Stop Guessing. Start Scoring.
"Is this a good link opportunity?" is a question that shouldn't require a gut feeling.
Use a scoring system.
The Link Quality Score (1-10)
Rate each link opportunity on four factors:
Authority (0-3 points):
Check DA using Moz's domain analysis or Ahrefs' backlink checker.
Relevance (0-3 points):
Traffic (0-2 points):
Editorial quality (0-2 points):
Using the Score
8-10: High priority. Invest significant effort in outreach.
5-7: Solid opportunity. Standard outreach effort.
3-4: Marginal. Only pursue if easy to obtain.
0-2: Skip. Not worth the time.
Why This Matters
Without a scoring system, you waste time on low-value prospects while overlooking hidden gems.
With one, every minute of outreach time goes to the highest-impact opportunities. This framework works hand-in-hand with building a strong outreach prospect list.
Track your link quality scores at SEO Checkup. 113 tasks. Free.