E-Commerce Link Building: 8 Ways To Get Backlinks To Your Online Store

Picture this. You own a store that sells running shoes. Someone who tells people what to look for when buying running shoes recommends your store for its quality products and mentions your location. Now, suddenly, you have an influx of customers because of that recommendation. 

Now, imagine if all of this happened online, i.e. your store is on eBay and that recommendation (+ link) came from a website that provides guides for runners. This is exactly what getting a backlink is. The more backlinks your store gets, the more your traffic and sales increase. 

But, how do you get those backlinks in the first place? Through these 8 e-commerce link building strategies. 👇

1. Make your products discoverable

The best kinds of backlinks are the ones that happen naturally, where an influencer or a blogger in your niche stumbles upon your online store, falls in love with the products you sell, and links back to your store from their website or social media page. They might even be a past customer of yours!

Here’s an example:

But, for this to happen, you need to use some e-commerce SEO tactics and actually make your products discoverable. Use the right keywords (especially within your titles and product descriptions) to put your products at the top of search results to make it easy for potential bloggers to find them and link back to your store. 

2. Request backlinks yourself

The best way to get something is to actually ask for it. So, make a list of websites and social media pages that post content related to your niche and reach out to them to ask if they would be interested in linking back to your e-commerce store. 

For example, does a website post a lot of best small businesses round-ups? You could reach out to them and present your e-commerce store as a valuable addition. 

Additionally, you can also reach out to online business directories and request your store to be added. If you’re a reseller, you can reach out to your suppliers and ask them to include your store under their list of “places to buy our products from.” 

Make sure to reach out to “authority” websites, though (the ones that get a decent amount of traffic), and stay away from spammy sites as they can actually end up hurting your store. 

3. Contribute guest posts

Several websites accept guest posts written by people other than their in-house writers – especially if you have personal experience with a certain topic, or are an expert on it. When you contribute a post filled with value for their audience, these websites will happily let you add a backlink to your site!

If you make your own products, you could talk about the process, or write a guide on how to get started, or even on what to look for when making a purchase. Or you could talk about online selling in general. 

Bottom line: Find the right blogging tool, reach out to relevant websites, and contribute high-quality guest posts!

4. Give your insights to bloggers and reporters

Ever read a piece on a news website that provides the opinions and advice of others and links back to that person’s site? You can do that, too! Because, bloggers and reporters need quotes from experts all the time. And being in the e-commerce industry makes YOU an expert — both in online selling and in the products you sell. 

Sign up to websites like HARO, Qwoted, Respona, and ResponseSource to receive media enquiries. When you find someone who needs an expert quote in your niche, reach out to them with a valuable answer and they might feature you (and your online store)!

5. Engage in forums and discussions

Think communities like Reddit, which is where a LOT of people go to get their questions answered or recommendations for products. Engage in organic discussions with people here, give them valuable advice, and show up as your authentic self. 

Join discussions related to your niche and answer questions. Slowly, you can start adding links to your comments/ posts (but only if it genuinely adds value). This will help you get more traffic and boost your store visibility. 

And, hey, some blogger looking for online stores to add to their round-up might just stumble on your post and add your store to their list, too! Because, like we mentioned earlier, forums are great places to scour for recommendations. 

6. Start affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is when you collaborate with influencers or bloggers to promote your products and give them a commission for each sale they help you make. For example, an influencer might promote your products on their social media pages and blogs with special affiliate links. For every person who purchases your products using that link, the influencer gets a commission from you. 

This is a great way to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. You get a direct increase in traffic and number of sales, while also getting backlinks! 

7. Scour out unlinked brand mentions

Sometimes, people talk about your products (or online store) on their websites and social media posts, but forget to link back to you. These are called unlinked brand mentions. 

While any brand mention at all is great, it would be even better if it came with a direct backlink, making it easier for their audience to find you. You can set up a Google Alert for your business to find out whenever someone talks about you. If they forget to add a link, reach out to them and request them to do so. 

💡 Bonus tip: When it comes to social media, you can use the “search” tool to find posts that mention your brand and comment on them directly (from your online store’s social media accounts). This way, anybody reading it has a direct way of finding you and you appear grateful, so it’s a win-win!

8. Use Pinterest

If you take aesthetic product photos and videos for your e-commerce listings (which you should be 👀), you can post these on Pinterest along with all the details of your product. Alternatively, you can post valuable content, such as tips, process videos, etc. — anything that will enhance people’s interest in your pins. 

While Pinterest doesn’t allow “backlinks,” per se, you can use a business profile and add a link to your online store on your profile page. The more interest your pins gain, the more people it will reach, which will, ultimately, lead to people wanting to check your products out! Don’t forget to add your store name to your photos and videos, though. 

E-commerce link building is not a one-and-done process. It may take weeks before you see any real benefits. But, keep at it, and it will bear fruits. 

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