SaaS Link Building Guide - 8 Steps To Generate Backlinks Effectively

Building an authoritative backlink profile is more important than ever to stand out and establish credibility within your industry.

However, many SaaS businesses find creating a scalable and effective link-building strategy challenging due to limited resources, lack of expertise, and ever-changing SEO guidelines.

In fact, 52.3% of digital marketers say link building is the hardest part of SEO.

This is where SaaS link building comes in to save time, capture valuable partnership opportunities, and accelerate growth.

You’ll learn how to to generate backlinks to help you boost your search rankings and grow your online presence. 

Let’s start!

What is SaaS Link Building?

Link building is the practice of getting hyperlinks from other websites that lead back to yours.

Other sites might reference your content as a resource or use a quote from your work.

Each time a website links to you, Google views it as a "vote of confidence" for your site.

The more good links you have(we'll explain what good links are in a minute), the higher your chances of ranking well in search results.

Benefits of Link Building

Link building plays a crucial role in boosting your SaaS SEO strategy.

Here’s how:

• Builds credibility – When high-authority websites mention you, visitors are more likely to trust your content and expertise.
• Improves rankings – To outrank competitors, you need a strong backlink profile with quality and quantity of links.
• Boosts SEO performance – A solid number of quality backlinks increases your domain authority, helping you rank higher in search results.
• Increases organic traffic – Higher search rankings mean more visibility, leading to a rise in organic traffic.
• Generates more leads – Well-placed links can attract high-intent traffic, increasing conversions, and more revenue.
• Expands your reach – Mentions across various websites allow you to connect with different audiences and niches.

What Makes a Good Backlink?

Not all backlinks are created equal in the eyes of Google. In fact, some can even hurt your ranking. What your business needs are "good" backlinks from high-authority websites.

Here are five key factors to help you identify the backlinks that can improve your SEO.

✅ Topical relevance

A backlink should be relevant to your content. For instance, if your SaaS product provides accounting software, getting a backlink from a blog about fitness tips wouldn’t be relevant. Google’s algorithm can quickly identify these mismatched links, which won’t help improve your rankings.

✅ Domain Authority 

The higher the site's domain authority links to you, the more valuable the backlink is.

For example, if your SaaS company gets a backlink from trusted sites like TechCrunch or HubSpot, it boosts your brand’s credibility.

In contrast, a link from an unknown or low-authority site won't have the same effect.

✅ Page Traffic

Even if a website has a high domain authority (DA), not all its pages will attract the same traffic. It’s crucial to check the traffic of the specific page linking to you.

The best backlinks come from pages that drive more traffic, so don’t overlook this factor.

✅ External/Internal Links

If the article linking to your brand has too many outgoing links, the value each one passes on (known as PageRank) is reduced.

Ideally, your link should come from a page with limited external links to maximize its impact.

✅ Anchor Text

Anchor text is the clickable text of your link, and it plays a crucial role in how Google understands your content.

It usually stands out with a different color and is often underlined.

Effective link text tells the reader what to expect if they click on it, so be sure to link thoughtfully to keep it relevant and helpful.

How to do SaaS Link Building - 8 Steps to Create HQ Backlinks

1. Create Valuable Content That Attracts Links Naturally

Many SaaS businesses struggle to earn backlinks because their content lacks depth or uniqueness.

No one wants to link to shallow content that barely scratches the surface.

To change this, invest time and resources into creating original, insightful content your audience can’t easily find elsewhere.

Focus on producing comprehensive, in-depth pieces that cover every aspect, as a good blog increases your chances of ranking higher in search by 434%.

Don’t waste time on generic content, as it makes it harder to attract quality backlinks, no matter how much effort you put in.

On the other hand, valuable content attracts links naturally.

Here are some popular types of content that can help you build backlinks on autopilot:

• Data and reports – People love data, and publishing reports with valuable stats will get you cited and linked as a source.
• In-depth guides – Long-form guides attract significantly more backlinks than shorter content due to their depth and usefulness.
• Industry glossaries – Creating an industry-specific glossary helps newcomers and encourages other sites to link to your definitions.
• Topic clusters – This strategy builds authority by covering all aspects of your niche in-depth and attracting links from relevant sources.
• Expert opinions – Collecting insights from industry experts makes your content a valuable reference, which helps boost backlinks.
• Expert podcasts – Hosting industry experts on podcasts can help you gain valuable links as podcasts grow in popularity.

2. Write Guest Posts for Authoritative Blogs in Your Niche

Blogs with authority in your industry have built trust by consistently publishing valuable content. You can tap into their credibility and boost your own by writing guest posts for these blogs.

A recent survey shows that 60% of blogs write 1-5 monthly guest posts.

A good starting point is contributing to blogs you already follow and enjoy.

If you don’t have many in mind, a great way to find options is to check where your competitors are mentioned.

Target sites with a Domain Authority of 60 or higher for more impactful guest posting opportunities.

Here are a few key tips for writing effective guest posts:

• Write with care – Treat guest posts as if they were going on your blog—after all, they represent your SaaS business.
• Discuss link placement – Let the publisher know you’d like to include a link, but be aware that some blogs may not allow links to landing pages.
• Add links naturally – Make sure your links fit seamlessly into the content without disrupting readability.
• Include an author bio – A short bio helps readers learn more about you, building a connection and trust with the audience.

3. Boost Your Brand with PR Campaigns

PR campaigns help put your business in the spotlight, boost brand awareness, and earn you valuable links from media websites and online journals.

For successful PR link building, focus on building long-term relationships with journalists and writers since simply reaching out and asking for a mention won’t get you far.

More than half of PR professionals say their biggest challenge is getting responses from journalists.

Instead, invest time nurturing these connections by offering help with stories that aren't about your business.

You can share sources, assist with research, or support their current projects.

PR campaigns take time to pay off, so be patient and consider them a long-term strategy.

If your marketing team is small, your budget is tight, or you need faster growth, consider partnering with a digital PR agency.

They already have strong relationships with journalists, allowing you to get noticed quickly.

Here’s how to tip the scale in your favor:

• Stay informed – Set up Google Alerts to track big stories in your industry and tie your PR efforts to trending topics.
• Be original – Make your PR stories stand out by offering fresh insights, new data, or bold opinions that differentiate you from competitors.
• Ensure credibility – Back your story with solid statistics, research, and logical insights to win over skeptical journalists.
• Keep it simple – Since journalists are busy, make your pitch clear, straightforward, and concise.
• Improve your outreach – Personalize your emails, lead with value, and follow up professionally to build stronger relationships with journalists.

4. Fix Broken Links

A recent survey shows that since January 2013, 66.5% of links on the 2,062,173 websites have decayed, with an additional 6.45% showing temporary errors.

This means that 72.95% of links from this study are considered lost.

Broken links hurt user experience and can frustrate visitors. Many blogs and websites unknowingly have links that lead to 404 error pages.

If you’ve written content on the same topic, you can offer your article as a replacement. Site owners will appreciate the fix, and you’ll earn a backlink in return.

This simple link-building method works well and can be done with tools like Ahrefs Broken Link Checker. 

Find broken links on popular blogs in your niche and reach out, offering a working link.

💡 Tip

For greater impact, focus on broken links from pages that receive over 200 organic visits per month.

5. Offer Free Products in Return for Backlinks

Did you know that  61% of customers trust social media influencers to recommend products?

Brands often give free products or services to publications and influencers in exchange for mentions or links, and you can do the same.

Many SaaS companies offer free subscriptions to encourage link placements.

This is a great way to connect with influencers and thought leaders in your industry and potentially earn authentic product reviews.

💡 Tip

Include quotes from influencers in your content to increase shareability and backlinks.

Before offering anything, make sure the person or publication can use it.

For example, if you're a SaaS company offering marketing automation software, giving a free subscription to a travel blogger might not be effective, as they may not have a real use for your product.

In addition to your product, you can also offer gift cards, coupons, affiliate links, or vouchers for things they’d find valuable.

6. Natural Link Exchanges

Traditional SEO experts often discourage the "you link to me, and I’ll link to you" strategy, mainly because Google doesn't favor this arrangement.

However, genuine link exchanges are common, especially among emerging SaaS companies.

It can be highly beneficial to include a partner's link naturally within a blog post, where it adds value and fits seamlessly with the content.

The key is to execute this strategy carefully. Overdoing it can draw negative attention from Google and other search engines.

To make the most of natural link exchanges, follow these simple tips for the best results:

• Focus on active blogs – Contact sites that regularly post new content, as they can easily include your links naturally.
• Target sites with DR over 30 – To ensure valuable backlinks, aim for websites with a domain rating above 30.
• Check their site first – Use tools like Majestic to evaluate the website's trustworthiness before contacting them.
• Link to them first – To show value and increase the chances of a response, start by linking to their content.

• Offer extra value – Consider offering additional incentives like a newsletter mention or a social media shoutout.

7. Recover Unlinked Brand Mentions

Some websites may mention your SaaS product but forget to link back to you.

Using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs, you can easily track where your brand is mentioned without a link.

Simply contact those sites and politely ask for a backlink. This is one of the easiest ways to gain backlinks with minimal effort.

Once you find those unlinked mentions, send a friendly message asking them to add your link. It’s a simple and effective way to boost your brand’s SEO.

8. Use Tools Your Product Connects With

Did you know that 50% of enterprise companies have over 50 integrations?

Many SaaS products now boost their functionality by allowing users to access their services through other apps they use daily.

For example, integrating Dropbox or Zoom with Microsoft Teams.

If your product integrates with other tools, you can use it to your advantage by creating content on their website.

This typically results in getting at least two links—one from their blog and another from their support documentation.

It’s also a great marketing opportunity to reach their audience with an announcement.

Research your target audience to find ways to simplify their workflow.

The more integrations you build, the more quality backlinks your site can earn.

Link Building Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not all backlinks have a positive impact, and the strategies you use to build them can sometimes backfire, leading to penalties from search engines.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when building backlinks:

1. Using Risky Link-Building Tactics

Although certain risky tactics may deliver quick results, they can ultimately damage your domain’s reputation and harm your business.

Google penalizes strategies such as buying low-quality links, using deceptive links, getting backlinks from untrustworthy sites, and over-promoting.

2. Sending Traffic Only to Your Home Page

Rather than always directing traffic to your home page, focus on specific landing pages that support your goals and conversions.

For example, if you’re getting a link from a blog post reviewing top CRM software, direct visitors to a case studies page or a demo signup page to better engage potential customers.

3. Over-Optimizing Anchor Text

While your anchor text should be relevant, avoid overstuffing it with keywords or using the exact phrases repeatedly.

Keep it natural and varied to prevent search engine penalties.

4. Prioritizing Authority Over Relevance

While getting links from high-authority websites is essential, they won’t help if those sites aren’t relevant to your SaaS business.

For example, a backlink to your accounting software from a gardening website wouldn’t help your SEO, as Google favors relevant links to your business and industry.

5. Creating Low-Quality Content

Many businesses began guest posting solely for backlinks, leading to an influx of poor-quality articles.

As search engines have become smarter, it’s important to focus on creating valuable, high-quality content for your backlinks.

6. Forgetting Internal Links

Internal links are a powerful way to pass authority between pages on your site, especially if some pages have higher authority than others. 

This strategy also helps search engines better understand your website’s structure.

Conclusion

Building quality backlinks is crucial for the growth and visibility of your SaaS business, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

By following the steps for SaaS link building, you can streamline your link-building process, strengthen your SEO, and establish authority in your niche.

Whether leveraging content partnerships, tapping into guest blogging, or utilizing other proven tactics, these strategies will help you generate high-quality backlinks more effectively and efficiently.

If you need help to get started, Omnius is here to help.

Schedule a 30-minute call with our experts and find out how we can maximize your online presence with effective link-building strategies.