DEEP DIVE

Link building is a video game

My obsession with video games started out innocent enough. My older brother played GoldenEye 007 and let me play sometimes. Then I got my own PS2 and started playing multiple hours a day. 

Then Halo came out. This was different. It was the first time I was able to play online against other real people.

I was terrible. Like, embarrassingly bad.

But I kept coming back because I was getting better. My skills increased. I started learning strategies for the game. And as I got better, the competition got harder. As I won more games, I got more addicted. There was a clear feedback loop that showed me I was improving, and I wanted more of it.

Now, when playing online you start at level one and play against other newbies. As you win more games, your level increases. 

When I was level 5, I played other level 5s. When I hit level 15, I faced level 15s.

I never had to face a level 50 player when I was just starting out. This is why people don’t quit video games.

If you were to play level 50s while at level 1, you’d quit. I’d quit. Everyone would quit. The competition isn’t fair, and you’re killed every thirty seconds.

And I see the same thing happening with link building. People try to jump straight to advanced tactics, get overwhelmed, and either quit or waste months spinning their wheels.

You don't need to be level 50 on day one.

Most people look at link building and immediately think they need to:

• Send 10,000 outreach emails

• Master advanced digital PR tactics

• Launch data studies that get featured in major publications

• Execute complex three-way link exchanges

That's like a level 1 Halo player trying to compete in the world championships. You're going to get destroyed. It's not fun. And you'll quit.

Instead, think about link building like leveling up in a video game.

Level 1: Register a look-alike domain and set up an email address.

Level 2: Learn what makes a good backlink and a bad backlink.

Level 3: Learn how to build your first outreach list (even if it's just 50 prospects). 

Level 4: Figure out how to find contact information for that list. 

Level 5: Get familiar with basic outreach tools so you can send emails to your prospects at scale with automated follow-ups.

Level 6: Learn copywriting and write your first outreach emails to start building relationships.

Each level builds on the last. Each level is achievable. Each level gets you closer to where you want to be.

You don't jump from level 5 to level 30.

With anything in life, looking at level 50 while at level 1 is intimidating. It frightens you into inaction; you don’t know where to start. 

You think, 'There’s no way I can get an entire outreach team built and get hundreds of links per month. I’m not good enough. . . ,' and you’d be right. 

But you’d only be right at this very particular point in time. At this very particular moment in your life. You aren’t good enough now, but you CAN be.

Take a step back and think about what it is you want to achieve. Then work backwards from there and define the levels you need to master. Break your large task or goal into micro steps.

Always be thinking . . . 

'What is my next step?'

'What is my next step?'

'What is my next step?'

Soon enough, you’ll have built an outreach strategy that allows you to get 10 links per month by yourself. Then you start looking at hiring and building better strategies for link acquisition. 

Once you've mastered levels 1–10, then you start looking at:

• Level 12: Three-way link exchanges

• Level 20: Creating linkable assets and data studies

• Level 30: Advanced digital PR campaigns

The link builders you see dominating the industry? They've been playing this game for 10+ years. They're level 50.

You don't need to be them today. You just need to be better than you were yesterday.

So here's my challenge for you:

Right now, grab a piece of paper and write down your current level (be honest). Then write down ONE specific action you'll take this week to reach the next level.

Don't think about level 50. Just think about the next level.

Because here's what I learned from selling that Xbox:

The game is way more fun when you're competing at your level and gradually getting better.

Start there.