What a retainer should contain
A plan agreed up front: which pages get pushed, which link types, what volume, at what velocity. Execution you can see: links delivered against that plan each month. And a report tying the work to movement — positions, referring domains, traffic.
Any retainer missing one of the three is charging for vibes.
What month-by-month should look like
Month one: audit, target list, first small batch. Months two to three: steady batches plus on-page fixes. Month four: first honest read on traction. From there, the retainer either scales what's working or pivots what isn't — both are legitimate outcomes, silence isn't.
Ask for the planned link mix each month in advance. Providers with a real process have no problem telling you what they'll do before doing it.
Retainer red flags
Identical reports every month with the numbers suspiciously smooth. 'Maintenance' months with no visible deliverables. And contracts locking you past three months before you've seen a single result — velocity of commitment should match velocity of evidence.
Month-to-month terms with a proven provider beat a discounted annual cage every time.
When retainers beat one-off orders
When the goal is compounding: authority built in steady layers outperforms bursts. When you want velocity managed for you. And when reporting consistency matters — agencies and in-house teams live in monthly cycles.
One-off packages still win for tests and top-ups. Most mature buyers run both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Give it four months before judging results, but insist on month-to-month terms. Commitment in time, flexibility in contract.
Managed link building retainers run from ~$200/month for small volumes to $1,000+ for competitive programs. Strategy-heavy retainers cost more.