Link Building for Ecommerce: The 2 Most Effective Strategies

Did you know that over 70% of ecommerce traffic is driven by organic search, and only the top three search results capture the majority of clicks? This means that without a robust link-building strategy, your online store could easily get lost in the digital shuffle. Link building isn’t just about boosting your SEO rankings; it’s about driving targeted traffic, building brand authority, and ultimately increasing sales.

Many e-commerce businesses struggle with acquiring high-quality backlinks, facing challenges such as limited resources, intense competition, and ever-evolving search engine algorithms. In this blog post, we’ll delve into effective link-building techniques tailored specifically for e-commerce, helping you overcome these obstacles and propel your online store to the top of search results.

What is Link Building for Ecommerce?

Link building refers to the strategic process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your ecommerce store. These links are pivotal for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as they signal to search engines like Google that your website is credible, trustworthy, and authoritative. For ecommerce businesses, obtaining high-quality backlinks from reputable sites is especially vital because it enhances your store’s authority, helping you achieve higher rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs).

A robust link-building strategy does more than just improve your SEO rankings—it broadens your audience, opens new avenues for industry partnerships, and creates opportunities for future collaborations. As ecommerce businesses develop their backlink profiles, they establish their expertise in the market and attract targeted traffic from a variety of sources. This not only drives more potential customers to your site but also builds your brand’s reputation and trustworthiness in the eyes of both consumers and search engines.

Beyond enhancing SEO performance, link building significantly expands your ecommerce store’s reach and visibility. Backlinks from relevant and authoritative websites introduce your brand to new audiences, converting their followers into potential customers. This increased exposure not only drives more traffic to your site but also fosters relationships with other businesses, media outlets, and influencers within your industry. These relationships can lead to valuable partnerships and collaborations that further amplify your brand’s presence and credibility.

However, not all backlinks hold the same value. Search engines like Google prioritize the quality of links over sheer quantity. Links from authoritative, relevant websites are far more beneficial than those from random or unrelated sites. High-quality backlinks enhance your store’s authority and trustworthiness, making your website more appealing to both search engines and potential customers. Therefore, focusing on acquiring links from reputable sources within your niche is crucial for the success of your ecommerce link-building efforts.

What Makes a High-Quality Backlink for Ecommerce?

A cornerstone of any effective link-building strategy is recognizing what defines a high-quality backlink. While metrics like Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR) are frequently mentioned in SEO discussions, it’s crucial to understand that these are not direct ranking factors used by Google. Instead, focus on the tangible elements that enhance the value of a backlink for your ecommerce store:

• Organic Traffic: Backlinks from websites that boast substantial organic traffic suggest that Google already trusts these sites. Pages that rank well for relevant ecommerce keywords are more valuable sources for links, as they can pass on their authority and drive targeted traffic to your store.
• Relevance: Links from websites or pages that are pertinent to your ecommerce niche hold more significance than those from unrelated sites. Google assigns higher value to backlinks from pages that are contextually aligned with your products or industry. For instance, a backlink from a popular fashion blog would be more beneficial for a clothing store than one from a general news site.
• Anchor Text: The anchor text used in a backlink should be descriptive and relevant to the content of the linked page. While it’s important to avoid over-optimizing anchor text, ensuring that it accurately reflects your product categories or specific items helps improve search rankings. Natural and varied anchor text also contributes to a more organic link profile.
• Placement & Characteristics: The placement of a link within a webpage significantly impacts its value. Links embedded naturally within the main body of the content are far more valuable than those located in sidebars, footers, or unrelated sections. Contextual links that are part of informative or engaging content tend to perform better in terms of SEO benefits.
• Follow vs. Nofollow Attributes: Ideally, you aim to secure “dofollow” links, which pass SEO value from the linking site to your ecommerce store. However, “nofollow” links can still drive valuable referral traffic and contribute to a diverse and natural-looking link profile. A balanced mix of both types can be beneficial for overall SEO health.
• Destination: While it might be challenging to obtain backlinks directly to product pages, it’s essential to build links to content-rich pages such as blog posts, category pages, or buying guides. These pages can then internally link to your product listings, enhancing their visibility and authority. Creating high-quality, informative content that naturally attracts backlinks will support this strategy.

Top 2 Link Building Strategies for Ecommerce Sites

The core principles of link building remain consistent across industries, whether you’re building links for SaaS, e-learning platforms, or e-commerce stores. These sectors share common goals such as enhancing online visibility, driving organic traffic, and boosting conversions or user engagement. While the core principles of link building remain consistent, tailoring strategies to each industry’s unique needs can deliver superior results. Whether you run an online store, offer a digital service, or provide educational content, the right link building tactics can significantly impact your search rankings and overall success.

Here are the top two link building strategies specifically optimized for ecommerce sites:

1. Guest Posting on Industry-Relevant Websites

Guest posting remains one of the most effective and reliable strategies for ecommerce link building. This approach involves creating valuable content for other industry-related websites, which in turn allows you to earn authoritative backlinks while establishing your ecommerce store as a thought leader in your niche.

Why Guest Posting Works for Ecommerce:

• Authority and Trust: By contributing high-quality articles to reputable ecommerce blogs or industry-specific websites, you position your brand as an expert, enhancing your store’s credibility.
• Targeted Traffic: Guest posts on relevant sites attract visitors who are already interested in your products or industry, increasing the likelihood of converting them into customers.
• Long-Term SEO Benefits: Consistently publishing guest posts can lead to a steady stream of backlinks from high-traffic websites, providing ongoing SEO advantages.

Actionable Step: Identify high-quality, relevant blogs and websites within your ecommerce niche. Develop guest post ideas that showcase your expertise, such as product guides, industry trends, or case studies. Reach out to these sites with your proposals, ensuring that your articles are engaging, informative, and include a natural link back to your ecommerce store within the content.

2. Link Insertions: A Quick Route to Backlinks

Link insertions, also known as “niche edits” or “curated links,” offer an efficient way to build backlinks by inserting your links into existing, high-ranking content. This strategy leverages the authority of already trusted pages to quickly enhance your ecommerce site’s SEO.

Why Link Insertions Are Effective for Ecommerce:

• Immediate SEO Boost: Unlike guest posting, which requires time to create and publish new content, link insertions provide an instant backlink from content that is already indexed and performing well in search engines.
• Targeted Visibility: By placing links within relevant and authoritative articles, you can drive highly targeted traffic to specific pages of your ecommerce site, such as product categories or promotional pages.
• Enhanced Link Diversity: Incorporating link insertions into your strategy helps diversify your backlink profile, making it more natural and robust in the eyes of search engines.

Actionable Step: Use SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify high-ranking articles relevant to your ecommerce products or industry. Contact the website owners or editors and propose adding a link to your site where it naturally fits within the existing content. Ensure that your link adds value to the article, such as providing additional information or resources, to increase the likelihood of acceptance.

Risks of Paid Link Insertions

While link insertions can be highly effective, they often involve a financial investment. It’s important to approach this strategy with caution to avoid potential penalties from search engines like Google, which disapprove of unnatural or manipulative link schemes.

How to Mitigate Risks:

• Choose Reputable Sites: Focus on obtaining links from high-quality, authoritative websites that are relevant to your ecommerce niche. Avoid sites that appear to sell links indiscriminately or have low-quality content.
• Ensure Relevance: Make sure that the links you acquire are contextually relevant to the content they are placed in, enhancing the user experience rather than appearing forced or out of place.
• Diversify Your Link Profile: Balance paid link insertions with other link-building strategies, such as guest posting and organic link acquisition, to create a natural and diverse backlink profile.

Actionable Step: Before investing in paid link insertions, thoroughly vet the websites you plan to collaborate with. Use tools like Moz’s Domain Authority or Ahrefs’ Domain Rating to assess the quality and relevance of potential link sources. Additionally, monitor your backlink profile regularly to ensure that all acquired links adhere to best practices and maintain the integrity of your SEO efforts.

More Link Building Tactics for Ecommerce Platforms

Expanding your link-building strategy beyond the primary tactics can significantly enhance your backlink profile and drive long-term SEO success. Here are several additional tactics tailored specifically for ecommerce platforms:

1. Create Linkable Assets and Perform Outreach

Creating valuable, linkable assets is fundamental to any successful link-building strategy. These are high-quality pieces of content that naturally attract links because they provide unique value to your audience. Whether it’s comprehensive product guides, detailed FAQs, industry statistics, or original research, ecommerce platforms can leverage their expertise to build authority and earn backlinks.

In-Depth Guides

Ecommerce businesses possess a wealth of specialized knowledge. By creating comprehensive, easy-to-understand guides on relevant topics, your platform can attract backlinks from journalists, bloggers, and other websites that cite your material. For example, an online store could develop a guide on optimizing the online shopping experience or trends in consumer behavior. These well-researched resources act as magnets for backlinks from high-authority sites.

FAQ Pages

Detailed FAQ pages are another effective way to build links. By answering common questions related to your products or services clearly and concisely, your page becomes a valuable reference for non-expert bloggers, journalists, and other site owners. For instance, an ecommerce platform’s FAQ on shipping policies or product care can earn backlinks from review sites and consumer blogs covering online shopping tips.

Statistics Pages

Providing well-researched statistics relevant to your industry can lead to natural backlinks. Ecommerce businesses can offer data on consumer behavior trends, sales statistics, or market analysis. These statistics are invaluable to journalists and content creators who need credible data to support their content. For example, a page detailing the rise of mobile commerce could attract backlinks from tech blogs and market research sites.

Original Research

Publishing unique research or insights can position your platform as an authoritative source. Original data, such as a study on the impact of personalized marketing on sales or the effectiveness of different ecommerce strategies, can attract major media coverage and backlinks from reputable sources like industry publications and news outlets.

Actionable Step: After creating these valuable assets, outreach is essential to get them noticed. Identify relevant websites, journalists, and bloggers who would find your content valuable, and reach out with personalized emails offering your resource. If your content provides unique value, it’s likely to earn high-quality backlinks.

2. Blogging for Sustainable Link Building

A well-maintained blog can be one of the most effective and sustainable ways for ecommerce platforms to build links. By regularly producing insightful and valuable content, you can naturally attract backlinks as other websites reference your blog posts as authoritative sources. Blogging also offers flexibility in the types of content you can create, allowing your platform to address trending issues, offer how-to guides, or analyze recent industry developments.

Blogging Benefits:

• Increased SEO Visibility: By covering a wide range of topics, your blog can rank for a diverse set of keywords, expanding your reach and driving more organic traffic.
• Authority Building: Consistently publishing high-quality content establishes your platform as a thought leader in your industry, making other sites more likely to link to your content.
• Engagement and Shareability: Engaging blog posts are more likely to be shared on social media and referenced by other websites, increasing your backlink opportunities.

Topics that Attract Links:

• Breaking Down Complex Topics: Simplifying complicated subjects related to ecommerce can lead to other websites, including news outlets, referencing your blog for clarification.
• Trending Industry Topics: Writing about current events and industry changes can attract backlinks from journalists covering similar issues.
• How-To Guides: Providing step-by-step guides for using your products or navigating the online shopping process increases the chances of other websites linking to your content.
• Case Studies: Analyzing successful implementations or customer stories can result in backlinks from bloggers and journalists looking for expert analysis.

Actionable Step: Develop a content strategy for your blog. Use tools like Google Trends or Ahrefs to identify trending topics and keywords that will attract traffic and backlinks. Regularly post high-quality, insightful content, and promote it through outreach to relevant websites, journalists, and bloggers.

3. Leverage Community Mentions

Building relationships within your local community or professional network is a simple yet effective way to gain backlinks. Many ecommerce businesses overlook the value of asking satisfied customers, business partners, or collaborators for backlinks. These individuals or businesses often already have positive connections with your platform, making them more likely to link to your website.

Strategies to Leverage Community Mentions:

• Testimonials and Reviews: Offer testimonials to partners or suppliers in exchange for a backlink on their websites. Similarly, encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews that include links to your platform.
• Event Participation: If your business attends or sponsors events, ensure that event websites mention your participation and provide a backlink to your site.
• Local Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses or organizations on projects or promotions, and request that they link to your platform as part of the partnership.

Actionable Step: Reach out to customers, collaborators, or partners with websites and request a backlink. You can offer something in return, such as a testimonial or a social media mention, to make the exchange mutually beneficial.

4. Becoming a Source for Journalists

Journalists frequently seek expert opinions and insights, offering businesses a chance to earn valuable backlinks from major media outlets. Platforms like Help a Reporter Out (HARO), ResponseSource, and Qwoted connect businesses with journalists looking for expert commentary, making it easy to offer your expertise in exchange for a backlink.

Benefits of Being a Source:

• Authoritative Backlinks: Being featured in reputable media outlets provides high-quality backlinks that enhance your site’s authority.
• Increased Visibility: Media coverage can significantly boost your platform’s visibility and credibility in the industry.
• Trust Building: Being recognized as an expert by journalists fosters trust among potential customers.

Actionable Step: Sign up for HARO or similar platforms and set up alerts for queries related to ecommerce. Be prompt in responding to journalists, and provide well-thought-out insights that require minimal editing, increasing your chances of being featured.

5. Get Easy Wins from Free Directories

Listing your business on relevant directories is an easy way to build backlinks. For ecommerce platforms, directories specific to your industry can help potential customers discover your brand while also contributing to your backlink profile. While many directory links are “nofollow,” they still help diversify your link profile and improve your site’s overall SEO health.

Types of Directories:

• Industry-Specific Directories: Find directories that cater specifically to ecommerce to ensure relevance.
• Local Business Directories: If your platform serves a specific geographic area, local directories can provide valuable backlinks.
• Niche Directories: Smaller, niche directories related to specific aspects of your industry can offer targeted backlinks.

Actionable Step: List your business on top directories relevant to your industry and explore smaller, niche-specific directories for targeted backlinks. Check your competitors’ backlink profiles to see where they are listed, and replicate their efforts to ensure you’re not missing out on valuable opportunities.

6. Discover Unlinked Mentions

Unlinked mentions occur when your brand is mentioned online but without a link back to your website. Finding these mentions and requesting a link is often an easy way to acquire a backlink since the site already recognizes your brand.

How to Find Unlinked Mentions:

• Set Up Google Alerts: Create alerts for your brand name and key products or services to monitor online mentions.
• Use SEO Tools: Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz can help track brand mentions across the web.
• Monitor Social Media: Keep an eye on social media platforms where your brand is discussed to identify unlinked mentions.

Actionable Step: When you discover unlinked mentions, reach out to the website owner or author and kindly request that they add a link to your site. Highlight the value your link can provide to their content, such as additional information or resources, to increase the likelihood of acceptance.

7. Collaborate with Influencers and Bloggers

Partnering with influencers and bloggers in your niche can be a powerful way to earn high-quality backlinks. Influencers often have dedicated audiences and reputable websites that can provide valuable links to your ecommerce site.

Strategies for Collaboration:

• Product Reviews: Send your products to influencers and bloggers for honest reviews. Ensure that these reviews include a backlink to your product page or homepage.
• Sponsored Content: Collaborate on sponsored posts where influencers create content featuring your products, naturally incorporating links back to your site.
• Guest Appearances: Participate in interviews, podcasts, or webinars hosted by influencers, which typically include a backlink to your site in the show notes or accompanying materials.

Actionable Step: Identify key influencers and bloggers within your ecommerce niche who align with your brand values. Reach out with personalized proposals outlining the benefits of collaboration, such as exclusive discounts for their audience or unique content ideas that highlight your products.

8. Implement Broken Link Building

Broken link building involves finding broken links on relevant websites and suggesting your own content as a replacement. This tactic not only helps website owners fix their broken links but also provides you with an opportunity to earn a valuable backlink.

Steps for Broken Link Building:

• Identify Broken Links: Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Broken Link Checker to find broken links on websites relevant to your ecommerce niche.
• Create Relevant Content: Ensure you have content that can serve as a suitable replacement for the broken link. This could be a product page, blog post, or resource that matches the original link’s intent.
• Outreach: Contact the website owner or webmaster, informing them of the broken link and suggesting your content as a replacement. Provide a clear explanation of how your content adds value.

Actionable Step: Regularly scan relevant websites for broken links related to your products or industry. Develop a list of potential replacement content on your site and reach out to the appropriate contacts with a polite and concise message offering your link as a solution.

9. Sponsor Events and Organizations

Sponsoring events, charities, or industry organizations can be an effective way to earn high-quality backlinks while also enhancing your brand’s visibility and reputation.

Types of Sponsorships:

• Industry Conferences: Sponsor or participate in ecommerce or retail conferences and receive backlinks from event websites.
• Local Events: Support local community events or charities and get listed on their sponsor pages with a backlink to your site.
• Webinars and Workshops: Host or sponsor online webinars and workshops, ensuring your ecommerce site is mentioned and linked in promotional materials.

Actionable Step: Identify events and organizations that align with your ecommerce brand and target audience. Reach out to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, and negotiate for backlinks in exchange for your support. Ensure that the events you sponsor have reputable websites that will provide valuable backlinks to your ecommerce platform.

Tracking Your Ecommerce Link Building Results

After implementing your link building strategies, it’s essential to track your results to understand what’s working and where improvements are needed. Monitoring your progress not only helps refine your approach but also ensures that your efforts continue to drive meaningful SEO results. Link building isn’t a one-time task; it requires ongoing evaluation and adjustment to maximize its impact on your ecommerce site’s rankings and traffic.

Tools for Tracking Backlinks

Several tools can help you monitor your backlink profile. Here are some of the most popular ones for tracking your ecommerce link building efforts:

• Ahrefs: Ahrefs provides detailed insights into your backlink profile, including new and lost links, referring domains, and the quality of sites linking to you. It also allows you to analyze competitors’ backlinks, offering inspiration for improvement. For ecommerce, understanding where competitors are gaining their high-authority links can reveal new opportunities for your own link building.
• SEMrush: Like Ahrefs, SEMrush tracks backlink growth, flags toxic links, and helps discover new linking opportunities. It also offers keyword ranking data to show how your backlinks are affecting your SEO. Ecommerce businesses can leverage SEMrush to identify trends in backlink acquisition and optimize their strategies based on comprehensive data.
• Google Search Console: This free tool from Google gives you a basic overview of your site’s performance in search results, allowing you to monitor traffic and backlink data. It’s invaluable for ecommerce sites to track which backlinks are driving the most traffic and how they are influencing search rankings.

These tools enable you to assess both the quantity and quality of your backlinks. As your ecommerce site earns more high-authority backlinks, it should see improvements in search engine performance, leading to increased visibility and higher sales.

Monitoring Keyword Rankings and Organic Traffic

A key benefit of successful link building is improved rankings for your target keywords. As you acquire high-quality backlinks, your site should start ranking higher for relevant ecommerce-related search terms.

Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush allow you to track the rankings of your target keywords over time. Watch for keyword ranking improvements that align with your link building efforts, as this can help you identify which strategies are most effective. For instance, if guest posting on fashion blogs leads to higher rankings for “best summer dresses,” this indicates a successful tactic worth expanding.

In addition to keyword rankings, monitor your organic traffic using Google Analytics or Google Search Console. Look for upward trends in traffic as you build more backlinks, and note any traffic spikes after acquiring significant links from high-authority websites. For ecommerce sites, increased organic traffic often translates directly into higher sales and conversions, making this monitoring crucial for assessing the ROI of your link building efforts.

Adjusting Your Strategy

Link building is a continuous process that requires regular adjustments. Periodically review your backlink profile, track progress, and modify your strategy based on the data. If certain tactics — like influencer collaborations or broken link building — are driving better results, focus more energy on them.

Conversely, if some methods aren’t yielding quality links or SEO improvements, it may be time to rethink or reduce your efforts in those areas. For example, if paid link insertions are not resulting in the desired traffic or rankings, consider reallocating those resources to more effective strategies like creating linkable assets or enhancing your blogging efforts. Staying flexible and data-driven is key to achieving long-term success in ecommerce link building.

Actionable Step: Perform monthly backlink audits using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Search Console. Track backlink growth, evaluate their quality, and compare keyword rankings and organic traffic over time. Regular audits will help you optimize your ecommerce link building strategy for maximum impact, ensuring that your efforts are aligned with your business goals and adapting to any changes in the competitive landscape.

Unlock the Full Potential of Your Ecommerce Brand

Embarking on a link building journey for your ecommerce site is more than just a technical SEO task—it’s a strategic investment in your brand’s future. By cultivating high-quality backlinks, you’re not only enhancing your search engine visibility but also building a network of trusted endorsements that can propel your business forward.

Link building is a dynamic process that rewards creativity, persistence, and a deep understanding of your audience and industry. Embrace the challenges as opportunities to innovate and connect with influential voices in your niche. As you implement and refine these strategies, you’ll discover that each backlink represents a step closer to establishing your ecommerce store as a leader in your market. Stay committed, stay informed, and watch your online presence transform, driving sustained growth and lasting success.

FAQs about Ecommerce Link Building

What are some common link building mistakes to avoid for ecommerce sites?

One common mistake is prioritizing the quantity of backlinks over their quality. Acquiring numerous low-quality or irrelevant links can harm your site’s reputation and SEO performance. Additionally, engaging in black-hat techniques such as buying links or participating in link schemes can lead to severe penalties from search engines. Neglecting the relevance of the linking site to your niche and over-optimizing anchor texts are also pitfalls to watch out for. Focusing on natural, high-quality link acquisition is essential for sustainable SEO success.

How long does it take to see results from link building efforts?

Link building is a long-term strategy, and results typically begin to appear within three to six months. However, the exact timeframe can vary based on factors such as the competitiveness of your industry, the quality of the backlinks, and the current state of your website’s SEO. Consistent and ongoing link building efforts are crucial for maintaining and improving search rankings over time.

Can social media activities help with link building?

Yes, social media can significantly support your link building efforts. By sharing your content on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, you increase its visibility and the likelihood that others will link to it. Engaging with influencers and participating in industry discussions on social media can also lead to natural backlink opportunities. Additionally, social signals can enhance your content’s credibility, making it more attractive to potential linkers.

What role does content marketing play in link building for ecommerce?

Content marketing is fundamental to successful link building. High-quality, valuable content such as blog posts, infographics, videos, and comprehensive guides naturally attract backlinks as other websites find your content useful and worth referencing. By consistently producing relevant and engaging content, you establish your ecommerce site as an authority in your niche, encouraging others to link to your resources and share your content with their audiences.

How can I ensure my link building practices comply with Google’s guidelines?

To comply with Google’s guidelines, focus on earning links naturally through high-quality content and ethical outreach methods. Avoid purchasing links, participating in link exchanges, or using automated programs to create links. Ensure that all backlinks are relevant and come from reputable sources within your industry. Regularly audit your backlink profile to identify and disavow any harmful or low-quality links. Staying informed about Google’s latest SEO updates and adhering to best practices will help maintain the integrity of your link building efforts and protect your site from potential penalties.

Can I leverage customer reviews for link building?

Absolutely. Encouraging customers to leave reviews on their own blogs, social media profiles, or review sites can generate natural backlinks to your ecommerce site. Additionally, featuring customer testimonials on your website and asking customers to share their experiences with a link back to your site can enhance your backlink profile. User-generated content not only builds trust but also contributes to your link building efforts by providing authentic and relevant backlinks.

What is the role of affiliate marketing in link building for ecommerce?

Affiliate marketing can indirectly support link building by encouraging affiliates to create content that includes backlinks to your ecommerce site. Affiliates often write reviews, blog posts, or promotional content that link to your products, thereby generating high-quality backlinks. This partnership not only drives traffic and sales but also enhances your backlink profile through reputable and relevant links, contributing to your overall SEO strategy.