Q&A round
Buy Forbes backlink or pitch the press? A Q&A for partners
Founders and partners keep asking us the same dozen questions about press coverage and paid links. We answer them here, in the order they usually come up.
Before the questions
Not rivals. Earned coverage and bought placements answer different needs, and a firm with a thin online reputation usually wants a little of both rather than a large amount of either one.
Control differs. A journalist decides what runs, so a pitch can fail through no fault of yours, whereas a placement you buy runs because you ordered it, and a careful reader may discount it. Keep both facts in mind.
Twelve questions, answered straight
Can I buy Forbes backlink placements through LinkIsPro?
We cannot promise any named publication is in the inventory. Filter donors by Domain Rating and read the rows. Top domains reach about $500 per link, and large mastheads may not sell links at all.
How do I start a relationship with a journalist?
Read what they have written lately and reply to something specific. Offer a fact, a data point or access to a partner, not a brochure. Expect many pitches to go unanswered, and do not chase the same week.
How long should I wait before pitching another outlet?
A few working days for a time-sensitive story, about a week otherwise. Say in your note if the story is exclusive. If it is not, you are free once you have waited a reasonable time.
Is a thin press hit still worth having?
Sometimes. A short mention on a respected site can confirm your name, but a link buried in a long list carries little weight. Judge the page by who reads it and where your name appears.
If a story about us is negative, do we get to respond?
Often you may offer a statement, but no one is obliged to run it. Reply quickly, factually and in writing. A bought placement will not fix a bad story, so do not try to bury it that way.
Does buying a link replace a PR agency?
No. An agency handles relationships, timing and the story itself. A placement is a single link inside an article. They can sit side by side, and an agency may even advise which donors suit your firm.
Do press hits help with AI answers from ChatGPT or Perplexity?
They may help, because those systems read the open web. We cannot say how any assistant chooses sources. Check what it says about you now, and note which pages it cites, before and after any campaign.
What is a fair test budget for a small firm?
Start with $100 for a few placements, read the results after twelve weeks, and decide again. Our walkthrough shows how $100 and $1,000 might be spent.
Should the pitch mention a personal connection?
Yes, if it is real and relevant, in one plain sentence. Do not lean on it. The story still has to stand alone, and journalists notice when a tie is the only reason you wrote.
Can we publish one article on several sites?
Avoid it. Identical text on three sites makes duplicate content and looks lazy to editors. Write a distinct piece for each outlet, or point the later ones to the first with a short summary.
Will the article be written by a human?
On LinkIsPro the default placement article is AI-written, with one clean link to your page. You may supply instructions or your own finished article. Read the draft before you approve it.
Who should approve a paid placement at the firm?
A partner or the compliance lead, ahead of payment. Nothing is charged until the basket is paid, so a short review is easy to fit in. Keep the approval on file.
Earned coverage versus a placement, side by side
| Question | Pitching press | Buying a placement |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides it runs | The editor | You, by ordering |
| Speed | Unknown, often none | Usually about 24 hours after payment |
| Cost | Partner time or agency fees | From $1 per link, up to about $500 |
| Reader trust | Higher when real | Lower; readers may sense the paid nature |
| Link follows | Often nofollow | Permanent dofollow |
Where we land
Pitch first when you have a story, buy when you have a page
Pitch with news. If a partner has genuine news or data, a pitch is worth the effort, but if you need one service page supported, a few relevant placements are a cleaner tool. Read the red-flag list before you order either way.
- Never buy to hide a bad story
- Never claim coverage you paid for as press
- Do keep the two kinds of result in separate records