SaaS Link Building: Team Insights & Tested Strategies [Updated]

Have you ever wondered why some SaaS websites get all the visibility while others seem unnoticed on Google? 

One of the biggest secrets is link building!

Backlinks are like trust signs. When a website links to yours, it’s saying, “This website has something valuable to offer.” 

And search engines take note. 

Alright, but how do you get these links? In this article, we’re breaking down tried-and-tested SaaS link building tips. 

Get ready, and let’s start!

What is SaaS Link Building?

When you hear “link building” and “SaaS link building,” it might seem like two completely different concepts.

Here’s the truth. 

SaaS link building is simply a niche within link building. The key difference? SaaS link building focuses on getting backlinks from SaaS (Software as a Service) websites—legitimate businesses offering software, tools, and solutions.

On the other hand, link building refers to building backlinks from a broader range of websites.

With that cleared up, let’s understand what makes SaaS backlinks particularly valuable.

What Makes SaaS Backlinks Worth It?

SaaS websites are legitimate, thriving businesses that take their website content, backlinks, and technical performance seriously. They’re always working to improve their online presence, which makes their backlinks incredibly valuable.

When you get a backlink from a SaaS site, you’re not just getting any link—you’re making your backlink profile stronger, leading to improved rankings and traffic. You also gain brand credibility, which means people are more likely to trust your business and choose your services.

The best part? SaaS backlinks get even better with time. As these websites grow, your link grows in value too, giving your SEO long-lasting benefits. 

So, including link building as part of your small business plan is a smart move, keeping your business visible and bringing in steady traffic over time.

Amazing, right?

Building SaaS backlinks from SaaS vs. only-content websites

First, what is the importance of link building anyways?

Simply put, Google crawlers not only analyze the content on your web pages but also check how many authoritative domains have linked to yours. So many businesses are trying to strengthen their backlink profiles and rank better on Google search results. While some companies prefer keeping in-house, there’s always the option to outsource your link building and achieve results faster.

Besides finding the right people, organizing a successful outreaching process, and keeping in great touch, you should also be able to pick domains carefully. Later on, you shouldn’t also forget about monitoring backlinks and keeping an eye on potential issues.

When it comes to link building, there are two main ways you can go:

• Getting backlinks from SaaS website blogs
• Getting backlinks from only-content websites

Put shortly, the first one is a legitimate business that offers tools and/or services, has distinctive features, pricing, and a separate ‘Blog’ section. At the same time, the second option includes websites that only offer content around different topics.

Some SEOs also go for directory and forum websites, which is not the best option, to be honest. But we’ll talk about that later.

Now, you might ask, “Why would I need a backlink from only-content websites? It has no value compared to SaaS domains”. Well, that’s not exactly true.

Instead, let’s see what works better for your SaaS link building process.

To make it easier, here’s a quick comparison.

• SaaS backlinks bring more authority and make your website look more trustworthy. It’s like other SaaS websites ‘vote’ for yours, and Google chooses to rank it higher since it has more ‘votes’.
• SaaS backlinks increase your website traffic faster. In other words, for example, getting 10 backlinks from different SaaS domains can have the same impact as getting 50 from only-content websites. While the comparison numbers will vary, the logic stays the same.
• Based on the two previous advantages, SaaS backlinks can ensure your website’s better ranking.

All the benefits that SaaS backlinks can bring are great. But this doesn’t mean that only-content websites have no role in the game.

Here’s when you should consider collaborating with such websites and doing link building for your SaaS website with them.

• Build only-content backlinks if your niche is too specific. In comparison, if you have HoReCa software for bakeries, for example, getting SaaS backlinks from an email marketing or social media scheduling website won’t have the best effect. On the other hand, if you can find some websites that share content about baking, recipes, restaurants, and similar topics, you will build relevant backlinks, and Google will recognize you as an authoritative business.
• Speaking of Google, such an approach when your SaaS business is niche-specific will also positively affect rankings. Relevancy is important for search engines since they need to ensure users get the right search results for their queries. So, if you can build industry-relevant backlinks in a considerable amount, only-content websites don’t sound so ineffective.

Phew, that was a lot to consume!

SaaS Link Building Strategies That Work

With so many SaaS link building strategies out there, it can be tricky to know which ones actually deliver results.

That’s why we’ve put together the top strategies we’ve tried and tested—tactics that truly work.

Let’s take a look at each of these!

A-B-C Link Exchange

A-B-C link exchange is a link building strategy where three or more websites link to each other. 

This method allows you to build backlinks without making Google suspicious. 

It’s like a clever game of connecting the dots, but in a way that keeps everything looking natural.

Here’s how it works for SaaS:

• Website A (a SaaS-related blog) links to your SaaS tool (Website B).
• Website B (your SaaS website) links to Website C (another SaaS product or blog in a different niche).
• Website C links back to Website A, completing the loop.

So, this indirect exchange helps you earn backlinks from relevant websites, which is much more effective for your SEO than random links. However, pay attention to these websites’ SEO metrics to ensure backlinks come from trusted sources.

Next up, let’s check out guest posting strategies to boost your SaaS link building game!

Further reading:
Link Exchange Guide

Guest Posting

Guest posting refers to the process of writing and publishing an article on someone else’s website or blog.

It’s a way to share your expertise with a new audience and build relationships with other content creators. 

Also, you have a chance to share valuable insights, show off your expertise, and gain a relevant and valuable backlink in return to your blog or product page.

Guest posting can be a bit of a long game. It involves reaching out to industry blogs or websites, suggesting guest post topics, and creating valuable content that aligns with their audience.

Even after submitting a post, it might take time to get a response, and there’s always a chance it may not be approved.

But when it works, it’s worth it.

Here is a screenshot of an outreach email one of our link builders sent. 

As you see, she suggested a few relevant blog post headlines for the website they were contacting. 

Quick note: always focus on websites related to your industry and speak to your target audience.

Posting on random websites won’t help your SaaS brand as much as landing a spot on a trusted industry blog.

So, start coming up with topics, release your creativity, and let guest posting open doors to SaaS success!

SaaS Link Building: Key Points to Keep in Mind

When it comes to SaaS link building, it’s easy to fall into the trap of outdated tactics and beliefs that can only hurt your SEO.

To prevent you from that, our team is sharing key things you should prioritize while building SaaS backlinks.

Relevance is key

Links from websites that focus on software, technology, or SaaS-related content are much more valuable. 

For example, if your SaaS product helps teams manage projects, a link from a blog about remote work or team productivity tools is a perfect fit.

Targeting the right audience

Getting backlinks from websites that attract your target audience (such as businesses looking for software solutions) will drive the right traffic to your SaaS website. 

If your SaaS product is for marketing teams, links from marketing blogs or websites about business tools will be much more relevant.

Keep a Balance Between Quantity and Quality

So, don’t just aim for as many links as possible—focus on the value. 

Note: We recommend getting a few backlinks from trusted SaaS websites for more impact than hundreds of links from irrelevant sources.

However, this doesn’t mean you should only focus on getting two or three links each month, as they might not make a big impact. 

It’s important to keep a balance and regularly build a mix of good, relevant links for steady growth and better results.

Now, let’s dive into some common SaaS link building mistakes we recommend avoiding for better results.

SaaS Link Building: What You Shouldn’t Do

We’ve seen what works—and what doesn’t. Here’s what we suggest you stay away from.

Link selling websites

Buying links can raise a red flag for search engines, as it goes against their guidelines and risks penalties.

Here’s why you should avoid it:

• Search engines may penalize your SaaS website, lowering your rankings or removing you from search results altogether.
• Bought links can harm your website’s credibility.
• They might give a quick boost, but not have long-term effects.

This email highlights the risks of link buying—what seems quick, but can hurt your SEO.

So, we recommend that you don’t buy links. Instead, focus on creating authentic backlinks.

Direct exchanges

So, they seem simple and easy, but…

This strategy can be risky for your SaaS business. 

A direct SaaS link building strategy is like a contract between two companies to give and receive backlinks.

Here’s why we generally avoid this method.

In a direct exchange, Website A (a blog about marketing tools) links to your SaaS product Website B (a tool for email automation).

In return, you would link back to Website A from your website. Sounds simple, right? It’s like the “Add my link, and I’ll add yours” way.

However, Google’s algorithms are pretty smart these days. If it notices too many direct exchanges between websites, it can flag them as manipulative, potentially harming your SEO ranking.

That’s why we tend to focus on more indirect, natural link building methods like A-B-C exchanges or gaining backlinks from industry-specific websites.

So, while direct exchanges might seem tempting, they’re better avoided for SaaS businesses.

Backlinks From Comment and Forum Websites

We can’t emphasize this enough—comment and forum backlinks just don’t work anymore.

In fact, they’re often seen as spammy and can even lead to Google penalties, as they violate Google’s guidelines.

Instead of relying on these outdated methods, we recommend focusing on the strategies we’ve mentioned above for building relevant backlinks

That’s a Wrap!

So, let’s take a quick look at SaaS link building and why it matters.

• Backlinks are votes of confidence from one website to another, helping search engines determine your website’s reliability. 
• SaaS link building is a form of link building that focuses on getting backlinks from SaaS websites.
• A-B-C link exchanges and guest posting are proven and safe ways to build backlinks.
• We recommend focusing on backlinks from trusted and relevant websites that attract your target audience and keep a balance between quality and quantity.
• Avoid direct exchanges, link selling websites, and comment and forum backlinks, for better SEO and to avoid Google penalties.

That’s all for now, but stay tuned for more tips to help your SaaS business grow online.

FAQ about SaaS link building