Managed Link Building
A fully run link programme with monthly targets, owned end to end by a senior strategist.
- Pillar
- SEO & Link Building
- Engagement
- Retained, monthly
- Ownership
- One senior strategist
- Reporting
- Weekly digest, monthly review
- Pairs with
- Link Building, Digital PR
Managed link building is an ongoing retained programme in which the agency owns strategy, outreach, placement and reporting against agreed monthly targets.
Why a managed programme differs from buying placements
Most link buying fails on operations rather than tactics, nobody owns targeting, quality control or the connection between placements and the pages that need them.
Targets before tactics
A managed programme starts from the pages and terms that need authority, then works backwards to the coverage worth earning. Unowned link buying inverts that.
Quality control is the product
Vetting, rejection and cleanup consume more of the work than outreach does. That is what separates a programme from a supply arrangement.
Continuity compounds
Relationships with editors and journalists take months to establish and pay out for years. Rotating vendors resets that clock each time.
How does Managed Link Building work?
Scope
Agree standards, pacing and the pages that matter.
Operate
Weekly outreach with production support.
Report
Monthly review against agreed targets, held live.
Adjust
Quarterly recalibration as priorities and competitors shift.
What is included?
Programme strategy
Target profile, page priorities and pacing agreed at kickoff.
Dedicated outreach
A named team running weekly cycles against your story inventory.
Monthly targets
Agreed placement standards and volumes, reported against.
Content production
Contributed pieces and data assets produced in-house where needed.
Profile management
Ongoing toxic-link monitoring and disavow hygiene.
Executive reporting
Monthly review tying placements to ranking and citation movement.
How is a managed programme measured?
Coverage earned against the pages that needed it, reported with the ranking and citation movement that followed.
- Placements against target pages: not just placements in aggregate
- Referring domain growth: net new, relevant, independent
- Rejection rate: opportunities declined on quality grounds
- Ranking movement: on the supported pages and terms
- Profile composition: link type, anchor and source mix over time
BASELINE FIGURES · TO SUPPLY PER CLIENT
Where does it apply?
How does this differ from an in-house effort?
| Dimension | In-house effort | RankingBite |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Split across marketing roles | One senior strategist accountable |
| Relationships | Rebuilt with each campaign | Maintained continuously |
| Vetting | Ad hoc | Standardised, documented, auditable |
| Cadence | Campaign-shaped | Continuous, with monthly targets |
| Reporting | Placement list | Placements tied to page-level outcomes |
Is a managed programme right for you?
A good fit when
- You want authority work run for you, with targets and accountability.
- You have priority pages that need external support.
- You value continuity over the lowest per-placement price.
Not the right service when
- You have a capable in-house outreach team already.
- You need a one-off campaign rather than a programme.
- You want the vendor to buy placements on your behalf.
The programme includes saying no to opportunities you are paying us to find. That is the part that protects the profile.
Proof
Four documented engagements. Figures are confirmed with each client before publication rather than estimated.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from Link Building?
Same discipline, but fully managed with agreed monthly targets and dedicated capacity rather than project-based.
What are typical standards?
Editorial-only, topical relevance, real audience, no networks or exchanges. Exact thresholds are agreed at scoping.
Minimum term?
Quarterly, because editorial pickup does not fit a monthly cycle.
Who owns it?
One senior strategist, capped at three clients.
What is included in “managed”?
Targeting, prospecting, vetting, outreach, editorial management, placement, reporting and cleanup, plus the decisions about what not to pursue.
Do we approve placements before they go live?
You see the target list and can veto anything. Editorial timing means the publication decides the final date, so we agree standards up front rather than approving each piece late.
How does this interact with digital PR?
Digital PR is the acquisition engine for the higher tier of coverage. The managed programme owns the whole portfolio, including the PR-driven part.
What happens if a month underdelivers?
We report it plainly with the reason, and the shortfall carries into the following cycle. We do not backfill with inventory we would otherwise reject.
This feeds the AI visibility pillar.
The same editorial authority that lifts rankings is the corroboration answer engines need before they will recommend you.
Related services
Is MLB the right place to start?
Send your domain and what you are trying to fix. We will tell you whether managed link building is the constraint, and, candidly, whether we are the right firm for it.