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Link Building Outreach Email Sequence — 3-Touch Follow-Up Protocol

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Three-touch email outreach sequence for link building campaigns including initial email structure, follow-up timing, and prospect qualification criteria for guest posts, resource pages, and broken link building.

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Agent trigger phrases: outreach email sequence · link building emails · guest post outreach · follow up emails for links · broken link outreach · resource page email template · link building email template · how to email for links

Link Building Outreach Email Sequence

Maximum 3 touches per prospect. After 3 — move on and don't contact again for 90+ days.

Prospect Qualification (Before Any Email)

Guest Post Site Checklist:

  • DA 20+ (prefer 30+)
  • Real organic traffic (not a link farm)
  • Active social presence or comments
  • Accepts guest contributors (check /write-for-us or /contribute)
  • Relevant niche (not accepting all industries)
  • Published within last 90 days

Touch 1: Initial Outreach Email

Subject: Quick question about [their site name]

Structure:

  1. Personalized opening — mention their recent article or something specific about their site
  2. Brief introduction — who you are, your credentials
  3. Specific value proposition — what you're offering and why it fits their audience
  4. Clear, low-friction ask — "Would you be open to reviewing a pitch?"

Tips:

  • Reference something specific about their site (shows you read it)
  • Lead with value to their audience, not what you want
  • Keep under 150 words
  • Include 2-3 topic ideas as hooks

Touch 2: Follow-Up #1 (Day 5-7 if no response)

Subject: Re: Quick question about [their site name]

Structure:

  • Acknowledge they may have missed it
  • Shorter message than original
  • Different angle or value point
  • Lower-commitment ask (e.g., "Worth a quick conversation?")

Keep it under 100 words.

Touch 3: Follow-Up #2 (Day 12-14 if no response)

Subject: Last follow-up from [your name]

Structure:

  • Final follow-up only
  • No pressure
  • Leave door open for future
  • Something like: "Happy to reach out again in a few months if the timing is better."

After Touch 3: remove from active sequence, add to 90-day no-contact list.

Resource Page Link Building

  1. Find resource pages using search operators:
    • "[niche]" + "resources"
    • "[niche]" + "useful links"
    • "[niche]" + "recommended sites"
  2. Qualify: Is it updated recently? Does it link to similar sites? Relevant DA?
  3. Find webmaster contact: Hunter.io, site:domain.com/contact, LinkedIn
  4. Send outreach: Lead with value, mention their resource page, explain fit
  5. Follow up once after 5-7 days

Broken Link Building

  1. Find broken links on authority pages using Check My Links (Chrome) or Ahrefs Site Explorer
  2. Create or identify a page that replaces the broken resource
  3. Contact webmaster: Point out the broken link, offer your replacement
  4. Include the exact URL of the broken link so they can find it quickly

HARO / Journalist Requests

  • Sign up for HARO (helpareporter.com) or alternatives (Connectively, SourceBottle, Quoted)
  • Monitor daily for relevant queries in your industry
  • Respond within 2 hours of publication
  • Include credentials (license #, years experience, certifications)
  • Keep responses concise and quotable
  • Success rate: approximately 5-15% of pitches land

LinkedIn 7-Touch Outreach (for Guest Posts and Partnerships)

30-day warm-up sequence:

  1. Connection request (day 1)
  2. Value add — share useful content (day 3)
  3. Engagement — comment on their post (day 7)
  4. Soft pitch — mention collaboration opportunity (day 14)
  5. Social proof — share similar collaboration example (day 18)
  6. Direct ask — explicit guest post request (day 23)
  7. Final follow-up (day 30)

#links-sop #outreach #email #link-building #guest-posts

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