Building a solid foundation of backlinks is essential for any ecommerce brand that wants to stand out online.
But many online businesses are out there fighting for search rankings in the top spot. How do you ensure yours doesn’t get lost in the maze?
In this guide, we’ll take you on a journey to effective link building for ecommerce.
What is link building for ecommerce?
E-commerce link building involves getting external sites to link back to your own and gaining “link juice” (which search engines love). We call these backlinks.
They’re signals to Google that your content is worth checking out. If you’ve got reputable sites (with a high domain authority) linking back to your ecommerce website, it must mean your content is high-quality, trustworthy, and helpful to people.
The more quality links you get from reputable sites, the better your chances of ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPs). So, if a user searches for a keyword you’ve ranked for, they might find your content in the top results.
These links should come from trusted, high-authority sites like product review sites, industry blogs, or top publishers, which carry more weight.
E-commerce links differ from regular backlinks because they tend to be more intent-focused. In many cases, the website linking to you may lead to a product page, category, or landing page. These pages have a specific focus: getting visitors to convert.
It’s all in the name “ecommerce.”
But that doesn’t mean your links can’t lead to valuable content. They don’t have to solely focus on getting conversions.
You can write helpful content that naturally attracts links and drives organic traffic to your site. Ultimately, this can still lead to sales because it helps build trust and authority.
Below, we discuss effective link building strategies for ecommerce.
Effective link building strategies for ecommerce
Link building for ecommerce is a great way to improve your online business’s ranking in the SERPs and boost its overall visibility.
Let’s take a look at some actionable tips to get you started.
Answer FAQs about your products
People will always have questions about your products. Unlike shopping in-store, online customers can’t just go up to a cashier and get the help they need.
To ask questions or get guidance, they must call, email, or open a live chat with a sales rep.
But in today’s age of information and instant gratification, not everyone wants to go through those steps.
Creating an FAQ page would help reduce the effort required for your customers to complete an action. Having a list of answers to common questions lets you provide value to potential customers upfront.
But FAQ pages aren’t just valuable to your audience. They also increase the chances of other sites linking to your answers.
For the best results, try to rank your FAQ pages high in the SERPs for relevant long-tail keywords. High visibility means more people will see these pages, which means more people will share them on forums or social media.
Forever 21 features a FAQ page for gift and e-gift cards. It provides helpful answers to questions customers tend to have about checking their balance and redeeming their cards.
Pro tip: Use tools like Answer the Public to uncover common questions in your niche and answer them in-depth. This can position you as a helpful resource and build trust with users and search engines.
Create high-quality, link worthy content
Content that’s informative, unique, and valuable will naturally attract links. Blog posts, buying guides, or comparison articles can provide insights your audience finds useful and others want to reference.
Focus on creating evergreen content, which will stay relevant over time and consistently drive backlinks.
Pro tip: Dig into industry pain points. What are your customers struggling with, or what do they need to know before buying? Solving those issues makes your content far more link-worthy.
Invest in digital PR
Digital PR can help you earn high-quality links from high-authority sites.
Craft newsworthy stories or data-driven reports to capture the attention of journalists and editors, who may link back to your ecommerce site in their articles.
PR campaigns can help get your products on news sites, magazines, and popular blogs. So, in addition to gaining a solid backlink profile, you’re also increasing your brand’s search visibility.
Say you’re a skincare brand that’s formulated a product with a groundbreaking ingredient. Reach out to health and beauty journalists with the story. Maybe even offer an exclusive interview with your product developer.
Pro tip: Journalists love data and unique insights. Consider conducting a survey about your industry that summarizes the findings in a blog post. Pitch it to news outlets. Many will link back to you as the original source.
Obtain affiliate partnerships
Partner with affiliate marketers to expand your reach and gain backlinks. Affiliates can create content about your products and add relevant backlinks.
This is a powerful strategy for fashion, beauty, and tech niches, where customers look for reviews and recommendations before buying.
Image being able to feature your products on a popular affiliate site like Wirecutter.
Pro tip: Set clear expectations. Let affiliates know what kind of content resonates with your audience and support them with product descriptions, images, and critical benefits to highlight.
Get influencers to review your products
Relevant influencer reviews offer social proof and are excellent for link building.
You can also gain exposure to their followers and secure valuable backlinks from their blogs or social media platforms. Through user-generated content (UGC), influencers with a loyal following can drive valuable referral traffic and provide authenticity to your brand.
So, if you run an ecommerce development solutions business that sells fitness equipment, consider partnering with influencers who review fitness products. They often create YouTube videos, blog posts, and social media posts, each linking to your website.
Pro tip: Provide direct URLs to the product pages you’d like them to mention. The less work for them, the better.
Build niche edit links
Niche edit links involve finding existing content that’s related to your products and asking the site owner to add a link to your page.
This is a highly effective strategy because the content is already in Google’s index and potentially ranks in search engines. So, you’ll benefit from established authority and traffic.
Pro tip: Explain why your link enhances their content when reaching out. Are you offering a unique product? What about expert knowledge that their readers will find valuable? The more precise your value, the higher your chances of getting that link.
Write value-packed guides
Guides are an excellent way to educate your target audience. This helps establish your company as a thought leader in your field.
Value-packed guides like “how-to” articles, product comparison charts, or shopping tips are highly linkable.
This product comparison chart from Amazon gives shoppers an overview of different air fryers and their unique features.
Other sites are more likely to refer to your content because you offer in-depth, actionable advice.
For example, maybe you sell outdoor gear. Create a “Complete Guide to Backpacking for Beginners” with sections on choosing the right gear, survival tips, and trail recommendations.
This could attract organic backlinks from travel and outdoor blogs looking to provide value to their readers.
Pro tip: Make sure your guide is comprehensive. This will make it more likely for people to link to you as a valuable resource.
Find unlinked brand mentions
Unlinked brand mentions are instances where other sites mention your brand but don’t include a backlink.
These unliked mentions are great link building opportunities because they already recognize your brand. All you need to do is politely ask them to add a link.
Use tools like Google Alerts or Ahrefs to track these mentions. Contact the site owners, thank them for the mention, and ask if they can link back to your site.
Pro tip: Personalize your request. Explain how linking to your would help their audience learn more about your brand or products.
Craft seasonal content for ecommerce
Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular. It’s incredibly convenient when customers need to find gifts or other seasonal products but don’t have time to shop in-store.
Research shows that 76% of consumers plan to do at least half of their holiday shopping from online retailers in 2024.
This is a perfect opportunity to create content around holidays, seasonal trends, or limited-time offers. Then, reach out to other sites or bloggers who may be creating similar content.
Seasonal backlinks can drive a surge of relevant traffic during crucial times of the year.
Pro tip: Get your seasonal content ready a couple of months in advance. This way, you can reach out to editors before the seasonal rush and have a better chance of getting featured.
Ask partners for backlinks
This is another link building strategy for ecommerce.
If you work with suppliers, manufacturers, or other partners, reach out to them for high-value links. Ask if they can link to you on their “Clients” or “Partners” page.
These links are generally easy to acquire since you already have a professional long-term relationship with these companies.
Pro tip: Make it mutually beneficial. Offer to link back to their website as well.
Reach out the resource pages in your industry
Resource pages are an excellent opportunity for backlinks. These pages provide helpful information to users.
Look for resource pages in your niche. If your content provides value, contact the page owner and ask if they can include your link.
This can be even more effective if you have guides, tools, or insights relevant to the page’s audience.
Pro tip: Personalize your outreach and explain why your link adds value to their readers. If you have a resource or article that fills a gap in their content, highlight this in your pitch.
Publish press releases
Get your brand’s news or product launches out to a broader audience with press releases. You can earn high-quality backlinks when relevant press sites like Cision or PR Newswire pick up your release.
Just make sure your press releases are newsworthy and exciting. Journalists receive a lot of pitches and will focus on those that stand out.
Pro tip: Your product may have an interesting story behind it or solve a problem. Highlight this in the press release to capture attention.
Join podcasts
Joining podcasts in your industry allows you to share your expertise, build brand authority, and gain backlinks.
Podcast hosts often create show notes that link back to the guest’s website.
Pro tip: Research podcasts relevant to your niche and tailor your pitch to show what unique value you bring to their audience.
Replace broken links
The broken link building strategy helps you find broken links on other sites so that you can suggest a replacement page for your website.
It may be tedious and take a lot of time. But it can pay off in the long run. Plus, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship you’re building. You help the site fix broken links. And in return, you gain a backlink.
Use tools like Ahrefs to find broken links on sites related to your industry.
Pro tip: Keep your email short and polite. Website owners appreciate it when you help improve their site, especially when you offer a quick solution.
Use the skyscraper technique
Create “skyscraper content”. To do this, just find popular content in your niche. Pick a relevant search query. Then, look at the top-ranking pages in the SERPs.
Create an even better version. Add updated information, more engaging visuals, and new data. Next, contact the sites that linked to the original.
Pro tip: Use an SEO tool with a backlink analysis feature to find which sites link to the original content. Then, craft a personalized message explaining why your updated content is a valuable replacement.
Conduct blogger outreach
Connect with bloggers in your industry and ask if they do guest posts. To make the offer more enticing, offer to send a free product sample or collaborate on an article idea.
This works well in niches where customers trust bloggers’ opinions and seek out personal recommendations.
Pro tip: Personalize your message by referring to specific blog posts or topics they’ve covered that align with your brand.
Analyze competitor backlinks
Analyze the backlinks your competitors have gained to get insights into which sites are open to linking to similar products or content.
If a competitor has links from specific blogs, news sites, or directories, contact site owners with a unique pitch to get your links.
Pro tip: If a competitor has a backlink from a popular website, consider emailing the owner to pitch your product. Offer a new angle or unique value that’s missing.
Make eye-catching infographics
Infographics are highly shareable.
Create visually appealing infographics that offer useful data or insights related to your products.
Share these on social media, submit them to infographic directories, and reach out to blogs that may want to feature your content.
See this infographic about the ecommerce market by Statista? I bet there are plenty of sites linking to it.
The graphic is very pleasing to the eye and makes it easy to digest the information.
Pro tip: Pair your infographic with an accompanying article or blog post that dives deeper into the topic. This allows you to target keywords and makes it easier for sites to link to a comprehensive resource. When you contact potential link partners, offer to create a customized infographic version with their branding. This makes sharing even more appealing.
Build your way to the top of the SERPs with high-quality ecommerce backlinks
Building a successful ecommerce website all starts with a product people want and love.
But you can’t love something you haven’t discovered. That’s why search engine optimization (SEO) is vital for your business. With link building for ecommerce, you can transform your online store’s reach and influence.
At uSERP we’ve helped dozens of ecommerce companies build backlinks and skyrocket their organic traffic. More traffic equals more sales. Interested in learning more about how we do it? Book an intro call with uSERP today.
