Why We Reject 80% of Websites, and How It Delivers Lasting SEO Results

In link building, quantity isn’t what matters most. If you’ve ever done link placements, you know: finding a donor site isn’t the problem. The real challenge is finding a high-quality site that actually benefits your project. That’s why we reject about 80% of the sites we come across during our search. In this article, we’ll explain why we’re so selective and share a short case study to show how this approach works in practice.

Why We Say “No” to Most Websites

We check every site against dozens of criteria, but the main reasons for rejection usually come down to:

• Manipulated metrics. DR 50, but only 100 visitors a month? In many cases, these numbers are simply inflated.
• No real traffic. A site is worthless if no actual people are reading it.
• Questionable content. Spammy topics, unstructured AI-generated texts, or no editorial standards are a definite no-go for us.
• Overpriced placements. Some sites ask for hundreds of dollars while offering no traffic and outdated design. Those don’t pass our approval.

What the Path to a Single Placement Looks Like

Securing just one quality placement requires a whole process:

1. Research. Finding 50–100 potential sites for a query.
2. Initial screening. Filtering out spam and sites with manipulated metrics.
3. Traffic analysis. Reviewing data from Ahrefs, SimilarWeb, or Semrush.
4. Relevance check. Ensuring the site is topically relevant and the link fits naturally.
5. Outreach. Sending emails, waiting for replies, and negotiating terms.
6. Quality control. Making sure the article is unique, useful, and natural.
7. Final review after publishing. Only then does the site make it to the whitelist.

In the end, just 1–2 quality sites remain out of a hundred, but they’re the ones that actually deliver results.

Mini Case: Our Placement

• Task: Placing links for App Marketing Services.
• Challenge: Most sites were either irrelevant or lacked real traffic.
• Research: 120 sites found.
• Chosen for outreach: 25.
• Approved for placement: 5.

Result: By carefully selecting the right donor site and creating well-written content, we secured a placement that consistently attracts a small but steady stream of traffic and also ranks across AI-generated search results. Every impression or visit is a potential lead for our client.

Mini Case: Ranking Changes After Link Placement

• Task: Improve rankings for the keyword forum link building services.
• Challenge: High competition.
• Research: 100 sites found.
• Chosen for outreach: 30.
• Approved for placement: 4.
• Links published: 2.

Result: After placing two links, the keyword forum link building services improved by 3 positions, moving from 9th place to 6th.

Summary

We don’t chase quantity. Instead, we focus on sites that actually work. That’s why we reject 80% of proposals and why our links remain stable even after Google updates. Our approach involves dozens of checks, filtering out questionable sites, and investing only in resources that can deliver real value.

From a hundred sites, we select only a few, but those are the ones that drive traffic, rank in search engines, and help clients grow. And our case studies prove that quality placements aren’t accidental, but the result of systematic work, careful analysis, and high standards.