I get incredibly annoyed when I receive an email offering SEO services, especially when the sender claims to have analyzed my site, reviewed my rankings, and can explain my poor performance on Google. If you’re an SEO, I’m sure you get tons of these emails, too.
Although I know it’s just automated spam, it still offends me. This type of email clogs inboxes and likely prevents legitimate outreach requests from being read. Since our main method of developing links involves email outreach, this poses a serious problem for us.
I’m not against automation at all. It definitely has its place and can be used effectively in many cases. However, this is a perfect example of automation at its worst: just plugging in some email addresses and spamming us all. Send enough spam in one day, and we’ll delete anything that doesn’t come from someone we know.
My number one rule for my link team is this: check the target site. If human eyes aren’t on that site long enough to verify they’re a worthy candidate for outreach, we have no business contacting them.
That takes time, effort, and human labor. But to me, it’s worth it — and it’s why our response rates and conversion rates are much higher than when we used to cast a wide net and deal with what we pulled in.
Outreach is tough work, and I see so many poor examples of it. Here are what I consider to be the 7 worst outreach offenses:
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Reaching out to people who do what you do
When you contact someone who does what you do and expect something from them, you just make yourself look sloppy in every possible way. As an SEO, my first thought is that you are using automation and don’t have the sense to check your list. -
Reaching out to people who have the content you’re peddling
I accidentally did this recently. While rushing to help out with a new campaign, I approached a blogger with a lot of DIY articles with a piece for a client. Unfortunately, they already had similar content and responded negatively. If I had taken more time to search the site using the main keywords for my client’s piece, I would have avoided this and saved time for both of us. -
Using the wrong name
I’m not a fan of being addressed generically or incorrectly (seriously, “Webmaster” or “Sir” happens a lot), but it’s even worse when someone uses the wrong name. Misspellings are one thing, but being called Kelvin instead of Joyce is another. Always double-check the name, as it shows respect and attention to detail. -
Assuming the person getting your email has no power
This one really annoys me. An email once suggested I "ask my boss" for permission to attend an event, despite my being the company owner. Always do your research. If it’s unclear who to contact, write as if you have the right person and politely ask to be redirected if not. -
Email is too long or too short, with no clear expectations
We’ve experimented with all types of emails for outreach. The key is finding the balance. Subject lines should be clear (not vague or flooded with emojis) and the body should be concise. Explain what you want without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary information. -
Trying to get a link on a dead site
It’s frustrating to be repeatedly contacted about getting a link on a site that hasn’t been updated in a long time. Ensure you’re targeting active sites and not wasting your time or damaging your brand’s reputation by failing to verify this. - Hammering the same person with outreach, over and over
Follow-ups can be appreciated, but sending the same email repeatedly with minor changes is not. Don’t assume persistence will change someone’s mind when they’ve already said no. Also, don’t email one person with every piece of new content. Rotate your email lists to avoid becoming annoying.
To summarize:
- Don’t bother people who do what you do.
- Don’t bother people who have the same content you’re offering.
- Get the right name.
- Don’t assume the person you’re emailing has to seek permission from their boss.
- Keep it short and to the point. Give the recipient a clear idea of what you want.
- Don’t email dead sites.
- Don’t bug people.
Remember how many emails you receive and delete every single day. If you want to stand out, you need to up your game because it’s only getting more competitive.
