A netlinking campaign is the acquisition of inbound links in a planned way over several months, rather than buying isolated links. Running it well rests on four steps: audit the existing link profile, choose the target pages, select the sites and set a schedule with a calibrated anchor mix, then measure and adjust every month. Budget is reasoned by cadence (links per month) and the authority level of the media, not by a flat fee.
- →A campaign is a spread, planned link acquisition, not a buying spree.
- →The anchor mix and time spread separate a natural signal from a footprint.
- →Budget is calculated by cadence: links per month times the media level.
What a netlinking campaign is
A netlinking campaign is a backlink acquisition organised over time around one goal: moving a set of pages up on specific queries. The difference from a one-off purchase is structural. An isolated link can cover a critical page or test a site. A campaign reasons in cadence, coherence and measurement over several months.
This planning logic is what separates a credible signal from an artificial spike. Twenty links published at once look like a buying spree. The same twenty links spread over a quarter mirror the natural growth of a site gaining recognition.
A successful campaign is not judged by the number of links placed, but by their coherence: same topics, varied anchors, steady cadence, target pages chosen with method.
Five variables that decide the outcome
Five settings determine whether a campaign produces a natural signal or a visible footprint.
1. Anchor variety over time
A campaign with 80 % exact-match anchors on the same keyword sooner or later triggers a negative signal. The default mix combines brand, soft anchors, descriptive and naked URLs, with a marginal share of exact-match, adjusted to your existing profile.
2. Spreading publications over time
Twenty links over three days then six months of silence is less credible than the same twenty spread over three months. A steady cadence mirrors the profile of a site rising gradually.
3. Variety of linking sites
Receiving every link from the same network operator creates a visible footprint. Variety across sites (different niches, ages, editorial tones) muddies the pattern. On a campaign, we systematically mix the media profile.
4. Topical fit
Pushing a B2B SaaS page with links from a cooking blog is technically possible, strategically pointless. Every link must be justifiable by the content of the article that hosts it. Site selection starts from the target page's topic.
5. Measuring and adjusting
A campaign run without reporting becomes a bet. Tracking positions, organic traffic and the indexing of new links lets you pile on what works and ease off what stalls.
The four-step method
A well-run campaign moves in four phases. Each conditions the next.
- Audit of the existing link profile. Before the first placement, we look at the profile you already have: volume, variety, anchor ratios, suspicious footprints. One hour of work that saves calibration mistakes.
- Defining target pages and briefs. You tell us the pages to push (pillars, product pages, hubs) and their priority. For each, we draft the brief: angle, preferred anchors, editorial constraints, signed off before execution.
- Site selection and schedule. From the target pages, we pick the catalogue's sites that make sense, spread the links over time with a calibrated anchor mix, and you sign off the schedule before writing starts.
- Monthly reporting and adjustment. Each month, a check on links published, target page positions and traffic shifts. No fixed plan that drifts off track without us talking about it.
Link distribution follows a topical silo logic: authority is split between pivot pages, secondary pages and long-tail, in step with internal linking.
Audit, selection, brief, writing, publication, reporting. You provide the target pages, the agency runs it.
Anchors and time spread
Two settings hold most campaign mistakes: the anchor profile and the publication schedule. They deserve special attention.
Calibrating the anchor mix
A healthy anchor profile is never monotone. As an indicative split, aim for a majority of brand and soft anchors ("learn more", "this tool"), a share of descriptive and naked URLs, and only a fraction of commercial exact-match. The ratio is set against your starting profile, not a universal recipe.
Scheduling the spread
Each pack spreads publications across its full period, monthly or quarterly. The goal is to reproduce a gradual acquisition curve, that of a site gaining recognition, not a spike followed by a flat line.
Set the anchor mix and the schedule before any writing starts. A profile calibrated upfront is far cheaper to maintain than one you try to patch afterwards.
What budget to plan for
A campaign budget is reasoned by cadence, not by an opaque flat fee. Two variables suffice: the number of links per month and the authority level of the media chosen. The tiers below are indicative, on a base of five links per month. The catalogue stays the source of truth.
The price shown is the price paid: copywriting included, 0 % commission. For a young site, three to five monthly links are enough to kick off the dynamic. For a mature site in a competitive space, you can go up to ten or fifteen per month if variety is maintained.
Publisher price per media, no quote, no negotiation. You see what you pay before you launch.
The classic pitfalls
Three mistakes are enough to derail a campaign, even a well-funded one.
The repetitive anchor footprint
When every link uses almost the same anchor, Google notices. The profile turns artificial and the value of the links drops, sometimes flips negative after an update. The fix: a mix signed off upfront, adjusted to your profile.
Time concentration
Twenty links in three days then radio silence create an abnormal statistical spike. To Google, that pattern looks like a buying spree rather than editorial growth. The fix: a scheduled rollout across the full pack period.
Don't concentrate the whole campaign on the homepage or a single URL. Google expects the domain to grow, not one isolated point. Split links across a silo, on pivot, secondary and long-tail pages.
Run this way, a netlinking campaign is no longer a bet but a controlled sequence: an audit that frames it, a plan that holds, a spread execution and a measurement that corrects. That is what moves positions over time.
Key takeaways
Frequently asked questions
How long does a campaign typically run?
A serious campaign runs three to six months minimum. Below that, the time spread is too short to produce a natural signal and result measurement stays uncertain. For sites in competitive spaces, we recommend thinking in renewable quarterly cycles.
How many links per month on average?
It depends on the existing profile and the campaign's ambition. For a young site, 3 to 5 monthly editorial links are enough to kick off the dynamic. For a mature site in a highly competitive space, you can go up to 10 or 15 per month without raising flags as long as variety is maintained.
Do you guarantee a Google ranking?
No, and no one should seriously do that. The algorithm depends on hundreds of factors whose weights only Google knows. What we do guarantee: the editorial quality of articles, the coherence of the placements chosen, the schedule being respected and transparent reporting. Rankings are something we watch together.
What monthly budget to start?
Entry-level sits around a few hundred euros a month for a low-volume pack on niche sites. Significant budgets start higher depending on ambition. The public pricing grid lets you size things up against your target, with no quote.
Do you start with an audit?
Yes, that's the first step. A short audit (one hour of internal work) looks at your link profile, identifies imbalances, proposes a direction. Without that audit, calibration is blind and footprint risks multiply. The audit is free for packs longer than three months.
What happens if I want to stop the campaign?
Already-published links stay live. Links planned but not yet ordered can be cancelled at no cost up to 48h before writing. No early-termination penalty. You can pick up again whenever you want.