How to choose a link building agency during AI SEO

Remember when a few links from sites in your niche could drive constant organic traffic? That time is over.

Today, Google’s AI overview and the rise of response engines like ChatGPT are raising the bar. You have to do more to stay visible. Hiring an experienced link building agency is one effective way to meet that challenge.

And it is one of the most important investments you will make. A good partner doesn’t just build links. They position your brand as a trusted, cited source in the AI ​​era.

So how can you choose the right agency for your company?

While the interface has changed, the basic level signals remain very similar. What has changed is their priority.

LLMs need reliable sources to support their answers. That makes authoritative link building more important than ever.

This article shows you how to evaluate and choose a link building agency that understands these priorities and can help your brand gain credibility in the AI-driven world of SEO.

How link building and SEO are changing

Gartner predicted that search engine volume will decrease by 25% as AI takes over some answers. That makes working with an agency that understands AI SEO essential.

But how do you know which agencies actually do it?

The real indicators are the absolute authority and visibility of the AI. Only one in five links cited in Google’s AI overview matched the top 10 organic results, according to Authoritas research. Even more telling, 62.1% of cited links or domains did not rank in the top 10 at all.

The takeaway is simple. AI systems and search engines do not evaluate websites in the same way. We don’t just build links for Google sites anymore.

Link equity alone is not enough. Sites need topic authority, brand mention, and real market presence. The goal is to create a trail that AI models see and can ignore.

A new approach: Testing an AI SEO link building agency

Choosing the right link building agency comes down to how well they prioritize things now.

This section shows you what to look for.

Prioritizing quality, relevance, and traffic

I see this error all the time. The marketing director evaluates the quality of the link based only on the Domain Rating (DR).

High DR is important, but at USERP, we know it’s not the bottom line. You should also look for:

• Compatibility: A link from DR 60, a site that is specific to a niche in your industry usually beats a general DR 80 news site that covers everything from crypto to keto.
• Minimum traffic levels: If a site isn’t relevant for keywords or attracting real traffic, its links won’t help you rank. This is why minimum traffic is important.

When evaluating an agency, ask for contractual guarantees of site traffic.

A trusted agency will not hesitate to sign a Statement of Work that guarantees that every link comes from a site with a low traffic limit, such as 5,000+ monthly organic visitors.

If they’re not going to post a minimum of traffic, they’re probably planning to put links on “ghost town” sites. These domains seem solid, but they have no real audience, protecting their margins rather than supporting your growth.

Take a content-driven approach to digital PR

Links are not in a vacuum. The strongest ones come from being part of a real conversation.

The best agencies no longer work like traditional link builders. They act mainly as content marketing and digital PR teams.

Instead of asking for links, the best agencies create linkable assets — data studies, expert commentary, and in-depth guides that journalists and publishers want to cite — because they understand:

• Google’s algorithms and AI models keep getting better at identifying paid placements. A content-led approach keeps links natural, editorial, and relevant to readers.
• Guest posting in the age of AI SEO isn’t about a throwaway 500 word article. It’s about thought leadership that positions your CEO as a trusted professional.

At userP, for example, we created – and continuously update – our Status of Backlinks in the SEO report.

Red flags: Be aware of outdated or dangerous tactics

Choosing the wrong partner doesn’t just waste your budget. It puts your brand’s reputation – and your company’s future – at risk.

Here are some big red flags to avoid when hiring an agency:

Standards are guaranteed

No one can guarantee a high ranking on Google. Any agency that promises positions for certain keywords on a set timeline is likely doing one of two things:

• Using risky, temporary tactics to force a temporary spike.
• Selling you snake oil.

These agencies often rely on private blog networks (PBNs) or powerful anchor text manipulation to generate quick results.

You might notice an early breach, but the subsequent crash—and the risk of a penalty when Google’s spamming systems get caught—is worthless.

Not being transparent

If the agency won’t explain how they earn links or where the placement will appear before you pay, walk away.

Reputable agencies are transparent. They will show real examples of past placements and share relevant lessons from your industry.

Agencies that hide their inventory usually do so for a reason. Those sites are often part of a low quality network or link farm.

Self-employed link portfolios

If you’re a marketer or SEO on LinkedIn, you’ve probably received a message like this:

This is a common tactic among low-quality link builders: reselling backlinks from shared inventory. I understand the appeal.

Finding a strategic link is difficult. Buying and browsing links is easy.

The problem – with you – is the clue. If an agency can secure a link by filling out a form, anyone can. That includes casino affiliates, gambling sites, adult content, and scammers.

That is not a natural link profile. Google has probably already identified and burned those domains.

In the best case, you pay for a link that passes zero authority. In the worst case scenario, Google flags your site as part of a linking program.

Dirty cheap packages

SEO and link building brings incredible ROI, but it’s not cheap.

You can’t buy a high quality article with a real, earned link from an authoritative site for $50. Speaking as someone who runs an AI SEO agency, the actual cost of quality content, editing, outreach, and relationship building is at least an order of magnitude higher.

That’s why cheap packages that promise lots of high authority links are a big red flag. They almost always rely on:

• Fully AI-generated, editable content.
• Low-value farms link or resold inventory.
• Backlinks are toxic.

None of this will help you get seen on AI search engines or Google.

Partnering with a link building agency for a sustainable market

Link building in the age of AI is a long-term investment. It’s about building a strong market presence, not chasing a quick win.

A good partner sees themselves as an extension of your team. They care about you:

• Your backlink gap compared to competitors.
• Your brand speaks to every LLM.
• All-in-one search and AI visibility.

They help you navigate content marketing, backlink testing, content marketing, and modern link building techniques in a unified way.

When you’re ready to move past vanity metrics and start building authorities that drive revenue and AI quotes, it’s time to choose who you trust with your domain.

The right link building center is here. You just need to know how to recognize them.