Manual Link Building: Is It Still Worth the Effort in SEO?

Is manual link building still a valid and effective tactic?

For years, the debate has raged among SEO professionals and digital marketers: is the hands-on approach to link building still a valid and effective tactic?

With Google’s continuous algorithm updates, it’s becoming increasingly evident that human-generated backlinks are precisely what the search engine giant values.

Despite the proliferation of automated link-building tools, the consensus is that manual link building is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future.

What is Manual Link Building?

While a multitude of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques exist today, link building remains a cornerstone for improving a website’s search engine rankings.

In particular, a manual approach to link building is a powerful method for driving traffic and enhancing your brand’s authority.

Simply put, manual link building is a collection of techniques executed by a person, not by an automated program.

Some popular manual link-building techniques include:

• Writing testimonials
• Guest posting
• Engaging with influencers
• Relevant blog comments
• High-quality press releases
• Fostering authentic relationships

The emphasis here is on quality over quantity. Instead of mass-sending link requests, the goal is to build them organically by prioritizing high-quality content over manipulative, spammy tactics.

When executed correctly, this deliberate approach offers a predictable and scalable way to increase your referral traffic.

This puts you in control. You have the final say on where your links are placed, how they are integrated, and who receives the credit.

While this strategy demands more time and effort, it’s a worthwhile investment for achieving high rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs).

It’s crucial to understand the difference between automated and manual link building so you can choose the right strategy for your website.

Think of it as the difference between a robot building a house and a human master craftsman building one.

What is Automated Link Building?

Automated link building is a process where you use specialized software or bots to automatically create links to your website.

You essentially give the tool a list of keywords or pages, and it does the rest.

• Pros: It’s incredibly fast and requires very little effort. You can generate hundreds of links in a short amount of time.
• Cons: The links are almost always low-quality, unnatural, and often come from irrelevant or spammy websites. You have zero control over where your links are placed. Because these links are a red flag for search engines, this method can easily lead to a Google Penalty, which will cause your website’s traffic and rankings to plummet.

In short, while automated tools might seem tempting for their speed, they put your website at serious risk of being penalized. Manual link building is a safer, more sustainable strategy that builds a strong, trustworthy foundation for your site and leads to lasting results.

Is Manual Link Building Still Worth the Effort?

If your primary goal is to build backlinks as quickly as possible without concern for quality, automated link building might seem like the ideal choice.

However, a manual penalty could completely negate all the hard work you’ve put into your website.

This is why, despite being time-consuming, manual link building is a far more valuable and safer tactic for your link-building efforts.

Automated software can also harm your company’s reputation, especially for a small business, as your link might be perceived as spam or appear on a questionable site.

So, it’s safe to say that a hands-on approach is a much safer practice than the automated alternative.

Furthermore, by cultivating relevant, high-quality links through manual methods, you are more likely to improve your search engine ranking.

Finally, if you’re new to link building, automated methods are not the wisest choice. Manual link building should be your primary focus.

If you’re aiming to build valuable links and drive referral traffic, manual link building is your best bet. It offers the greatest chance for your site to be discovered and rank high in SERPs, particularly for new websites.

What Constitutes a Quality Link? 🤔

Quality links are those that:

• Are contextually relevant
• Offer value to the user
• Are hosted on reputable domains
• Are integrated with natural anchor text
• Blend seamlessly into the content

Essential Manual Link Building Strategies

Now that you’re convinced of the value, you’ll want to know how to get started.

Here are a few key techniques to consider before you begin building links manually.

1. Building Relationships

The first step to acquiring good links is to connect with others.

An organic way to receive high-quality links from credible sources is to first establish a relationship with them.

Building relationships with authoritative websites and individuals in your niche can involve offering value, like social shares and comments, and staying top of mind by linking to their content when relevant.

If you have something valuable to offer these connections, they may be more inclined to direct their audience to your website via a backlink. A reciprocal relationship often leads to mutual benefits.

Our top advice is to always be polite and friendly and to avoid being pushy, especially if the channel isn’t willing to include your link.

When we assisted Heer Law with their link building, we focused on building relationships to secure links from high-authority legal websites. Since legal opinions are highly valued by blogs and news sites, we secured several linked mentions for the law firm in various online publications.

No matter your industry, fostering relationships can help you earn backlinks.

2. Writing Testimonials

Every business understands the power of positive public perception. Excellent reviews, especially on third-party websites with high domain authority, can significantly boost your reputation and establish you as an expert in your field.

When potential customers see good reviews, they are more likely to trust and purchase from you. Reviews demonstrate your value and expertise.

Most businesses would do anything for a five-star review. This is where you can add value and build relationships.

This technique involves offering to write testimonials for other businesses’ products and services.

If you’ve written a positive review for a company, you can then ask them to link to your website in return.

This method is not only free but also a great way to expand your network and earn a backlink.

Who knows, your contact might even reciprocate with a positive review for your business.

3. Guest Blogging

This is a time-intensive tactic, as it requires producing high-quality content, but it offers one of the highest long-term returns.

Guest blogging is the practice of writing blog posts for other websites that accept external contributions. You can include links pointing back to your own website within this content.

Not only is your blog post a highly relevant and contextual place for your link, but it also helps to position your brand as a thought leader or industry expert.

Links from reputable websites, such as guest blogs, help you build trust with search engines.

It’s a win-win: you build links for your business, while the guest blog site benefits from your valuable content.

Top Tips for Guest Blogging 👈

• Only select websites that are relevant to your niche.
• Ensure the article is not a blatant sales pitch for your business; it must provide value to the reader.
• The blog post must be exceptionally well-written. Consider seeking professional help if needed.

4. Networking with Influencers

In the age of social media, your brand cannot afford to ignore relationships with relevant influencers.

Brands are building massive audiences by networking with influencers who are a good fit for their business.

These influencers often charge businesses to include their backlinks on their websites and social media accounts.

However, you may occasionally find influencers who are willing to include your link for free, usually in exchange for a perk you can offer.

This could be a free product or service, or even branded merchandise.

If you can network with influencers and provide them with something of value in exchange for a backlink, you have the opportunity to reach a massive audience.

5. High-Quality Press Releases

Often, press releases and other syndicated content are overloaded with keywords to the point of being unreadable.

Brands sometimes use press releases as a vehicle for including multiple backlinks. This means anyone who publishes the release automatically has your link on their site.

However, if you use press releases for their intended purpose—to announce something newsworthy—and avoid keyword stuffing, this can be a successful link-building technique.

A word of caution: abusing this method is a fast way to get a Google Penalty. This is because the search engine can identify these links as unnatural, especially in spammy press releases.

The purpose of a good press release is to help writers, journalists, influencers, and readers discover something new and important.

Keeping your press release aligned with these goals should help you stay on Google’s good side.

Final Thoughts on Manual Link Building

Many people argue that with the rise of automated link-building software, a hands-on approach is no longer necessary.

Also, because these techniques are time-consuming, many link builders prefer the automated route.

However, manual link building is crucial for the long-term success of your website and is an essential part of any effective link-building strategy.

We have helped hundreds of clients with their manual link-building efforts, including fostering relationships through outreach and guest blogging.

If you’d like to partner with a reputable link-building agency that understands how to do manual link building correctly, visit our website to get in touch. We’d be happy to talk.