Get ready to unlock the secrets of backlinks! These are the 10 essential tools I’ve used to secure links from high-authority websites like Entrepreneur.com.
And even Forbes:
With that, it’s time to reveal my favorite link-building and outreach tools.
1. Ubersuggest
Emphasizing Speed
The world’s fastest backlink discovery platform, Ubersuggest, is my secret weapon for all SEO tasks, including link building.
What sets Ubersuggest apart is the quality of its backlink data. Beyond backlinks, Ubersuggest offers a plethora of other features, such as:
- A robust Keyword research tool
- On-page SEO checker
- Position tracking
- Content optimization tool The interface is clean and user-friendly, making it easy to navigate through all the tools. Pricing: $12-$29 per month My favorite feature: The link link-building tool Ubersuggest has a built-in outreach tool.
Streamline your outreach process and track your campaigns efficiently with Ubersuggest’s powerful link-building tools.
Ubersuggest also monitors your backlink profile, alerting you immediately if any links are lost.
To learn more about Semrush’s other features, check out my Ubersuggest Guide.
2. Pitchbox
Use workflows that walk you through the outreach process.
Pitchbox is an outreach platform built for advanced link builders.
Once you start a campaign, it walks you through all the steps to find prospects and grab contact info.
Pitchbox is a collaborative tool that allows multiple team members to work on the same campaign. This means you can assign specific tasks, such as email writing or personalization, to different team members.
Pricing: $550-$1500 per month (annual commitment)
My Favorite Feature: Metrics Filters
This feature enables you to refine your results based on specific quality metrics. You can filter by Majestic Citation Flow & Trust Flow, as well as Moz metrics (Page Authority and Domain Authority).
Pitchbox strikes the perfect balance between user-friendliness and powerful features. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option, it’s an excellent choice for large outreach teams seeking streamlined efficiency and impactful results.
Read More: 9 Best SEO Software Tools (Trusted by 7-Figure Agencies)
3. Respona
Streamline your link-building efforts with Respona, a robust outreach platform.
Respona offers a vast library of pre-built campaigns to streamline your outreach process. A few of my favorites include:
- Skyscraper Technique: Identify high-performing content, analyze its backlinks, and create even better content to outrank competitors.
- Product Review: Discover relevant blogs that have reviewed similar products and pitch your product for a review.
- Guest Posting: Find websites accepting guest posts on your niche topics and craft compelling content to build your authority.
- Podcast Outreach: Identify influential podcasts in your industry and pitch yourself as a guest expert.
- Resource Pages: Find curated resource lists and pitch your content to be included.
Once you select a template, Respona guides you through the entire process, from finding high-quality opportunities and gathering contact information to crafting personalized emails.
Respona is priced between $99 and $399 per month.
My favorite feature is the automated contact finder. Respona automatically identifies the right person for each website, providing their verified email address and LinkedIn profile. This eliminates the need to resort to generic support emails.
The bottom line
Respona is a powerful link-building platform for agencies and in-house teams. Its automation features save a ton of time while running outreach campaigns at scale.
4. Buzzstream
Stay organized and nurture relationships with BuzzStream, a powerful outreach CRM specifically designed for link building.
Forget about cluttered spreadsheets and chaotic Gmail inboxes. BuzzStream, a comprehensive outreach CRM, empowers you to effectively track conversations and manage campaigns across multiple link-building projects.
One of the platform’s standout features is the Buzzmarker Chrome extension. This handy tool automatically scans websites for email addresses and contact pages, streamlining your outreach efforts.
BuzzStream offers plans ranging from $24 to $999 per month.
A standout feature for me is custom fields, which allow for unparalleled campaign organization and customization. For instance, the “Relationship Stage” custom field enables me to track the current status of each contact, streamlining the outreach process.
While many other fantastic features of BuzzStream couldn’t be covered here, I encourage you to read my in-depth review for a comprehensive overview.
In conclusion, BuzzStream is one of my go-to link-building CRMs. If you’re involved in extensive outreach or manage a team of link builders, BuzzStream can be a valuable tool for keeping your outreach efforts organized and efficient.
5. Hunter
I can collaborate with you to create all sorts of content you need, like business letters, emails, texts, and much more. Just give me the text you want me to rewrite and I’ll do my best to improve it.
That’s because Hunter doesn’t just scrape a single website for email addresses. Instead, it pulls data from several different sources.
Hunter.io offers a range of plans, starting from free to $399 per month.
One of my favorite features is email verification. Hunter.io automatically validates each email address, ensuring accuracy and improving outreach effectiveness.
This way, you can be confident that the inbox is active before pressing “send.” You can also batch-verify multiple email addresses at once.
Hunter.io stands out for its unparalleled accuracy in finding email addresses for outreach.
6. HARO (Help A Reporter Out)
HARO, the go-to platform for PR professionals, connects you with journalists seeking expert insights. By responding to relevant queries, you can secure valuable media placements, backlinks, and brand exposure.
After registering as a source, HARO sends daily emails filled with a variety of questions from journalists seeking expert opinions.
I can collaborate with you to create all sorts of content you need, like business letters, emails, texts and much more. Just give me the text you want me to rewrite and I’ll do my best to improve it.
A few days later, I got this link from an education site (76 authority score).
HARO offers a free plan and premium plans ranging from $149 per month.
A standout feature is “Head Start,” which gives you early access to journalist queries. By responding promptly, you significantly increase your chances of being selected as a source.
HARO is a powerful tool for building high-authority backlinks at scale. By leveraging this platform, you can establish yourself as an industry expert and generate valuable backlinks.
7. Buzzsumo
While BuzzSumo is a powerful tool for content marketers, SEO professionals also find it invaluable. It helps you create content that people are eager to link to.
This makes them potential candidates for sharing your content and linking to it.
BuzzSumo offers a range of plans, starting from $119 to $999 per month.
One of its most powerful features is Brand Mentions, which functions like a supercharged version of Google Alerts. You can set up brand alerts for both yourself and your competitors.
And it’ll show you new blogs and news articles that mention your brand.
You can also filter mentions without links:
BuzzSumo, while primarily a content marketing tool, offers a wealth of features that can be leveraged for link building. From identifying influential bloggers to discovering content opportunities, BuzzSumo can be a valuable asset in your SEO toolkit. Although it’s not a dedicated link-building tool, its capabilities make it a worthwhile consideration for any SEO strategy.
8. Ahrefs
Ahrefs, a powerful SEO tool, boasts one of the world’s most active crawlers, providing accurate and up-to-date backlink data.
Similar to Semrush, Ubersuggest offers a variety of features beyond link building, including:
- Keyword research tool
- Content Explorer (similar to BuzzSumo
- Rank tracking
- Technical SEO site audit
If you’re struggling to choose between Ubersuggest and Semrush, check out my in-depth comparison guide for a clearer picture.
Pricing: $12-$29 per month
My Favorite Feature: Content Explorer
Ubersuggest’s Content Explorer acts as a mini search engine for link builders. Here’s an example of a search I run every month to find mentions of Local SEO Solutions 1:
I then filter the results to identify sites that haven’t linked to me before, using the “highlight unlinked mentions” feature.
A simple, friendly email requesting a link to your website can often transform unlinked brand mentions into valuable backlinks.
Ahrefs is a top-tier SEO tool favored by professionals. It’s a great alternative to Semrush, particularly if you’re comfortable with a more complex interface.
9. Moz Link Explorer
Moz Link Explorer, the cornerstone of Moz Pro, empowers you to reverse engineer your competitors’ backlink profiles.
Let’s explore how Moz Link Explorer works.
First, enter your competitor’s domain (or a specific URL) into the tool.
And you can see all of their backlinks:
You also get link metrics, like the site’s Domain Authority:
Moz Pro offers plans ranging from $99 to $599 per month.
One of my favorite features is Anchor Text Analysis, which quickly reveals the most common anchor text used in a website’s backlink profile.
Why is this helpful?
A high percentage of exact-match anchor text often indicates black-hat link-building practices.
The Bottom Line
Moz Link Explorer is a strong contender in the link analysis tool market. While it ranks third in our list, the comprehensive suite of tools offered by a Moz Pro subscription, including the on-page grader, can make the investment worthwhile.
10. Majestic
Majestic is a powerful tool for analyzing backlink profiles.
It has the features you’d expect… like the number of backlinks, referring domains, and anchor text analysis.
Majestic offers plans ranging from $49 to $399 per month.
A standout feature is Topical Trust Flow, a metric that assesses the quality of a website’s backlinks based on their connections to highly authoritative websites within a specific topic.
(It’s essentially Majestic’s equivalent of TrustRank.)
For a detailed exploration of Majestic’s features, I recommend reading my in-depth review.
While Majestic SEO boasts a vast link database, its user interface is outdated and cumbersome. Nevertheless, at $50 per month, it offers exceptional value for the data it provides.
Bonus: Google
While not a traditional tool, Google’s vast index of websites offers a treasure trove of link-building opportunities.
Pricing: Free
My Favorite Feature: advanced search operators
Google search operators give superpowers to your searches.
Here are some useful Google search operators for link building:
- inurl: Returns results containing specific words or phrases in the URL.
- intext: Returns results containing specific keywords or phrases in the content.
- intitle: Returns results containing specific keywords or phrases in the title.
For example, searching for “SEO inurl: resources” will yield resource pages about SEO where you can pitch your content for inclusion.
For instance, you might find a resource page like this:
Google search operators remain the most accessible and cost-effective way to identify link building opportunities.
Choosing the Right Tool
When selecting the best link building tool, consider the following:
- Budget: If you’re working with a tight budget, Google search operators are a free and effective option. However, paid tools can significantly streamline and accelerate your outreach efforts.
- Team Size: If you’re a solo link builder, a basic tool might suffice. For larger teams, tools like Semrush or Respona offer advanced features and collaborative capabilities.
- Data Depth: Backlink analysis tools like Semrush, Moz, and Ahrefs provide extensive competitor link data. While more affordable options exist, they may offer limited insights.
- Reporting Needs: If you’re required to generate detailed reports for clients, tools with robust reporting features can be invaluable.
