A practical checklist for evaluating a backlink prospect

[backlinktalk]

Start with the page and its audience.

• Is the site relevant to your topic and to the people you want to reach?
  
• Does it publish original material with a clear editorial purpose?
  
• Would the placement make sense to a reader without SEO being involved?
  
• Is the page accessible and part of a coherent site structure?
  
• Are commercial relationships disclosed?
  

Third-party authority scores can help organize research, but they do not tell the whole story. Record your reasoning alongside the metrics.

What signals make you reject a prospect immediately?