Start with topical relevance
Ask whether the linking website serves an audience that could genuinely benefit from your page. A relevant industry publication may be a better fit than a broad site with impressive metrics but little subject overlap.
Look at the page, not just the domain
Review the article where the link would appear. Does it answer a real question? Is the surrounding content useful and editorially coherent? A link should help readers discover a resource that adds context.
Review editorial standards
Examine whether the site publishes consistent content, identifies editorial ownership, and appears to serve real visitors. Traffic estimates are useful directional signals, not proof of quality.
Avoid shortcut metrics
Domain authority scores are third-party estimates rather than Google ranking factors. Combine them with manual review, topical fit, and the site’s outbound-link patterns.
Document your decisions
A simple evaluation sheet makes outreach more consistent. Track relevance, content quality, editorial context, and the reason each prospect was accepted or rejected.