How to Do Link Building Outreach (The Right Way) for SaaS

Your inbox is full of unanswered outreach emails.

You’ve spent hours crafting the perfect pitch for a link building outreach campaign. But most of your messages never even get a reply, and your sent folder is full of unanswered outreach emails.

Sound familiar? 

Without the right approach, the link building outreach process can feel like a black hole — where time and effort go in, but results rarely come out. But when done right, it’s one of the most powerful ways to increase your site’s authority, drive organic traffic and outrank your competitors.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the exact outreach strategies we use at Skale to build high-quality links for our SaaS clients. No fluff, no outdated tactics: just a step-by-step process that actually works.

What is link building outreach?

Link building outreach is the process of contacting website owners, writers or editors to secure backlinks to your content. These backlinks signal to search engines that your site is credible and authoritative, to boost organic traffic and ranking which ultimately leads to organic signups and new MRR for your SaaS

It’s a core part of any SEO strategy. Without backlinks, even the best content can struggle to rank on SERPs. But successful outreach isn’t just about getting links; it’s about building genuine relationships by providing value, establishing trust and positioning your content as a useful addition to partners’ sites.

Link outreach typically happens via email but can also take place on LinkedIn, X or private online communities. The goal is to connect with key decision-makers who can incorporate a link to your site’s pages somewhere within their content.

A typical link outreach process involves nine steps:

1. Get the right tools to streamline your outreach efforts
2. Create valuable content
3. Identify websites that may be interested in your content
4. Filter your prospects
5. Find the right people to reach out to
6. Start building a relationship with your prospects 
7. Reach out to your prospects
8. Follow up
9. Negotiate for the link and handle any objections. 

In the next section, we’ll break down each step in detail so you can start building high-quality links that drive real SEO results.

How to do link building outreach in 9 steps 

Sending mass emails and hoping for the best won’t get you the link building results you’re hoping for. But when you follow a structured process, you can secure high-quality backlinks that improve rankings, drive organic traffic and generate revenue for your business.

At Skale, we’ve refined an outreach strategy that actually works — and we’re sharing each step of it with you in granular details.

Step 1: Get the right tools 

Link building outreach may not be yielding the results you’d like it to because you’re still doing it manually. Scaling outreach without the right tools is nearly impossible: you spend hours finding contacts, sending emails and following up, only to get ignored.

At Skale, we’ve perfected a toolkit to streamline the entire process. Here are the tools we use to run and scale effective outreach campaigns.

Pitchbox

Pitchbox is an outreach automation platform designed for link building, influencer outreach and PR campaigns. It helps us find prospects, manage outreach and track responses in a structured way.

“Pitchbox is our go-to link building outreach tool. It’s a total game changer, letting us personalise emails while automating follow-ups. Talk about a time saver! It’s a crucial part of running a successful outreach campaign.”
— Dejan Klincarski, Outreach Specialist at Skale

Snov.io

Finding the right contact is half the battle. Snov.io helps us track down accurate email addresses to help us reach the right people.

Ahrefs

Outreach is only effective if you’re targeting the right sites. Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO tool that enables you to analyse domain metrics, organic traffic and keyword rankings to find the best link building opportunities.

Brain 

Brain is Skale’s proprietary tool. It houses our partner website database to help us plan links strategically and ensure every placement aligns with a client’s scope of work. 

Brain also powers our off-page content development process by dynamically building briefs that match the target website, client brand assets and product information. It keeps track of budgets, link assignments and uploads to help campaigns stay on track. 

With built-in reporting and analytics, we can monitor progress for each client and quickly flag any bottlenecks to make our outreach efforts more precise, efficient and data-driven.

Step 2: Create valuable content

No amount of effective link building outreach can compensate for weak content. If you want site owners to link to your pages, you need to create content that’s worth linking to. High-quality content naturally attracts backlinks because it provides real value to readers.

So, what makes content link-worthy?

• Original: Content should include unique insights, fresh data or expert opinions to stand out. Nobody wants to link to a rehashed version of something they’ve seen before.
• Comprehensive: The best content answers all the key questions on a topic, making it a go-to resource. In-depth, well-researched content attracts more backlinks than surface-level posts.
• Actionable: People love content that helps them achieve something. Whether it’s a step-by-step guide, a free checklist or a software comparison listicle, practical content gets shared and linked to more frequently.
• Visual: Images, infographics and videos make content more engaging. Visuals also increase the likelihood of earning links, as people often reference and embed them in their own content. 

👉🏼 For a great example of link-worthy content, check out is Shopify’s guide to product photography, which has 2.4k backlinks according to Ahrefs. It’s comprehensive, practical and full of high-quality visuals — which is exactly the kind of content people want to reference and share.

Source: Ahrefs

Step 3: Identify websites that may be interested in your content

Once you have great content, the next step is finding websites that may be  interested in linking to it. Here’s how we identify link-building prospects at Skale.

Use your existing network 

If you already have relationships with bloggers, journalists or site owners in your niche, start there. Warm outreach is always more effective than cold emails.

Learn how to leverage Google

Search engines can help you find highly relevant sites if you know the right queries. For example:

➡️ intitle: “resource page” [your topic]: Finds resource pages where your content might be a good fit.

➡️ inurl: links [your topic]: Surfaces curated link roundups.

➡️“write for us” + [your topic]: Finds sites open to guest contributions.

Analyse competitor backlinks

One of the easiest ways to find link-building opportunities is by looking at sites that already link to your competitors. If a website has linked to similar content before, they’re more likely to link to yours — especially if your content is better, more up-to-date or offers a unique angle.

To do this, use Ahrefs’ Site Explorer:

1. Enter a competitor’s domain.
2. Navigate to the “Backlinks” report.
3. Filter for “Dofollow” links to find links that pass SEO value.
4. Look for guest posts, resource pages and unlinked brand mentions, which often offer strong outreach opportunities.

ℹ️ Want to know more? Check out our in-depth guide on how to find and analyse competitor backlinks.

Run a content gap analysis

A content gap analysis is another way to identify websites that may be interested in your content. Also known as “link intersect,” this tactic helps you find sites that have linked to multiple competitors but not to you. 

This is a goldmine for finding outreach partners because if a site is linking to several competitors, they’re open to linking to content in your niche.

Here’s how to do it in Ahrefs Competitive Analysis tool:

1. Go to the “Competitive Analysis” tool.
2. Enter multiple competitor domains.
3. Ahrefs will show you websites that link to them but not to you.
4. Prioritise websites that link to multiple competitors, as they’re the most likely to be open to linking to your content as well.

Step 4: Filter your prospects  

After compiling a list of potential link-building targets, refine this list to focus on high-quality prospects. Here’s how to effectively filter your prospects:

✔️ Check domain authority (DA): Assess the site’s authority using metrics like Domain Rating (DR) or Domain Authority (DA) on Ahrefs or Moz. Higher scores typically indicate a stronger backlink profile, which can positively influence your site’s SEO performance. At Skale, we’ll only target websites with a DR of 54 or higher.

✔️ Evaluate organic traffic: Websites with consistent organic traffic are generally more trusted by search engines. Consider focusing on sites with a minimum threshold of monthly visitors to ensure they have an engaged audience. 

✔️ Assess content quality and relevance: High-quality, relevant content suggests that the site maintains editorial standards, which increases the value of any backlinks you might obtain. 

✔️ Analyse ad use: Take a look at how the site features ads. We avoid sites with big intrusive ads in the header or in the middle of an article, as this can negatively impact UX and, consequently, time on page. 

✔️ Analyse inbound to outbound links ratio: A healthy ratio indicates that a site isn’t merely a link farm, so opt for websites that maintain a balanced ratio of inbound to outbound links.​

Step 5: Find the right people to reach out to 

Outreach emails often go unanswered simply because they’re sent to the wrong person. But finding the right contact is easier than you think.

For a link-building campaign to work, you need to connect with the person who has the authority to approve backlinks. This is usually someone in content marketing, SEO or editorial roles. Here’s how to find them:

• Check bylines: Find the author’s name if reaching out about specific content.
• Search LinkedIn: Look for titles like Content Manager, SEO Manager, Editor or Marketing Director.
• Use email lookup tools: Hunter.io, Snov.io and similar tools help find verified emails.
• Check the contact page: Some sites have sections for content contributions or partnerships.
• Browse “About” and “Team” pages: Companies often list team members’ names along with their roles and emails.

Step 6: Build a relationship 

Most outreach guides will tell you the next step is to craft the perfect pitch email. But here’s the reality: cold emails get ignored. You need to warm up the relationship first, because when prospects recognise your name, they’re far more likely to respond positively.

Start by engaging with their content. Follow them on LinkedIn or X, leave thoughtful comments on their posts and share their articles with your own audience.

Then, instead of immediately asking for a link, offer something first. Could they contribute to a guest post? Join a podcast? Share insights for an industry roundup?

The goal here isn’t just to get one backlink; it’s to build a relationship that leads to multiple link opportunities over time.

“Outreach is all about building real connections. It’s not just about links; it’s about finding the right partners, adding value and keeping things genuine. A bit of kindness and authenticity can make all the difference and result in valuable long-term link building partnerships.”
— Dejan Klincarski, Outreach Specialist at Skale

Step 7: Email your prospects 

Now that you’ve built a connection, it’s time to reach out. According to Dejan Klincarski, Outreach Specialist at Skale, successful outreach comes down to a few key principles. “Start with value. Make it clear how working with you will help your prospect hit their goals.”

Dejan also underlines that “personalisation is just as important, and nobody likes generic ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ emails. Take the time to find the right person, mention something relevant about their role or company and keep it short and to the point.”

At Skale, we use a mix of email templates and personalised emails. Templates save time, but they should always be a starting point, not a copy-paste solution. Even a simple tweak, like referencing a recent article or LinkedIn post, can make a big difference.

📩 Example outreach email

Subject: Quick question about your [article title or topic]

Hi [First Name],

I was reading your piece on [topic] — especially the part about [specific point], which had me nodding along. It’s rare to find content that actually makes me pause and think, so thanks for that.

It reminded me of a [guide/post/resource] we just published on [brief topic]. We approached it from a [unique angle/takeaway], and I thought it might pair nicely with your section on [where the link would fit].

Totally get you’re probably bombarded with emails like this, but if it’s even 10% as useful as I think it is, your readers might enjoy it.

No pressure — just thought I’d share. Want me to send over the link so you can take a look?Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Company]
[Contact Info]

Step 8: Follow up

Most people won’t reply to your first email, but that doesn’t mean they’re not interested. They might be busy, or your message may have been buried in their inbox. A well-timed follow-up can make all the difference.

The key is to be persistent without being pushy. Wait five to seven days before following up, and keep your message short and polite. Reference your original email, restate the value and make it easy for them to say yes.

📩 Example follow-up email

Subject: Just bumping this up — promise not to spam

Hey [First Name],

Just wanted to nudge this back to the top of your inbox in case it got buried (happens to me daily).

If you think the piece on [topic] might fit your article, I’d love to get your quick take. If not — all good, and I’ll stop pestering you 🙂Thanks again for the great read,
[Your Name]

“Don’t neglect follow-ups. Spamming someone right off the bat? Big no-no. But politely following up after a few days? That’s smart. Crack a joke, offer something different and find a way to stand out to boost your chances of getting a reply. Even a ‘no’ is better than silence.”
— Dejan Klincarski, Outreach Specialist at Skale

Step 9: Negotiate for the link

Even after a successful outreach campaign, you’ll sometimes face objections. The way you handle these conversations can make all the difference in turning a “no” into a “yes.”

We asked one of our outreach specialists about the most common objections and how to navigate them.

Objection #1: “We charge for links.”

Some sites monetise their backlinks, but paying for links can be risky for SEO and may not be an option for your budget. The best approach here is to politely decline and shift the conversation toward a mutually beneficial exchange — such as offering a guest post, an expert quote or a social media share.

Objection 2: “We don’t do partnerships like this.”

If a website isn’t engaged in link building at the moment, it may be they’re going through a content refresh or site migration. Or perhaps the site just doesn’t have someone managing SEO. Instead of pushing, ask if there’s a better time to follow up. If they don’t provide a timeline, check back in two to three months.

Objection 3: “It’s not relevant to my audience.”

This is a sign that something went wrong earlier in your process. If you researched their content well, this shouldn’t happen often. But if it does, take a moment to re-evaluate. If the pitch was off, adjust your approach and try again with a stronger, more relevant angle.

Step 9: Wait for the link to go live

Once a prospect agrees to add your link, your job isn’t done yet. Some links go live quickly, while others take weeks, especially if they’re part of a scheduled content update. Be patient, but follow up if needed. Send a brief, polite check-in after one to two weeks to ensure your link didn’t fall through the cracks. 

Once the link is live, verify it’s correct and track its performance when you do your regular backlink monitoring. And congratulations on successfully building a high-quality backlink. 

Now, check out some common mistakes to look out for so you can keep your outreach process running smoothly.

Link building outreach pitfalls and how to avoid them

Here’s how to overcome the most common outreach mistakes and improve your success rate:

• Reaching out to irrelevant websites: Target sites that are relevant to your niche and have an audience that would benefit from your content.
  
• Sending generic outreach emails: Personalise every message. Mention specific details about the partner’s site or recent content to show you’ve done your homework.
  
• Ignoring domain authority (DA): Prioritise high-authority sites, as backlinks from them carry more SEO value than links from low-quality websites.
  
• Engaging with spammy websites: Avoid link farms and low-quality directories. Spammy backlinks can do more harm than good for your rankings.
  
• Over-optimising anchor text: Keep your anchor text natural. A mix of branded, exact match and generic phrases helps avoid search engine penalties.
  
• Not following up: Many prospects simply miss your first email, and a well-timed follow-up increases your chances of getting a response.
  
• Making it all about you: Centering your outreach email around your needs is a quick way to get ignored. Instead, focus on how linking to your content can benefit them.
  
• Poor subject lines: Your subject line is the first thing a recipient sees. A weak subject line will get your email ignored, so keep it clear, concise and relevant to your outreach goal.
  
• Trying to handle everything in-house: Link building takes time, resources and expertise. If you don’t have the capacity, consider outsourcing link building to a trusted agency.

You don’t need to do link building outreach yourself 

Link-building outreach takes time, patience and the right strategy. From finding the right prospects to crafting personalised emails and negotiating for placements, every step matters — and it can be a lot to manage on your own.

If you’re considering outsourcing link building, check out our guide to the top link-building agencies in 2025 to find the right partner.

And if you’re looking for a proven link-building partner for SaaS brands, Skale has a track record of delivering real results. 

For example, we helped Piktochart achieve an 860% increase in monthly signups and a 995% boost in organic clicks to targeted presentation pages within just three months. ​Similarly, our premium link building service led to a 2,500% increase in organic signups, reaching 70,000 signups on targeted pages, for our client Happy Scribe.

Unlike traditional agencies, we don’t just chase links: we build SEO-driven, high-impact link-building strategies that help SaaS brands grow. Let’s talk about how we can do the same for you.