Link Building Pricing: How Much Do Different Link Types Cost in 2024?
We have been frequently asked, “Why is the price for link building so high?” Therefore, we would like to explain the process in more detail and describe the pricing factors in a way that everyone can understand before paying for links. If you are wondering, “How much does building a link cost?” you are in the right place.
Link building is an essential component of search engine optimization (SEO) because it helps to improve search engine rankings and increase traffic. However, understanding the logic behind link building pricing can be difficult due to various factors and options.
There are many types of links on the market nowadays to suit different budgets. But what’s right for you, and how do you choose the best solution? You will find all the answers further in the article. We will also explore the factors that influence the service’s final cost, provide the price range you can expect in 2024, and discuss different link-building strategies and their associated costs.
Factors Affecting Link-Building Pricing
The costs of the advanced link-building services in 2024 depend on various factors, each of them meaningful and essential to the process. Generally, the pricing scale for overall link building will depend on the following aspects:
- Website quality and authority
The first thing that can affect your pricing structure is the quality and authority of the websites you are targeting for link building. Websites with high DR or traffic scores usually charge higher placement fees. These sites often have stricter editorial guidelines that may require additional time and resources to create content that meets their standards.
- Effort spent on content creation
We have already mentioned content, so let’s talk about it in more detail. Creating high-quality, engaging articles is crucial for successful link building. Professional copywriting services can increase the overall cost of a link-building campaign.
- GEO
The GEO of the website offering the link can also influence the price of link building. Links from websites in economically developed regions may cost more. For example, a link on an Indian website will cost, on average, $50-100, while the average price of link building on a German website will be €300-350.
- Link relevance
Another important factor is the relevance, or thematic focus, of the sites you receive links from. Links from donors closely related to your niche or industry are more valuable and may be worth a higher price. Relevance enhances the impact of a backlink on your SEO efforts. For example, link building services for startups should focus on this area.
- Link type
There are different link types: crowd, sponsored post, link injection, submits, and so on. Each has a different impact on rankings and website performance. Thus, the cost of these options also vary significantly.
- Link building
Building partnerships with webmasters requires some experience, as outreach and establishing relations are important components of link building. They also help secure article placement and backlinking opportunities. The time and effort required to establish contact can impact project costs, as it often involves personalized communication and follow-up with website owners and editors.
- SEO
During link building, an SEO specialist is responsible for development and implementation of a promotion strategy, creation of an anchor list, control over the indexing of placements, etc. All this requires the specialist’s efforts in planning, research, and monitoring to achieve the desired results. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the placed links is likely to be lower than expected. Therefore, we would recommend you pay attention to this point when choosing agencies to promote your website.
- Project management
Having a qualified project manager is also included in link-building prices. A project manager will help you with all the steps of link building. Their experience ensures efficient use of resources, meeting deadlines, and achieving goals.
Different Types of Links and Their Typical Pricing
Understanding the nuances of each link type, its purpose, and associated costs is important when selecting the right link-building strategy for your specific goals and budget in 2024. Each link type serves a unique purpose and offers distinct advantages, and choosing the right option can be a key factor for success.
Crowd
What does crowd mean? Crowd marketing is a technique of placing messages on platforms (forums, comments) aimed at advertising and getting backlinks to your website. The method increases awareness, trust, and loyalty to a brand or product. This is a modern way of promoting a product, where advertising does not look like spam but rather a relevant recommendation that responds to the user’s interests.
Crowd is divided into links from forums or Quora/Reddit.
What is it used for?
- Development of your brand. The brand will be mentioned more often online and will stay in people’s minds thanks to crowd marketing.
- Website promotion in search engines. Users see the link and follow it. This leads to an increase in rankings, which has a positive impact on the level of trust from search engines.
- Growth of organic link weight. People who are interested in the product become guests of the resource. That is, your website receives “warm” customers who can be easily turned into potential ones.
Separate crowdsourcing services:
Quora is a Q&A website that allows users to ask any question and get answers from other Quora users. Reddit is a social media platform where people can post links or content that they find interesting.
Benefits of Quora and Reddit links:
- High metrics. Quora: DR — 91, traffic — 145 million. Reddit: DR — 95, traffic — 259 million.
- Getting referral traffic from answers.
- Improving the keyword visibility.
How much do backlinks cost? The average price is from $10 to $20 per placement.
Directories and Submits
Directories are links from online catalogs or listings that categorize websites based on various criteria, such as industry, location, or niche. These links are helpful for users looking for information about specific topics or businesses. Submits (Web 2.0 Links) are a similar option: They involve creating and publishing on Web 2.0 platforms such as Medium, WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr. Both link types have a similar impact:
- increase brand awareness;
- dilute the anchor list;
- allow you to save on link building;
- help to bypass competitors.
Depending on the link quality and indexing, such links will cost from $5 to $20.
Link Injection
Link injection means placing links in an existing article on a website. This practice involves adding links to blog comments, forum posts, or other user-generated content areas. To avoid penalties, you should do this without spamming and in a contextually appropriate manner. This method has several benefits, namely:
- savings on content creation;
- smaller budget;
- thematic focus;
- ability to be placed on higher quality resources.
The average cost of link building in this case reaches $100-150, but the price may increase depending on the topic and GEO donors.
Sponsored Post
A sponsored post is one of the most effective techniques for promoting your website. You simply place articles on other internet resources with topics similar to your website. Sponsored links are used to increase:
- brand exposure to the relevant audience;
- traffic to the website;
- domain authority;
- brand awareness and trust.
Sponsored links are the most variable method in terms of pricing, which is influenced by many factors: GEO, niche, content quality, each of the indicators (DR, traffic), etc. The optimal price point for link building of this type is $300 per post. But we also offer our clients Link Bundles, which include donors with optimal performance at affordable prices. One link in these packages will cost $125.
Choosing the Right Link-Building Strategy
Link building, and even more so, choosing the right strategy for it, is not easy. It is important not only to “get links” but also to consider the main factors: budget, types of keywords, number of links, which types of pages to choose, and many others. If you don’t take into account all the details, you risk getting a penalty or worsening your website performance.
Also, don’t forget to select promotion methods when deciding on a strategy. For instance, you should understand the difference between White-Hat and Black-Hat SEO. Even unintentional Black-Hat SEO can lead to a penalty from Google or Bing. In the long run, it can significantly affect your SERP rankings or even block your site from search engines altogether.
By understanding the difference, you can lay a solid foundation for your brand and trust that the SEO strategies you implement are in line with the guidelines, remaining effective for your website’s growth over time. It is fundamental for us to use only White-Hat methods in website promotion. Here are some examples of how they work:
- Traffic growth dynamics
- DR growth doubled from DR-12 to DR-24.
- +12% of users compared to the previous quarter; +1,858% of users compared to the previous year.
In-house strategy
If you have chosen an in-house promotion strategy, you should know that it can take a lot of time to find qualified specialists and develop promotion tactics, and it will likely be more expensive than hiring an agency.
Who should be on the team? The typical link-building team includes a link builder, SEO specialist, and copywriter. The approximate range for each of the vacancies is $700-1,500. You should also consider the average price for each link type listed in the previous sections. The link price for an in-house team may be higher since they will not have the same contacts developed by link builders in the agency. Another critical point is the cost of tools used by link builders, such as Ahrefs, Majestic, or Se Ranking.
Among the main advantages of such a decision will be a complete understanding of all the intricacies of your business by the whole team, and your full control over your link-building efforts.
Agency company strategy
Effective SEO link building requires extensive knowledge and experience. Hiring an agency that specializes in this field will give you access to a team of experts who have the skills to create a comprehensive and effective SEO strategy.
This expertise goes beyond simple link-building tactics and encompasses other important SEO components, such as content creation, on-page optimization, and social media engagement. It’s a constantly evolving environment: staying on top of the latest trends and technologies is time-consuming and difficult for companies with no dedicated team to do so.
On the other hand, agencies have access to the latest tools and resources, which makes it easier to achieve the desired results efficiently. However, it can be costly and require a long-term commitment, and you may not have as much control over day-to-day operations.
Hiring an agency may seem a more expensive option at first, but it can save you money in the long run. Doing link building yourself requires a significant investment in time, training, and resources, all of which can build up quickly. To form an effective in-house SEO team, you would need to hire skilled content writers who can create high-quality content for the website and an experienced PR or communications specialist who can develop relationships with other authoritative sites to secure placement.
Alternatively, with a dedicated SEO agency, you can just choose a team with a lot of experience with different projects and recommendations from satisfied clients. And if you’re looking for a seamless blend of expertise and client satisfaction, consider Livepage SEO services. You can find our cases and reviews here. We work through each of our projects in detail, study all the necessary information in depth, and individually select strategies and tactics, taking into account the client’s preferences.
To summarize, companies need to weigh their options and decide whether to do search engine optimization on their own or to outsource it to an agency. While in-house search engine optimization provides more control and deeper brand insight, it can be time-consuming and requires specialized knowledge that a company may not have. On the other hand, outsourcing to an SEO agency can bring fresh ideas, advanced tools, and expert knowledge, but in this case you’ll have less control and higher initial costs for link building in some cases.
Final Thoughts
When creating links, understanding the average pricing in link building with all the intricacies and strategies is paramount. In the article, we have discussed and uncovered factors that influence pricing, from website quality to geographic location and the importance of different types of placements.
Choosing the right link-building strategy is a multifaceted job that requires a delicate balance of budget, SEO goals, and an understanding of link building. It’s not just about getting links, it’s also about ensuring that they meet your brand’s unique needs and goals.
Ultimately, whether you choose to go in-house or work with an SEO agency, it’s all about making informed decisions that maximize your online visibility and increase sales.
FAQ
What is the difference between dofollow and nofollow links in terms of pricing?
Dofollow links pass link equity, directly benefiting SEO, which makes them pricier. Nofollow links don’t pass link juice but can still be valuable for traffic and diversity.
Can nofollow links help my SEO efforts?
Yes, they can. While nofollow links don’t directly impact rankings, they contribute to a natural backlink profile, signal authority, and drive traffic. Diversifying your link profile with nofollow links is a smart strategy.
Should I focus on one type of link or use a mix of different types?
A diverse link profile is ideal. Combining various link types (dofollow, nofollow, contextual, etc.) looks more natural to search engines, helps reach different audiences, and maximizes SEO benefits.
How do editorial links affect link-building pricing?
Editorial links, being highly authoritative and organic, often come at a premium price. They’re in high demand due to their SEO impact and should be factored into a well-balanced link-building strategy.
Is it worth investing in HARO (Help a Reporter Out) for link building?
Absolutely! HARO can provide high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources. It’s a cost-effective way to earn links by sharing your expertise and engaging with journalists.