Don’t Buy Backlinks Before You’ve Built Your Home
Why spending money on exposure before you have a website is like handing out business cards with no phone number.
A few years ago, I paid $120 to be featured in a “top web designers” roundup on a niche blog with decent traffic. I was thrilled. My name would appear next to legit agencies, my link would sit right there in the footer—and, surely, clients would flood in.
No one came.
Not a single email. Not one curious click that turned into a conversation.
Why? Because I didn’t have a real website yet. Just a placeholder page with a logo, a sentence, and a Calendly link that never rang.
I had spent money to send people… nowhere.
The Illusion of Instant Visibility
Backlink marketing feels powerful. You see your URL on a respected site, and for a moment, it seems like you’ve “made it.” But visibility only matters if you’re ready to be seen.
Think of it this way:
A backlink is a knock on your door.
If your house isn’t built—if there’s no porch, no lighting, no clear sign of who lives there—then who’s going to answer?
People don’t click links out of charity. They click because they expect value: clarity, trust, proof you can solve their problem. Without a proper website, you’re asking strangers to believe in you based on a single sentence on someone else’s page.
That’s not marketing. That’s hoping.
What a Website Actually Gives You (That a Backlink Doesn’t)
Trust you control
A well-built site—clean, fast, mobile-friendly—shows you’re serious. Not just available, but capable.
A backlink might get you noticed. Your website decides whether you’re remembered.
A place to convert curiosity into conversation
Visitors don’t want to DM you on Instagram or guess your email. They want a clear next step: “Get a Quote,” “See My Work,” “Read How I Built This.”
Without that, interest evaporates in seconds.
SEO equity you own forever
Backlinks decay. Domains change hands. Algorithms shift.
But your website? Every page you publish, every service you explain, every testimonial you earn—it all compounds.
Google rewards consistency, not one-off placements.
Proof you’ve done the work
You didn’t just talk about helping small businesses—you built something real for them. Show it.
Case studies, project details, honest explanations of your process… that’s what persuades, not a directory listing.
The Right Order Matters
Most solopreneurs reverse the sequence:
Wrong order:
Spend $200 on a backlink → realize your site isn’t ready → panic-edit a Wix page → lose the visitor’s trust.
Right order:
Build a fast, mobile-friendly, clearly written website (3–7 days is enough) → then seek relevant backlinks that point to real value → watch qualified leads arrive.
Your website isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s your credibility anchor. Without it, every marketing dollar leaks.
A Note on “Free” Exposure
You might think, “But what if the backlink is free? A guest post, a podcast mention?”
Even then—if your destination is weak, you waste goodwill. Someone took a chance on you. Don’t send them to a half-finished landing page with typos and broken images.
Respect their audience by giving them somewhere worth visiting.
Final Thought
I learned this the hard way. I chased visibility before I had substance.
Now, I build websites first—not as brochures, but as silent salespeople that work 24/7, even when I’m sleeping.
If you’re considering backlink marketing, stop.
Ask yourself: “Is my website ready to welcome someone who just discovered me?”
If not, build that first.
Because a backlink might get you seen—but only your website can get you hired.
P.S. I help solopreneurs and small premium brands launch fast, mobile-friendly websites in 3–7 days—optimized for Google, built for trust, no coding required. If you’re ready to stop sending visitors to nowhere, mateweb.site is where I start.
