Software keywords are some of the most competitive in search. Many SaaS sites have a good product and a strong blog, yet still struggle to rank because competitors have far more authority. Link building closes that gap, but only if it is planned around your product and your buyers.
Start with the pages that matter
Before you contact a single site, decide which pages should rank. For most SaaS companies, that means:
- Core product and feature pages
- Comparison and alternative pages (for example, "your tool vs a competitor")
- Use-case and industry pages
- A small number of in-depth guides that attract natural links
Pointing every link at the homepage is a common mistake. Spread authority to the pages that bring in signups.
Study who already ranks
Search your target keywords and look at the top results. Use a backlink tool to see which sites link to them. Sites that link to several of your competitors but not to you are your best targets, because they already cover your category. This is often called a link gap analysis.
Tactics that work for SaaS
- Guest posts on relevant sites. Technology, marketing and business publications that your buyers read. See our guide to what guest posting is and how to do it safely.
- Original data and research. If you can share real insight from your own product or a survey, other sites may cite it.
- Useful tools and templates. Free resources attract natural links when they solve a real problem.
- Expert commentary. Offering a quote to journalists and bloggers can earn a mention.
- Contextual links inside articles. Placed where they help the reader. Read more in what contextual backlinks are.
What to avoid
- Private blog networks and link farms
- Sites that sell links to anyone who pays
- Exact-match anchor text on every link
- Irrelevant sites chosen only because a metric looks high
These shortcuts can waste your budget and, at worst, put your site at risk.
Plan a natural anchor mix
A natural link profile includes your brand name, your domain, generic phrases and a smaller share of keyword-related anchors. A profile made entirely of keyword anchors looks forced to readers and to search engines.
Measure what matters
Track which pages are gaining links, how rankings move for the keywords you care about, and whether organic signups grow. Link building takes time, so judge it over months, not days. Our article on how long link building takes explains what to expect.
Need a hand?
We run research-led guest posting and link building for technology and SaaS brands. See our SaaS guest posting service or ask for a free proposal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best link building strategy for SaaS?
A mix of relevant guest posts, useful original content that others want to cite, and contextual links from sites your buyers read. The common thread is relevance to your category.
Which pages should a SaaS company build links to?
Start with the pages that drive revenue: product and feature pages, comparison pages and high-intent guides. Support them with a few links to useful content that earns attention on its own.
How many links does a SaaS site need?
It depends on your competitors. Look at who ranks for your target keywords and study their link profiles to set a realistic goal.
Khalil is the founder of Serpify Media, a link building and guest posting agency. He writes about honest, research-led off-page SEO. Meet the team.