# Link Prospecting Spreadsheet: Track Your Outreach

Organised spreadsheet template for tracking link building prospects. Manage contacts, outreach status, and follow-ups efficiently.

Canonical: https://backlinkgrid.com/resources/prospecting-spreadsheet


A well-organised prospecting spreadsheet is essential for managing link building at scale. This template helps you track prospects, contacts, outreach, and results.

---

## Spreadsheet Structure

### Main Tabs Overview

| Tab | Purpose |
|-----|---------|
| Prospects | All potential link sources |
| Outreach Log | Track emails and responses |
| Contacts | Contact database |
| Results | Completed links |
| Dashboard | Summary metrics |

---

## Tab 1: Prospects

### Column Structure

| Column | What to Track | Example |
|--------|---------------|---------|
| **A: Prospect ID** | Unique identifier | P001 |
| **B: Domain** | Website URL | example.com |
| **C: Page URL** | Specific page (if applicable) | example.com/resources |
| **D: DA/DR** | Authority metric | 45 |
| **E: Traffic** | Est. monthly visitors | 10,000 |
| **F: Relevance** | Score 1-5 | 4 |
| **G: Link Type** | Opportunity type | Guest Post |
| **H: Priority** | High/Medium/Low | High |
| **I: Status** | Current status | Not Contacted |
| **J: Contact** | Contact name | John Smith |
| **K: Email** | Contact email | john@example.com |
| **L: Notes** | Additional context | Accepts guest posts on marketing |
| **M: Date Added** | When prospect was found | 2026-01-15 |
| **N: Last Updated** | Last status change | 2026-01-20 |

### Status Options

Use consistent status labels:

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| **Not Contacted** | New prospect, no outreach yet |
| **Contacted** | Initial email sent |
| **Follow-Up 1** | First follow-up sent |
| **Follow-Up 2** | Second follow-up sent |
| **Responded** | Received response |
| **In Progress** | Active discussion/work |
| **Won** | Link secured |
| **Lost** | Declined or no response after follow-ups |
| **On Hold** | Paused for later |

### Link Type Categories

| Type | Description |
|------|-------------|
| Guest Post | Content contribution opportunity |
| Resource Page | Resource list inclusion |
| Broken Link | Broken link replacement |
| Mention | Unlinked mention conversion |
| Editorial | Natural editorial opportunity |
| Partnership | Business partnership link |
| Directory | Directory listing |
| Other | Miscellaneous |

---

## Tab 2: Outreach Log

### Column Structure

| Column | What to Track | Example |
|--------|---------------|---------|
| **A: Log ID** | Unique identifier | O001 |
| **B: Prospect ID** | Links to prospect | P001 |
| **C: Date** | Email date | 2026-01-15 |
| **D: Email Type** | Initial/Follow-up 1/2/3 | Initial |
| **E: Subject Line** | Email subject used | Article idea: Content marketing |
| **F: Template Used** | Which template | Guest Post v2 |
| **G: Response** | Yes/No | Yes |
| **H: Response Date** | When they responded | 2026-01-18 |
| **I: Response Type** | Positive/Negative/Question | Positive |
| **J: Next Action** | What to do next | Send draft |
| **K: Next Action Date** | Deadline | 2026-01-25 |
| **L: Notes** | Details | Interested in Topic 2 |

---

## Tab 3: Contacts

### Column Structure

| Column | What to Track | Example |
|--------|---------------|---------|
| **A: Contact ID** | Unique identifier | C001 |
| **B: Name** | Full name | Sarah Johnson |
| **C: Email** | Email address | sarah@example.com |
| **D: Role** | Job title | Content Manager |
| **E: Company** | Organisation | Example Inc |
| **F: Domain** | Website | example.com |
| **G: LinkedIn** | Profile URL | linkedin.com/in/sarah |
| **H: Twitter** | Handle | @sarahj |
| **I: Relationship** | Cold/Warm/Established | Cold |
| **J: Total Emails** | Emails sent to this contact | 3 |
| **K: Last Contact** | Most recent email | 2026-01-20 |
| **L: Notes** | Personal notes | Previously worked at XYZ |

---

## Tab 4: Results

### Column Structure

| Column | What to Track | Example |
|--------|---------------|---------|
| **A: Result ID** | Unique identifier | R001 |
| **B: Prospect ID** | Links to prospect | P001 |
| **C: Link URL** | Where link is placed | example.com/post-title |
| **D: Target URL** | Your page that was linked | yoursite.com/page |
| **E: Anchor Text** | Link anchor text used | link building guide |
| **F: Link Type** | Dofollow/Nofollow | Dofollow |
| **G: DA/DR** | Source domain authority | 45 |
| **H: Date Secured** | When link went live | 2026-01-25 |
| **I: Time to Win** | Days from first contact | 10 |
| **J: Emails Sent** | Total outreach emails | 2 |
| **K: Campaign** | Campaign name | Q1 Guest Posts |
| **L: Cost** | Any costs involved | £0 |
| **M: Notes** | Additional info | Great relationship built |

---

## Tab 5: Dashboard

### Key Metrics to Display

**Pipeline Metrics**
- Total prospects
- By status (Not Contacted, Contacted, etc.)
- By priority
- By link type

**Activity Metrics**
- Emails sent (this week/month)
- Response rate
- Follow-ups due today/this week

**Results Metrics**
- Links secured (this month/quarter)
- Average time to win
- Conversion rate
- Links by type

### Formula Examples

**Response Rate**:
```
=COUNTIF(OutreachLog[Response],"Yes")/COUNT(OutreachLog[Response])
```

**Conversion Rate**:
```
=COUNTIF(Prospects[Status],"Won")/COUNTA(Prospects[Prospect ID])
```

**Average Time to Win**:
```
=AVERAGE(Results[Time to Win])
```

---

## How to Use This System

### Daily Workflow

1. **Check Dashboard**: Review key metrics
2. **Follow-up Review**: See what follow-ups are due
3. **Send Follow-ups**: Work through the queue
4. **Log Activity**: Record all emails in Outreach Log
5. **Update Status**: Change prospect status as needed

### Weekly Workflow

1. **Add New Prospects**: Research and add to prospect list
2. **Review Pipeline**: Check prospects by status
3. **Analyse Results**: Review what's working
4. **Plan Next Week**: Set priorities

### Monthly Workflow

1. **Performance Review**: Deep dive into metrics
2. **List Cleaning**: Remove dead prospects
3. **Template Review**: Update what's not working
4. **Strategy Adjustment**: Pivot based on data

---

## Best Practices

### Data Entry

- **Be consistent**: Use same status labels, date formats
- **Update immediately**: Log activity right after sending
- **Be thorough**: Complete all relevant fields
- **Add context**: Notes save time later

### Organisation

- **Use filters**: Filter by status, priority, type
- **Sort strategically**: Prioritise high-value prospects
- **Colour coding**: Visual indicators for priority/status
- **Regular cleanup**: Archive old prospects

### Collaboration

- **Standardise**: Same labels across team
- **Comments**: Use for internal communication
- **Version control**: Track changes if multiple editors
- **Permissions**: Control who edits what

---

## Template Customisation

### Add Columns For

- **Industry**: If targeting multiple verticals
- **Campaign**: If running multiple campaigns
- **Assigned To**: If team is involved
- **Custom Scoring**: If using weighted evaluation

### Remove Columns If

- Too granular for your needs
- Not providing useful data
- Slowing down data entry

### Adjust Status Labels

Match your workflow:
- Add stages if needed
- Simplify if too complex
- Align with team terminology

---

## Tools That Can Help

### Spreadsheet Options

- Google Sheets (collaborative, free)
- Microsoft Excel (powerful, familiar)
- Airtable (database features)
- Notion (flexible structure)

### Dedicated Tools

- BuzzStream (outreach management)
- Pitchbox (all-in-one)
- Respona (automated prospecting)
- Hunter.io (email finding + campaigns)

---

## Related Resources

- [Outreach Templates](/resources/outreach-templates)
- [Prospecting Guide](/outreach/prospecting)
- [Follow-Up Strategy](/outreach/follow-up-strategy)


## Try the free tool

[Build prospecting search queries](/tools/link-prospect-finder) with your own data. The tool explains its inputs and limitations and lets you export the result.