How we work

Methodology · How we work

Four phases.
One discipline.

Every engagement runs through the same four-phase methodology, calibrated to your cluster, your competitor backlink graph, and your publication-tier mix.

Phase 01

Audit & backlink graph

A senior strategist audits your top 3–5 competitors' editorial backlinks, maps the clusters where you're outranked despite a better product, and ships a written one-page brief. Free, no commitment to continue.

  • → Competitor backlink graph
  • → Cluster prioritisation
  • → Anchor brief
  • → Publication-tier shortlist
Duration: 3–5 business days
Phase 02

Editor outreach & pitch

A senior outreach editor hand-pitches the agreed publications. Every pitch addressed by name, referencing the editor's recent posts, anchored to the audit cluster. Reply rates: 18–24% inbound, well above industry mean.

  • → Hand-written pitches
  • → Editor-first vetting (9-step)
  • → Topical-fit screening
  • → 0 templates, 0 mail-merge
Duration: 7–14 days per placement
Phase 03

Editorial production

A working editor writes the 1,200–2,000-word feature. Two rounds of editorial review (writer + senior editor) before submission. We don't spin, we don't AI-template, and we don't paraphrase from the brief.

  • → 1,200–2,000-word features
  • → 2-round editorial review
  • → Anchor sculpting
  • → Source-cited (min. 3 per piece)
Duration: 5–10 days per piece
Phase 04

Indexation & evidence

QA hand-checks every placement before delivery, dofollow attribute, anchor placement, indexability, removed-link monitoring. Evidence pack ships within 24h: screenshots, anchor map, DR snapshot, indexation timestamp, live URL.

  • → QA hand-check (every placement)
  • → Per-placement evidence pack
  • → Live dashboard
  • → 90-day removal monitoring
Duration: < 24h post-placement
The toolchain

What's under the hood.

Best-in-class commercial tooling, plus an internal proprietary outreach + reporting layer built over 8 years.

Discovery
Ahrefs · Semrush · Sistrix

Competitor backlink graphs, cluster mapping, DR + traffic estimation.

Outreach
Pitchbox · proprietary CRM

1,400+ active editor contacts; reply tracking; never-mail-merge guarantees.

QA & reporting
Internal stack

Per-placement evidence packaging, indexation monitoring, real-time dashboard.

Month one, week by week

What you actually see.

Week 1
Audit + brief

Free 30-min strategy call · written competitor backlink audit · cluster prioritisation · publication-tier shortlist

Week 2
Outreach begins

First batch of hand-pitched outreach · live dashboard goes online · weekly Slack standup with strategist

Week 3
First drafts in editorial production

Editor approvals coming back · first features in writing · second batch of outreach · cluster-2 brief drafted

Week 4
First placements live

First 4–8 placements live + indexed · evidence packs delivered · monthly review call · month-2 cluster locked

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