SEO Link Management Software

Buyer's guide - what to look for in SEO Link Management software

Ask any SEO consultant what the number 1 activity is for boosting search engine rankings and the reply will be "link building". If you're a small online business owner you should dedicate a few days a month to the task, and if you are a larger online business you should employ a dedicated SEO team member to manage your link strategy. Whoever completes the work, they should have the tools at their disposal that will automate repetitive tasks and organize their efforts.

And that's exactly what link management software does. There's an important distinction to be made here. Link management software helps you to maintain your overall link strategy by allowing you to analyse competitors, discover potential reciprocal link partners and assisting in the emailing and organisation of your campaign. Dedicated link builders automate the process of obtaining links by submitting content to directories, article repositories and blog sites. Here we are dealing with overall link management.

While SEO suites often contain link building and link management components, they do not offer the depth of analysis that stand-alone titles do. We'll compare what the suites and dedicated software have to offer top help you decide which way to go.

Here are the key points to look for in link building software:

• Competitor research - Find out what keywords your competitors are ranking highly for, who they are linking to and who is linking to them.


• Identify link partners - Using your website and the websites of your competitors the software should be able to produce a list of potential partner websites. These websites should be ranked in importance, and key contacts identified.


• Email management - The software should manage the link building process of sending emails to potential partners. Look out for flexibility in the type of email sent. Does the software manage the responses?


• Reciprocal link management - Most link partners will require a reciprocal link. The software may be able to generate these pages. It should scan to check that partner links still exist and remove reciprocal links if a partner removes theirs.


• Link submission - The software may help you to build links by submitting your site to directories and search engines. It may help you to distribute articles, press releases and blog comments, and may also facilitate link build via social media


• Help and support - As with all software, sometimes you will require assistance. Whether it's a lost software key or software failure you should look for a responsive vendor. Comprehensive online help files or an active user forum are a must. Telephone or live-chat support are also recommended.

Most SEO suites and dedicated link building software will offer a free trial, so we would advise you to try before you buy.