Backlinks remain one of the strongest signals for search engines to determine a website’s authority and trustworthiness. For ecommerce businesses, backlinks are not just about rankings — they directly influence visibility, brand trust, and ultimately, sales. Yet, many ecommerce websites still struggle to attract high-quality backlinks in a sustainable way.
This guide will walk you through why backlinks matter for ecommerce, which strategies actually work, how to measure their impact, and how to conduct backlink audits that keep your link profile healthy.
Why Backlinks Matter for Ecommerce Websites
Ecommerce websites are often product-heavy but lack editorial content that naturally attracts links. This creates a challenge: without backlinks, even the best-designed online stores struggle to rank on Google. Backlinks serve as endorsements that tell search engines your store is trustworthy and worth ranking higher in search results. They also drive referral traffic from industry publications, blogs, and comparison sites.
High-quality backlinks help ecommerce brands:
- Improve search visibility for product and category pages.
- Build credibility with both search engines and potential buyers.
- Attract referral traffic from niche communities and content partners.
- Support content marketing efforts, such as guides, blogs, and interactive content.
Key Strategies for Ecommerce Backlink Building
Not all backlink strategies work equally well for ecommerce businesses. Below are proven approaches that blend scalability with sustainability, with expanded explanations for how they work in practice.
1. Guest Posting on Industry Blogs
Guest posting remains one of the most effective ways to secure high-quality backlinks. For ecommerce, the key is to target blogs within your niche rather than broad publications. For example, a skincare brand should pitch guest posts to beauty blogs, wellness sites, and lifestyle publications. By contributing helpful, well-researched content, you not only earn backlinks but also position your store as a trusted authority in the space.
2. Resource Page Link Building
Many websites maintain resource pages that list tools, guides, and products. Ecommerce stores can pitch these pages with useful resources such as buying guides, sizing charts, or product comparison pages. For instance, if you run a pet supply store, you could create a “Pet Nutrition Guide” and pitch it to veterinary or pet care resource hubs.
3. Broken Link Building
This strategy involves finding broken links on relevant websites and suggesting your content as a replacement. Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush help identify these broken links. Ecommerce brands can target niche blogs and directories where outdated product links are common. Replacing a broken competitor link with your own can be a direct win.
4. Digital PR and Product Mentions
Getting featured in media outlets, gift guides, or product roundups generates both backlinks and brand awareness. Digital PR campaigns can include seasonal pitches (e.g., “Best Holiday Gifts 2025”) or product launches. Collaborating with journalists, bloggers, and micro-influencers can lead to strong editorial links that traditional outreach often struggles to secure.
5. Linkable Assets and Content Marketing
Stores that invest in content creation have more backlink opportunities. Interactive tools, detailed guides, or original research make excellent linkable assets. For example, if you sell home fitness equipment, a “30-Day Home Workout Plan” PDF or a calorie-burn calculator could attract natural links. For more on ecommerce content creation, see our Ultimate E-Commerce Content Creation Guide.
6. Leveraging Customer and Supplier Relationships
Ecommerce stores often overlook their existing network. Ask suppliers, distributors, and business partners to link to your website as part of their partner or retailer pages. These backlinks are usually highly relevant and carry strong trust signals.
7. Building Links Through Product Reviews
Offering products for review to bloggers and micro-influencers can generate both backlinks and social media exposure. When executed with transparency, this approach can lead to lasting relationships and recurring coverage.
How to Audit Ecommerce Backlinks
A backlink audit helps identify which links are helping your rankings and which ones may be holding you back. Toxic or spammy backlinks can trigger penalties and should be disavowed if necessary. A thorough audit should review both the quality and diversity of your backlink profile.
| Audit Metric | Why It Matters | Action Step |
|---|---|---|
| Domain Authority (DA/DR) | Indicates the strength of the linking site. | Prioritize links from DA 40+ domains. |
| Anchor Text Diversity | Over-optimized anchors may look spammy. | Maintain a natural mix of branded and generic anchors. |
| Link Relevance | Links from irrelevant sites carry less SEO value. | Focus on backlinks from industry-specific sources. |
| DoFollow vs. NoFollow | DoFollow links pass SEO value; NoFollow links may bring traffic. | Keep a balanced profile with both types. |
| Toxic Backlinks | Links from spammy domains can harm rankings. | Identify and disavow harmful links in Google Search Console. |
Measuring the Impact of Backlinks
Once your strategies are in place, you’ll want to measure success. Ecommerce backlink building is not just about numbers; it’s about outcomes. Metrics to track include:
- Referral traffic from link placements
- Ranking improvements for target keywords
- Conversion rates from referral visitors
- Domain authority or domain rating growth
- Brand mentions across digital media
Backlink Quality Metrics
Not all links are equal. Here are the key metrics you should monitor:
| Metric | Why It Matters | Example Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Domain Authority (DA) | Higher DA = more link equity | Moz, Ahrefs |
| Relevance | Niche-relevant backlinks rank higher | SEMrush |
| Anchor Text Diversity | Prevents over-optimization penalties | Ahrefs |
| Traffic Potential | Referral traffic adds value | GA4, SimilarWeb |
FAQs on Ecommerce Backlink Building
Q1. What is Ecommerce backlink building?
Backlink building in ecommerce refers to the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your online store. These links act as endorsements in the eyes of search engines, improving your store’s authority, rankings, and organic traffic. For ecommerce businesses, backlinks can directly boost visibility for product and category pages.
Q2. Why are backlinks important for ecommerce websites?
Backlinks signal trust and credibility to search engines. In a competitive ecommerce niche, a strong backlink profile can help your store rank above marketplaces and larger competitors. Quality backlinks can also drive referral traffic, bringing in potential customers who are ready to buy.
Q3. What are toxic backlinks, and how can I avoid them?
Toxic backlinks are spammy or irrelevant links that harm your site’s SEO. They often come from low-quality directories, link farms, or unrelated blogs. To avoid them, focus on natural link-building methods and regularly audit your backlink profile using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Search Console. Disavow harmful links if necessary.
Q4. How many backlinks do I need to rank my ecommerce store?
There’s no magic number. The number of backlinks required depends on your competition and niche. Instead of chasing volume, focus on acquiring authoritative, relevant backlinks. For example, 10 links from niche-relevant, high-DR sites can outperform 100 low-quality ones.
Q5. Can product pages get backlinks, or should I only target blogs?
Yes, product pages can and should get backlinks, though it’s harder than linking to blog content. Some ways to attract links directly to product pages include: partnering with influencers for reviews, submitting products to curated lists, or offering affiliates commission. However, blog content like buying guides and comparisons usually attract links more naturally.
Q6. What’s the difference between dofollow and nofollow backlinks in ecommerce SEO?
Dofollow backlinks pass authority (link juice) to your website and are valuable for SEO.
Nofollow backlinks don’t pass authority but can still bring referral traffic and brand exposure.
Both types matter for a natural backlink profile, but you should aim to secure more dofollow links from authoritative sites.
Final Thoughts
Backlink building for ecommerce is not a one-off task — it’s an ongoing process that strengthens your store’s visibility, authority, and sales potential. By combining scalable tactics like guest posting and resource page outreach with relationship-driven approaches like product reviews and supplier links, ecommerce brands can build a diverse and resilient backlink profile. Coupled with regular backlink audits, this ensures that your store not only climbs the rankings but stays there.
Here is a PDF checklist with outreach templates, follow up email templates and HARO pitch templates to amke your ecommerce backlink building journey easier.
Bonus Resources: Backlink Outreach Templates & Tracking Sheet
Use these ready-made templates and tools to streamline your backlink outreach process. You can copy, customize, and send them directly, and use the tracking sheet to monitor responses and link placements.
1. Initial Outreach Email Template
Subject: Quick question about [Website Name]
Hi [First Name],
I was reading your article on [Topic/URL] and found it incredibly helpful — especially the part about [specific detail].
I recently published a resource on [briefly describe your content] that I believe your readers would find valuable. You can check it out here: [Your URL].
If you think it’s a good fit, perhaps you could consider linking to it from your post.
Either way, thanks for creating such useful content.
Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Website]
2. Follow-Up Email #1 (After 3–5 Days)
Subject: Just following up on my previous email
Hi [First Name],
I wanted to follow up on my previous message about my [topic] resource.
I completely understand you might be busy, but I think it could add value to your readers.
Here’s the link again: [Your URL]
Thanks for your time,
[Your Name]
3. Follow-Up Email #2 (After 7–10 Days)
Subject: Final follow-up on [topic] suggestion
Hi [First Name],
This is my final follow-up — I know your time is valuable.
If you’re interested, here’s the link again: [Your URL]
If not, no worries at all. I appreciate your work regardless.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
4. Backlink Tracking Sheet
You can copy this Google Sheet template to track your backlink outreach progress.
- Website Name
- Contact Person
- Email Address
- Outreach Date
- Follow-Up Dates
- Status
- Live Link