How I use backlink outreach to get 15+ new links / month

10 min read
Backlink outreach strategies illustrated

Backlinks are the secret sauce for SEO success.

But getting quality backlinks isn't easy. It takes time, effort, and a whole lot of outreach.

In this post, I'll reveal how my SEO agency, MagicSpace SEO, consistently secures 15+ new backlinks every month using a powerful combination of smart outreach tactics and cutting-edge AI tools.

You'll learn:

Ready to supercharge your link building strategy? Let's dive in!

A graph showing an upward trend in backlinks acquired over time, with a laptop and email icons in the background
Growth in backlinks acquired over time

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of outreach tactics, let's quickly recap why backlinks are so important:

  • Backlinks are a key ranking factor: Google uses backlinks as a signal of your site's authority and relevance. More high-quality backlinks = better rankings.

  • Backlinks drive referral traffic: A good backlink can send targeted visitors directly to your site.

  • Backlinks build brand awareness: Getting mentioned on authoritative sites increases your visibility and credibility.

While there are many link building strategies out there, manual outreach remains one of the most effective.

Why? Because it allows you to:

  1. Target highly relevant sites in your niche
  2. Build genuine relationships with other site owners
  3. Secure contextual, editorial links (the most valuable kind)

Now, let's dive into the exact process we use at MagicSpace SEO to consistently land quality backlinks through outreach.

1. Keywords and competitors

LinkDR: autofilled outreach list

The first step is understanding what your competitors are doing and where they are getting links from.

You will also need to understand what keywords you want to rank for and which pages you want to target with your backlink outreach.

We use LinkDR to find the keywords we want to rank for and then use Ahrefs to find the top 10 competitors for each keyword.

Identifying link prospects
Ahrefs: competitor backlink analysis

We export the list of keywords and backlinks to a CSV file and import it into LinkDR.

2. Starting an email campaign

LinkDR backlink campaign
LinkDR: backlink email campaign

The easiest way to find prospects is using LinkDR. It's an AI link building tool that will find you prospects, generate personalized emails, and track your results.

It has a built-in email finder, so you don't need to spend time finding contact details for each prospect.

It will also filter out the list of prospects based on your criteria, so you only get the best prospects. Such as ignoring competitor sites, low DA sites, or sites that are not in the same niche.

3. Craft Compelling Outreach Emails

This is where the magic happens. A great outreach email can be the difference between a new backlink and radio silence. Here are our key principles:

Personalize: Always use the recipient's name and reference something specific about their site.

Provide value: Clearly explain how your content or offer benefits them and their audience.

Keep it concise: Respect their time by getting to the point quickly.

Include a clear CTA: Make it easy for them to take the next step.

Here's a template that's been working well for us lately:

Subject: Quick question about [their site]

Hi [Name],

I'm [Your Name] from MagicSpace SEO. I recently came across your article on [topic] and loved [specific point].

I actually just published a comprehensive guide on [related topic] that I think would be a great resource for your readers. It covers:

- [Key point 1]
- [Key point 2] 
- [Key point 3]

Would you be interested in checking it out? I'd be happy to write a custom intro if you'd like to share it.

Let me know what you think!

Cheers,
[Your Name]

4. Follow Up Strategically

Don't expect to hear back after just one email. We typically send 2-3 follow-up emails spaced 5-7 days apart. Each follow-up takes a slightly different angle:

  1. Gentle reminder
  2. Additional value proposition
  3. Final "break up" email

Here's an example of a follow-up sequence:

Follow-up #1 (5 days later):
Subject: Re: Quick question about [their site]

Hi [Name],

Just wanted to follow up on my previous email about [topic]. I know you're probably busy, so I wanted to highlight a few key stats from our guide that might be especially relevant to your audience:

[Stat 1]
[Stat 2]
[Stat 3]

Let me know if you'd like the full article to review!

Best,
[Your Name]

---

Follow-up #2 (7 days later):
Subject: One last thing re: [topic] resource

Hey [Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out one last time about the [topic] guide I mentioned.

I completely understand if it's not a good fit for your site. If that's the case, no worries at all – I won't bother you again.

But if you are interested, I'd be happy to:
- Provide an exclusive quote for your readers
- Create a custom graphic to accompany the link
- Share your post across our social channels (10k+ followers)

Just let me know! Either way, keep up the great work with [their site].

Cheers,
[Your Name]

5. Track and Analyze Results

We meticulously track the results of our outreach campaigns, including:

  • Open rates
  • Reply rates
  • Links acquired
  • Time to conversion

This data helps us continually refine our approach, identifying our best-performing email templates and outreach tactics. For more on tracking SEO performance, see our article on SEO analytics tools.

Leveraging AI to Scale Outreach

While manual outreach is effective, it can be time-consuming. That's why we've started incorporating AI tools to streamline and scale our efforts.

One tool we've been particularly impressed with is LinkDR.

This AI-powered platform automates many aspects of the link building process, including:

  • Finding relevant link prospects
  • Generating personalized outreach emails
  • Sending follow-ups on a schedule
  • Tracking campaign performance

By leveraging AI, we've been able to dramatically increase our outreach volume while maintaining a high level of personalization and quality.

As we've refined our process over the years, we've identified several key best practices:

  1. Focus on quality over quantity: A few high-quality, relevant links are far more valuable than dozens of low-quality ones. Learn more about high-quality backlinks.2. Offer genuine value: Always think about how you can benefit the other site and their audience.
  2. Build relationships, not just links: Approach outreach as a way to forge long-term partnerships, not just one-off link exchanges.
  3. Be persistent but respectful: Follow up, but know when to take no for an answer.
  4. Continuously test and optimize: Regularly analyze your results and experiment with new approaches.
Xnapper backlink results
Xnapper backlink results

To illustrate the power of effective outreach, let me share a recent campaign we ran for Xnapper, a screenshot tool for Mac:

Goal: Secure high-quality backlinks to Xnapper's website to boost its SEO performance.

Strategy:

  1. Identified 100 relevant tech bloggers, productivity experts, and Mac software reviewers
  2. Created a personalized outreach template highlighting Xnapper's unique features
  3. Offered a free pro license to sites that reviewed and linked to Xnapper
  4. Implemented a 2-email follow-up sequence
  5. Manually managed the outreach process to ensure quality

Results:

  • 100 initial emails sent
  • 25 replies (25% reply rate)
  • 10 links acquired (10% conversion rate)
  • Average Domain Rating of acquired links: 50+ DR

Key Takeaways:

  1. Personalization was crucial for getting responses from busy tech bloggers
  2. Offering a free pro license was an effective incentive for reviews
  3. Follow-ups were important – 30% of our links came after the initial email
  4. Manual outreach allowed for better customization for each prospect

There are many other link building strategies you can use to get high-quality backlinks. Here are some of the most effective ones:

Industry directories and lists: Many industries have niche-specific directories or curated lists of top resources. Getting listed on these can provide valuable links. Check out our Top 5 AI Directories for some great examples.

Social media and communities: We join relevant Facebook groups, subreddits, and other online communities to find site owners and influencers in our target niches.

Guest posting: Writing guest posts for other blogs in your industry is an excellent way to build high-quality, contextual backlinks. It also helps establish your authority and expand your audience. Check out our guide on how to write a guest post with AI to learn how to scale this strategy efficiently.

Broken link building: This involves finding broken links on other websites and suggesting your content as a replacement. It's a win-win strategy as you help webmasters improve their site while gaining a backlink. Tools like Ahrefs can help you identify broken link opportunities in your niche.

Resource page link building: Many websites have resource pages that link out to helpful content in their industry. Identify these pages and reach out to suggest your relevant, high-quality content for inclusion.

Digital PR and newsjacking: Create newsworthy content or tie your expertise to current events to attract links from news sites and industry publications. This can lead to high-authority backlinks and increased brand visibility.

Skyscraper technique: Find popular content in your niche, create something even better, and then reach out to sites linking to the original piece. This strategy, popularized by Brian Dean, can be highly effective when executed well.

Summary

Backlink outreach is a powerful strategy that can significantly boost your SEO performance and online visibility. Throughout this guide, we've explored the key elements of successful outreach:

  1. Understanding the importance of quality backlinks
  2. Developing a systematic approach to prospect identification
  3. Crafting compelling, personalized outreach emails
  4. Leveraging AI tools like LinkDR to scale your efforts
  5. Following up strategically to maximize results

By implementing these tactics, you're not just building links – you're forging valuable relationships within your industry and establishing your brand as an authoritative voice.

Remember, effective backlink outreach is an ongoing process.

It requires patience, persistence, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

But the rewards – higher search rankings, increased referral traffic, and enhanced brand credibility – are well worth the effort.

If you're excited to put these strategies into action but feel overwhelmed by the prospect of managing a full-scale outreach campaign, we're here to help.

At MagicSpace SEO, we specialize in crafting and executing high-impact backlink outreach campaigns tailored to your unique needs and goals.

Our team of experts combines cutting-edge AI tools with proven outreach tactics to deliver results that drive real business growth.

Take the Next Step:

  1. Book a Free Strategy Call: Let's discuss your current link building challenges and explore how we can help you overcome them.
  2. Get a Custom Outreach Plan: We'll develop a tailored strategy designed to secure high-quality, relevant backlinks for your site.
  3. Watch Your Rankings Soar: Sit back and enjoy improved search visibility, increased organic traffic, and accelerated business growth.

Book Your Free Strategy Call Now and let's start building your backlink empire today!

Remember, in the world of SEO, those who master the art of backlink outreach hold the keys to long-term success.

Don't leave your link building to chance – partner with MagicSpace SEO and unlock your website's full potential.

Ilias is a SEO entrepreneur and marketing agency owner at MagicSpace SEO, helping small businesses grow with SEO. With a decade of experience as a CTO and marketer, he offers SEO consulting and SEO services to clients worldwide.

Best AI headshot generator

Get AI-generated headshots for you and your team.

Get AI Headshots

SEO Audit

Get a brutally honest SEO audit with actionable insights in a 15-minute video format.

Get SEO Audit

OG Image Generator

Just copy & paste the source code & never worry about OG images again.

Get Lifetime deal

Xnapper

Screenshot tool for Mac. Take screenshots, annotate, and share them.

Get Lifetime deal