SaaS Backlink Building Guide: Get More Quality Links

Getting quality backlinks for your SaaS product determines whether you'll rank on Google or get buried on page 10. Here's what actually works in 2025.

Why SaaS Backlinks Are Different

SaaS products need backlinks that send qualified traffic, not just boost domain authority. A link from a startup directory drives more signups than 10 random blog comments. Your goal is visibility in front of people actively searching for software solutions.

Launch Directories: Start Here First

Launch directories are the fastest and cheapest way to build your initial backlink profile. Most founders skip this step and waste months chasing harder links.

Why Launch Directories Work

Fast approval: Most directories list you within 24-48 hours
Targeted traffic: People browse these sites specifically to find new tools
Permanent links: Unlike social media, these links stay active
Stack-able effect: Submit to 50+ directories in a week

Essential Launch Directories to Target

Start with these high-traffic platforms:

Product Hunt - The biggest launch platform. Post on Thursday for maximum visibility. You'll get a dofollow link and potential media coverage if you reach #1.

BetaList - Targets early adopters. Free submission, approval takes 2-3 weeks. The waitlist angle drives quality signups.

Indie Hackers - Post in the "Show IH" section. The community gives real feedback and the link stays in their showcase permanently.

Hacker News - Show HN posts can drive massive traffic spikes. Focus on technical innovations, not marketing fluff.

Launching Next - Free directory that indexes upcoming launches. Submit before your Product Hunt launch.

For a comprehensive list and submission service, check out specialized backlink services for SaaS that handle bulk directory submissions.

The Submission Process

Prepare assets first: 1200x628px images, 50-150 word descriptions, logo files
Create a spreadsheet with all directory URLs and submission dates
Submit to 10 directories per day (avoid spam flags)
Track which directories approve you and drive traffic
Focus follow-up efforts on high-performing directories

Time investment: 3-5 hours total for 50+ directories. ROI is immediate since most directories are free.

Developer-Focused Link Building

If your SaaS has an API or developer tools, technical content earns natural backlinks.

Open Source Contributions

Contribute to relevant GitHub projects. Add your tool to "awesome" lists in your niche. Example: If you built a CRM, get added to "awesome-crm" repositories. These lists rank well and developers actually use them.

Technical Documentation and Guides

Write detailed tutorials that solve specific problems. "How to implement OAuth 2.0 in Node.js" attracts links from developers who reference your guide. Host this on your own domain, not Medium.

API Comparisons

Create honest comparison pages: "Stripe vs PayPal vs [Your Payment API]". Developers search these terms constantly. Include code examples and pricing breakdowns.

Content Partnerships That Scale

One-off guest posts waste time. Build systems that generate links consistently.

Podcast Appearances

B2B podcasts need guests weekly. Pitch your founder story or technical expertise. Each appearance typically includes:

Show notes link (dofollow)
Transcript link (sometimes)
Social media mentions

Search "[your industry] podcasts" and pitch 10 shows per week. 20% response rate is normal.

Expert Roundups

Find posts asking "experts" to contribute quotes. Search Google for: "your niche + expert roundup". Example: "SaaS marketing expert roundup". Contribute 2-3 sentence answers, get a backlink.

Ahrefs and SparkToro both send weekly expert request emails. Sign up and respond quickly.

Data Studies

Survey your users and publish the results. "2025 SaaS Pricing Survey: What 500 Companies Charge" gets linked by journalists and competitors. The data becomes a reference point.

Tools needed: Typeform for surveys, basic data visualization, public dataset publication.

Strategic Guest Posting (Not Spray and Pray)

Guest posting works when you target publications your customers actually read.

Finding the Right Blogs

Use these search operators:

"write for us" + [your keyword]
"contribute" + [your industry]
"guest post guidelines" + [niche]

Prioritize blogs that:

Rank for keywords you want to rank for
Have engaged comment sections
Publish consistently (not abandoned)

Pitch Formula That Works

Subject: [Specific Topic] article for [Their Blog]

Hi [Name],

I noticed you published [recent article]. The section on [specific point] was solid.

I want to contribute a piece on [topic]: [working title]. This would help your readers [specific benefit] because [reason].

Here's my outline:
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Point 3

I've written for [credible publication 1] and [publication 2].

Available to write this next week if it fits your content calendar.

[Your name]

Skip generic pitches. Reference their actual content. Send 20 personalized pitches per week, expect 2-3 acceptances.

Competitor Backlink Replication

Your competitors already did the link building research. Take their best links.

The Process

Enter competitor URL into Ahrefs or SEMrush
Filter for dofollow links from DR 30+ domains
Check if the linking page still exists
Recreate their content, but better (more data, better design, updated info)
Email the site owner: "Hey, I noticed you linked to [competitor] in [article]. We just published an updated version with 2025 data: [your URL]"

Focus on broken links. If they linked to a dead page, your content is an easy replacement.

SaaS Review Platforms

Review sites rank for high-intent commercial keywords. Get listed and optimize your profile.

G2 - Essential for B2B SaaS. Free listing + paid promotion options. Each review is a backlink from a DR 90+ domain.

Capterra - Gartner-owned directory. Free listing, review collection tools included.

Trustpilot - Builds trust and provides a backlink. Import review requests into your onboarding email sequence.

Software Advice - Part of Gartner. The category pages rank for "[your category] software" keywords.

Pro tip: Incentivize reviews with extended trials or account credits, not cash. Google penalizes paid reviews.

HARO and Source Requests

Help A Reporter Out connects journalists with expert sources.

Sign up at helpareporter.com. You'll get 3 emails daily with journalist requests. Respond to 5-10 relevant queries per week.

Response template:

Subject: Re: [Their request topic]

Quick answer:

[2-3 sentences directly answering their question]

I'm [your name], [your title] at [company]. We [what your SaaS does] for [client type].

Happy to elaborate or provide specific examples.

[Contact info]

Keep responses under 150 words. Journalists want quick, quotable answers. Links come in major publications: Forbes, Entrepreneur, TechCrunch.

Link Reclamation

You've earned mentions that don't link back. Reclaim them.

Finding Unlinked Mentions

Use Google Alerts or mention.com to track your brand name. When someone mentions you without a link, email:

Hey [Name],

Thanks for mentioning [Your SaaS] in your article about [topic].

Would you mind linking to our site? It helps readers find us.

Here's the URL: [your domain]

Appreciate it!

30-40% of sites will add the link. Takes 2 minutes per email.

Resource Page Link Building

Educational sites maintain resource pages: "Best Tools for [Category]". These pages link to 20-50 tools in a specific niche.

Finding Resource Pages

Search:

"[keyword] + resources"
"[keyword] + tools"
"useful [keyword] tools"

Example: "project management resources", "marketing tools for startups"

Outreach Template

Subject: Tool suggestion for [their page title]

Hi [Name],

I was researching [topic] and found your resource page: [URL]

You might consider adding [Your SaaS]. It [what it does] and readers looking for [benefit] would find it useful.

Here's our URL: [link]

Either way, great resource list.

[Name]

Don't offer anything. No "I'll share your page" promises. Just suggest your tool if it genuinely fits.

Backlink Maintenance

Getting links isn't enough. Monitor and protect them.

Monthly Checks

Run your domain through Ahrefs/SEMrush
Identify lost backlinks
Check if linked content was deleted or moved
Reach out to restore valuable lost links

Set up Google Search Console and monitor manual actions. One toxic link network can trigger a penalty.

Disavow Spammy Links

If you see obvious spam links (Asian gambling sites, porn, etc.), add them to a disavow file. Submit through Google Search Console under "Disavow Links".

Only disavow if:

Links are obviously spammy
You received a manual penalty
They're from link schemes you didn't authorize

Natural link profiles include some low-quality links. Google ignores most of them automatically.

Timeline and Expectations

Week 1-2: Submit to 50+ launch directories. Expect 30-40 approvals.

Month 1: Launch directories indexed. Traffic increase of 20-30%. Focus on content creation.

Month 2-3: Guest posts published. Podcast appearances go live. Traffic up 50-100%.

Month 4-6: Compound effect. Old content ranks better, earns passive links. Traffic doubles.

Month 6+: Established authority. Other sites link to you naturally. Steady 10-20% monthly growth.

Don't expect overnight results. SaaS link building is a 6-month investment before serious ROI.

What Doesn't Work

Skip these outdated tactics:

Private blog networks (PBNs): Google detects them. Manual penalty guaranteed.

Fiverr "100 links for $5": Spam comments and forum profiles. Zero value.

Reciprocal link exchanges: "I'll link to you if you link to me." Google ignores these.

Link buying from brokers: Works until it doesn't. One algorithm update kills your rankings.

Excessive footer links: "Partners" or "Powered by" in site footers. Google devalues these.

Tools You Need

Free:

Google Search Console (monitor backlinks)
Google Alerts (track mentions)
HARO (journalist requests)

Paid (worth it):

Ahrefs or SEMrush ($99-199/month) - Essential for competitor analysis
Hunter.io ($49/month) - Find email addresses for outreach
BuzzStream ($24/month) - Manage outreach campaigns

Start with free tools. Invest in paid tools once you're getting 1000+ organic visitors monthly.

Measuring Success

Track these metrics weekly:

Total referring domains: Your main growth metric
Domain Rating/Authority: Should increase 5-10 points per quarter
Organic traffic: Links should drive 30%+ traffic increase in 90 days
Keyword rankings: Track 10 target keywords monthly
Referral traffic: Which links actually send visitors?

Use Google Analytics to attribute signups to specific backlink sources. Double down on what works.

The Reality Check

Building backlinks for SaaS takes consistent effort. You'll send 50 outreach emails and get 5 responses. You'll write 10 guest posts before one ranks well.

But this works. SaaS companies getting 50+ quality backlinks within 6 months typically see:

3-5x organic traffic increase
40-60% more trial signups from organic
Top 3 rankings for 10+ commercial keywords

Start with launch directories this week. Add one new tactic monthly. In 6 months, you'll have a link profile your competitors spent years building.

Most founders quit after month 2. Don't be most founders.