Link Building for SaaS: 16 Strategies That Bring Traffic

Link building for SaaS is an exciting SEO aspect since it’s both about quality and quantity. 

Why?

You want to have many links to your site, but you have to be aware of the quality of the backlinks too.

For instance, a link from an authoritative and trustworthy site is much more valuable than five others from a new site without a lot of traffic. 

In this blog post, we will look at 16 strategies for link building for SaaS that bring traffic and increase the chances of conversion. 

What Is Link Building for SaaS?

Link building for SaaS refers to the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other sites to yours, but mainly those that are within this industry and from authoritative and relevant sites. The ultimate goal is to have many relevant links that bring users from other sites to yours and increase the chance of them becoming your loyal customers.

In addition, these backlinks also serve as digital endorsements, signaling to search engines like Google that your SaaS platform is reputable and deserving of higher rankings in search results.

Why Is Link Building Crucial for SaaS?

Link building is crucial for SaaS companies for several reasons, but we’ll address three major reasons:

• Improved Search Engine Rankings: Quality backlinks significantly determine your platform’s search engine rankings.

• Increased Referral Traffic: Backlinks from relevant websites can drive referral traffic to your SaaS platform, increasing the chances of converting users.

• Amplified Brand Authority: When reputable sites link to your platform, it bolsters your brand’s authority and integrity, fostering trust among potential customers.

Types of Backlinks You Must Know

There are two types of backlinks based on tags that can bring traffic to your SaaS site – dofollow and nofollow.

The difference between nofollow and dofollow links is that nofollow links don’t tell Google and other search engines to provide authority to the pages they link to, while dofollow links do.

The logical conclusion is that when building links for your SaaS business, your goal is to focus on dofollow links. However, this doesn’t mean that the others have no value since they also drive traffic to your site. Also, a diverse link profile is essential to Google’s ranking algorithm since it makes it look a lot more natural.

Fundamentals That Every Link Building Strategy Needs

Every link building strategy should incorporate the following fundamentals, especially when it comes to the SaaS niche:

• Relevance: Prioritize acquiring backlinks from websites relevant to your SaaS platform and target audience.

• Quality: Make sure to concentrate on receiving backlinks from authoritative sites within your SaaS industry’s niche.

• Diversity: Aim for a diverse backlink profile by including various types of backlinks, such as guest posts, editorial mentions, and directory listings.

Link Building Strategies for SaaS You Should Try

It’s important to note that even though you might not need to implement all of these strategies, it’s better if you do. The more work you get done, the higher the chances of increasing your site’s traffic.

First and Foremost, Guest Posting

Guest posting is a famous strategy that involves writing and publishing blog posts on other sites within your SaaS niche. By delivering high-quality articles to reputable sites, you will gain exposure to new potential customers and audiences and earn valuable backlinks to your SaaS site.

However, you have to ensure that your content is informative, educational, and relevant and that it gives value to the readers, who are your new potential audience.

Make Sure to Create Linkable Assets

Linkable assets are valuable resources or content pieces that naturally attract backlinks from other websites. 

There are various content types you can use, including case studies, infographics, guides, industry reports, interactive tools, etc. Creating compelling and shareable content increases the likelihood of other websites linking back to your SaaS platform.

Reach Out for Link Insertions

Link insertions involve reaching out to site editors or even owners to request the addition of a link to your SaaS site within existing content on their website. 

This strategy is particularly effective for securing backlinks from relevant articles or blog posts where your platform is mentioned but not linked. Be polite and provide a compelling reason why adding the link would benefit their audience.

Monitor and Discover Unlinked Brand Mentions

Monitor mentions of your SaaS brand or product across the web using tools like Google Alerts.

When you encounter unlinked brand mentions, reach out to the website owner or author and request that they include a link back to your website. This tactic helps you capitalize on existing brand visibility and turn it into valuable backlinks.

Replace Broken Links As Soon As Possible

Use tools to identify broken links (404 errors) on other websites within your industry. 

Reach out to the website owner and suggest replacing the broken link with a link to proper content on your SaaS platform. This helps them fix their website’s issues and earns you a valuable backlink in return.

Be A Guest on Various Podcasts

It’s undeniable that podcasts have become extremely famous recently, offering a unique opportunity for SaaS business owners to showcase their expertise and reach a targeted audience. 

Reach out to podcast hosts within your industry and offer to be a guest on their podcast. During the episode, you can discuss industry trends, share insights, and subtly promote your SaaS platform, often accompanied by a backlink in the show notes.

Target Product Lists or Roundups

Many websites publish roundups or lists featuring top products or services within a specific industry or niche. 

Research and identify relevant product roundup articles or blog posts within the SaaS space and reach out to the authors or editors. Suggest including your SaaS platform in their roundup and provide compelling reasons why it deserves to be featured.

You Know SaaS Review Sites – Get A Listing

SaaS review sites are trusted resources for businesses and consumers looking for software solutions. 

Submit your SaaS platform to reputable review sites within your industry, ensuring that your profile is complete and showcases your platform’s features and benefits. Positive reviews and ratings can lead to increased visibility and referral traffic.

Consider Creating An Affiliate Program

Launching an affiliate program allows you to incentivize other websites and influencers to promote your SaaS platform in exchange for a commission on referred sales or sign-ups. 

Affiliates are motivated to drive traffic to your website and can contribute to significant link building through their promotional efforts.

Leverage Resources like the HARO Platform

Help a Reporter Out, or simply HARO, is a platform that connects journalists with expert sources for their stories. Sign up as a source in your industry and respond to relevant queries from journalists seeking expert input. 

When your insights are featured in articles or press releases, you often receive a valuable backlink to your website.

Offer Testimonials for Other Brands

Offering testimonials for services and products you have used can be a win-win opportunity. Contact brands or tools you’ve had great experiences with and offer to give a testimonial in exchange for a backlink.

This is an excellent way to collaborate and discover new ways to promote your SaaS brand by helping others via testimonials and getting help in return.

Participate or Speak at Industry Events

Participating as a speaker or sponsor at industry conferences and events helps you establish thought leadership and provides opportunities for networking and gaining exposure. 

Event organizers often list speakers and sponsors on their websites with backlinks to their respective platforms. These events are a chance to get a backlink but also do some networking, meet potential business partners, promote your brand, and attract potential customers.

Engage with Relevant Q&A Websites

Engage with relevant Q&A sites such as Quora or Reddit, where users ask questions related to your industry or niche. Provide helpful answers to questions, demonstrating your expertise, and occasionally link back to relevant resources on your SaaS platform for further information.

Of course, this is a time-consuming strategy, but it’s worth a try since it also allows you to link to and bring people to your SaaS website.

Get Featured in Thought Leadership Blogs

Pitch yourself or anyone from your team as a thought leader in your industry to blogs that cover topics related to SaaS. Then, use the opportunity to contribute insightful articles and opinion pieces to establish your brand credibility and earn a valuable backlink to your site.

However, make sure to provide valuable information while writing the article to engage with readers and trigger them to click on that link and come to your site.

Conduct A Reciprocal/Link Exchange

Reciprocal linking involves exchanging links with other websites within your industry. 

Identify reputable websites or businesses with complementary offerings and propose a mutually beneficial link exchange arrangement. Nevertheless, make sure the exchanged links are valuable and beneficial for the audiences of your side and your collaborator.

It’s an excellent strategy since both sides get benefits, and it’s also an opportunity to build new valuable relationships and collaborations.

Hire A Link Building Agency for SaaS

These strategies may seem overwhelming since it’s true they are time consuming and take a lot of work. Therefore, consider hiring a SaaS link building agency to focus on other crucial business aspects. 

Leave the creation of link building strategies to the experts who have resources to execute effective SaaS link building campaigns. These campaigns will be tailored according to the needs of your SaaS brand to help you achieve excellent traffic and online visibility.

Key Points to Analyze When Picking Sites for SaaS Link Building

Make sure to analyze these key points when picking websites for link building for SaaS:

• Check the site’s traffic: It’s highly beneficial to find websites that have 10k traffic or more. If not possible, consider sites with at least 3k traffic.

• Check their domain authority: Sites with a domain rating over 50 are considered great.

• Analyze the level of relevance: Don’t ignore sites out of your niche; however, mainly focus on sites within your SaaS niche.

• Check their overall spam score: A spam score of 61 and above means you should avoid such a site. 

Link Building for SaaS Mistakes: Things to Avoid

The most important thing is to avoid black hat SEO tactics since you can get in danger by breaching Google and other search engine rules. Black hat link building means using spamming with links in comment sections, buying backlinks, using private blog networks, link cloaking, etc.

Don’t build all your links to a single page on your website, and don’t link from non-relevant or bad sites just for the sake of it. Furthermore, avoid websites that have all dofollow links and don’t use the exact anchor text all the time.

It’s also valuable to mention the other way around, which means you should spot damaging backlinks and remove them from your site.

Final Words on Link Building for SaaS

It’s evident that link building is a cornerstone of any successful SaaS marketing strategy. By implementing these 16 strategies, you can enhance your platform’s visibility, drive targeted traffic, and establish your brand as a leader in the industry.

Last but not least, don’t forget that hiring an agency for link building saves you valuable time and brings better results!

Link Building for SaaS FAQs

What are SaaS backlinks?

SaaS backlinks are carefully placed links on SaaS-related websites to boost rankings and increase online visibility for a SaaS company. It means that one site links to another site with proper anchor text.

Does link building still work?

Yes, link building is still very important for SEO. Excellent links from authoritative and trustworthy websites will help your website rank higher and bring potential customers.

Is link building legal or not?

Link building is legal as long as you follow Google’s and other search engine rules and use the proper methods. However, the ultimate goal is to implement it properly and not just build backlinks from any website.