Outsourcing to a monthly link building service can save you a ton of hassle.
But, as is the case with any business decision, there are some pros and cons to evaluate before you commit.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- The benefits and drawbacks of building links with monthly link building services
- 4 points to consider when hiring a SEO company
- How you can build links in-house with tools like Respona
Let’s get into it.
Link building cheat sheet
Pros and Cons of Using a Monthly Link Building Service
Pros
Expertise and Efficiency
Outsourcing to a monthly link building service connects you with seasoned professionals who have extensive experience in SEO and link building strategies.
This access saves your business the hassle and time associated with training a new in-house team or accumulating the required knowledge to build links effectively.
These agencies understand the subtleties of outreach, prospecting, and securing high quality backlinks, which can significantly boost your site’s visibility and authority.
The efficiency gained by leveraging their expertise means you can achieve faster results than if you were attempting to learn link building from zero.
More Time for Other Business Activities
Delegating link building to a third-party seo service allows your internal teams to concentrate on other vital business operations.
Whether it’s working on your product, enhancing user experience, or refining your content strategy, freeing up these resources can lead to better overall business performance.
Quick Access to Quality Links
One of the significant advantages of outsourcing is the ability to gain quick access to high quality links.
Agencies often have established relationships with bloggers, enabling them to secure quality backlinks from reputable sources more swiftly than starting from scratch.
This rapid expansion of your backlink profile can make a huge difference, especially in competitive markets like SaaS.
Consistency and Reliability

Engaging a monthly link building service ensures a consistent, reliable flow of backlinks to your site.
This regularity is key to sustaining and enhancing your search engine rankings over time.
Consistency in link acquisition prevents the peaks and valleys in visibility that can arise from sporadic link building efforts.
Cons
Cost Considerations
The cost of a monthly link building service can be a considerable investment, potentially more expensive than hiring a dedicated in-house team.

Pricing models often start around $3,000 per month and can soar to $10,000 or more, depending on the agency and link building packages.
For smaller businesses or startups, this may represent a significant portion of their SEO budget.
It’s crucial to assess whether the benefits outweigh the costs, considering the expected ROI and the scale of your link building needs relative to your overall digital marketing strategy.
Variable Quality and Transparency
When outsourcing, it’s essential to vet potential partners carefully.
The quality of services can vary widely, with some agencies employing questionable tactics like Private Blog Networks (PBNs) or relying on spammy link farms.

Such practices can have detrimental effects on your site’s SEO and reputation.
Ensure the agency practices ethical, white hat link building methods, and demand transparency in their reporting methods.
Control and Alignment Issues
By outsourcing your link building efforts, you inherently give up some control over the process.
Agencies may not always grasp your brand’s voice or align perfectly with your business goals without comprehensive guidance and communication from your side.
This disconnect can lead to campaigns that don’t fully represent your brand or achieve your
Unrealistic Expectations
Link building is not a quick fix for SEO challenges.
While essential, it takes time to see tangible improvements in search rankings and organic traffic.
Businesses may sometimes fall into the trap of expecting immediate results, but the reality is that effective link building can take several months to a year to show substantial impact.
Understanding this timeline is crucial, as unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment and a potential loss of trust in the process.
Verify They Do Real Blogger Outreach
When considering a monthly link building service, it’s crucial to ensure they engage in genuine outreach and not just rely on shortcuts that could harm your site’s reputation.
Start by directly questioning the agency about the specific link building strategies they employ.
Understanding their processes provides insights into whether they adhere to best practices or rely on questionable tactics.

A reputable agency will be transparent about their approach, explaining each step clearly and confidently. They should provide a detailed overview of how they plan to research prospects, engage with them, and secure valuable backlinks.
A positive sign that an agency engages in real outreach is if they utilize cold email campaigns aimed at bloggers and industry influencers to secure editorial links.
If an agency mentions having a network of sites or partners, dig deeper to ascertain what this means.
While a legitimate network could consist of valuable content marketing partnerships, it’s essential to ensure it’s not just a Private Blog Network (PBN), which could lead to SEO penalties.
Ask for examples of their network’s sites and verify their legitimacy to ensure they aren’t just link farms.
Ensure You’ll Get a Dedicated Link Builder
When outsourcing link building, make sure the agency provides a dedicated link builder for your account.
This ensures personalized attention and link building strategy tailored to your specific needs.

A dedicated link builder will focus exclusively on understanding your goals, optimizing your link outreach efforts, and maintaining consistent communication.
This dedicated approach can lead to more effective campaigns and stronger results.
Check Reviews & Testimonials
Research is key to choosing the right link building service. Start by checking reviews and testimonials from their past clients.

Look for detailed feedback on their success rates, communication, and the quality of links provided.
Real client experiences can offer valuable insights into the agency’s reliability and effectiveness, helping you make an informed decision.
Monthly Link Building Services Pricing
Monthly link building services can get pricy, so let’s look at four examples that represent the biggest portion of the price spectrum.
Linkbuilder.io

They have options like the Pro plan at $5,999/month for 16 links, Growth at $9,999/month for 27 links, and Enterprise at $14,999/month for 40 links. Each package includes features like domain rating (DR) targeting, competitor analysis, and custom reporting.
Cost per Link: Approximately $375 per link, offering additional services like target page planning and keyword analysis.
uSERP

The Startup plan is priced at $7,500/month for 6-8 backlinks from DR 60+ sites. Their top-tier plan, Authority, costs $15,000/month for 10-12 premium links.
They focus on high-authority links, justifying the premium pricing.
Stan Ventures

Their backlinks range from $105 to $315 per link, depending on the site’s organic traffic. They offer manual outreach and content creation, making it a more affordable option for some businesses.
Editorial.link

The Startup package is $1,750 for 5 links, while the Pro package offers 10 links for $3,500, and the Growth package provides 20 links for $7,000.
Cost per Link: About $350 per link, making it a mid-range option with flexibility for smaller or larger businesses.
For businesses with a target of obtaining 15 high-authority backlinks weekly, budgeting around $3,750/month is typical when engaging such agencies.
This pricing accounts for the expertise, time-saving benefits, and potential impact on your SEO strategy.
However, maintaining some in-house SEO link building can offer more control and customization according to your unique goals and budgetary constraints.
An Alternative to Monthly Link Building Services
If you prefer having more control over your link building process, doing it in-house is a perfectly viable option – especially if you’re equipped with tools like Respona.
Respona speeds up manual link building in multiple ways:
- Finds link opportunities and associated contact information
- Personalizes emails with AI
- Brings all of your inboxes into one interface
- Checks for spam words, and offers AI keyword suggestions
As an example, let’s run a link insertion campaign.
First, you’ll start by setting up your campaign with Respona’s template specifically designed for link insertions.
All you need to do is enter the URL of the article you want to promote along with your target keywords and niche.

Throw in a brief content description that highlights what your article covers – as well as an incentive for your prospect to collaborate with you, such as an indirect link from one of your guest posts.
Click “Use this template” to get intro the campaign editor.
The first step is to review your email sequence.
The template has set an email sequence automatically, but remember, ot’s just the default template to get you started.
We recommend working out a formula that works specifically for you!
Check for spam words, include an unsubscribe link – and add an AI icebreaker variable.

Beyond just the simple “first_name”, the icebreaker will generate a unique personalization for every single one of your campaign opportunities.
Moving on to the next step – finding opportunities.
Respona will use advanced search operators to pull in the most relevant articles for your campaign.

You can let it do its thing or tweak the SEO filters to better match your target preferences.
It’s time to gather your email addresses.
You want to reach out to the right people, so use Respona’s tools to find contacts like authors or other decision-makers.

You can search based on job titles and seniority to make sure you’re hitting the right targets.
While you can set it to use generic emails if needed, avoiding them can improve your delivery rates.
With everything set, you’re ready to hit “Run automation.” Respona will spring into action—searching for opportunities, gathering contact info, and personalizing your pitches using AI.

As results start coming in, you’ll see them populate on your screen.
Before you hit send, take a moment to review each AI personalization.
Make any manual edits if needed.
Respona even pulls LinkedIn profiles, so consider sending a connection request to add a personal touch to your outreach.

Finally, manage all responses through Respona’s shared inbox. This handy feature gathers all your emails into one interface, making it easy to keep track of replies and respond promptly.
Link building cheat sheet
Now Over to You
So, in conclusion, to pick a quality monthly link building service, you should make sure that they do genuine outreach and don’t just sell PBN links.
Alternatively, you can take a more DIY approach and start building links with a tool like Respona.
Don’t hesitate to start your 14-day free trial with Respona to see how we can help!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are monthly link building services?
Monthly link building services provide businesses with a consistent stream of backlinks from reputable sources.
These services are managed by specialists who handle outreach, negotiation, and link acquisition, helping improve a site’s search engine rankings over time.
How do I choose the right link building agency?
Start by evaluating their strategies, transparency, and client testimonials.
Ensure they use ethical, white-hat methods and provide detailed reports on their activities to maintain alignment with your SEO goals.
What is the typical cost of monthly link building services?
Costs vary widely, ranging from a few thousand dollars to as much as $15,000 or more per month, depending on the agency and scope of the service.
Pricing often reflects the quality and authority of the links provided, as well as additional services like competitor analysis or keyword planning.
How long does it take to see results from link building?
Link building is a long-term strategy, often taking several months to a year to show significant improvements in search rankings and organic traffic.
Consistency and quality are key, so patience is essential while waiting for results.
Can link building services guarantee top search rankings?
No managed link building service can guarantee top rankings, as search algorithms are complex and constantly changing.
However, effective link building can significantly improve your site’s domain authority and visibility, contributing positively to SEO performance.