i've run a fair few local SEO link-building campaigns over the years, and I've found the following Slack workspaces genuinely useful for editorial link exchanges - especially when you're after contextual, non-spammy placements.
Slack networks worth joining:
- Digital Olympus - Link Friends - This one's tightly moderated. They vet every member, so you're mostly dealing with actual in-house editors or brand-side people. no spammy PBN types.
- #Backlinks - Free workspace with dedicated channels for each link strategy type. They also maintain shared link databases, though you'll want to verify the quality yourself.
- OnlineGeniuses - Large marketing Slack with a very active #seo channel. The volume can be noisy, but the editorial link exchange threads are decent if you filter by pinned posts.
- Marketing Lad - Paid group, but it's laser-focused on SaaS and tech link building. if you're in that niche, the editors there understand content placement and editorial standards.
Other places to connect:
- LinkedIn - Search for "Link Building" or "SEO Editor" in the people filter. Reach out directly to content managers at relevant sites. I've had better luck with personalised connection requests than with cold DMs.
- Reddit - The linkbuilding subreddit and the SEO subreddit have occasional editorial swap threads. Just look for posts from publishers who explicitly state they accept guest posts or resource page additions.
If you're targeting a specific niche (e.g., local service businesses, e‑commerce, health), I can point you toward more specialised groups or help you draft a short outreach template that frames the exchange as an editorial fit rather than a straight link trade. which direction would be more useful?
