efficiency and drive efficient decision-making. Its proprietary platform, Leaf Grow [... view Leaf profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- $10,000 - $25,000
Strategic Marketing for Small Business.
We specialize in Web Design, Social Media, Content Creation, Email Marketing, & SEO that inspires & delights. We building brands, boosting traffic, and driving conversions. [... view Visual Ink profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- PPC
- Content Marketing
- Location
- Clayton, North Carolina
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $30/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
High quality guest posting and link building services
In today's competitive digital landscape, standing out is essential for success. At Bubble SEO, we understand the challenges businesses face in enhancing their online visibility and increasing domain authority.That's why we offer a comprehensive guest posting service designed to elevate your website [... view Bubble SEO profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Content Marketing
- eCommerce
- Location
- Burton upon Trent, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
Your Complete IT Solutions Partner.
Aibiton is a leading IT companies in UAE. At Aibiton, we bring all IT services under one roof, offering comprehensive solutions tailored to your business needs. From robust ERP systems and advanced cybersecurity to seamless cloud computing and cutting-edge web development, we provide end-to-end technology [... view Aibiton profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Location
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $1000/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
Digital Growth, Together
Kanguru Digital Agency is a full-service agency specializing in custom digital transformation solutions for medium to large businesses across Canada. We partner with forward-thinking companies to streamline operations, improve customer engagement, and drive scalable growth through tailored, end-to-end digital [... view Kanguru Digital Agency profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Design
- Digital Marketing
- Location
- Montreal, Canada
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $125/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $10,000 - $25,000
Cut-through Creative Intelligence
We help B2B companies in Sheffield and across South Yorkshire grow through clear strategy, bold branding, effective websites and smart marketing. Whether you're launching something new or evolving what you've built, well meet you where you are and take you where you want to go. [... view Herron profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Development
- eCommerce
- Location
- Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $120/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $10,000 - $25,000
Authority Amplified
We are a global team of over 100 experts, driving your digital presence with precision, strategy, and worldwide impact. We collaborate privately with the worlds most influential brands. No logos. No public displays. Only measurable outcomes and real growth. While others showcase their clients logos, we [... view Interamplify profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- SEO Consulting
- Link Building
- Location
- Alhama de Murcia, Spain
- Number of Employees
- 100 - 249
- Average Hourly Rate
- $250/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $10,000 - $25,000
Test, Learn, Refine, Scale
Imagine Digital provides digital marketing service in Boulder Colorado and across the US for small and medium size businesses helping them reach their customers through SEO and organic content marketing. [... view Imagine Digital profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Location
- Boulder, Colorado
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
A Tribe Of Makers
Tribera is a creative agency based in Birmingham working with bold brands who want to shift consumer perceptions and influence behaviours by being a culturally relevant voice in society. [... view Tribera profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Public Relations
- Digital Marketing
- Location
- Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
Ideas People Since 1999
Award-winning integrated marketing agency specialising in brand, PR, social and digital. We take all of that wisdom and we make it work for you, through concepts, creativity and brainwaves that challenge, engage and inspire. [... view Ilk Agency profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Leeds, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $130/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $10,000 - $25,000
Turning Investments into Impact-Driven Marketing
We provide all performance marketing services over 11 years of expirience. We help bussinese get leads fastly and grow your sales [... view SEOZA_Zamrii profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- SEO Consulting
- eCommerce
- Location
- Kyiv, Ukraine
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $30/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
- Portfolios Count
- 6 Projects Listed
Chemistry for Great Marketing and Design
Alchemi Design is a full service graphic design and marketing company located in the Annapolis, Maryland area. We are committed to our clients and passionate for creative content branding. [... view Alchemi Design & Publications profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Arnold, Maryland
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
be found first time everytime
Front Page Advantage has been helping SMEs get the best return from their marketing budget since 2006. Were a family owned business based in Basingstoke, Hampshire. Typically the first person you speak to will be either Chris or Lucy, our business owners, so you can get a great insight in what our values are [... view Front Page Advantage profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- SEM
- SEO Consulting
- Location
- Basingstoke, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $95/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
- Portfolios Count
- 1 Project Listed
Andava Digital: Your Trusted Digital Companion
We've mastered the art of digital journeys, becoming your ultimate team for online success. Our mission? To stand by you, ensuring your digital dreams not only come true but surpass your expectations. [... view Andava Digital Marketing Agency profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Services
- Digital Marketing
- Location
- Los Angeles, California
- Number of Employees
- 50 - 99
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
We Design, Develop And Deliver!
Were Think1 Designs, a web and digital agency with over a decade of experience in the digital industry as developers, designers, and illustrators. We specialize in crafting well-designed websites, graphics, and illustrations by aligning business goals with customer needs. [... view Think1 Designs profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Design
- Digital Marketing
- Location
- San Antonio, Texas
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $40/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 5 Projects Listed
Top Branding, Advertising, Video, and Web Design Agency Based in Reno, Nevada
Miley Studios is a full-service creative agency delivering bold branding, high-performance websites, and content that drives real results for ambitious brands. [... view Miley Studios profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Reno, Nevada
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $175/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 4 Projects Listed
Growth isn't for everyone. We partner with brands that refuse to blend in.
Projectsity aims to provide affordable marketing and branding solutions with complete satisfaction and security, making lives while ensuring safe business operations and maximum profits & ROIs. [... view Projectsity profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Brampton, Canada
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $15/hr
- Portfolios Count
- 5 Projects Listed
Turning SEO doubters into believers
We created Quirky Digital to redefine digital visibility for ambitious brands. Our creative excellence drives outstanding performance in organic growth, technical optimization, and content strategy—delivering measurable results through SEO that consistently outpace industry standards. [... see all Quirky Digital reviews ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Location
- Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $100/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $10,000 - $25,000
Making IT Better
SMARTech InfoCraft delivers cutting-edge IT solutions, including web development, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. We empower businesses with innovative technology and strategic insights. With over 15 years of our technical experience, we thrive on solving complex problems with creative, scalable [... view SMARTech InfoCraft profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Marketing
- eCommerce
- Location
- Ahmedabad, India
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $25/hr
- Portfolios Count
- 20 Projects Listed
Elite Web Design for Small business
We are a dedicated team of freelance WordPress designers and developers, offering our expertise to clients across the globe. We specialize in creating stunning, user-friendly WordPress websites that drive results. [... see all Elite Web Design reviews ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Design
- SEO Consulting
- Location
- Islamabad, Pakistan
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $20/hr
- Portfolios Count
- 1 Project Listed
Show up like Echo.
We're a multiple award-winning African creative and Digital Marketing Agency in Ghana, Nigeria , Liberia and Benin with a big heart and bigger ideas. We provide insightful and relevant campaigns and strategies that are creatively excellent, deliver real, measurable value, and support you in achieving your [... view EchoHouse profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- SEM
- SEO Consulting
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
- Number of Employees
- 100 - 249
- Average Hourly Rate
- $100/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
Crafting Digital Success: Strategies, Tactics, Results!
At Cyber Marketing, we specialize in crafting digital marketing sales funnels to increase customer acquisition. Our expertise spans a range of services, including setting up engaging Facebook pages, designing compelling websites, creating professional LinkedIn profiles, implementing effective lead-generation [... view Cyber Marketing profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Integrated Marketing
- Web Development
- Location
- Centurion, South Africa
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $200/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
- Portfolios Count
- 2 Projects Listed
Empowering Businesses With Creative Solutions
Desiq Creative Agency is a leading Ghanaian firm specializing in web design, branding, marketing, and software solutions for businesses worldwide. Desiq goes beyond services, acting as a long-term partner to craft strategies that drive sustainable growth. [... view Desiq Creative Agency profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Design
- Web Development
- Location
- Takoradi, Ghana
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $65/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 2 Projects Listed
Affordable yet Professional.
Situated in Cairo, Egypt, we are a committed digital marketing agency constantly evolving to enhance our client service capabilities. Our clientele entrusts us with expanding their presence and refining marketing strategies. We are devoted to implementing strategies that foster the daily growth of their [... view Digits Marketer profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- SEM
- SEO Consulting
- Location
- Cairo, Egypt
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $50/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
- Portfolios Count
- 1 Project Listed
Growth Marketing Strategy & Creative Agency
We foster business growth through strategy, creativity, and technology. [... view PUREi profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- PPC
- Amazon
- Location
- Batavia, Illinois
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
- Portfolios Count
- 7 Projects Listed
Take the Lead, Dominate Your Market.
Our systems combine advanced SEO & AI sales management to ensure the 2,500+ leads we generate weekly dont just callthey book while you focus on the job. [... view Foxxr Digital Marketing profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Design
- PPC
- Location
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $80/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 4 Projects Listed
Building Memorable Brands
We're an agency specializing in building memorable brands. We forge emotional connections at every-stage from branding & concept, through brand positioning, to digital marketing-turning your story into real, measurable results. [... view NARRO profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Campinas, Brazil
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $150/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 4 Projects Listed
Smarter Marketing Starts Here
Born in Floridas competitive hospitality scene, J. Oliver Advertising now drives data-first growth for service businesses, e-commerce brands, and professional firms such as law firms, medical clinics, wellness brands, and beyond. [... view J. Oliver Advertising profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- PPC
- Social Media Marketing
- Location
- Pompano Beach, Florida
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 3 Projects Listed
Obviously Different Ideaz
Welcome to 30TH FEB, your one stop solution for Idea, Branding and Content solutions. We manage your business dreams through idea validation and further give the idea a shape through Brand Identity Design and further spread the idea through content writing, marketing support and digital marketing. This is one [... see all 30TH FEB reviews ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Social Media Marketing
- Web Development
- Location
- Delhi, India
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
- Portfolios Count
- 1 Project Listed
WordPress Developer & SEO Expert
VM Project offers expert WordPress services from a skilled professional based in Russia. With a focus on web development and design, I specialize in creating, customizing, and optimizing WordPress websites to suit your business needs, ensuring high-quality, efficient, and user-friendly solutions that drive [... view VM Project profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Advertising
- SEM
- Location
- Tver, Russia
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $25/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 5 Projects Listed
Designing Digital Success, One Creative Pixel at a Time.
We are your partner in digital success. We got your back, from creative logo, powerful websites, branding to digital marketing solutions. We help businesses elevate their online presence and help them connect with their audience effectively.Let's create, expand, and grow together! [... view Aqua Design Works profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Marketing
- Digital Advertising
- Location
- Chicago, Illinois
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $20/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 5 Projects Listed
#1 Trusted Results Driven Digital Marketing Agency in New Jersey - No Fluff, Just Results
We are a trusted ROI driven digital marketing agency specializing in Local SEO, Website Design, Google Ads, and Email & SMS campaigns to increase revenue consistently. [... view Quantum Advertising profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Web Design
- Digital Advertising
- Location
- Voorhees Township, New Jersey
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $100/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 5 Projects Listed
We understand the challenges of operating a successful small business and are dedicated to helping
Our promise to you as a business owner is to fulfill our commitment by executing a PROFITABLE and EFFICIENT strategy to GROW your business! [... view Digital Venture profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Bixby, Oklahoma
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $150/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
Empowering Your Business with Future-Proof SEO Solutions.
Unlock the full potential of your brand with Black & White Boy, Newcastle's leading SEO agency. Our meticulously crafted SEO analysis and cutting-edge digital strategies will elevate your online presence, attracting targeted traffic and converting visitors into valuable leads. [... view Black And White Boy profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- eCommerce
- Digital Strategy
- Location
- Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $50/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
Professional website promotion since 2002!
If you are looking for a website promotion company, with particularly rich experience, uncompromising professionalism and eye-level service - you have come to the right place! The company's team consists of professionals who engage in the craft every day, go through Google's professional training and receive [... view Koranga profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Advertising
- eCommerce
- Location
- Netanya, Israel
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $200/hr
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
A design studio must deliver vision, strategy, brand positioning and creativity.
By3 is a design studio and marketing agency focused on client success. Our skills and expertise are constantly updated so that we can meet the needs of our clients in the development of their brands and products. We are a team committed to bringing strategic planning, creativity and innovation into the [... view By3 Comunicação+design profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Location
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $55/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
Innovators at heart
Located in Besançon and Pontarlier, the PTL Agency is the preferred partner for companies seeking to strengthen their online and offline presence. Specializing in marketing, digital communication, content creation and strategy, our dedicated team takes an integrated approach to propel your brand. With [... view Agence De Marketing Et Communication 360° profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Social Media Marketing
- Marketing Analytics
- Location
- Besançon, France
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 1 Project Listed
We Transform Marketing and Sales Experiences
Foundcoo stands as a premier provider of specialized B2B web design and inbound marketing services, leveraging the power of sophisticated data analysis to deliver discernible and impactful outcomes. With a keen focus on driving measurable results, we adeptly merge innovative web design strategies with [... view Foundcoo Ltd profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Services
- Digital Marketing
- Location
- Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $125/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 6 Projects Listed
Achieving the Unachievable.
We create and manage the world's most iconic brands. Brand and product agency that delivers heroic work and legendary clients. DECOSTA has worked with clients in a wide range of industries including entertainment, consumer goods, technology, energy, finance, and more. [... view DECOSTA Global profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Services
- Web Design
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Average Hourly Rate
- $300/hr
- Minimal Budget
- $25,000 - $50,000
- Portfolios Count
- 6 Projects Listed
Elevate Your Digital Marketing Strategy.
Spring Digital is a full-service solution-based digital marketing agency focused on enhancing usability and lead generation. [... view Spring Digital profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Marketing Analytics
- Inbound Marketing
- Location
- Orange County, California
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 1 Project Listed
Value First - Pay Later.
DB Digital, a remote digital marketing agency in Cape Town, South Africa, offers tailored marketing services to meet your business needs. From SEO and social media marketing to web development and lead generation, we optimise your search engine presence for better visibility and results. Get in touch with us [... view DB Digital profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Digital Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Location
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- Under $1,000
- Portfolios Count
- 2 Projects Listed
Stress-Free Marketing
We carry the Marketing load so you can focus on what matters most. At Solitude Marketing, we specialize in taking the stress out of digital marketing, allowing you to focus on what you do best. [... view Solitude Marketing profile ]Top Services:
- SEO
- Marketing Analytics
- eCommerce
- Location
- Oak Park, Illinois
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- $1,000 - $10,000
- Portfolios Count
- 5 Projects Listed
Explore SEO Specializations
- Amazon
- Automotive
- B2B
- Construction
- Consulting
- Dental
- eCommerce
- Enterprise
- for Moving Companies
- Generative Engine Optimization
- Google My Business
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- Law Firm
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Everything You Need to Know Before Hiring Link Building Agencies
How can link building companies help businesses?
A link building company helps businesses earn relevant, authoritative backlinks that can improve search visibility, organic traffic, and overall online authority. Through services such as outreach, guest posting, digital PR, and linkable asset creation, they help brands secure placements on credible websites that strengthen their backlink profile.
According to a Backlinko study, the #1 result on Google has an average of 3.8x more backlinks than results in positions #2-#10. Moreover, the top-ranking pages have 3.2x more referring domains on average.
Beyond rankings, quality link building can also improve brand credibility and discovery. When a business is mentioned or linked to by trusted publishers, bloggers, or industry websites, it can expand reach and reinforce trust with potential customers.
Reboot reports that 48.5% of digital PR news articles from English-speaking countries showcase positive sentiments, with the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada ranking the highest.
How do you measure the success of a link building campaign?
To measure the success of a link building campaign, compare performance against your baseline, campaign goals, and industry benchmarks. The most useful metrics combine link quality, SEO impact, and business outcomes. Key metrics to track include:
- Number and type of backlinks per month
- Built links: Links earned through outreach, guest posting, digital PR, or partnerships
- Organic links: Links obtained naturally without direct outreach
- Syndicated links: Links from republished or redistributed content
- Link quality
- Domain authority or domain rating of the websites that link to your content
- Topical relevance of the linking site or page
- Placement quality, such as whether the link appears naturally within the main content
- Link survival rate: Calculates the percentage of acquired backlinks that remain live over time
- Referral traffic: Tracks the number of visits from acquired backlinks
- Keyword ranking: Monitors changes in search rankings for target keywords connected to the link pages
- Link velocity: Track the rate at which new backlinks are earned, while keeping quality and relevance in mind.
- Conversions or leads: Measure whether linked pages generate signups, inquiries, or sales, especially if the campaign targets commercial pages.
How long does it take to see the results from a link building strategy?
On average, you can start seeing results from your link building strategy within 3-12 months. However, a survey by the Editorial.Link reveals that 57% of marketers believe that link building strategies can drive results within 1-3 months, while 33% say it takes 3-6 months.
The factors that impact the timeline include:
- Current site authority and brand popularity
- Industry competition
- Traffic trends
- Quality of backlink
- Aggressiveness of your campaign
Here is a rough link building timeline:
- Months 1-3: Your link building agency fixes broken links, disavows harmful backlinks, creates linkable assets, and begins outreach.
- Months 3-6: You may begin earning backlinks and brand mentions, with early improvements in referral traffic, visibility, and some keyword rankings. The agency reviews performance and adjusts the campaign.
- Months 6-12: Improvements are more recognizable and sustainable, including higher SERP, domain authority, organic traffic, lead generation, and conversion rates. The agency continues to create content, acquire backlinks, and refine the campaign.
A reputable agency should set realistic expectations and report progress over time, rather than promise immediate ranking gains.
How to find the right link building agencies for your business?
To find the right link building agency for your business, evaluate its expertise, experience, and credibility. Consider following these steps:
- Specify your requirements, including your goals, budget range, timeline, content type and frequency, and target audiences, media outlets, and websites.
- Shortlist link building companies with proven experience in your target market and link building strategy. Review their case studies and look at their business outcomes, link acquisition processes, and content quality.
- Assess their network by checking out their previous publications, list of media contacts, and influencer relationships.
- Read client feedback and reviews to evaluate the company's reliability, transparency, responsiveness, and work quality.
- Issue a request for proposal, detailing your project scope, goals, timeline, budget, and target platforms. Compare proposals and narrow your selection by project fit.
- Set an introductory meeting with your top candidates and ask them about their link building methodologies, evaluation criteria, and outreach strategies.
- Choose a link building company with ethical link building practices, practical experience in your specific niche, and strong client references.
What questions should you ask before hiring?
Before hiring a B2B link building agency, ask these questions to confirm its ability to fulfill your requirements and support your long-term goals:
Relevant Background
- What link building strategies do you specialize in?
- Can you provide previous link building campaigns similar to my requirements? What results did you achieve?
- What is your experience in my industry? Can you provide client references and example publications in my niche?
Services and Processes
- Can you walk me through your link acquisition process?
- How do you choose the keywords, anchor text, and target pages?
- What tools and technologies do you use for your link building campaigns?
- How do you handle quality control and link removal?
Related to Your Project
- How will you align your link building strategies with my brand, target audience, and current marketing efforts?
- Can you help me acquire local, national, and global backlinks?
- How do you define and measure success? What type of reporting can I expect?
- How do you manage Google algorithm updates? What happens if I get penalized?
Why People Trust DesignRush
Rated 4.8 on Google and 4.7 on Trustpilot, DesignRush Agency Directory is a reliable resource for finding link building companies. We owe this to our executive selection team, which follows a strict screening process when featuring agencies on the platform, assessing key performance indicators, like portfolio, client reviews, and industry reputation.
Sources
DesignRush sustains a directory of over 40,000 agencies categorized by service category, location, expertise, and reviews. We build our database in two ways:
- Our dedicated team of agency experts actively searches the web for top-performing companies. We then pull information from their websites, online presence, and client testimonials to verify their status and qualifications prior to listing.
- The agencies listed get notified of their profiles on the website and they can choose to claim it or not, which suggests their availability for more collaborations.
Agencies can also reach out to DesignRush and must go through the verification process prior to being listed.
5 Frequently Asked Questions About Link Building Companies
What are the typical link building services offered by companies?
Link building companies typically offer a mix of strategy, outreach, content creation, and reporting services. Their work often includes competitor analysis, backlink research, campaign planning, link prospecting, outreach, performance tracking, and ongoing optimization.
Key services include:
- Backlink audit: Reviewing your backlink profile to identify harmful or low-quality links, spammy referring domains, and broken links or pages that may affect SEO performance.
- Blogger outreach: Reaching out to relevant bloggers, publishers, influencers, and content creators to secure brand mentions and backlinks.
- Guest posting: Creating content for authoritative, relevant third-party websites that includes a contextual link back to your site.
- Linkable asset creation: Developing high-value content such as infographics, original research, guides, tools, or calculators that naturally attract backlinks.
- Broken link building: Finding broken links on other websites and suggesting your content as a relevant replacement.
- Digital PR: Earning backlinks through media outreach, press coverage, expert commentary, and newsworthy campaigns.
Many link building companies also provide digital marketing services, including search engine optimization (SEO), local SEO, content marketing, and social media marketing.
How much do link building services cost?
The cost of link building services varies, depending on service type and scope, target niche, competition level, link quality, editorial fees, and engagement level.
For instance, a B2B link building agency may charge around $150-$300 per placement for sites with a domain authority (DA) of 20-30 and $600-$1,500 per placement for sites with a DA of 50+.
Below are the approximate price ranges of link building services:
- Guest posting: $150-$1,500 per link
- Niche edits: $150-$300 per link
- Link insertion: $75-$2,000 per link
- Digital PR: $2,000-$15,000 per month
- Content creation: $5,000-$20,000+ per month
- SEO campaigns: $3,000-$15,000+ per month
- Managed link building: $1,500-$3,000 per month for small projects, and $7,000-$15,000 for enterprise-level work
What is the difference between white-hat and black-hat link building techniques?
White-hat link building refers to ethical, guideline-compliant strategies used to earn backlinks that provide real value to users. Reputable link building companies use these methods to build authority over time through relevant outreach, strong content, and credible placements.
Examples of white-hat link building include:
- Creating useful, original content that people naturally want to reference
- Earning links from relevant, trustworthy websites in your industry
- Securing contextual links that fit naturally within high-quality content
- Building a diverse backlink profile across different referring domains
- Using digital PR, guest posting, and outreach in a relevant and transparent way
Black-hat link building, by contrast, uses manipulative tactics designed to influence rankings without providing real value. These methods may produce short-term gains, but they can also lead to search engine penalties, lost trust, and long-term SEO damage.
Examples of black-hat link building include:
- Buying links to manipulate search rankings
- Excessive link exchanges
- Spamming blogs, forums, or comment sections with links
- Hiding links or text in content
- Using link farms, private blog networks (PBNs), or automated link building tools
How do backlinks impact AI search visibility?
Backlinks can influence AI search visibility indirectly by strengthening your site's authority, discoverability, and performance in traditional search. In practice, sites with stronger backlink profiles often earn better organic visibility, and that can increase their chances of being surfaced or cited in AI search experiences.
However, backlinks are only one part of the picture. Content quality, relevance, crawlability, and overall site trust also matter. Google's guidance for AI Overviews says standard SEO best practices still apply, rather than any separate AI-specific optimization.
According to industry research, 76% of pages cited in AI overviews rank in the top 10 of Google's search results. Moreover, it observed positive correlations between link quality and AI mentions.
When should you hire a link building agency and when to keep it in-house?
The answer will depend on your internal capabilities, marketing goals, timeline, and budget.
Hire a link building agency if:
- You do not have the in-house expertise or resources to build and manage a consistent link building strategy.
- You need to scale quickly or compete in a highly competitive industry where outreach experience and publisher relationships matter.
- You need a team with proven processes for prospecting, outreach, content placement, and reporting.
Keep it in-house if:
- You are running a small or limited campaign that does not justify agency costs.
- You already have a dedicated SEO, content, or outreach team with the capacity to manage link building internally.
- You want greater control over strategy, messaging, and day-to-day execution.
- Your business relies heavily on internal subject-matter expertise, making it easier for your own team to create and pitch link-worthy content.
About The Author and Expert Reviewer
Natasa Glikman is an experienced editor and content writer with over 10 years of experience in writing, editing, and translating articles across various topics, with a strong focus on marketing and advertising. At DesignRush, Natasa currently works as an editor, where she refines and enhances B2B content to ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistency across agency profiles and industry reports.
Robin Fishley is a digital professional with over 20 years of experience in programming, website architecture, and data optimization. Twice honored as Most Innovative Employee at his previous agency, he excelled in leadership roles across SEO, research, analytics, and strategy. At Saatchi & Saatchi, where he was the Director of Search and Data, he developed a successful Big Data analysis tool and provided expert consulting for renowned clients like P&G, Toyota, and VISA. A valuable asset to DesignRush, he used his technical background to drive success for the company's digital initiatives.
