Ecommerce SEO: How to Get Free Backlinks for Your Store

Ecommerce SEO: How to Get Free Backlinks for Your Online Store

Posted 6 years ago by Lina Vashurina, 51视频 Team

While search engine algorithms are constantly changing, some SEO practices never do.

Quality backlinks continue to听be听one of听the听most significant factors in听your site鈥檚 search ranking. In听the听case of听online shopping, a听backlink is听a听link on听a听relevant website that directs users back to听your e-commerce store. And Google continues to听raise the听bar on听this type of听SEO-linking.

Due to听Google鈥檚 increased watchdog concern for听generating high-quality backlinks, many businesses have been forced to听fork over some major cash in听exchange for听backlinks that meet rising Google standards. And small businesses that aren鈥檛 ready to听invest large amounts of听capital have been left in听the听dust.

Fortunately, there鈥檚 an听alternative that won鈥檛 break the听bank. And the听best part? You don鈥檛 even need to听be听an听SEO expert to听do听it.

In听this article, we鈥檒l teach you how to听generate high-quality backlinks all on听your own, with little to听no听investment. But first, let鈥檚 get down to听the听basics.

Why External Links Are Important for听SEO

Imagine a听professor that publishes their work in听scientific periodicals. The more people refer to听the听work and听cite the听author on听a听particular issue, the听more that professor is听considered an听expert in听their field.

The same is听true for听websites: if听quality resources related to听your niche refer to听your e-commerce website, search engines consider it听more credible than similar sites, all else being equal. As听a听result, your website ranks higher on听searches related to听your niche, visibility increases and听your traffic grows. Hooray!

And that鈥檚 not the听only benefit to听building high-quality backlinks. You鈥檒l also enjoy:

Increased brand awareness by听reaching your target audience on听external resources;
And more conversion opportunities because customers can click to听your store from other websites where it鈥檚 linked.

You can use Google Analytics or听other services to听track how many visitors came to听your site (known as听referral traffic) from links provided on听other websites. Sometimes this can even be听a听significant driver for听website traffic.

Referral traffic statistics in听Google Analytics

Without quality backlinks, it听can take months or听even years to听promote your website in听a听competitive environment.

Now that you鈥檙e convinced of听the听importance, let鈥檚 take a听look at听some of听the听practical how-tos for听good link building.

9听Ways to听Get External Links

There are a听ton of听ways to听get links to听your website. But that doesn鈥檛 mean they鈥檙e all good ways. While some methods might appear simple initially, they actually require significant digital experience or听expensive SEO tools to听really be听effective. 奥别听say nay. Not today, sir. Today, we鈥檙e focusing on听nine methods you can use right now to听guarantee results with minimal cost and听little to听no听experience.

1.听Create social media pages

The first thing you can and听should do听to听start building links is听create official pages for听the听store on听social media. This is听the听easiest way to听get external links immediately after launching an听online store. Even if听you don鈥檛 plan to听actively engage on听social media for听your store, you should absolutely take advantage of听the听opportunity to听snag a听couple of听free backlinks.

Don鈥檛 limit yourself to听the听most popular platforms like Facebook and听Instagram; create pages in听Google+, Twitter, YouTube听鈥� even Pinterest.

SEO experts argue whether search engine algorithms count social links for听calculating a听website鈥檚 ranking. But even if听social links don鈥檛 influence page rankings directly, other social signals such as听likes or听shares can prove your website鈥檚 credibility.

2.听Engage on听forums (crowd-marketing)

Engage on听niche forums, general discussions听鈥� whatever听鈥� and听if听your site contains information that could be听potentially useful to听the听participants of听the听discussion, share the听link in听the听thread. Not only are you providing valuable content for听the听forum, but you鈥檙e also creating some handy backlinks for听your store.

An听example of听crowd marketing on听Quora

Some forums even allow users with a听certain number of听posts (15-20) to听give links to听their websites in听their name field, and听when you actively participate, other users will often follow that link for听more content. Win-win.

3.听Work with reviews

Customer feedback is听important for听any听company, regardless of听size. That鈥檚 because shoppers will inherently trust the听opinions of听other shoppers more than your own claims about your product. For many shoppers, user reviews can be听one of听the听biggest factors in听purchase decision. So听naturally, you鈥檒l want to听encourage as听many positive reviews as听you can. And, of听course, backlinks.

There are several great websites that compile user reviews including , , , . To听get started, create a听company profile where customers can leave feedback; then inside your profile, drop a听free backlink to听your website.

A听company鈥檚 page on听Influenster

Such platforms allow you to听create a听company page where people can leave their feedback, and听you get a听free link to听your website.

4.听Give interviews and听comments to听media and听online publications

The trick here is听targeting local media over major national outlets. Because local media often lack quality stories to听fill their production needs, it鈥檚 much easier to听get a听foot in听the听door with their producers. Offer an听interesting story about your product or听company, and听you鈥檒l be听handsomely rewarded with a听shiny new backlink听鈥� and听some brand exposure for听good measure.

In听addition to听interviews, you can create other materials like blogs and听whitepapers or听offer comments as听an听expert for听relevant online publications. And services like make it听even easier by听partnering with media teams to听connect journalists with subject matter experts whenever a听new comment is听needed.

Check out our article on听publicity on听a听budget for听more help building backlinks through the听media.

5.听Register in听directories

Most communities have an听online directory of听some sort for听local companies, and听registration is听almost always free. Creating a听directory listing provides an听extra touchpoint for听potential customers and听an听easy backlink for听your website.

6.听Use thematic aggregators

Aggregators are websites with a听large amount of听organized, usually business-focused, information. Think of听it听as听a听directory for听specific types of听products or听services. For example:

a听catalog of听foreign language courses鈥�
a听catalog of听dentists鈥�
a听catalog of听sheepskin slipper companies鈥�
You get the听idea.

If听your target region is听large enough, you can find dozens of听aggregators for听your specific product or听service. And you can register on听any听aggregator by听simply creating a听company page. To听look for听relevant aggregator websites, use search terms like 聯your niche +听catalog/aggregator聰 or听聯your niche +听city.聰

7.听Create and听share valuable content

A听checklist for听completing a听task. A听short e-book on听a听specific topic. Or听a听clever how-to guide (like the听one you鈥檙e reading right now). Whatever you choose to听create, one thing is听true: great content gets engagement. And when content on听the听internet gets engagement, it听gets backlinks.

High-quality听鈥� valuable听鈥� content takes time to听create. But if听you鈥檙e willing to听put in听the听effort, you鈥檒l be听rewarded with re-shares on听related websites, on听forums and听all across the听social media sphere.

This method of听marketing is听particularly popular in听English-speaking countries, and听is听widely considered one of听the听most effective听鈥� and听important听鈥� strategies to听building backlinks for听your website. Not only that, but it听creates brand credibility and听positions your company as听an听expert resource for听your product or听service segment.

Visit our article on听how to听write and听sell your ebook for听more insights on听creating valuable content for听your audience.

奥别听share our expertise in听e-books. You can do听it听too!

Learn more about promoting your store with content marketing.

8.听Work with influencers

Some bloggers and听social media personalities have an听audience reach similar to听that of听major media outlets. Ask an听influencer to听test your product or听send it听along as听a听gift in听exchange for听a听review or听mention for听your online store.

Pay attention to听blog authors, popular Instagram accounts and听relevant YouTube channels. There鈥檚 a听reason they鈥檙e called influencers. Like a听close friend or听a听trusted authority, these individuals have a听high degree of听influence over their audience, and听their review can make or听break a听follower鈥檚 purchase decision. The right word from the听right influencer, and听a听backlink won鈥檛 be听the听only thing you鈥檙e celebrating.

For example, The video is听a听collaboration between an听individual blogger and听fashion brand Topshop:

Learn how to听promote your online store on听popular Instagram blogs.

9.听Provide promotional support for听events

Even in听small towns, farmer markets, exhibitions, and听major celebrations are regular activities. In听order to听be听successful, event organizers often collaborate with media and听other organizations to听spread the听word and听attract participants.

Contact organizers to听offer promotional support (like mentions on听a听blog or听social media) in听exchange for听a听link to听your store. As听a听sign of听goodwill, partners鈥� links often appear right on听the听main page of听the听event website.

You can also work with market and听workshop organizers to听provide sponsorship products in听exchange for听links. Arrange a听product giveaway, or听provide participants with small gifts, and听in听return, organizers will talk about your store on听their website and听social media.

***You may need to听sacrifice a听product or听two every now and听then to听get a听link from the听right blogger or听event organizer, but rest assured, your efforts won鈥檛 be听in听vain. Over time, you鈥檒l be听compensated with a听steady rise in听search rankings, increased website traffic, and听a听sizable boost to听your much-cherished sales revenue.

Got questions about backlinks? Share 聯em in听the听comments!

Wanna get the听most out of听your online store? 51视频 shops come ready for听search promotion. Don鈥檛 let your SEO efforts go听to听waste.

听

About The Author

Lina is a content creator at 51视频. She writes to inspire and educate readers on all things commerce. She loves to travel and runs marathons.

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