The dream of every e-commerce store owner is not just to become popular, but to become the go-to brand for many of their customers.
But let’s face it, getting to that point is not always easy, especially now when the digital marketing space is so saturated. It has become increasingly challenging to stand out from the competition.
Even worse, new businesses are springing up every day to compete for the same clients. But does this mean it’s impossible? Not at all. There are still brands that manage to make big bucks, even in this competitive space. How do they do it?
It starts with making sure that you nail SEO. And more often than not, e-commerce backlinks are the key. How does that work?
That’s precisely what this post is about. We’ll explain why backlinks are essential for achieving SEO success. We’ll also share our best tips for getting the right kind of links for your e-store.
Why Do E-Stores Need Backlinks for SEO?
E-commerce backlinks are not always the same. But when you get the right ones, they can make all the difference. Some of the perks you can expect include:
- Better search engine rankings. Backlinks are practically votes from other sites saying that you are trustworthy. As your domain authority gets better, search engines “see” this and rank your site higher since it’s trusted by many.
- More organic traffic. Higher rankings mean you appear at the top of the search engine results pages, which is pretty much the only place you can get decent clicks. You know, not that many people end up on the second page.
- Targeted referral traffic. Additionally, those links mean that your site now appears in front of a new audience who may be interested in your offerings. If they click, that means referral traffic for you.
- Improved brand credibility. Search engines are not the only ones who notice your backlinks. The more others reference your site, the easier it is for people to trust your brand.
- Quicker site discovery and indexing. Backlinks typically help search engines discover your new product listings (and any pages, for that matter) faster. As a result, they’ll appear in SERPs quicker after publication.
Regardless of how you look at it, you can’t go wrong with quality link building. This explains why many brands invest a significant amount of money in hiring SEO specialists, acquiring relevant skills, and purchasing the right link-building software. The ROI is worth it if we put it in.
5 Ways to Gain Quality E-Commerce Backlinks
Many marketers are constantly seeking ways to acquire top-tier backlinks. More than half (52%) say it’s the most challenging part of SEO, and that it’s taking more time, too. But here are some of our tips to make it easier for you to improve your backlink strategy for e-commerce:
#1: Create Link Magnet Content
Creating lead magnets is an old tactic, yet it still works just as well as it did when it was first introduced. So, what kind of content qualifies as a link magnet? It’s easy. Any content that provides value or shares new, relevant information.
This could include infographics, survey results, case studies, and blog posts. Whatever the content format, it must be original. The more in-depth it explores the topic, the better. Lead magnets can be gated or have free access — whatever your strategy may be.
Take, for example, this post by Brian Dean of Backlinko.
It already has 144 backlinks, despite being a relatively new article. Many bloggers and marketers have shared it and linked to it.
Why? Because it goes deep and covers all the fundamentals of its topic. This is an excellent example of how you can gain links naturally.
However, for this to be effective, you must ensure that your content aligns with the genuine interests of your target audience. Of course, you can’t just guess what topics they’d like to read about. So, how do you find their interest? That’s what keyword research is for.
You can use any SEO tool to find what topics your audience is searching for on the internet. You can also check out online forums or your competitors’ pages to get a sense of what they like. This is the key to a lasting relationship with your customers that helps improve the customer’s lifetime value.
#2: Start Taking Guest Posting More Seriously
Did you know that many marketers consider guest posting the primary technique for link building? It’s a strategy where you publish your articles on other people’s websites. It is one of the most popular tactics for a reason — it works. But only if you use relevant websites.
So, you want to take the time to find quality sites that are worth the trouble. That means not only do they have to be relevant, but they also need to have good current traffic, high authority, and a low spam score.
Yes, finding pages like that is a hassle. But how do you turn it into an easy-to-follow practice that results in dozens (if not hundreds) of quality e-commerce blogs that accept guest posts?
- First, check your competitors’ backlink profiles for ideas or try a simple Google search for pages that accept any guest submissions.
- After that comes the task of convincing the webmasters of your chosen sites to publish your work.
- Here, it’s important not to send the same generic email to all sites. Instead, it’s better to personalize your emails to each editor, include their names, and share your unique ideas for each blog.
- You can also list some benefits they get from publishing your article, and of course, add links to what you’ve done in the past.
If you’re convincing enough, you’ll be able to get many websites linking back to you. And then, what’s left is to keep your promise and write a decent guest article.
#3: Be Open to Collaborative Opportunities
Sometimes, depending on your niche, the best option for acquiring e-commerce backlinks may be to collaborate with influencers, industry experts, or related brands. This works very well if you have the budget to sponsor content on influencers’ sites.
This is evident in the Gymshark and Sophie Allen collaboration, for example. Of course, it’s TikTok, but many bloggers have actual websites with written articles.
You can also enlist the help of relevant industry professionals to share their expert views and publish them on your site. First, it’s a great lead magnet content. Additionally, all those experts will likely share your article with their respective communities.
This way, your efforts can increase your brand reach and attract more backlinks. You might even get a mention or two in media sites. The more engaging and appealing your work with the other brands and influencers is, the more shares and links it’ll get.
Besides, apart from just backlinks, it’s also beneficial for your lead generation. Before starting your campaign, ensure that you conduct thorough research and select influencers whose values align with your brand’s values.
#4: Try Creative PR Campaigns
The truth is, many e-commerce sites invest in PR from time to time. Everyone hopes that each time, this will be the viral sensation that makes them famous and helps them sell out their merchandise.
But here’s the thing — PR campaigns are also helpful for getting e-commerce backlinks. It is an advanced tactic, though, so you have to be creative with them. There’s always someone talking out there, so it’s easy to get lost in the noise.
Still, if you can do something original, you’ll get a lot of media coverage—probably millions of views, along with backlinks, to accompany all that newfound fame and attention.
For example, the viral Stanley Quencher Tumbler PR campaign got 84 million views in a few days. It started when a customer made a video of their car, which had been severely damaged by fire, but the Stanley Tumbler was still in perfect shape; even the ice inside had not melted.
Source: TikTok
When Terrence Reilly, Stanley’s president, saw the video, he stitched the video and offered the creator a replacement tumbler and a car. His video also garnered an additional 32 million views. Although unplanned, this was still a big PR win for the Stanley brand.
The authenticity appealed to people, and this helped launch the brand into the mainstream market.
#5: Outsource It
Occasionally, you’re going to have something come up that might take away some of your time and attention from link building. This is normal. In cases like this, you might need to consider outsourcing it to a service, freelancer, or agency.
If you neglect link building entirely for a short while, it probably won’t make any difference. But you can’t forget about it for months and years. You’ll likely notice a significant drop in your rankings. As a result, your competitors could catch up and outrank you in search engine results pages.
So, how to avoid that? It might be best to have someone else handle all of the hassles of link building for you. In large organizations, this may require a substantial budget. However, most of the time, if you conduct your research carefully, it may be cheaper than doing the link building on your own.
Think about it. Professional link builders possess years of experience and established relationships with webmasters across various niches. This means that they will get more positive responses to their outreach emails. This helps you land even bigger, more relevant websites.
Of course, if you pick the wrong person (or agency), this could also backfire badly. Therefore, it is essential to conduct thorough research and confirm that the chosen individual employs Google-friendly link-building practices. This way, you don’t end up with spammy e-commerce backlinks that could attract Google penalties.
What Is EcomBalance?
EcomBalance is a monthly bookkeeping service specialized for eCommerce companies selling on Amazon, Shopify, eBay, Etsy, WooCommerce, & other eCommerce channels.
We take monthly bookkeeping off your plate and deliver your financial statements to you by the 15th or 20th of each month.
You’ll have your Profit and Loss Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement ready for analysis each month, allowing you and your business partners to make informed business decisions.
Interested in learning more? Schedule a call with our CEO, Nathan Hirsch.
And here’s some free resources:
- Monthly Finance Meeting Agenda
- 9 Steps to Master Your Ecommerce Bookkeeping Checklist
- The Ultimate Guide on Finding an Ecommerce Virtual Bookkeeping Service
- What Is a Profit and Loss Statement?
- How to Read & Interpret a Cash Flow Statement
- How to Read a Balance Sheet & Truly Understand It
Conclusion
Link building for e-commerce requires more creativity than your average blog site. But that’s the fun of it. You need to think of more ways to be creative, remain open to collaboration, and look out for opportunities to provide valuable content to your customers.
Focus on quality rather than quantity. It doesn’t do you any good to have too many links from spammy sites and none or few from high-domain pages.
