Glossary
A link building scope-of-work glossary
Half of client disputes come from two people using the same word differently. Define these terms in your proposal before the first invoice.
Terms for your proposal
Scope
The list of things you will do. Name the target pages, the number of placements and the reports. Anything not written there is outside it, which is the heart of a link building scope of work.
Scope creep
The slow growth of the job through small asks, often approved aloud on a call. Cure it with a same-day confirmation message.
Statement of work (SOW)
The document that fixes scope, price, timing and review dates. Short is fine, a single page works. Ask a lawyer for contract wording if you need binding terms.
Retainer
A recurring fee for an agreed amount of work. For link projects a one- or two-month term with a review suits beginners better than a long lock-in.
Pilot
A small first job, sometimes at a reduced rate, used to produce proof. Call it a pilot in writing so nobody treats it as the standing price.
Pass-through cost
A cost you pay on the client's behalf and bill at cost, such as placements. Show it as its own line.
Placement
A link inserted into a real page on a donor site, either inside a new article or added to an existing one.
Donor domain
The site that carries the link. Rows on our shelf show its Domain Rating, traffic, referring domains, niche and language.
Report words clients misread
| Word | What clients hear | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Live | Ranking | The link is published on the donor page |
| Dofollow | Guaranteed boost | The link carries no nofollow tag |
| Domain Rating | Google's score | An Ahrefs metric for a site's backlink profile |
| Impressions | Visitors | Times a result was shown in Google |
| Review date | Deadline for results | The day you both look at the numbers |
Late payment, and what the glossary can do about it
Clients who pay late usually do so because the invoice was vague. Name the due date, name the pass-through lines and say who pays what before you spend money. Be exact. Clear wording ends most of these chases before they begin.
Say the date aloud, too. A client who agreed to pay on the 15th of November 2026 will remember it far better than one who agreed to "soon". Semrush and Ahrefs exports can support your report, but they cannot replace the written terms.
Top up your marketplace balance only after the client's payment for the placements has cleared. Invoices and proforma invoices are available in the dashboard, which helps when a client's accounts team wants paperwork.
None of this is legal advice. For binding terms in your country, talk to a qualified professional, then use the runbook to keep the work itself in order.
Bookmark this page and trim the terms to fit each client. Shorter proposals get read, and read proposals get signed.
One last habit. Keep a dated copy of whatever the client signed, and send reminders at your own calendar's pace rather than waiting for trouble.
Late fees, if you charge them, belong in the written terms you agreed up front. Check the rules that apply where you work before you add any.
How to use this
Paste, then trim
Copy the terms you need into your proposal and delete the rest. Fewer words are better, as long as scope, price and review date are stated. See how to price it for the money side.
- Name two or three target pages
- State the number of placements per month
- Set a review date in the contract text
- Say who pays pass-through costs