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Five years from now, 94% of marketers think that links will continue to be a ranking factor in Google algorithms.
However, many companies offering link-building services engage in questionable practices, such as selling links from manipulated or low-quality websites. These links can not only fail to provide value but may also harm the website receiving them. Therefore, it's essential to exercise caution when hiring an external partner for link building.
So, here are a few key tips to help SaaS businesses get the maximum from their link-building efforts.
Related: 10 Powerful Link-Building Tactics for Boosting Your Website's SEO
1. Take metrics with a grain of salt
It's crucial to approach metrics with skepticism. Website owners often inflate numbers like Domain Rating (DR). You might see a DR of 70, but in reality, the website holds little to no authority in Google's eyes. Of course, that's not always the case. In reality, Domain Rating correlates with higher rankings
While metrics can be useful, especially when sorting through large lists of websites, don't rely on them alone. Always look deeper into the site's real quality.
2. Organic traffic for real keywords is key
Pay attention to the keywords a website ranks for. Ideally, the site you're getting backlinks from should have organic traffic, which shows Google values it. More importantly, the traffic should come from relevant, industry-specific keywords. Some sites may rank for irrelevant terms like "celebrity news" despite being in a completely different niche — or worse, they may use fake traffic. Always ensure the keywords are a good fit for your business.
3. Get links from real businesses
The best way to determine if a website is worth getting a backlink from is to see if it's a real business. Many sites exist solely to sell links and are often just link farms. Focus on acquiring links from legitimate businesses, as these are the ones that offer the most value.
4. Use internal links
Let's face it — quality link building is hard. And if you find it hard to get backlinks to your service or landing pages, start by linking to your blog posts instead. Then, use internal linking across your site to ensure link equity flows throughout your pages. Without proper internal linking, you won't fully benefit from the backlinks you're building.
Related: Top 8 Backlink Strategies to Boost Your Traffic
5. Prioritize links to target pages
When building backlinks, your main focus should be on your money-making pages. Links to these pages are critical. If you're working with an agency, ensure they are targeting specific commercial pages. Even if you're only getting a couple of links per page per month, if they're targeted, it's highly effective.
6. Optimize anchors
Anchor text optimization is essential. From my experience, optimized anchor texts perform very well. If you're hiring an agency, send them a list of preferred anchor texts along with your target pages, so they can focus on both elements.
7. Focus on do-follow links
There's ongoing debate about the impact of no-follow links on rankings. While no-follow links have some influence, it's hard to quantify. Based on my observations, they seem to be about 30-50% as effective as do-follow links. In a LinkedIn poll I conducted, 43% of participants believed no-follow links were 25% or less effective than do-follow. However, keep in mind that many respondents may not have had enough experience, so their opinions are just that — opinions.
8. Get listed on the top of listicle posts
There are countless "comparison" and "alternatives" pages for popular tools, generating significant search volumes. For instance, searches like "Canva alternatives" are common. If your product is in a competitive niche, you want to be featured as the number one option on these pages created by bloggers and websites. Not only will you gain valuable backlinks, but you'll also get more clicks and recommendations as the top alternative, greatly boosting your link-building efforts.
This also creates a snowball effect. Future writers and bloggers working on alternatives for that specific tool will often reference existing lists. When they see your product featured prominently, they're more likely to include it in their own lists, further amplifying your exposure and link-building efforts.
9. Outsource to the right company
According to some research, 56% of SaaS marketing departments utilize a combination of in-house and outsourced staff to reach their marketing objectives.
When selecting a company, make sure they specialize in link building for SaaS and deliver high-quality work, as word of mouth and testimonials can be very effective indicators of their reliability.
Related: How to Shake Up a Stale Link Building Strategy
In summary, while links remain vital for SEO, it's crucial to prioritize quality over quantity. Focus on securing high-quality backlinks that directly target your key pages, using optimized anchor texts to make a meaningful impact. Your link-building strategy should align with your overall branding strategy to maximize effectiveness. By being selective and strategic in your approach, you can build a robust link profile that genuinely enhances your SaaS business's online presence.
