SaaS link building without buying links

SaaS link building that lasts means earning links: give other sites something worth linking to, such as free tools, sourced data and fair comparison pages, then ask the sites that already write about your category. Google treats paid links that pass ranking credit as spam, so any paid placement should carry rel="sponsored".

That rules out most of what gets sold as SaaS link building. What is left is slower, but it is the kind of link Google and Bing both say they want.

In short

• Google defines link spam as links made “primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings”, and buying them is the first example it lists.
• Paid placements are fine if marked rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow".
• Pick the pages you want links to first: free tools, comparison pages, docs and integration pages.
• The link types that work for a small team: tools, integrations and partners, guest posts with real expertise, podcasts and founder interviews, and relevant directories.
• Outreach that gets replies is short, specific and honest about who you are.
• Track what you earn in Search Console’s Links report, which is free.

What Google counts as link spam

Google says it “uses links as a signal when determining the relevancy of pages and to find new pages to crawl” (Google). Because links count, people try to manufacture them, and Google’s spam policies define the line.

Link spam is “the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings” (Google). The examples Google lists include:

• Buying or selling links for ranking purposes, including “exchanging goods or services for links” and “sending someone a product in exchange for them writing about it and including a link”.
• Excessive link exchanges, and “partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking”.
• Using automated programs or services to create links.
• Links “with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites”.
• “Low-quality directory or bookmark site links”.
• Widely distributed links in footers or templates, and forum comments with optimized links.

Google also says buying links for advertising is “a normal part of the economy of the web”, and that it is not a violation “as long as they are qualified with a rel=”nofollow” or rel=”sponsored” attribute value” (Google). Its guide to qualifying outbound links asks you to mark paid links as sponsored and user-generated links, such as comments and forum posts, as ugc (Google).

Bing says the same in its own words. Its guidelines list “link buying, link spamming, private networks, and artificial social promotion schemes” and say “Links should be earned organically through high-quality, useful content” (Bing).

Pick the pages you want links to

Most SaaS homepages and pricing pages are hard to link to. A writer needs a reason. Decide which pages deserve links before you ask anyone:

• Free tools. A small tool that solves one job is something writers link to when they mention the job. Our own free tools are an example, such as the AI crawler checker.
• Comparison and alternatives pages. Fair, current comparisons get cited by people writing about the category.
• Docs and guides. Clear docs get linked from forums, answers and other tools’ integration pages.
• Data you can source. If you publish numbers, make them yours, from your own product or a survey you ran, and show how you got them.

Link types that work for a small SaaS

Integrations and partners. If your product works with another tool, ask to be listed on its integrations or marketplace page, and list them on yours. That is a real relationship, not a link exchange for its own sake.

Guest posts with real expertise. A founder or engineer writing about something they know, on a site whose readers are your buyers, is fine. Guest posts written to carry a keyword anchor back to you are the pattern Google names as spam. Write for the readers, and let the link be your name or product.

Podcasts and founder interviews. Shows in your category usually link to the guest’s site in the episode notes. The conversation also gets your product named on a page about your topic.

Directories that are relevant. A listing on a directory or review site your buyers actually use is worth having. Google’s spam policy names “low-quality directory or bookmark site links”, so skip the ones that exist only to sell listings.

Replies to questions. Answering a real question on a forum or community, with a link only where it helps, is how many docs pages get found. Expect those links to carry ugc or nofollow. They can still send people.

Outreach that gets replies

Most outreach fails because it is long, vague or pretends to be something else. A message that works is:

• Short. Three or four sentences.
• Specific. Name the page you are writing to and the exact line or gap where your page would help a reader.
• Honest. Say who you are and that it is your product. Don’t pose as a reader or a fan.
• Easy to ignore. No follow-up chains. One polite follow-up at most.

Start with sites that already write about your category, such as people who have listed your competitors or written about the problem you solve. They have a reason to care.

Links, mentions and AI answers

Google says its AI features “can show what’s being said about products and services across the web, including in blogs, videos, and forum discussions” (Google). ChatGPT and Perplexity also search the web and cite pages. So being named on the pages that cover your category, with or without a link, is part of how a product gets mentioned in answers. Google adds that “seeking inauthentic ‘mentions’” isn’t as helpful as it might seem. No AI company has published how much a link counts, so treat this as a reason to be on the right pages, not as a formula. Our guide on getting cited in AI answers covers the method.

Track links in Search Console

The Links report in Search Console shows your top linked pages and the sites that link to you most. Google notes it is “a sample” of links rather than a full list, so use it to spot new links and check that the pages you want linked are the ones getting links. You don’t need a paid tool to start.

When to hire help

Link building takes time from the person who knows the product best. If you hire help, ask how they earn links and whether any are paid. Anyone who sells links that pass ranking credit is selling something Google calls spam. Our backlinks page covers how we do it, our domain authority page covers what DA and DR are and what moves them, and the agency vs in-house guide helps you decide.

FAQ

Is it safe to buy backlinks for a SaaS?

Not if the links pass ranking credit. Google lists buying or selling links for ranking purposes as link spam. Paid placements are fine for traffic if they carry rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow".

How many backlinks does a new SaaS need?

There is no fixed number. It depends on the pages you are up against for the terms you want. Look at who ranks, and aim for links from the sites your buyers read, not a count.

Can backlinks help my SaaS get mentioned in ChatGPT?

Indirectly. AI answers draw on web pages, including third-party pages about your category, so being named on those pages helps. No AI company has said how much a link itself counts.

Are guest posts still worth it?

Yes, when they are written for the host site’s readers by someone with real expertise. Guest posts made to place keyword anchors are what Google names as link spam.

Do directory links help?

Relevant directories your buyers use can send visitors and get your product named. Google’s spam policy names low-quality directory links, so skip directories that exist only to sell links.

Want links earned for you?

Ignura automates SEO and GEO, and you approve what goes out. See our backlinks page for how we earn links, and the pricing page for how we price it.

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