Easy to Follow – 4 Steps for Manual Outreach Link Building

A step-by-step guide for Manual Outreach Link Building Strategy, for you to build real connections, and secure the free backlink exchange.

#1 Prepare Outreach Email

#2 Pre-Write your Content

#3 Find Websites

#4 Track Your Work

You Having Troubles finding Websites for Backlink Exchange?
– Join Our Non-Profit Community or Check our Free Listing.

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List of Websites

Backlinks are crucial for SEO and rankings but they are quite tricky to get, which makes the whole experience frustrating and disappointing. Most of you still wonder where to begin, which strategy to use, and how to outreach, but the truth is simple and we are here to share it with you.

Here we have a simple step-by-step outreach guide, paired with a free list of websites ready for backlink exchange.
Follow these 4 simple steps for manual outreach link building and you will skip all the SEO “Experts” that try to re-sell you backlinks, nor you will need to spend a fortune to hire an agency. You can also leave any SLACK Community that charge you for every step you would like to take, and we wont even mention the auto-generate backlink tools – just don’t even think about it.

Let’s Get You Ready!

Prepare Outreach email, Or Copy Ours 😉

While quite simple, the first step is one of the most important steps, the impression we make with the outreach email often does 50% of the job done. Crafting a clear, friendly and natural email is a must! We don’t write a 5min read story, nor we will use some AI tools for this kind of work, we keep it short and simple, straight to the point, with a small but sharp “optional” hook.

PRO Tip: Give the other person two easy options to choose from, so the backlink exchange can be accepted more easily:
– Dedicated Article: A full piece focused on your website, which gives long-term value.
– Shoutout Paragraph: Faster, easier, but still very effective if the context aligns.

Here is our ready-to-use outreach email:

Hi [Name],
I saw your website listed for free backlink exchange (at BacklinkCreators list), and it looks like we both cover a similar niche.
I’d like to suggest a free backlink exchange that will benefits us both.
This is our website: [Your Website]
Website DA/DR: [Your Domain Authority, Domain Ratings]
Traffic: [Traffic Numbers] (Optional)
Niche and topics we cover: [Niche/Topics]
We could do the exchange like this:
  • Option 1: Exchange backlink as dedicated article.
  • Option 2: Exchange backlink as shoutout paragraph in an existing article.
Let me know which option works best for you, I have both ready to go.
Looking forward to your reply.
[Your Name]

Pre-Write your Content for Publishing Backlinks

Who would write your idea better than yourself. This is how you make your backlinks shine, here we focus on quality of the content, and placement of the backlink on the right keywords, else everything you would gain it will be worthless. We also easy out the other side, they wont spend time searching or investigating you and your website, instead we: provide two ready-to-publish options of your content.

Option 1: Short Shoutout Paragraph

Use: Quick mention in existing articles, blog or resource piece.
Image: Not required / if used, keep it minimal (e.g. Logo)
Length: 3-5 sentences.

Example:

If you run a website, take a min of your time and check BacklinkCreators (a non-profit platform) where you can find a Free List of Sites Ready for Backlink Exchange. Collection of real websites with domain ratings, niche filter and much more. This resource helps website owners easily connect with others in their niche and simply grow their SEO, authority and ratings together. Oh, and its all completely free and without middlemen.

Option 2: Dedicated Article

Use: A standalone article on their blog or resources section.
Image: Recommended – Logo, Banner or screenshot of your website.
Length: 400-600 words.

Example:

Step 2 - Find Websites for Backlink Exchange

Find Websites for Backlinks exchange

The most time consuming part of manual outreach link building is finding websites that are actually open to backlink exchanges. Most of the time, you’ll waste hours sending emails with no reply or pitching sites that simply don’t accept exchanges. That’s why having a curated list of real, verified websites is a game-changer. While there are many methods out there, we will tell you about the two most effective options (A & B) that will give you the best results when it comes to successfully exchange a backlink:

Option A

Use Our🔥Free List of Websites Open for Backlink Exchange

We’re building and updating on a daily basis a free list of websites where owners are open to backlink exchanges. Each site is categorized by Domain Rating (DR) and can be filtered by niche, so you can quickly find the exact type of backlink opportunity that fits your project.
We would also like to invite you, to add your own website to the list. The more websites that join, the stronger and more valuable this network becomes. It’s completely free, open, and easy to navigate.

Startup Websites DR 1-10

Websites DR 11-20

Websites DR 21-30

Websites DR 31-40

Websites DR 41-50

Websites DR 51-60

Websites DR 61-70

Websites DR 71-80

Websites For Backlink Exchange

Why Our List Works Better Than Any Search Method

It’s Free: We stand strongly against “the rich getting richer”, every creator should have the same playground, and this one is free!
Diverse Websites: You’ll find everything from small startups to established sites with DR 80+.
DR Segregation: We’ve organized domains into clear domain rating tiers so you can target exactly the level you need.
Filter by Niche: Connect directly with sites in your own niche instead of wasting time on mismatches.
Direct Connection: No middlemen, no agencies in between, here you meet the owners yourself and build relationships that actually last.
Mutual Benefits: Everyone wins here. It’s not about one-sided deals but about helping each other grow.

Option B

Google Search – The Old but Gold, Manual Link Building Method

If you’ve already gone through option A and still have the time and energy, this is the most promising free manual outreach link building method to land quality backlinks for your site. All it takes is knowing how to use Google itself with simple search queries like:

Write for us + [niche]
Guest post + [niche]
Contribute + [niche]

Google Search Manual Outreach Link Building - Write for Us (Example)

…will bring up tons of websites that openly accept contributions, and in some cases, they might even agree to include an extra backlink.
That being said, if you’re a startup or running a low DR website, this method might be waste of time. The “big guns” usually don’t don’t bother helping the little guys unless there’s a clear payoff for them.

The downside? It’s time consuming, messy, and you’ll run into a lot of dead ends or outdated sites.
The upside? You’ll uncover hidden gems that aren’t listed anywhere.

Pro Tip: Don’t just settle for the first few searches, mix your niche keywords with different phrases and keep experimenting. Most people give up too early, but the real gems usually show up a few pages in. Also, make sure you’re reaching out to sites within your DR/DA range. That way, the exchange feels fair and your chances of landing a backlink go way up.

Do the Manual Outreach the Right Way

Few extra tips that will improve your exchange success and growth quality.

Finding websites is just one part of the story, what really matters is how you approach the exchange. No matter which method you use (our list, Google search, or guest posting), these principles will make or break your results:

Outreach Within your DR/DA – Reach out to websites that are close to your own authority. Exchanges feel fairer, and your chances of getting a “yes” are way higher.
Quality Over Quantity (Niche relevance) – A handful of backlinks from the right niche beats dozens of random ones. If you want quality results, stay within your lane, and exchange only with sites similar to your topic.
Steady Growth Wins – Build backlinks consistently over time. Slow and steady progress keeps your link profile natural and avoids SEO penalties.
Keep It Human – Skip the auto-generated outreach or filler content. Write your own, then polish it up with tools if needed. Real people respond better to real words.

Step 4 - Organize and Track your Link Building

Organize and Track Your Link Building Work

Sending emails is only half the job. The real challenge is staying organized so you know who you reached out to, when, and what the outcome was. Without a system, you’ll lose track, repeat outreach, or miss valuable opportunities.
That’s why we built a simple Google Spreadsheet template you can copy and use right away.

Track website URLs and contact info.
Note each site’s Domain Ratings and niche.
Update status (Email sent, in progress, published, declined).
Log the date you contacted them and when to follow up.

Take a Copy | Google Sheets

Pro Tip: Make it a habit to update your sheet every time you send or receive an email. Consistency is what turns backlink building into long-term SEO growth.

What to Avoid for Manual Outreach Link Building Strategy

Even with the right steps in place, a lot of people mess up their manual outreach link building and end up wasting time or even hurting their SEO. Here’s what to avoid:

Avoid Irrelevant Backlinks

Links outside your niche should be avoided, or at least taken taken down to minimum. A good 90% of the outreach should be towards your niche, or at least close to it.

Chasing ONLY High Quality DR/DA

You Could, but the results will be devastating. Playing the game within your range of domain ratings will result with high success rate.

Too many Links, Too Fast

Building hundreds of links in a short time looks unnatural and risky. Pace yourself and grow steadily, consistency is what pays off in SEO.

Using Tools that Put you In Spam Folder

Automated blasts or bulk tools are a shortcut to the spam folder. Send emails yourself at a natural pace and in your own voice.

Long and Spammy Outreach Emails

Nobody wants to read a wall of text in their emails! Keep your outreach mails short, clean and personal. Overly long, generic or off-topic messages get ignored instantly.

FAQ – Manual Outreach Link Building

Is manual outreach an effective method for backlinks?

Yes, manual outreach is still one of the most effective strategies, especially for niche-relevant backlinks. While natural links from high-quality content are ideal, outreach comes in second because it balances time, cost, and control over the results.

How long does it take to see results from manual outreach link building?

Domain Rating (DR) growth can be noticed within just a few weeks, depending on the quality and consistency of your backlinks. As for improved traffic numbers and better Google rankings, you will probably need a good few months, but there are many other factors in play here.

How many outreach emails should I send per week?

It depends on your team and time management, but a safe and effective pace is 10–20 personalized emails per week. This keeps your outreach consistent without looking spammy, while still building momentum over time.

What should I do with those who ignored my outreach?

Don’t take silence as a final “no.” A polite follow-up after a week can often turn things around, but if there’s still no reply, move on and focus on websites that are more responsive.

Do I need to write new content for every backlink placement?

Not always, but it’s highly recommended to create fresh or at least reworded content for each placement. This keeps your backlinks natural and avoids duplicate text, which both site owners and search engines prefer.