Automica Merges With Manual Link Building

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Data-based SEO service provider Automica has joined forces with link building and SEO outsourcing firm Manual Link Building to create one of the biggest providers of link-building services in the U.K.

Or, more specifically, Automica "is investing into" MLB, says Automica owner Paul Madden. Additional terms were not disclosed.

The deal happened last week, Madden says. He spoke of the merger at SES London in the Tuesday panel, "Link Building in a Post-Penguin World."

Automica will merge into MLB as it is the bigger brand. The combined company will have just under 200 employees, Madden says. (Automica had less than 50.)

The combined entity is working on building and launching tools with its combined data. What's more, if a brand has a problem with its link profile, the combined company will be better able to manage the problem, he adds.

"The merger is to expand the operation further in the U.K. and to provide greater scale in our link-building, link cleanup, and SEO offerings," Madden says. "At a time when many are questioning whether links are going to continue to be the signal, the merger shows that both Automica and MLB believe the market for link placement and link profile management will continue to grow through 2013."

MLB also operates in the U.S., Australia, and South Africa.

In the panel discussion, Madden discussed developing and executing a link-building strategy after the Penguin update. His key takeaways: audit your link profile, make sure whoever does your audit knows what they're doing, don't stop building links, and watch your profile all the time.