One of the key of page off-page tactics in eCommerce SEO is link building. It’s a great way to enhance your website’s search engine visibility, establish your brand’s authority, and drive targeted traffic.
There are numerous strategies that can help build quality backlinks on your eStore website are guest posting, broken link building, directory submissions, etc. but how do you implement them for the best results?
Well, that’s what this blog aims at. I’ll tell you what link building is and how our eCommerce experts go about this tactic. Let’s begin.
What is Link Building?
Link building is the process of acquiring high-quality backlinks, or incoming links, to your website from other relevant websites. These links act as digital endorsements, signaling to search engines that your website is valuable and trustworthy.
The more high-quality backlinks you have, the higher your website will rank in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Why Implement Link Building in eCommerce?
Did you know? The top ranking search results have around 3.8 times more backlinks as compared to the ones on 2-10. From guest posting and broken link building to directory submissions and social media engagement, these strategies offer a range of benefits:
Improved Search Visibility
High-quality backlinks are a significant factor in search engine algorithms. When reputable websites link back to your eStore, it signals the search engines that your products and content are valuable. That boosts the search visibility and ranking, getting more customers to your eCommerce website.
Higher Organic Traffic
Better search visibility means more potential customers will see your website when searching for their desired products. That means higher organic traffic, resulting in increased sales and revenue.
Better Brand Authority
Backlinks from authoritative websites can enhance your brand reputation. When people see that other reputable businesses and websites are linking to you, it builds better trust and credibility.
Improved User Experience
If your website is linked to from relevant articles or resources, it can help users discover your products or services more easily.
Increased Referral Traffic
Backlinks can drive referral traffic from the linking websites to your eCommerce site. This can introduce your brand to new audiences and potentially lead to more sales.
All-in-all, link building is a great way to improve the traffic and authority of your eCommerce website, leading to more sales and higher revenue. That’s why it is among the key tactics that contribute to the benefits of eCommerce SEO.
Top 10 eCommerce Link Building Strategies for Better Authority & Traffic
According to study by Ahrefs, there is a direct, strong correlation between the number of backlinks and its search visibility and traffic. In fact, only around 3.45% of content and websites get traffic from Google (and other search engines). If you don’t want to be in the rest 96.55%, follow these link building strategies for your eCommerce website.
Niche Edits
Niche edits, or relevant link insertions, is one of the most prevalent link building strategies. It involves finding high-quality websites that are already relevant to your products and niche and adding a link to your website within that content. This strategy leverages the existing authority and relevance of the target website to boost your own website’s rankings.
How to Implement Niche Edits?
Step 1: Identify target websites: Look for websites in your niche that have high domain authority and publish high-quality content. Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to identify these websites.
Step 2: Search for relevant content: Use search engines to find articles or blog posts on these websites that are closely related to your niche.
Step 3: Analyze the content: Read the content carefully to identify potential opportunities to add a link. Look for places where you can naturally insert a link without disrupting the flow of the content.
Step 4: Create a link suggestion: Compose a polite email to the website owner or webmaster, suggesting a relevant link to your website. Explain how the link will benefit their readers and provide specific examples of where the link could be added.
Step 5: Follow up: If you don’t receive a response within a reasonable timeframe, follow up with a polite reminder.
For example, let’s say you own an eCommerce website that sells organic skincare products. You could search for articles on popular health and wellness blogs that discuss the benefits of natural skincare. If you find a piece of content mentioning organic ingredients, you could suggest adding a link to your product page.
When performing niche edits, it’s crucial to be respectful of the website’s editor. Avoid spamming or overly promotional emails as they can be off-putting. Instead, focus on providing value and building relationships.
Guest Posting
Guest posting involves writing articles for other websites in your niche. By publishing your content on these external platforms, you can reach a wider audience. It can also help build relationships with other industry experts and acquire valuable backlinks to your website.
How to Do Guest Posting?
Step 1: Identify target websites: Look for websites in your niche that have a high domain authority and a loyal readership. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify potential targets.
Step 2: Analyze their content: Study the content they publish to understand their style and tone. Ensure your writing style aligns with their standards.
Step 3: Pitch your ideas: Develop compelling article ideas that are relevant to their audience and align with their editorial guidelines. Reach out to the website’s editor or content manager with your pitch.
Step 4: Write the article: If your pitch is accepted, write a high-quality article that provides value to their readers. Be sure to include a link back to your website within the article.
Step 5: Negotiate terms: Discuss the terms of the guest post, such as the publication date, author bio, and any additional requirements.
For example, if you own an eCommerce website that sells sustainable fashion, you could pitch a guest post to a popular eco-friendly blog. Your post could focus on the environmental impact of fast fashion and offer tips for building a sustainable wardrobe. Be sure to include a link to your website’s sustainable fashion collection.
When it comes to guest posting, make sure you offer high-quality, informative content that provides value to the target audience. AVOID self-promotion. Only then the potential customers will think of visiting your link and making a purchase.
Pursue Unlinked Mentions
Unlinked mentions occur when someone mentions your brand, product, or service online but doesn’t include a link to your website. This strategy involves reaching out to these individuals or organizations to request a link back to your website.
How to Pursue Unlinked Mentions?
Step 1: Monitor brand mentions: Use tools like Google Alerts, Brandwatch, or Mention to track mentions of your brand, products, or services online.
Step 2: Identify unlinked mentions: Review the mentions and identify those that don’t include a link to your website.
Step 3: Reach out politely: Contact the individual or organization who made the mention. Be polite and respectful in your communication.
Step 4: Provide value: Offer additional information or resources that could be relevant to the mention. This will increase the likelihood of them adding a link.
Step 5: Follow up: If you don’t receive a response, follow up with a polite reminder.
For example, let’s say your eCommerce website sells organic pet food. Then you might use Google Alerts to track mentions of your brand or keywords related to organic pet food. Find an article on a popular pet blog that mentions your brand but doesn’t include a link to your website and reach out to the author. Offer to provide additional info and link to your page.
When pursuing unlinked mentions, remember to be persistent but respectful. Avoid being overly demanding or aggressive. The aim should be to build relationships and provide value.
Feature Subject Matter Experts
This link building strategy involves collaborating with the subject matter experts (SMEs) in your industry or niche, to create valuable content for your website. By leveraging their expertise, you can produce high-quality content that attracts both your audience and search engines.
How to Collaborate with Subject Matter Experts?
Step 1: Identify potential experts: Look for individuals who have a strong reputation in your industry. This could include authors, researchers, consultants, or industry leaders.
Step 2: Reach out and connect: Contact these experts and introduce yourself. Explain your interest in featuring them on your website and how their expertise can benefit your audience.
Step 3: Develop content ideas: Collaborate with the expert to develop content ideas that are both informative and engaging. This could include interviews, guest posts, or webinars.
Step 4: Create the content: Work with the expert to create the content. Ensure that the content is well-written, informative, and valuable to your audience.
Step 5: Promote the content: Share the content on your social media channels and in your email newsletter. Encourage the expert to share it with their own network as well.
For example, if you own an eCommerce website that sells fitness equipment, you could feature a well-known fitness trainer as a guest poster. The trainer could write a blog post about their favorite workout routines or share tips for staying motivated.
With this strategy, it’s important to provide value to both the SME and your target audience. Offer them a platform to share their expertise and ensure that the content is informative and engaging.
Digital PR Mentions
Digital PR mentions involve securing coverage for your brand or products in online publications. This can include news articles, blog posts, or social media mentions. By getting your brand featured in reputable publications, you can increase your visibility, build credibility, and attract new customers.
How to Do Digital PR?
Step 1: Identify target publications: Research publications that cover your industry or target audience. Look for publications with a high domain authority and a strong online presence.
Step 2: Develop newsworthy stories: Create press releases or pitch story ideas that are newsworthy and relevant to your target audience.
Step 3: Build relationships with journalists: Reach out to journalists or editors at the publications you’ve identified. Build relationships with them by providing them with valuable information or resources.
Step 4: Pitch your story: When you have a newsworthy story, pitch it to the relevant journalist or editor. Be concise and persuasive in your pitch.
Step 5: Follow up: If you don’t receive a response, follow up with a polite reminder.
For example, let’s say your eStore sells sustainable clothing and accessories. Then you could come out with a press release about your company’s commitment to ethical sourcing and fair labor practices. After that, you could pitch this story to online publications that cover sustainability or social responsibility.
When pursuing digital PR mentions, it’s important to offer compelling and newsworthy stories. Be patient and persistent, and build relationships with journalists to increase your chances of securing coverage.
Product Feedback Technique
This link building tactic involves encouraging customers to leave reviews and testimonials about your products or services. These reviews can be a valuable source of backlinks and can also improve your website’s search engine rankings.
How to Implement the Product Feedback Technique?
Step 1: Make it easy for customers to leave feedback: Provide clear and accessible options for customers to leave reviews, such as on your product pages or through email.
Step 2: Incentivize reviews: Offer incentives, such as discounts or rewards, to encourage customers to leave reviews.
Step 3: Respond to reviews: Show customers that you value their feedback by responding to their reviews, whether they are positive or negative.
Step 4: Feature positive reviews: Highlight positive reviews on your website, social media, and marketing materials.
Step 5: Link to reviews: Include links to reviews in your content and on your product pages.
For example, if your eStore sells electronics, you could include a review section on each product page. You could also offer a discount to customers who leave a review. Additionally, you could feature positive reviews on your homepage or social media channels.
Make sure you encourage customers to leave honest and detailed reviews. Also, avoid incentivizing customers to leave only positive reviews.
“Where to Buy” Pages
“Where to Buy” pages are dedicated pages on your website that list retailers or online marketplaces where your products or services are sold. These pages can help increase your website’s visibility and drive traffic to your online store.
How to Implement “Where to Buy” Pages?
Step 1: Create dedicated pages: Create separate pages for each product or service category that you want to promote.
Step 2: List retailers and marketplaces: Include a list of retailers or online marketplaces where your products or services are available.
Step 3: Provide links: Include links to the relevant pages on the retailers’ or marketplaces’ websites.
Step 4: Keep the list updated: Regularly update the list of retailers and marketplaces to ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date.
Step 5: Promote your “Where to Buy” pages: Promote your “Where to Buy” pages on your social media channels and in your email marketing campaigns.
For example, if you run a handmade jewelry eStore, you could create a “Where to Buy” page for each jewelry category, like necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc. On these pages, you could list physical stores and online marketplaces where your jewelry is sold. And you can link the relevant product pages as well.
When it comes to this strategy, it’s important to ensure the info is accurate and up-to-date.
Share Reviews & Testimonials
Sharing reviews and testimonials is a powerful way to showcase customer satisfaction and build trust in your brand. It can also help improve your website’s search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your online store.
How Use Reviews & Testimonials?
Step 1: Encourage customer reviews: Make it easy for customers to leave reviews on your website, social media, or review platforms. Consider offering incentives or rewards to encourage feedback.
Step 2: Feature positive reviews: Highlight positive reviews on your website, social media, and marketing materials. You can use them in your product descriptions, testimonials section, or case studies.
Step 3: Respond to reviews: Show customers that you value their feedback by responding to their reviews, whether they are positive or negative. This demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Step 4: Share reviews on social media: Regularly share positive reviews on your social media channels to reach a wider audience.
Step 5: Link to reviews: Include links to reviews in your content and on your product pages to make it easy for potential customers to read them.
For example, in the case of an organic skincare-related eStore, you could create a “Customer Reviews” section on your homepage. You could also feature positive reviews in your social media posts and email marketing campaigns and link back to your products.
It’s important to be authentic and transparent, and avoid manipulating or cherry-picking reviews.
Links From Podcasts
Links from podcasts can be a valuable source of backlinks for your eCommerce website. By appearing as a guest on relevant podcasts, you can reach a new audience and potentially acquire backlinks from the podcast’s website or show notes.
How to Get Links From Podcasts?
Step 1: Identify relevant podcasts: Research podcasts in your niche that have a loyal following and are relevant to your target audience.
Step 2: Reach out to podcast hosts: Contact the hosts of the podcasts you’ve identified and introduce yourself. Explain your expertise and how you can provide value to their listeners.
Step 3: Pitch your appearance: Offer to be a guest on their podcast and discuss topics related to your business or industry.
Step 4: Prepare for the interview: Research the podcast and its audience to ensure you’re well-prepared for the interview. Practice answering potential questions and have talking points ready.
Step 5: Provide value: During the interview, offer valuable insights, tips, or information to the listeners.
Step 6: Mention your website: Be sure to mention your website or online store during the interview, and encourage listeners to visit for more information.
Step 7: Follow up: After the podcast airs, follow up with the host to thank them for having you on and to see if they’ll include a link to your website in the show notes or on their website.
For example, if you sell sustainable apparel on your eStore, you could pitch yourself as a guest on a podcast focused on ethical consumerism. During the interview, you could discuss the environmental impact of fast fashion and mention your website where listeners can find your sustainable clothing collection.
Make sure you are engaging, informative, and authentic on the podcast.
Partner With Another Brand
Partnering with another brand involves collaborating with a complementary business to create joint marketing campaigns or content. This can help increase your brand’s visibility, reach a new audience, and potentially acquire backlinks from the partner’s website.
How to Partner With Another Brand?
Step 1: Identify potential partners: Look for brands in your industry or a related niche that have a similar target audience but don’t directly compete with your products or services.
Step 2: Reach out and connect: Contact the potential partners and introduce yourself. Explain your interest in collaborating and how the partnership could benefit both brands.
Step 3: Discuss potential collaborations: Explore various collaboration opportunities, such as joint promotions, cross-promotions, or guest blogging.
Step 4: Create joint content: Develop content that is relevant to both brands and provides value to your shared audience. This could include blog posts, webinars, or social media campaigns.
Step 5: Link to each other’s websites: Ensure that both brands link to each other’s websites within the joint content.
Step 6: Promote the partnership: Promote the partnership on your respective social media channels and in your email marketing campaigns.
For example, if you own an eCommerce website that sells organic skincare products, you could partner with a brand that sells organic hair care products. Together, you could create a joint social media campaign promoting natural beauty routines. You could also collaborate on a blog post about the benefits of using organic products for both skin and hair.
When partnering with another brand, it’s important to ensure that the collaboration is mutually beneficial.
If you need help implementing any of these link building strategies for your eStore, our eCommerce development company will be suitable. We have a team of highly-experienced marketing experts who can explore the best opportunities for your business and implement the suitable strategies accordingly.
FAQs on eCommerce Link Building Strategies
Q1. How long does it take to see results from link building efforts?
The time it takes to see results varies depending on factors like the quality of your backlinks, your website’s overall SEO health, and the competitiveness of your niche. Generally, you can start seeing improvements in your search engine rankings within a few months of consistent link building efforts.
Q2. Are all backlinks created equal?
No, all backlinks are not created equal. Backlinks from high-quality, authoritative websites have a more significant impact on your search engine rankings. Factors like the relevance of the linking website, the anchor text used, and the overall quality of the content on the linking page influence the value of a backlink.
Q3. What is the best way to approach outreach for link building?
When reaching out to potential link partners, be polite, respectful, and provide value. Offer them something of value, such as a guest post, a collaboration, or a resource. Tailor your outreach message to each specific website and demonstrate that your website is a relevant and valuable resource.
Let’s Summarize Link Building for eCommerce Stores
Implementing link building for your eCommerce website can help significantly enhance your brand’s authority and improve your search visibility. That results in more organic traffic to the website.
Here are a few key takeaways:
- Focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites rather than going for quantity.
- Ensure that the backlinks you acquire are relevant to your niche and target audience.
- Foster relationships with other websites and industry experts to increase your chances of securing backlinks.
- Regularly monitor the impact of your link building efforts to make data-driven decisions.
Remember, link building is an ongoing process, so it’s essential to stay consistent and adapt your strategies as your website grows. For that, you can connect with our experts today!
