🔍 What "In Progress" Means
When you submit an order in Link Laboratory, it moves through several stages. In Progress means your order was received and is being worked on. A publisher or our fulfillment team is reviewing, preparing, or placing your link. It does not mean the order is stuck or has been missed.
The status changes to a completed status once your link is live and the order is finished.
⏱️ How Long Does an Order Stay In Progress?
There is no single timeframe that applies to every order. The time an order stays In Progress depends on the type of placement you ordered and the site where it will be published. Some placements are quick, while others need more steps, such as content creation, editorial review, and publisher approval.
The most reliable way to know what to expect is to check the estimated turnaround time shown for your specific order or listing in Link Laboratory. This is the timeframe your order should be measured against.
📌 What Affects the Timeline
Several factors can make one order finish faster than another:
- Publisher review time: Some sites approve content within a day or two, while others take longer.
- Content requirements: Orders that need new content written take longer than orders using content you already provided.
- Editorial feedback: If a publisher asks for edits, the order stays In Progress until the changes are made and approved.
- Order volume: Busy periods can add extra processing time.
- Weekends and holidays: Publishers and teams may not work on these days, so turnaround is often counted in business days.
- Order details: Missing or unclear information, such as the target URL or anchor text, can slow things down.
🧮 How to Estimate When Your Order Should Finish
Follow these steps to work out whether your order is still within the expected window:
- Open Link Laboratory in your Search Atlas account and go to your orders.
- Find the order and note the submission date. For example, if you submitted the order on Sep 20, count from that date.
- Check the estimated turnaround time listed for that order or placement.
- Add that turnaround to your submission date, counting business days if the turnaround is given in business days.
- Compare the result with today's date. If today is before that date, your order is still within the normal window.
✅ What You Can Do While You Wait
- Check your order details to make sure all required information is complete and correct.
- Watch for notifications in the platform. If the team or publisher needs something from you, you will see it there.
- Avoid resubmitting the same order. A duplicate can cause confusion and may delay the original.
- Allow extra time if your order falls over a weekend or holiday period.
🚩 When to Contact Support
It's a good idea to reach out if:
- Your order has stayed In Progress longer than the estimated turnaround time shown for it.
- The status hasn't changed and you haven't received any update from the team.
- You think something is wrong with the order details, such as the wrong URL or anchor text.
To help us look into it quickly, have these details ready:
- The order name or ID
- The submission date (for example, Sep 20)
- The target URL and the placement you ordered
- A short description of what you're seeing
💬 Need Help?
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.
💡 Quick Summary
- In Progress means your order is being actively worked on.
- Timelines vary by publisher, placement type, and content needs.
- Check the estimated turnaround for your order and count from your submission date.
- If your order goes past that estimate, contact us through the chat widget with your order details.