Link building for ecommerce isn’t just another marketing buzzword. It’s the difference between your products getting buried on page 47 of Google or actually making sales. I’ve watched countless online stores struggle with visibility.
Here’s the truth: if you’re not actively building quality backlinks, you’re basically invisible to your potential customers.
Here’s a reality check: 91% of pages get zero organic traffic from Google. That’s not because their products are rubbish. It’s because they haven’t cracked the code on getting other websites to link to them. Recently, AI content is flooding the internet.
Competition is fiercer than ever. Having a solid link building strategy isn’t optional anymore.
What Is Ecommerce Link Building
Let me break this down without the jargon. Ecommerce link building is simply getting other websites to link back to your online store. Think of it like digital word-of-mouth recommendations.
Instead of your mate telling you about a great shop, it’s websites telling Google that your store is worth visiting.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Link building for ecommerce works differently than link building for a plumber’s website.
You’re not just trying to rank for “best pizza in Manchester.” You’re competing for product terms and category pages. You’re trying to build trust for transactions where people actually spend money.
When done right, these links do two powerful things:
- Boost your SEO rankings so more people find your products organically
- Drive direct referral traffic from people clicking those links
The key difference from general link building? You need links that actually convert browsers into buyers. Not just drive random traffic.
7 Ecommerce Link Building Strategies That Work
Publish High-Quality Blog Content
This one’s my personal favourite because it works like gangbusters when done right. I’m talking about creating content that’s so useful, other websites can’t help but reference it.
Here’s what actually works:
- Comprehensive buying guides that cover everything about your product category
- Versus comparison posts that help people choose between different options
- How-to guides that show people exactly how to use your products
Take this example. If you sell camping gear, don’t just write “10 Best Tents.” Instead, create “The Complete Guide to Choosing Your First Family Camping Tent.” Make it comprehensive.
The magic happens when industry blogs start linking to your guides. Forums reference them. Resource sites bookmark them as the go-to source. I’ve seen this single strategy increase organic traffic by 400% in six months.
Use Digital PR and HARO
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is like having a direct line to journalists who need expert quotes. I sign up as a source. When reporters ask questions related to my industry, I provide genuinely helpful insights.
Here’s my simple process:
- Monitor HARO emails daily (they come out three times per day)
- Respond within 2 hours with specific, actionable insights
- Include relevant data or personal experience rather than generic advice
- Don’t pitch your products – just be genuinely helpful
Last month, I helped a journalist with a story about sustainable packaging trends. The result? A high-authority link from a major business publication. It sent qualified traffic for weeks.
The key is being the expert they actually want to quote. Not the person trying to sneak in a sales pitch.
Create Visual Assets
People love sharing visual content. That’s exactly what we’re banking on. I’m not talking about basic infographics with stock photos. I mean genuinely useful visual resources that solve real problems.
What works best:
- Industry statistics and trend reports
- Step-by-step visual guides
- Comparison charts and tables
- Behind-the-scenes process diagrams
I once created an infographic showing “The True Cost of Fast Fashion vs. Sustainable Alternatives” for a clothing client. It got picked up by 23 different fashion and sustainability blogs within two months.
Each link brought both SEO value and targeted traffic. These were people who actually cared about sustainable fashion.
The secret sauce? Make it so useful that sharing it makes the person look smart to their audience.
Ask Existing Partners for Links
This is probably the easiest wins you’ll get. Most ecommerce stores completely ignore it. I’m talking about all the businesses you already work with. Suppliers, manufacturers, payment processors, shipping companies, complementary service providers.
Here’s my approach:
- Start with your closest partners where you have the strongest relationships
- Offer reciprocal value – maybe a testimonial or case study in return
- Make it specific – ask for a link to a particular product page or guide, not just your homepage
- Follow up professionally but don’t be pushy
One of my clients sells outdoor gear. They realised their kayak supplier had a “dealer directory” page. A simple email asking to be included resulted in a high-quality link. This came from a domain with genuine authority in the outdoor space.
The beauty of this strategy? These links are natural and relevant. There’s already a business relationship.
Reclaim Broken Links
This strategy is pure gold. You’re not asking for new links – you’re fixing broken ones that already exist. It’s like finding money in an old jacket pocket.
For your own broken links:
- Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to find broken links pointing to your site
- Reach out to the linking sites with the correct URL
- Most will happily update the link since they want their content to work properly
For competitor broken links:
- Find broken links pointing to your competitors’ pages
- Create better content than what was originally linked to
- Reach out suggesting your content as a replacement
I helped one client reclaim 34 broken links in three months. The email template was simple: “Hi, I noticed you’re linking to [broken URL] on your [page title] page. The link seems to be broken. I’ve got a similar resource at [your URL] that might work as a replacement if helpful.”
About 60% of people updated the link. Easy wins.
Find Resource Pages
Resource pages are like gold mines for link building for ecommerce sites. These are pages where websites list helpful tools, guides, and recommended companies in specific industries.
Here’s how I find them:
- Search for “[your industry] + resources”
- Look for “[your niche] + tools”
- Find “recommended suppliers” pages
- Check industry association websites
The pitch needs to be spot-on. I focus on why my resource genuinely helps their audience.
Not why I want the link.
Something like: “I noticed your comprehensive guide to sustainable living resources. I thought your readers might find our carbon footprint calculator useful. It’s helped over 10,000 people calculate their household emissions this year.”
The key is making sure you’re actually adding value to their resource page. Not just trying to get a link.
Close Competitor Backlink Gaps
This is where you get strategic. I use backlink analysis tools to see exactly where my competitors are getting links. Then I ask myself: “Why aren’t we getting links from these same places?”
My process:
- Export competitor backlinks using Ahrefs or similar tools
- Filter for high-quality, relevant links
- Identify link opportunities we’re missing
- Create better content or stronger outreach than competitors used
- Pitch those same websites with superior value
For example, I found that three competitors were getting links from a popular industry podcast’s resource page. I listened to several episodes. Created a genuinely useful resource that aligned with their audience’s interests. Pitched it. Got the link within a week.
It’s not about copying. It’s about identifying proven link opportunities and executing better than the competition.
Link Building for Ecommerce Success Tips
After years of doing this, here are the things that separate successful campaigns from complete wastes of time.
Quality beats quantity every single time. One link from a relevant, high-authority site is worth more than 50 links from random blogs. I’d rather have 10 exceptional links than 100 mediocre ones.
Track everything, but focus on what matters. Don’t just count links. Measure the traffic and conversions they’re actually driving. Some of my best links never moved the SEO needle. But they sent highly qualified traffic that converted at 8%.
Build relationships, not just links. Working with experienced SEO experts can help you develop these relationships more effectively.
The best link opportunities come from genuine relationships with other people in your industry. I spend time commenting on blogs. I engage on social media. I actually get to know the people behind the websites.
Stay white-hat always. Google’s getting smarter at detecting dodgy link schemes. Focus on strategies that would still make sense even if search engines didn’t exist. Links that actually help real people discover your business.
Conclusion
These seven strategies for link building for ecommerce work because they focus on creating genuine value. They don’t try to game the system. The stores winning in this year aren’t the ones with the most links. They’re the ones with the most relevant, high-quality connections to their target audience.
Start with strategy #1 (content creation) since it builds the foundation for everything else. Then pick one more strategy that aligns with your current resources and relationships. Don’t try to do everything at once. Consistency beats intensity every time.
The best time to start building links was six months ago. The second best time is today.
Pick one strategy. Commit to it for 30 days. Watch what happens to your organic traffic and sales. Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you for making link building for ecommerce a priority right now.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How long does it take to see results from ecommerce link building
You’ll typically start seeing initial results within 2-3 months. But the real impact builds over 6-12 months. I’ve noticed that high-quality links often start driving referral traffic immediately. The SEO benefits accumulate gradually as Google crawls and indexes the new links.
2. How many backlinks does my ecommerce site need to rank well
There’s no magic number. It’s about quality over quantity. I’ve seen sites with 50 excellent, relevant links outrank competitors with thousands of low-quality links. Focus on getting links from websites that your target customers actually visit and trust.
3. What’s the difference between link building for ecommerce vs other industries
Ecommerce link building requires more focus on commercial intent and trust signals. You need links that help people feel confident buying from you. Not just finding you. This means prioritising industry publications, supplier networks, and customer-focused content over generic directory links.
4. Should I buy backlinks for my online store
Never buy links. It’s against Google’s guidelines and can result in penalties that tank your rankings. Instead, invest that money in creating amazing content, tools, or resources that naturally attract links. The risk isn’t worth the temporary gains.
5. How do I know if a potential link opportunity is worth pursuing
I evaluate three factors: relevance (does their audience match yours?), authority (do they have genuine influence in the industry?), and traffic potential (could this link actually send you customers?). If it ticks all three boxes, it’s usually worth the outreach effort.
