Getting noticed in the crowded world of online retail is tough. You might have the best products and a sleek website, but if search engines don’t see your site as authoritative, customers won’t find you. This is where backlinks come in. For an e-commerce business, a solid link-building strategy is the difference between page one visibility and getting lost in the digital abyss.
Building links for product pages is notoriously difficult. Unlike informational blogs, product pages are transactional. People naturally prefer linking to helpful resources rather than items for sale. To succeed, you need creativity and a different approach.
This blog will walk you through actionable strategies tailored specifically for online stores. We will explore how to earn high-quality links that boost your domain authority and drive qualified traffic to your shop.
Key Takeaways
- Directly building links to product pages is challenging, so focusing on link-worthy content, digital PR, reviews, and brand mentions is essential for earning high-quality backlinks that actually move rankings.
- A strong backlink profile comes from relevant, authoritative sources and is amplified through smart internal linking, topic clusters, and a balanced mix of dofollow and nofollow links.
- Regular monitoring and an SEO Audit help identify backlink gaps, uncover new opportunities, and ensure your link-building efforts consistently support traffic growth, visibility, and conversions.
Why Backlinks Matter for E-commerce
Before diving into tactics, let’s clarify why this effort is necessary. Google views the backlink as a vote of confidence. When a reputable website links to yours, it tells search engines that your content is trustworthy and valuable.
For e-commerce sites, not all backlinks carry the same weight. Understanding the difference between dofollow and nofollow backlinks is critical, as each plays a distinct role in SEO. While dofollow links pass ranking authority and directly influence search performance, nofollow links still contribute value through referral traffic, brand visibility, and a natural-looking backlink profile.
Organic search is often the primary driver of revenue. More quality backlinks lead to higher search rankings. Higher rankings mean more clicks, and ultimately, more sales. Furthermore, the right links bring referral traffic, and shoppers who click through from another site are often highly interested in what you sell.
Strategy 1: Create Link-Worthy Blog Content
The biggest mistake store owners make is trying to build links directly to product pages. It is an uphill battle. Instead, focus on creating informational content that naturally attracts links.
Start a blog that solves problems related to your products. If you sell camping gear, don’t just list tents. Write a comprehensive guide on “How to Choose the Perfect Tent for Winter Camping.” If you sell skincare, create an in-depth article about “Building a Morning Routine for Sensitive Skin.”
This type of content becomes a linkable asset, something other sites are genuinely happy to reference. When structured properly, these articles also support a broader topic cluster for SEO strategy, where related content pieces reinforce one another and funnel authority toward your most important pages. By internally linking from educational content to relevant product pages, you help search engines understand topical relevance while guiding users naturally toward conversion.
Use Original Data and Statistics
Journalists and bloggers love data. If you have unique insights, publish them. For example, an online coffee retailer could survey their customers about their morning habits and publish a report: “60% of Remote Workers Drink More Coffee Than Office Workers.”
Original research is a magnet for backlinks. When other writers cite your statistics, they will link back to your site as the source.
Strategy 2: Leverage Unlinked Brand Mentions
As your brand grows, people will start talking about you. Sometimes, they mention your brand name but forget to add a link. These are the easiest wins in link building because the hard part, getting mentioned, is already done.
You can use tools to monitor the web for mentions of your brand name. When you find a mention without a hyperlink, reach out to the author or the site editor. Send a polite, friendly email thanking them for the shout-out and asking if they wouldn’t mind adding a link to your site so their readers can find you easily. Most of the time, they are happy to oblige.
Strategy 3: Product Reviews and Influencer Gifting
One of the most effective ways to get links directly to product pages is through reviews. There are thousands of bloggers and influencers in every niche who are constantly looking for new products to feature.
Identify bloggers who write reviews in your industry. If you sell sustainable clothing, look for eco-fashion blogs. Reach out and offer to send them a free sample in exchange for an honest review.
Crucial Note: Be careful with Google’s guidelines here. You cannot pay for links that pass authority (dofollow links) directly. However, sending a product for review is standard practice. Often, bloggers will link to the product they are reviewing so their audience can buy it. Even if the link is marked as “sponsored” or “nofollow,” it still drives valuable referral traffic and builds brand awareness.
Strategy 4: The “Stockist” Strategy
Do you sell products from other well-known brands? Or do you manufacture products that are sold by other retailers?
If you stock third-party brands, check their websites. Many manufacturers have a “Where to Buy” or “Stockists” page listing online retailers that carry their goods. If you aren’t on that list, you are missing out on a powerful, high-authority backlink. Reach out to your supplier and ask to be added.
Conversely, if you are a manufacturer, ensure your partners link back to you. Building strong relationships with your supply chain network can unlock easy link opportunities that competitors often overlook.
Strategy 5: Broken Link Building
The internet is full of dead ends. Websites change URLs, companies go out of business, and pages get deleted. This leaves behind “broken links” on other websites.
Broken backlink building involves finding a relevant website that links to a resource that no longer exists. You then reach out to the site owner, point out the broken link (which is bad for their SEO and user experience), and suggest your own content as a replacement.
For e-commerce, this works well with “best of” lists or resource pages. For example, if you sell organic dog food, you might find an old blog post listing “Top 10 Organic Pet Food Brands” where one of the listed companies has shut down. You can email the blogger, let them know the link is dead, and pitch your brand as a perfect, active alternative. It’s a win-win: they fix their site, and you get a link.
Strategy 6: HARO (Connectively) and Digital PR
Journalists are constantly looking for expert quotes for their articles. Platforms like HARO (Help A Reporter Out) or Connectively connect journalists with sources.
Sign up as a source and monitor requests related to your industry. If a reporter from a major publication is writing a story about “The Rise of Eco-Friendly Packaging” and that is something you do, respond quickly with a valuable quote.
If they use your insight, they will typically credit you with a link to your website. These links are often from high-authority news sites like Forbes, Business Insider, or major industry magazines, links that you can’t get any other way.
Strategy 7: Create Gift Guides
People love lists, especially during the holidays. “Best Gifts for Dads,” “Top Gadgets for 2025,” or “Valentine’s Day Ideas for Her” are incredibly popular search terms.
You can create your own gift guides hosted on your blog, featuring your products alongside non-competing items. However, the real backlink power comes from getting into other people’s gift guides.
Months before major holidays, start pitching your products to publishers who create these guides. Look for “Holiday Gift Guide [Year]” or “Best [Product Category] Gift Ideas.” A placement in a popular gift guide not only provides a quality backlink but can also result in a massive spike in holiday sales.
Monitoring Your Success
Building links is a long-term game. It’s important to track your progress to see what is working. Use SEO tools to monitor your backlink profile. Watch for new links appearing and check the authority of the referring domains.
Pay attention to your organic traffic and keyword rankings. As you acquire more high-quality links, you should see a gradual improvement in where your pages sit in search results. If a particular strategy, like guest posting or broken link building, is yielding great results, double down on it.
Final Thoughts
Building backlinks for e-commerce sites requires a thoughtful, long-term approach that goes beyond promoting product pages alone. By focusing on link-worthy content, leveraging brand mentions, earning reviews, fixing broken links, and using digital PR strategies, online stores can steadily improve authority, visibility, and rankings. When combined with smart internal linking and consistent monitoring, these backlink strategies help drive qualified traffic that is far more likely to convert into sales.
At The Ocean Marketing, we specialize in link-building strategies designed specifically for e-commerce brands that want sustainable growth. Our approach aligns backlinks with broader SEO goals, ensuring every link supports rankings, traffic, and revenue. To understand where your store currently stands and uncover opportunities for improvement, an SEO audit can provide clear insights into technical issues, backlink gaps, and growth potential, helping you move forward with confidence and a data-driven strategy. Contact us now to discuss a customized link-building and SEO strategy tailored to your business goals.
Marcus D began his digital marketing career in 2009, specializing in SEO and online visibility. He has helped over 3,000 websites boost traffic and rankings through SEO, web design, content, and PPC strategies. At The Ocean Marketing, he continues to use his expertise to drive measurable growth for businesses.
