Link building software, agency, marketplace or in house
There are four realistic ways to acquire links. They differ less in results than in who does the judging, who keeps the evidence, and what happens when it goes wrong.
The short answer
Software suits teams with someone willing to approve pitches weekly. An agency suits teams with budget and no time. Fully manual in house work suits very small, very specific campaigns. Marketplaces sell placements, which puts them outside search engine guidelines.
Comparison
| Approach | Who judges quality | Evidence you get | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link building software | You, guided by scores and reasons | Depends on the tool; LinkRobin keeps verified screenshots | Tools that optimise for volume over relevance |
| Agency or freelancer | The agency, to standards you have to audit | A monthly report, usually without live verification | Placements you would not have approved yourself |
| Fully manual in house | You, on every prospect | Whatever you record yourself | It stops the week everyone gets busy |
| Link marketplace | Nobody, the placement is purchased | An invoice and a URL | Paid links are a link scheme under Google's policies |
Where LinkRobin fits
LinkRobin replaces the mechanical parts of in house link building: finding relevant pages, scoring them, finding the right contact, writing the first draft, tracking the conversation, and verifying the result. It does not replace your judgement, and it will not send anything you have not read.
- Good fit: founders and SEO teams who want earned links and a record they can show.
- Good fit: agencies who need verified proof pages and client ready reports.
- Poor fit: anyone who wants a fixed number of links per month regardless of relevance.
- Poor fit: anyone who wants placements bought on their behalf.
What to look for in any option
- Does it show you why a site was chosen, in language you could repeat to a client?
- Does it verify placements on the live page, or just report them?
- Does anything send without your approval?
- Are paid placements involved at any point in the chain?
- Can you export your data and evidence if you leave?
Frequently asked questions
Is software cheaper than an agency?
Usually per link, because you supply the judgement and the writing time. An agency costs more per month and gives you back hours. Which is cheaper depends on what your hours are worth.
When is an agency the better choice?
When nobody on your team has time to read pitches and approve them each week, or when you need original PR level content produced as well as placed.
What about link marketplaces?
Marketplaces sell placements. Paying for links to pass ranking signals is a link scheme under Google's spam policies, which is why LinkRobin does not integrate with them.
Can you use LinkRobin alongside an agency?
Yes. Agencies use it for discovery, scoring and the verified proof pages they hand to clients, while keeping their own writers on the pitching.