--- name: link-building-strategy description: > Link building, backlink strategy, link acquisition, outreach plan. Covers linkable asset identification, tactic selection, and 12-week outreach playbook with templates. This is a tactics generator — it does NOT measure the user's backlink profile, domain authority, referring domain counts, or competitor backlink gaps numerically. Those require an Ahrefs / Majestic / Semrush / Moz MCP (Path B). The user can still hand-paste exported data from those tools if they have it. argument-hint: "[optional: path to Ahrefs/Moz export] [--non-interactive]" allowed-tools: Read Glob Grep Write Bash WebSearch WebFetch --- # Link Building Strategy Skill Generate a complete link acquisition tactics playbook and a 12-week action plan. This skill is a **tactics generator + outreach system**, not a backlink analyzer. If the user wants numerical backlink profile data, direct them to a Path B MCP integration. ## Cross-model note Works identically on Opus 4.7 / Sonnet 4.6 / Haiku 4.5. Most of this skill is reasoning + planning; WebSearch calls in Phase 2 parallelize cleanly across competitors. ## Execution: parallel-first - **Phase 2 link gap discovery**: WebSearch calls per competitor independent — batch - **Phase 3 linkable asset audit**: content file Reads in parallel - **Phase 4 tactic selection**: reasoning step - **Phase 5-7**: planning/template generation ## Capability Honesty Read `references/CAPABILITIES.md`. Key constraints: - **Numerical backlink counts / referring domains / DA/DR** require Ahrefs / Majestic / Semrush / Moz — Path B - **"Expected DA from tactic X" estimates** cannot be verified without those tools — treated as directional, NOT measured - **What this skill DOES**: identify linkable asset opportunities, generate outreach tactics + templates, structure a 12-week outreach cadence, observe link opportunities via WebSearch mentions If the user pastes exported data from Ahrefs / Moz / Semrush, parse and use it. Without that data, the skill runs in qualitative mode. --- ## Phase 1: Current Link Profile Assessment (qualitative OR data-driven) ### If User Has Exported Backlink Data If the user provides Ahrefs / Moz / Semrush / Ubersuggest exports or paste, parse and summarize: - Total referring domains - Total backlinks - DA / DR score - Top 10 linking domains by authority - Toxic link patterns (spam farms, PBNs, irrelevant foreign domains) Classify domains into qualitative tiers: | Tier | Quality Label | Typical Examples | |------|---------------|------------------| | A | Premium | Major publications, .edu, .gov | | B | Solid | Industry blogs, established sites | | C | Low-mid | Small blogs, directories | | D | Low/Risky | Spam farms, PBNs, foreign junk | ### If User Does NOT Have Exported Data Run in qualitative mode. Ask the user: - "Do you know of any recent backlinks to your site?" - "Have you had any press mentions, guest post placements, or podcast appearances?" - "Do you maintain any free tools, calculators, or original research that others might link to?" - "Are you in any niche directories or industry lists?" Recommend the user integrate a link-data MCP (Ahrefs / Majestic / Moz / Semrush) to unlock numerical assessment. In the meantime, proceed with qualitative planning. ### Toxic Link Check (only with data) Flag patterns visible in the export: - Domains with DA < 5 and no real content - Sites in unrelated foreign languages with no topical connection - Known link farms or PBN patterns - Exact-match anchor text appearing suspiciously often Recommend submitting a Google Disavow file if Tier D links exceed ~15% of total. --- ## Phase 2: Link Gap Analysis (observable via WebSearch) ### Step 1 — Identify Competitors Use the 3 competitor URLs the user provides, or suggest top 3 ranking sites for the user's primary keyword (via WebSearch). ### Step 2 — Discover Observable Mentions (parallel WebSearch per competitor) For each competitor: ``` WebSearch('"competitor.com" -site:competitor.com') WebSearch('"competitor brand name" recommendation OR review OR resource') ``` Collect domains that appear in results and cross-reference across competitors to find sites linking to multiple competitors but not the user. **Note**: This finds *observable mentions*, not a complete link graph. Comprehensive backlink audit requires Path B. Observable mentions are still the highest-leverage outreach targets — these are sites that already demonstrated willingness to link to similar content. ### Step 3 — Prioritize Opportunities Rate each opportunity on a 1-5 scale: - **Relevance** — How closely does the linking site match the target niche? - **Authority signal** — Is the site clearly a well-known publication vs. a small blog? (qualitative without Path B) - **Accessibility** — Does the site accept contributions, have a contact form, list an editor? - **Link type potential** — Could a contextual, in-content link be earned? Priority = (Relevance + Authority Signal + Accessibility + Link Type) / 4. Pursue 4.0+ first. --- ## Phase 3: Linkable Asset Audit Links cannot be earned without something worth linking to. ### Existing Content Review Evaluate the user's current content for link-worthiness. Strong linkable assets include: - **Original research or data** — Surveys, studies, industry benchmarks - **Comprehensive guides** — "Ultimate guide to X" that genuinely earns the title - **Free tools or calculators** — Interactive resources people reference - **Templates and frameworks** — Downloadable resources others cite - **Infographics or visual data** — Shareable visual content - **Controversial or unique opinions** — Strong takes that spark discussion ### Content Gap: What to Create Recommend 3-5 new "citation magnet" ideas based on the user's industry: 1. **Original Data Play** — Survey customers or analyze internal data; publish findings with charts. Journalists and bloggers cite original data. 2. **The Definitive Resource** — Single best page on a subtopic, 3x better than what currently ranks. 3. **Free Tool or Calculator** — Even a simple spreadsheet hosted as a Google Sheet earns links. 4. **Named Framework** — Branded methodology (e.g., "The 3R Content Framework"). Named concepts get cited. 5. **Annual Report or Index** — Yearly state-of-the-industry report. Becomes a recurring link magnet. ### Branded Strategy Opportunities Help the user coin a term or framework unique to their brand. Requirements: - Simple and memorable (3-5 words max) - Genuinely useful as a mental model - Easy to reference in other people's content - Searchable (someone who hears it can Google it and find you) --- ## Phase 4: Tactic Selection Reference: `references/link-building-tactics.md` for expanded playbooks. Based on the user's available time, budget, and business type, recommend 3-5 tactics. ### Tactic Menu | # | Tactic | Effort | Success Signal (qualitative) | |---|--------|--------|------------------------------| | 1 | **Skyscraper Technique** | 15-20 hrs | Low-to-moderate hit rate; higher on genuine 10x content | | 2 | **Broken Link Building** | 8-12 hrs | Low hit rate but warm prospects (they already linked) | | 3 | **Moving Man Method** | 10-15 hrs | Moderate hit rate when replacing rebranded/shut-down resources | | 4 | **Resource Page Link Building** | 5-8 hrs | Low-to-moderate; works best with strong topical fit | | 5 | **Digital PR / Original Research** | 20-40 hrs | High authority when landed; lower frequency | | 6 | **HARO / Media Requests** | 3-5 hrs/week | Moderate authority, steady cadence if you stay consistent | | 7 | **Strategic Guest Posting** | 8-15 hrs | 10-30% acceptance on well-targeted niche pitches | | 8 | **Link Reclamation** | 2-4 hrs | High hit rate on unlinked brand mentions — quick win | | 9 | **Competitor Link Gap Outreach** | 10-15 hrs | Low hit rate but pre-qualified prospects | | 10 | **Link Roundups** | 2-3 hrs/week | Low-to-moderate; compounds over time | | 11 | **Podcast Guesting** | 3-5 hrs per appearance | Moderate-to-high booking rate in niche shows | | 12 | **Testimonial Link Building** | 1-2 hrs | High hit rate — easy win for tools you actually use | | 13 | **Content Transformation** | 5-10 hrs | Passive earning via distribution | | 14 | **Local Community Links** | 2-5 hrs | High hit rate for local businesses | | 15 | **Affiliate / Partner Programs** | 20+ hrs setup | Ongoing passive earning | **Honest framing on success rates**: The rates above are qualitative ("low / moderate / high hit rate") because actual rates vary wildly by niche, pitch quality, and relationship building. Any percentage numbers in industry guides (e.g., "5-15% success") should be treated as ballpark, not measured. For detailed descriptions and execution steps, consult `references/outreach-templates.md`. --- ## Phase 5: LLM Co-Citation Strategy (AEO-Specific) Modern link building accounts for AI-generated answers. Links train the data AI models use to recommend brands. ### Goal: Get Mentioned Alongside Industry Leaders 1. **Publish comparison content** — "X vs Y vs [Brand]" articles. AI models learn brand-peer associations. 2. **Reddit and Quora presence** — Answer questions in niche threads; mention the product naturally where relevant. These platforms are heavily used as AI training data. 3. **Earn roundup mentions** — Get included in "Top 10 tools for X" and "Best resources for Y" articles. 4. **Third-party reviews** — G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, niche review sites. AI models reference these aggregators. 5. **Build cross-platform consensus** — If multiple independent sources mention the brand in similar context, AI models are more likely to recommend. Aim for consistent messaging across earned mentions. --- ## Phase 6: The 50/50 Plan Link building fails when only creating content or only doing outreach. Split effort evenly. ### 50% — Creating Link-Worthy Content - Publish 1 linkable asset every 2-4 weeks - Each piece targets a specific tactic (data study for Digital PR, guide for Skyscraper) - Quality over quantity ### 50% — Active Promotion and Outreach - Outreach emails every week - Track every email in a simple spreadsheet (date, recipient, tactic, status, result) - Follow up exactly once, 5-7 days after first email ### Weekly Targets by Available Hours | Monthly Hours | Weekly Outreach | Monthly Content | Expected Links (qualitative) | |--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| | 10 | 10-15 emails | 1 piece | Trickle | | 20 | 20-30 emails | 1-2 pieces | Steady | | 40 | 40-60 emails | 2-3 pieces | Strong cadence | | 60+ | 60-100 emails | 3-4 pieces | Aggressive | **Note**: Numerical link-count forecasts are unreliable without real measurement. The qualitative labels reflect observed cadence differences, not predictions. --- ## Phase 7: Outreach Templates Six ready-to-use templates: broken link notification, skyscraper outreach, resource page pitch, guest post pitch, link reclamation request, roundup submission. For all email templates with full text, consult `references/outreach-templates.md`. **Always customize** with specific details. Never send a generic email. --- ## Output: 12-Week Link Building Plan Generate a week-by-week plan tailored to available hours and selected tactics. ### Weeks 1-2: Foundation - Phase 1 link profile assessment (qualitative if no data) - Phase 2 link gap analysis via WebSearch - Phase 3 linkable asset audit - Set up outreach tracking spreadsheet - Create target list of 50 prospects - **Outreach**: 0 emails (prep) - **Content**: Outline 1 linkable asset ### Weeks 3-4: First Outreach - Start with highest-hit-rate tactics: link reclamation + testimonials - Send first outreach batch - Publish first linkable asset - Submit to 3-5 link roundups - Sign up for HARO / Connectively - **Outreach**: 15-25 emails/week ### Weeks 5-6: Scale Up - Launch first skyscraper or broken link campaign - Follow up on unanswered emails from weeks 3-4 - Respond to 5+ HARO queries per week - Engage in Reddit / Quora threads (Phase 5) - **Outreach**: 20-30 emails/week - **Content**: Publish second linkable asset ### Weeks 7-8: Diversify - Resource page outreach - First guest post pitches (3-5) - Write 2-3 testimonials for tools the business uses - Analyze what's working — double down on best-converting tactic - **Outreach**: 25-35 emails/week ### Weeks 9-10: Optimize - Review response rates — refine subject lines + templates - Publish third linkable asset (original data or free tool) - Pitch 2-3 podcasts - Create comparison content for LLM co-citation (Phase 5) - **Outreach**: 25-35 emails/week ### Weeks 11-12: Systematize - Document repeatable process per tactic - Build recurring monthly calendar - Set up Google Alerts for brand mentions (link reclamation pipeline) - Plan next quarter's linkable assets based on what earned most links - **Outreach**: 30-40 emails/week ### 12-Week Outputs (Qualitative) What you can track: outreach emails sent, replies received, mentions earned, confirmed new links, content published. What requires Path B to track: total referring domain count, DA/DR change, numerical "DA improvement +2-5". --- ## Key Reminders 1. **Personalize every email.** Generic mass emails get ignored. 2. **Track everything.** Log every outreach email + outcome. 3. **Follow up once.** 5-7 days later. More than that is spam. 4. **Focus on relevance over authority.** A perfectly relevant DA 30 link often outperforms an irrelevant DA 60 link. 5. **Be patient.** Link building compounds over months. 6. **Never buy links.** Purchased links violate Google's guidelines. 7. **Honest about measurement.** Track what you can observe. Recommend Path B MCPs for numerical backlink data.