A link roundup is a regularly published post that curates and links to the best content from around the web on a particular topic. Usually published weekly or monthly, these posts naturally include many outbound links, making them opportunities for earning backlinks.
Understanding Link Roundups#
What They Are#
Link roundups typically:
- Curate recent quality content
- Published on a schedule
- Cover specific niches/topics
- Include commentary
- Link to many sources
Common Formats#
Types of roundups:
- "This Week in [Topic]"
- "Friday Reads"
- "Monthly Best Of"
- "Top Articles This Week"
- "Weekend Reading"
Getting Included in Link Roundups#
Finding Roundups#
Discovery methods:
Search operators:
- "[topic] roundup"
- "[topic] + "this week""
- "[niche] + "best of""
- "intitle:roundup [keyword]"
- "[topic] + "friday reads""
Other methods:
- Competitor backlink analysis
- Industry blog monitoring
- Social media searches
- Newsletter subscriptions
Getting Featured#
Increase chances by:
- Creating excellent content
- Publishing consistently
- Building relationships with curators
- Sharing your content strategically
- Timing publication well
Outreach to Curators#
If reaching out:
- Introduce yourself
- Share specific content
- Explain why it fits their audience
- Don't be pushy
- Build ongoing relationship
Creating Your Own Link Roundup#
Benefits#
Why create roundups:
- Build relationships with creators
- Establish industry presence
- Provide value to audience
- Natural networking tool
- Content that's relatively easy to produce
How to Create#
Process:
- Define your niche/topic
- Set publication schedule
- Curate quality content
- Add your commentary
- Notify featured creators
- Publish consistently
Curation Standards#
Include content that:
- Is genuinely valuable
- Your audience will appreciate
- You've actually read
- Deserves attention
- Comes from quality sources
Link Roundup Best Practices#
For Getting Included#
Do:
- Create linkable content
- Publish before roundup deadlines
- Build relationships
- Share curator's content
- Engage with their community
Don't:
- Spam curators
- Submit mediocre content
- Expect inclusion
- Give up after one attempt
For Creating Roundups#
Do:
- Be consistent with schedule
- Curate genuinely good content
- Add valuable commentary
- Notify creators you feature
- Build ongoing relationships
Don't:
- Include content you haven't read
- Feature just anyone
- Skip notifications
- Abandon the schedule
- Make it purely transactional
Notification Strategy#
When You're Featured#
Take action:
- Thank the curator
- Share the roundup
- Engage with their content
- Build the relationship
- Remember for future
When You Feature Others#
Notification approach:
Subject: Featured you in our [topic] roundup
Hi [Name],
I included your article on [topic] in this week's
[Roundup Name]: [Link]
Really enjoyed [specific thing about their content].
Keep up the great work!
Best,
[Your name]
Link Roundup Metrics#
What to Expect#
When getting included:
- One dofollow link typically
- Some referral traffic
- Relationship opportunity
- Social exposure
When creating roundups:
- Builds your authority
- Networking relationships
- Regular content to publish
- Some links from featured creators
Types of Link Roundups#
Weekly News Roundups#
Characteristics:
- Current events/news
- Time-sensitive content
- Regular schedule
- Industry-focused
Best-Of Roundups#
Characteristics:
- Quality over recency
- May be monthly/quarterly
- Curated carefully
- Longer shelf life
Thematic Roundups#
Characteristics:
- Specific topic focus
- May be one-time
- Deep on particular subject
- More targeted
Tool/Resource Roundups#
Characteristics:
- Curated tools or resources
- Less frequent
- Practical focus
- Often evergreen
Common Challenges#
Finding Quality Content#
Solution:
- Set up content alerts
- Follow industry sources
- Use content discovery tools
- Join industry communities
Maintaining Schedule#
Solution:
- Create process/template
- Schedule curation time
- Have backup content
- Plan ahead
Getting Noticed#
Solution:
- Consistent quality
- Build relationships over time
- Engage beyond just your content
- Provide value first
Summary#
Link roundups are curated content collections:
Getting included:
- Create excellent content
- Find relevant roundups
- Build curator relationships
- Share strategically
Creating roundups:
- Pick a niche
- Set a schedule
- Curate quality content
- Notify featured creators
- Stay consistent
Benefits:
- Natural link building
- Relationship development
- Authority building
- Value for audience
Link roundups work best as part of relationship-based link building strategy.