Managing Link Building Status

Tracking Link Building Progress

Effective link building requires consistent tracking. The status system helps you manage outreach and measure success.

Status Workflow

Typical Flow

New → In Progress → Completed
         ↓
      Dismissed

Status Definitions

Managing Each Status

New Opportunities

Fresh opportunities you haven't acted on:

• Review regularly (weekly)
• Prioritize based on impact
• Plan which to pursue
• Move to In Progress when starting

In Progress Tracking

For opportunities you're actively pursuing:

Track key details:

• Date outreach started
• Contact person/method
• Response received
• Follow-up dates

Common sub-stages:

1. Researching requirements
2. Initial outreach sent
3. Waiting for response
4. In discussion/negotiation
5. Content/listing in review
6. Pending publication

Completed Successes

When you've been successfully featured:

• Confirm the placement is live
• Document the URL
• Note what worked
• Update status to Completed
• Monitor for citation improvements

Dismissed Items

For opportunities you're not pursuing:

• Document why (for future reference)
• Consider if circumstances might change
• Remove from active workflow
• Review periodically for reconsideration

Best Practices

Weekly Review Routine

Set a regular time to:

1. Check status of In Progress items
2. Review New opportunities
3. Follow up on pending outreach
4. Celebrate Completed wins

Documentation

For each opportunity, record:

• Outreach date and method
• Contact person
• Response summary
• Follow-up actions needed
• Final outcome

Follow-Up Cadence

If no response:

• Wait 5-7 business days
• Send polite follow-up
• Wait another 5-7 days
• Final follow-up or move on

Realistic Expectations

Link building takes time:

Measuring Success

Completion Rate

Track what percentage of opportunities you complete:

• High rate = good targeting and execution
• Low rate = reassess prioritization or approach

Time to Completion

Measure average time from New to Completed:

• Helps set realistic expectations
• Identifies process improvements
• Predicts future timelines

Impact on Visibility

After completions, monitor:

• New citations appearing
• Visibility score changes
• Position improvements

Allow 2-4 weeks for changes to reflect in AI responses.

Handling Challenges

No Response to Outreach

If you don't hear back:

1. Follow up 1-2 times
2. Try different contact methods
3. Reassess if worth continued effort
4. Consider dismissing and moving on

Rejection

If your outreach is declined:

• Ask for feedback if appropriate
• Note the reason
• Consider if you can address concerns
• Dismiss or revisit later

Stalled Progress

If opportunities stay In Progress too long:

• Set time limits (e.g., 30 days)
• Evaluate if still worth pursuing
• Move to Dismissed if no progress
• Focus energy on active opportunities

Team Collaboration

Assigning Opportunities

If working with a team:

• Assign opportunities to specific people
• Track who is responsible
• Avoid duplicate outreach

Sharing Updates

Keep team informed:

• Update statuses regularly
• Share wins and learnings
• Coordinate on overlapping opportunities

Handoffs

If reassigning:

• Document all previous activity
• Share contact history
• Brief new owner on status

Reporting

Status Summary

View your pipeline at a glance:

• Count by status
• Completion rate
• In Progress aging

Progress Over Time

Track trends:

• Opportunities added per week
• Completions per week
• Pipeline velocity

ROI Measurement

Connect efforts to results:

• Completions vs visibility improvements
• Most impactful source types
• Effort vs outcome analysis

Next Steps

• Link Building Opportunities Overview
• Understanding Citation Details