A beautiful website and great products aren’t enough to succeed in e-commerce. Potential customers won’t find you if your site doesn’t rank on search engines. That’s where SEO and link building come in!
E-commerce link building is getting other websites to link to your store, helping you rank higher on Google, gain trust, and attract more customers. However, not all backlinks are created equal; low-quality links can harm your site, while high-quality backlinks can skyrocket your business.
So, how do you get these valuable links? In this guide, we’ll break down proven link-building strategies for e-commerce that work in 2025. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, these tips will help you stay ahead of the competition and grow your online store!
Why Link Building is a Game-Changer for E-commerce
Before jumping into the strategies, let’s talk about why link-building is essential for e-commerce success. You lose potential customers daily if your store isn’t ranking high on Google. Here’s why backlinks matter:
Higher Rankings = More Sales. The more quality links you have, the better your chances of ranking on page one. More visibility means more clicks and more sales.
Builds Brand Authority. Getting backlinks from trusted sites positions you as a leader in your niche. Customers trust brands that appear on reputable platforms.
Drives Targeted Traffic. When high-authority websites link to you, their audience discovers your store, leading to more conversions.
Boosts Trust & Credibility. Google sees quality backlinks as a vote of confidence, making your site more trustworthy in search results.
Want to outrank your competitors and grow your e-commerce store? Let’s dive into the best link-building strategies for 2025 that will set you apart.
Top Link Building Strategies for E-commerce Websites
A strong link-building strategy can help your e-commerce store rank higher, attract more traffic, and boost sales. Here are the best ways to get high-quality backlinks and outperform your competitors.
Guest Blogging on Niche-Specific Sites
Guest blogging is a tried-and-tested way to earn backlinks from high-authority websites. Writing informative articles for blogs in your industry helps establish credibility and drives traffic to your store.
How to Find Guest Posting Opportunities
Search for websites that accept guest posts using Google queries like:
- Write for us + [your niche]
- Guest post guidelines + [your niche]
- Submit a guest post + [your industry]
Before pitching, ensure the website is relevant to your industry and has a good domain authority to get the most SEO benefits.
Leverage Influencer Outreach and Product Reviews
Influencers, bloggers, and YouTubers can help you get quality backlinks while increasing brand awareness. Influencers discussing your products and linking to your store increase targeted traffic and potential customers.
How to Do It
- Identify influencers and bloggers in your niche who review similar products.
- Send them free samples for a review with a backlink to your store.
- Focus on influencers who have a strong following and an engaged audience.
This strategy not only earns backlinks but also builds trust among potential customers.
Broken Link Building to Steal Competitor’s Links
Many websites have broken links that lead to outdated or deleted pages. You can turn this into an opportunity by contacting the site owner and suggesting your content as a replacement.
Steps to Find Broken Links
- Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or the Check My Links Chrome extension to scan websites for broken links.
- Look for broken links on blogs and resource pages in your niche.
- Contact the site owner and inform them about the broken link. Offer your content as a replacement.
This approach is highly effective because website owners want to fix broken links, and you’re helping them while securing a backlink.
List Your Store on High-Quality Directories
Listing your e-commerce store on high-quality business directories improves your site’s authority and drives referral traffic.
Best Directories for E-commerce
- Google My Business
- Yelp
- Trustpilot
- Yellow Pages
- Niche-specific directories relevant to your industry
Make sure your business information is accurate and consistent across all listings.
Create Shareable Content Like Infographics and Guides
People love to share valuable content. Creating engaging and visually appealing content can help you attract backlinks naturally.
How to Make Shareable Content
- Use tools like Canva or Venngage to design professional infographics.
- Create detailed guides, case studies, or industry reports that provide real value.
- Reach out to bloggers and websites in your niche and offer them your content for sharing.
The more useful your content, the higher the chances it is shared and linked to by other sites.
Get Featured on Authority Sites with HARO
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) connects journalists with experts. By responding to journalist queries, you can get featured on high-authority websites and gain powerful backlinks.
How to Use HARO
- Sign up at helpareporter.com.
- Choose relevant categories and receive daily email requests from journalists.
- Provide valuable insights in response to queries.
If your response is selected, you’ll get featured in major publications like Forbes, Business Insider, or Huffington Post, which gives your site a huge credibility boost.
Analyze Competitor Backlinks and Replicate Their Strategy
If your competitors are ranking higher than you, it’s likely because they have strong backlinks. You can analyze their backlink profile and replicate their strategy.
Best Tools for Backlink Analysis
- Ahrefs
- SEMrush
- Moz Link Explorer
Use these tools to find out where your competitors are getting their backlinks from and try to secure links from the same sources.
Building Strong Relationships with Influencers
Influencers can play a key role in your e-commerce success. Their recommendations build trust, drive targeted traffic, and help you earn high-quality backlinks that boost your search rankings. However, effective influencer marketing is not just about getting a quick mention it’s about creating genuine, long-term relationships that benefit both sides.
How to Connect with Influencers the Right Way
- Find Influencers Who Align with Your Brand
- Look for influencers in your niche who already engage with products like yours.
- Use platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and blogs to find relevant creators.
- Check their engagement rates, not just follower count. An influencer with 10,000 engaged followers is better than one with 100,000 inactive ones.
- Engage Before You Pitch
- Follow their social media accounts, like their posts, and leave thoughtful comments.
- Share their content and tag them to get on their radar.
- Build familiarity before asking for anything—people are more likely to help someone they recognize.
- Offer Real Value Instead of Just Asking for Links
- Send them a free product and let them experience it first.
- Feature them in your blog, newsletter, or social media to give them exposure.
- Suggest a collaboration like a giveaway or an exclusive discount for their audience.
- Request a Review or Brand Mention (Without Sounding Salesy)
- Once you’ve built rapport, ask if they’d be open to reviewing your product or mentioning it in their content.
- Emphasize how it benefits their audience—make it about them, not just you.
- Ensure they include a do-follow backlink to your store to improve your SEO.
- Turn Influencers into Long-Term Brand Partners
- Instead of one-off collaborations, build lasting relationships.
- Offer affiliate programs where they earn commissions for sales they generate.
- Involve them in future launches, co-branded content, or ambassador programs.
When done right, influencer partnerships bring consistent backlinks, increase brand exposure, and drive more sales than one-time outreach efforts.
Building a Strong E-commerce Community
A loyal and engaged community can drive organic backlinks without you having to ask. When people genuinely love your brand, they talk about it, link to it, and promote it naturally.
How to Build an Active Community Around Your Brand
- Encourage Conversations on Social Media
- Use interactive content like polls, Q&A sessions, and discussion posts.
- Respond to every comment and message to build a strong connection with your audience.
- Create a brand hashtag and encourage followers to use it when sharing their experiences.
- Leverage Micro-Influencers for Authentic Engagement
- Micro-influencers (1,000–50,000 followers) often have a highly engaged audience that trusts their opinions.
- Partnering with them can result in higher conversion rates and more organic mentions than big influencers.
- Many micro-influencers are open to barter collaborations, making it a cost-effective strategy.
- Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)
- Ask customers to share your products’ photos, videos, or testimonials in action.
- Feature their content on your website, social media, and product pages.
- Reward loyal customers with shoutouts, discounts, or exclusive perks to keep them engaged.
- Create Valuable Content That People Want to Share
- Publish detailed guides, tutorials, and infographics that help your audience.
- Share industry insights, trends, and behind-the-scenes stories to make your brand more relatable.
- High-value content naturally attracts backlinks from blogs, forums, and social media.
- Offer Exceptional Customer Service
- Happy customers become brand advocates who promote you for free.
- Provide quick responses, easy returns, and personalized interactions.
- Turn negative experiences into positive ones by resolving issues publicly and transparently.
Why This Strategy Works
When you build an engaged community, your brand earns natural mentions, backlinks, and referrals, boosting SEO and strengthening customer loyalty.
Leveraging Social Media for Link Building
Social media isn’t just for engagement it’s a powerful tool for earning backlinks, increasing brand visibility, and driving traffic to your e-commerce store. The key is to use it actively, strategically, and consistently.
How Social Media Helps in Link Building
- Increases Content Visibility – The more people see and share your content, the higher the chances of getting backlinks.
- Attracts Bloggers and Journalists – Many content creators and reporters look for sources on social media.
- Drives Referral Traffic – Social media links may not always be direct backlinks, but they bring visitors who may link to your site later.
Social Listening: Find Opportunities for Backlinks
Social listening means tracking mentions, discussions, and trends related to your brand and industry. You can find backlink opportunities by monitoring what people say about your products or competitors.
How to Use Social Listening for Link Building
- Track Brand Mentions – Use tools like Google Alerts, Brand24, or Mention to find websites that mention your brand without linking to your store. Contact them and request a link.
- Monitor Competitor Mentions – If a website links to your competitor, they may also be interested in linking to your content. Reach out with a better resource.
- Engage in Industry Discussions – Join relevant conversations on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Reddit. Provide value, and people will naturally visit and link to your site.
Building Brand Awareness to Earn Backlinks
A strong brand presence makes people more likely to mention and link to your website. Here’s how to boost awareness and attract backlinks naturally:
1. Share High-Quality Content Regularly
- Post blog articles, infographics, and case studies on social media.
- Make your content useful and shareable to increase its reach.
- Use engaging captions and hashtags to attract more viewers.
2. Partner with Influencers & Niche Communities
- Collaborate with industry influencers who can promote your brand to a wider audience.
- Engage with Facebook groups, LinkedIn communities, and Reddit threads related to your niche.
- Offer expert insights or solutions, which can lead to organic mentions and links.
3. Run Contests and Giveaways
- Encourage users to create content featuring your brand and share it online.
- Ask participants to tag your page and link back to your website.
- A well-executed giveaway can result in multiple backlinks from blogs, forums, and social media posts.
4. Get Featured on Social Media Roundups & Trend Lists
- Many industry blogs create “Top 10” lists or weekly roundups featuring trending brands.
- Engage with these bloggers and content curators so they notice your brand.
- The more visibility your brand gets, the higher the chances of earning backlinks.
Conclusion
Many e-commerce businesses struggle to rank on search engines, which leads to low traffic and fewer sales. Even with great products, a website without strong backlinks gets little visibility. Search engines prioritise sites with authority and trust; high-quality backlinks help achieve that. The best way to fix this problem is through a well-planned link-building strategy. Earning backlinks from reputable websites improves rankings, increases organic traffic, and boosts sales. First, focus on proven strategies like guest blogging, influencer partnerships, and creating valuable content. Prioritize quality links from trusted sources rather than chasing large numbers. Stay consistent, monitor your progress, and adjust your approach as needed.With the right strategy, you can outrank competitors, attract more customers, and grow your e-commerce business successfully.
