Avoid harmful backlinks

You are on this page, because you know that you have potentially harmful backlinks.

Get a free backlink audit – you don’t even have to talk to me.

Get a FREE backlink audit

Why do I need a backlink audit?

Low-quality backlinks can not just not bring any SEO value, they can actually harm your website.

Google can spot harmful backlinks algorithmically and penalize your website.

“Sascha is an SEO wizard.“
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3 Types of Low-Quality Backlinks

Inflated DR

  • Domain Rating (DR) is a 3rd party metric that can be manipulated.

Manipulated Traffic

  • Organic Traffic numbers is SEO tools like ahref or SEMRush can be manipulated, too.

Link-farms

  • Websites that only exist to link to other pages. Often a low ratio of inbound links to outbound links.

Why does it matter?

Not benefitting

  • At its best, low-quality backlinks don’t improve your SEO rankings and will be ignored by Google.

Wasted Opportunity

  • Placing low-quality backlinks means that you wasted your resources. The opportunity cost are high-quality backlinks that improve your SEO.

Harmful

  • You potentially paid for a service that will backfire and decrease your SEO performance.

Overpaying

  • In the end, you are getting ripped of by your link provider.

Non indexed link

  • Link placement on low quality sites often don’t get indexed and therefore noticed by Google.

How does the audit work?

I conduct the audit and you don’t even have to talk to me.

  • Submit the form below
  • I conduct an audit
  • I will send you my findings along with a personalized video to explain everything
  • You don’t have to schedule a call or talk to me to receive the findings
Get a FREE backlink audit

Case Study: Taking over link-building from an agency

Decrease in Cost per Link

(with yet, higher link quality)

In Spring 2021 my client was hit by a Google Core Algorith Update. They recovered briefly after one year before falling again. After looking into their link profile I quickly identified low-quality and even harmful links (e.g. links from Philipienes travel sites for a US financial solution).

Solution:
First, for about 1.5 years we worked with a reduced backlink budget. The client previously spent $3,000 per month with the old SEO agency and reduced the spend with me to $2,000. Even with the reduced budget, I was able to consistantly deliver more backlinks with a signficant higher quality resulting in growing SEO performance exceeding the previous highs.
Secondly, after 16 months we increased the budget to the original $3,000 decreasing the cost per links even further while increasing the quality.

Since changing the backlink strategy, my client not just weathered every Google Algorithm Update, but also increased performance, resulting in more organic leads and ultimately, revenue. All this, by spending 65% less per backlink!

Most common link building issues

Only one link building tactic

Most agencies or link services only provide one type of backlink: either guest posts or link insertions. A natural link profile consists of multiple link types.

Only one backlink metic

Most link services only focus on one backlink metric like DR or in some better case a combination of DR and traffic. The metrics, however, need to be verified.

Not relevant backlinks

Often delivered backlinks aren’t topical or geographical relevant.

Harmful links to fulfill quota

In order to deliver the quoted number of links or to make up for their margin, bad link providers implement bad backlinks to meet the quota.

Manual Link Building Freelancer vs Agency

Backlink Freelancer

  • Customized solution
  • Flexible backlink delivery: link types & tactics
  • Direct access to the link-building expert
  • Flexible collaboration (length, scope, pricing)
  • No agency structure fees ($)
  • Consulting outside backlinks is possible
  • Always the same contact person

Link Building Agency

  • One size fits all
  • Fixed deliverables
  • Contact with an account manager (not an expert)
  • Long-term contracts without flexibility
  • High structural costs ($$$)
  • Pure focus on backlinks
  • Changing team – loss of know-how and experience with the campaigns
Talk to a real link-building expert

Tailored Link Building Pricing for Maximum Value

The goal is to deliver a natural link profile with a mix of high-quality, authoritative backlinks:

  • Link Type: Mix guest posts, link insertions, and other link types
  • Domain Rating (DR) & Website Traffic: The higher the DR and website traffic, the more valuable and costly the link. Pricing increases progressively as you move up the tiers.
SH Media Backlink Price Matrix
Actual Relevance

Topical, TLD, language, and traffic sources

Vetted Domain Metrics

Non-inflated & manipulated traffic and DR numbers

Inbound/Outbound Ratio

Healthy ratio of inbound to outbound links of the referring domain

Potential link combination based on your backlink budget

All prices are dynamic based on the link type and backlink metrics. Your budget will always be fulfilled but with variable delivery. Below are examples how a monthly delivery could look like:

Month 1: 7 backlinks
1x Guest Post DR 50; TR 10K
1x Guest Post DR 30; TR 5k
1x Guest Post DR 20; TR 5k
1x Guest Post DR 10; TR 5k
1x Link Insertion DR 30; TR 10k
2x Link Insertion DR 20; TR 3k

Month 2: 9 backlinks
1x Guest Post DR 40; TR 3k
1x Guest Post DR 30; TR 1k
1x Guest Post DR 20; TR 5k
2x Guest Post DR 10; TR 10k
1x Link Insertion DR 40; TR 5k
1x Link Insertion DR 30; TR 10k
2x Link Insertion DR 20; TR 5k

Month 1: 11 backlinks
1x Guest Post DR 50; TR 10K
2x Guest Post DR 40; TR 3k
1x Guest Post DR 30; TR 5k
1x Guest Post DR 20; TR 5k
1x Guest Post DR 10; TR 5k
2x Link Insertion DR 40; TR 10k
2x Link Insertion DR 30; TR 10k
1x Link Insertion DR 20; TR 5k

Month 2: 13 backlinks
1x Guest Post DR 50; TR 10k
2x Guest Post DR 40; TR 3k
1x Guest Post DR 30; TR 1k
1x Guest Post DR 20; TR 5k
2x Guest Post DR 10; TR 10k
2x Link Insertion DR 40; TR 5k
2x Link Insertion DR 30; TR 10k
2x Link Insertion DR 20; TR 5k

Month 1: 22 backlinks
1x Guest Post DR 60; TR 10k
2x Guest Post DR 50; TR 10K
3x Guest Post DR 40; TR 3k
4x Guest Post DR 30; TR 5k
2x Guest Post DR 20; TR 10k
2x Guest Post DR 20; TR 5k
3x Guest Post DR 10; TR 5k
1x Link Insertion DR 50; TR 10k
1x Link Insertion DR 30; TR 10k
2x Link Insertion DR 20; TR 5k
1x Link Insertion DR 20; TR 3k

Month 2: 25 backlinks
2x Guest Post DR 50; TR 10K
2x Guest Post DR 40; TR 3k
3x Guest Post DR 30; TR 5k
2x Guest Post DR 20; TR 10k
1x Guest Post DR 20; TR 5k
3x Guest Post DR 10; TR 5k
1x Link Insertion DR 50; TR 10k
1x Link Insertion DR 50; TR 5k
2x Link Insertion DR 30; TR 10k
4x Link Insertion DR 20; TR 5k
1x Link Insertion DR 20; TR 3k
3x Link Insertion DR 10; TR 1k