Can we talk about guest post vs resource page backlinks for small sites?

I've been building backlinks for about 3 years now, mostly for my own niche sites. Lately I've been stuck comparing two approaches. Guest posting takes forever to pitch and write, but the links usually come from actual editorial content that sticks around. Resource page outreach feels faster since you just email and ask, but half the time the page gets deleted or the link gets buried under 50 other links. Last month I spent 4 hours pitching guest posts and landed one solid link from a gardening blog in Ohio. Then I spent 2 hours on resource pages and got three links from a health directory that all died within 2 weeks. The guest post link is still pulling referral traffic, but man the effort was way higher. Which method do you guys lean on when you're just starting out with a small site budget? Is the extra time for guest posts always worth it, or do you mix in resource pages too?

3 comments

3 Comments

blakem131mo ago

How long did that gardening blog link take to actually pay off in terms of traffic? I feel your pain on the resource page stuff, those directory links are like throwing darts blindfolded. I've been doing this for about the same time as you, and I keep going back to guest posts even though they take forever. The thing is, a solid guest post link usually stays put for years, but those resource page links feel like they vanish if the webmaster sneezes wrong. For small sites with no budget, I'd say pick one method and get really good at it instead of splitting your time. Guest posts are boring and slow but at least you know what you're getting.

sandrat2419d ago

Honestly, this hits so close to home. I've been in that exact boat where you spend hours hunting down resource page links only to check back a month later and half of them are dead or removed. It's such a gamble. Guest posts might be a slog but at least you can sleep at night knowing the link is actually there and probably not going anywhere. Ngl, I've wasted way too much time trying to "scale" resource page outreach only to end up with a pile of broken links and zero traffic improvement. I think you're right that sticking with one method and getting good at it is the way to go for small sites. It's just not worth the headache of spreading yourself thin for links that disappear overnight.

jones.anna1mo ago

Resource pages are better for small sites because you can get ten links in the time it takes to write one guest post.