I use the Semrush Link Building Tool when I want to Create Best SEO Backlinks With Semrush Link Building Tool in a structured, repeatable way. This tool helps me find backlink prospects, organize them into a progressive workspace, contact those prospects from an integrated mailbox, and then monitor the backlinks once they are live.
Table of Contents
- How do I set up a project and start finding link prospects?
- How does the tool collect prospects and what results will I see?
- What integrations should I connect to streamline outreach?
- How do I work with prospects inside the Prospect section?
- What is an outreach strategy and how does it influence outreach?
- How do I manage in-progress items and monitor acquired backlinks?
- How do I make sure my backlinks stay live after acquisition?
- What are the practical steps I follow each week?
- How can I customize email templates for different backlink types?
How do I set up a project and start finding link prospects?
To get started I go to Link Building and click setup. The tool asks me to enter up to ten keywords that are relevant to my site. I can add my own competitors or let the tool detect competitors automatically. After I add keywords and competitors I click Start Link Building and Semrush begins collecting and analyzing data.
How does the tool collect prospects and what results will I see?
Once the collection finishes I see a quick summary: search for link prospects by source, select the best prospects, reach out to them, and track backlink visibility. In my example it collected prospects from keywords and from competitors. The overview shows totals such as domain prospects, backlink prospects from keywords, and prospects found from competitors.
What integrations should I connect to streamline outreach?
I connect an email mailbox and Google Search Console. The mailbox supports Gmail, Outlook, Office 365 and Exchange Online. Adding an email account lets me send outreach messages directly from inside the platform and use built-in templates. Connecting Google Search Console imports additional data that enriches the prospecting results.
How do I work with prospects inside the Prospect section?
The Prospect section is where I do most of the work. Prospects are grouped by source: keyword, competitor, or uploaded backlinks. I can add more keywords, add more competitors, or upload backlinks at any time. For each prospect I can:
- Reject prospects I don’t want
- Add comments for team collaboration
- Change the referring URL depending on where the backlink should appear
- Select an outreach strategy so the tool knows whether the link is manual, directory, guest post, product review, mention, or another type
What is an outreach strategy and how does it influence outreach?
After I inspect a domain I choose an outreach strategy. If it is a manual link I tag it as manually created and move it to In Progress. If it is a directory or catalog I select that type. Each strategy can be paired with different email templates or workflows so outreach is consistent. The tool shows sample templates which I can customize before sending.
How do I manage in-progress items and monitor acquired backlinks?
Items marked In Progress show links I am actively pursuing. For manual links, once I create the page on the target domain I update the referring URL in the tool and click Check. That moves the prospect to Monitor so the platform keeps checking that backlink is alive. For outreach-based prospects I select my mailbox, pick a template, and send the outreach email from inside Semrush. The Contacted by Email area shows delivery, opens, and replies.
It is very self explanatory but very powerful tool if you want to create your own backlinks for your domain because it provides all the data for you.
How do I make sure my backlinks stay live after acquisition?
Once a backlink is acquired and I add it to Monitor, the tool continuously checks visibility and reports changes. I rely on this monitoring to spot lost links and to verify that outreach resulted in the expected URL. If a link disappears I can try recovery strategies or update my records accordingly.
What are the practical steps I follow each week?
My routine looks like this:
- Refresh prospect collection after updating keywords or competitors
- Filter and reject irrelevant domains
- Tag prospects with the correct outreach strategy
- Send outreach from the connected mailbox using customized templates
- Move acquired links to Monitor and review link health regularly
How can I customize email templates for different backlink types?
Each backlink type often needs a different message. Directory submissions use a concise signup template, guest post requests use a pitch-style template, and product reviews or mentions require outreach that explains the value. The platform provides sample templates that I edit to match each strategy before sending.
How many prospects did the tool find for my setup?
In my setup the tool found a total of 991 domain prospects: 388 backlink prospects from keywords and 613 prospects from competitors.
Can I send outreach emails from inside the platform?
Yes. After adding a mailbox (Gmail, Outlook, Office 365, or Exchange Online) you can send outreach messages directly from the Link Building Tool and use or customize the provided templates.
What happens after I mark a prospect as acquired?
Once I add the actual referring URL and confirm the backlink, I move the prospect to Monitor. The tool then checks the backlink periodically to ensure it remains live and reports status changes.
Can I filter or reject prospects in bulk?
Yes. I use filters to manage prospects and can reject domains I do not want to pursue. Rejected backlinks are viewable separately for record keeping.
