Oh, I've dipped my toes into EditorialLink and the rest of that crew (Searcharoo, Authority Builders, GetMe.ai). Let me give you the unvarnished truth from someone who's run these campaigns for both clients and my own pet projects.
These networks aren't fake. The writers and editors on the other end are real freelancers and small-site folks who take paid contributions. No scandal there. What's all over the place is the quality control.
Here's what you're really signing up for:
The sites are ones that take paid links. That instantly caps the top end - the good pubs don't sell out. You're browsing the DR 30-60 bargain bin with mixed editorial hygiene.
the writing quality? i've had pieces that read like a senior content marketer crafted them and others that scream "non-native speaker on a deadline." Ask for samples before you hand over a penny.
their "niche relevance" spiel? Verify it yourself. Ask for five previously placed article URLs, then run them through Ahrefs or even the free Ubersuggest tier. If those URLs only pull links from other paid-placement networks, congrats - you're in a closed loop Google is already kicking to the curb.
Bottom line: useful for plugging gaps when you can't earn a link through real outreach. But it's not a replacement for genuine editorial relationships. The budget split that worked for me: 30% on paid placements like this, 70% on direct outreach to people who actually write about your space. The outreach links compound, the paid ones rot as Google figures out the network.
And whatever you do, run from any service flogging DR 80+ "premium" placements for under a grand. That's almost certainly a PBN. The real high-DR editorial inventory costs four figures a link and takes six weeks. you get what you pay for, but you don't always get what you think you're paying for.
