How to Vet and Validate Link Prospects (Fast) - 3.1. Link Building Course

TL;DR

Learn fast methods to vet and validate link prospects efficiently.

Transcript

Hey, it's Sam Oh and welcome to the third module which is all about vetting and validating link prospects. Now, straightup, this stage is kind of boring. You're basically taking your huge list of unfiltered prospects and checking them for a couple of things. In short, you want to make sure that a) they're actually links you want; and b) that your l... Read More

Key Insights

• Vetting link prospects involves ensuring they are relevant and valuable, which can be a tedious but necessary process.
• Initial filtering can be done using SEO metrics like Domain Rating and website traffic, although these should not be solely relied upon.
• Relevance of the prospect's page to the link pitch is crucial, requiring careful assessment of page titles and content.
• Automated tools like Screaming Frog can significantly reduce the time needed for verifying specific linkable points within prospect pages.
• Manual vetting is sometimes necessary, especially when dealing with complex linkable points that cannot be accurately assessed by automated tools.
• The vetting process includes identifying the right individuals to contact, which is considered part of validating a prospect.
• The video emphasizes the importance of personalized and relevant pitches to increase the likelihood of successful link building.
• Future lessons in the series will cover team building and identifying the best contacts for outreach.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the first step in vetting link prospects?

The first step in vetting link prospects is to narrow down the list using SEO metrics such as Domain Rating and domain-level website traffic. These metrics help identify potentially valuable prospects, but they should not be relied upon exclusively as they have limitations.

Q: Why is relevance important in link prospecting?

Relevance is crucial in link prospecting because it ensures that the links you acquire are pertinent to your content, which increases the chances of successful link building. Checking the titles and content of prospect pages helps confirm their relevance to your pitch.

Q: How can Screaming Frog assist in the vetting process?

Screaming Frog can assist in the vetting process by automating the search for specific linkable points within prospect pages. By setting up custom searches, users can quickly identify pages mentioning certain keywords, saving significant time compared to manual checks.

Q: When is manual vetting necessary?

Manual vetting is necessary when dealing with complex linkable points where automated tools cannot accurately assess the context. This involves thoroughly reviewing the content to ensure that the prospect's mention aligns with your link-building goals.

Q: What role does identifying the right contact play in vetting?

Identifying the right contact is integral to the vetting process as it determines who should receive your outreach pitch. Researching and validating the appropriate person to contact increases the likelihood of your pitch being considered and accepted.

Q: How does the video suggest handling irrelevant prospects?

The video suggests excluding irrelevant prospects by assessing the relevance of their content to your link pitch. Pages that do not align with your content or are in a different language should be excluded to maintain the quality of your prospect list.

Q: What is the significance of the '93%' stat example?

The '93%' stat example illustrates the importance of verifying that prospects still mention the linkable point you intend to reference in your pitch. This ensures that your outreach is relevant and makes sense to the recipient, enhancing the effectiveness of your link-building efforts.

Q: What future topics will be covered in the series?

Future topics in the series will cover team building and strategies for identifying the best contacts for outreach. These lessons aim to provide insights into assembling a team for link prospecting and optimizing the contact process to improve link-building success.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video discusses the process of vetting and validating link prospects, focusing on ensuring that prospects are relevant and valuable for link building efforts. It outlines a three-step process involving SEO metrics, relevance checks, and validation of pitch angles.

• Using tools like Screaming Frog, the video demonstrates how to automate part of the vetting process, significantly reducing the time and effort required. This involves setting up custom searches to quickly identify relevant linkable points on prospect pages.

• Manual vetting is necessary for complex linkable points, requiring detailed examination of context and content. The video also highlights the importance of identifying the right contacts for outreach, which is part of the overall vetting process.