Link Building for SaaS: Top Strategies to Capture Traffic
Jun 3, 2025
What makes certain SaaS companies dominate the search rankings while others struggle to gain visibility?
That's what we're going to explore in this piece, diving into how the SaaS industry is on course to grow by approximately 20% per year until 2025. The business landscape has become incredibly competitive, with 91% of websites receiving zero organic traffic from Google - primarily due to insufficient backlinks and SEO 'juice'.
Take brands like HubSpot - They've grown from 500,000 monthly visitors to over 7,000,000 monthly visitors in just 4 years through strategic link building and content creation. The data shows that 85% of pages ranking in Google's top 10 positions have built over 1,000 backlinks, speaking volumes about why successful SaaS companies prioritize this approach.
First, we're going to look at proven link building strategies specifically designed for SaaS businesses. From guest posting opportunities to resource pages, we'll show you exactly how to build high-quality backlinks that drive real business results in this insanely hot industry.
Why SaaS Companies Need Link Building
At Anchorial.io, we've helped dozens of companies outrank their key competitors through powerful outreach campaigns. Let's run with some incredible examples of how link building impacts search performance.
Impact on domain authority
Domain rating serves as a super scalable metric for websites looking to rank higher in search engines. Studies show that pages in position one have 3.8x more backlinks compared to lower positions.
Here's what we found when analyzing successful companies:
Domain Rating (DR) scores
Organic search traffic
Website indexation
Contextual relevance
Historical performance
Role in organic traffic growth
The premise is very simple - build quality links and watch traffic grow. Take Adobe for example, with 1.3 billion backlinks and 1.7 million referring domains generating 128.4 million visitors each month, valued at USD 102.10 million.
Microsoft shows similar results through their link building efforts, with 6.5 billion backlinks driving 383.3 million visitors monthly, estimated at USD 170.00 million in value.
We know from experience that link building helps amplify reach through:
Search engine rankings
Referral visitors
Keyword positions
Content authority
Competitive advantage in SaaS
Say what you want about link building, but the results speak volumes. Salesforce leverages 91.4 million backlinks and 221 thousand referring domains to drive 11.5 million visitors monthly.
We've worked with companies who establish industry leadership through:
Brand visibility
Market credibility
Partner relationships
Audience reach
Looking at domain authority distribution, approximately 37% of referring domains have scores of 0-10 and 27% fall between 11-20.
At the end of the day, successful link building requires:
Steady growth patterns
Content scheduling
Business scaling
Marketing alignment
We use tools like Ahrefs to monitor link profiles, anchor text variety, and potential toxic links.
Building Your Link Building Foundation
Let's explore how to construct a solid base for your outreach efforts. Companies need a structured plan to win those upvotes from Google.
Setting clear goals
The data speaks for itself - businesses with defined objectives secure 3.8x more backlinks from their campaigns. Think of it as building a roadmap:
Set targets for site connections
Define your site strength goals
Map out visitor targets
Create realistic timelines
Research shows about 74% of top performers focus on sites rated 0-20 in strength. Setting achievable benchmarks helps maintain steady progress.
Identifying target websites
Finding the right sites requires looking at multiple factors:
Site strength scores
Monthly visitor counts
Topic fit and writing standards
Reader match
Past site performance
Studies point to sites rated 50-70 delivering optimal outcomes. But maintaining variety matters - just look at Adobe with their 1.7 million referring sites across different rating ranges.
Key things to check when evaluating potential partners:
Page strength beyond just site scores
Topic relevance to your product
Link placement options
Content standards
Creating linkable assets
Building content that naturally attracts connections forms the foundation. These formats consistently deliver results:
Research backed by data
In-depth resource guides
Interactive calculators
Original research reports
Visual content pieces
Look at Microsoft's approach - they've built billions of connections, with 92% being followed links. Salesforce shows similar success with 74% followed links through carefully crafted content.
To maximize your content's appeal:
Build unique pieces solving real problems
Show deep knowledge and experience
Include engaging visuals
Keep everything current
The research confirms - content combining uniqueness with usefulness generates the most connections. Leadership pieces and purpose-driven content consistently outperform basic resources.
The key lies in balancing three core elements: clear targets, strategic site selection, and compelling content creation. Get these right and you'll build lasting site strength that fuels natural growth.
Quick Win Link Building Tactics
Let's run with some fast-moving approaches that yield immediate wins for SaaS brands looking to earn valuable links. These methods focus on finding opportunities that are right in front of you.
Brand mention outreach
Here's what we found - websites often talk about your product without actually linking to you. Studies show these mentions demonstrate familiarity with your offering.
The premise is very simple:
Use tools like Google Alerts to spot brand mentions
Look at the website's authority and relevance
Send personalized emails highlighting value for both sides
Around 90% of websites mention brands without proper attribution. That's where brand mention tracking comes in.
Keep an eye on:
Different ways people write your product name
When team leaders get mentioned
Company updates and news
Features people discuss
Research confirms websites that know your brand convert to links 3x more often. All you need is the right approach to turn these warm leads into links.
Competitor backlink analysis
Want to know a super scalable way to find link opportunities? Check out what links your competitors have. Data shows companies using this method get 44% more referring sites in their first 3 months.
Look for:
Sites linking to multiple competitors
High-authority websites
What content earns links
How links appear in content
Where links get placed
Studies reveal websites linking to others in your space are 5x more likely to link to you too. Don't underestimate these pre-qualified prospects.
Analyze:
Direct rivals in your market
Companies targeting your keywords
Top performers setting standards
New players gaining ground
The key is - 6 out of 10 sites linking to competitors haven't heard about you yet. Reach out and show them what makes your product special.
Focus on competitors who:
Match your site strength
Share your target readers
Offer similar solutions
Build links actively
Companies taking this approach see their site strength jump 54% in just 3 months. Speaks volumes about why systematic competitor research matters.
These quick tactics help SaaS brands earn quality links fast. Just remember to maintain high standards as you scale your outreach efforts.
Content-Driven Link Building
Data makes the difference when it comes to earning those precious upvotes from Google. Take a look at what makes certain pieces stand above others...
Creating data-driven content
Original surveys and data pieces pull in 293% more SEO 'juice' compared to standard articles.
Essential ingredients for data content that earns links:
Fresh industry surveys
Internal data findings
Market observations
Number-backed insights
Eye-catching charts
When you add never-seen-before statistics, articles pull 243% extra mentions. This shows why investing in original findings pays off.
Keys to data content success:
Fill knowledge holes others miss
Make statistics visually appealing
Keep information current
Mix expert voices with numbers
Companies putting out regular data pieces see 183% jumps in search visits within 90 days.
Building resource pages
Resource collections act as link magnets. The proof? Top pages attract mentions from 234 million different sites.
What makes resource pages work:
Hand-picked tool suggestions
Pro tips and guidance
How-to instructions
Ready-to-use materials
Pages mixing learning with practical help see 54% more mentions in three months. Industry pros naturally share what helps them work better.
Resource page must-haves:
Clean section breaks
Fresh additions
Quality filters
Simple navigation
Pages keeping high standards see 40% more search clicks through internal connections.
Developing case studies
Case examples work wonders for mentions, pulling in 422 different site links within months.
Case study essentials:
Real performance numbers
Step-by-step methods
Problem-fix examples
Next steps readers can take
Adding original findings helps case studies grab 680% more top spots. This proves the power of mixing stories with stats.
Case study optimization tips:
Highlight big wins
Show data visually
Give downloadable extras
Add expert quotes
Examples showing 90% gains consistently earn authority mentions. This makes case studies perfect for building site strength.
Beyond basic write-ups, mix in:
Recorded testimonials
Moving data displays
Project schedules
Resource breakdowns
Multi-format case pieces earn 25.8% extra mentions versus text alone. This variety helps content spread naturally.
Partnership-Based Link Building
That's what we're going to explore - how software as a service companies can tap into partnerships to secure those precious SEO 'juice' signals. Compare that to paid advertising, partnerships offer an incredibly hot way to gain trust signals while charging customers a recurring monthly fee.
Integration partnerships
In fact, connecting complementary software products creates phenomenal opportunities. Research shows companies see 62% more referring domains when they pass the test of time with integration deals.
What I would say is successful integrations need:
Software products that complement each other
Easy setup for users
Landing pages showing benefits
Links between partner sites
Kudos to them - 76% of top programs want working integrations first. The point is having something valuable before seeking those upvotes.
Key elements to consider:
Written partnership terms
Developer resources
Different partnership levels
Revenue sharing plans
Compare that to companies without partnerships - those with integrations see domain scores rise 30% higher.
Co-marketing opportunities
Marketing automation becomes truly incredible when two companies join forces. By bringing expertise together, both sides gain natural trust signals.
Winning approaches include:
Online events together
Joint research reports
Shared blog content
Success story features
The point is co-marketing yields 2.8x more upvotes than solo efforts. That's what we're going to explore - the combined reach of partners.
Essential co-marketing steps:
Match target topics
Plan content timing
Share across channels
Set link guidelines
Voila! Adding tools to co-marketing drives 37% more signals.
Industry collaborations
Expanding beyond direct deals, industry-wide efforts help turbocharge SEO performance. Multiple companies working together creates an incredibly competitive advantage.
Key collaboration types:
Industry event participation
Research contributions
Association memberships
Open source projects
Companies engaging see 41% more high-value signals.
Steps for success:
Find relevant groups
Share valuable insights
Create partnership pages
Ask partners to link
Kudos to them - 68% of collaboration links stay active past 2 years versus 37% from outreach.
Best practices include:
Delivering real value
Supporting SEO goals
Tracking link results
Building relationships
One project management tool integrated with a CRM and saw phenomenal results - 500 new domains in 3 months bringing 28% more visitors.
The software as a service space offers incredible partnership opportunities. Through integrations, joint marketing and industry collaboration, companies build trust signals that drive recurring monthly fees.
Advanced Link Building Strategies
Let's check out some next-level approaches that put you ahead of the pack when it comes to getting noticed online.
Digital PR campaigns
PR outreach opens up amazing possibilities when mixed with smart online tactics. Take a look at the wins - PR efforts pull in 3x the video views and double the engagement in 12 months.
What makes PR campaigns work:
Stories that catch attention right now
Facts and figures journalists love
Strong media connections
Online presence that draws attention naturally
The secret sauce? Quality pieces packed with real insights. Writers can't resist fresh stats they can use in their own work.
Making PR campaigns shine:
Know exactly what you want to achieve
Pick sites that match your style
Keep putting out good stuff
Watch what works each season
Broken link building
Here's a clever way to get noticed - find dead links on big sites and offer something better. Site owners jump at fixing these problems.
The game plan:
Spot those broken links
Look for pages full of outside links
See who's pointing to the dead content
Make something awesome to replace it
Show site owners what you've got
Fun fact: Resource lists tend to have tons of dead links - perfect for swooping in with solutions. Plus, when you bring something really good to the table, folks love to say yes.
Podcast and event appearances
Want to know what's hot right now? Podcast guest spots. With 500 million people tuning in for 7 hours weekly, it's a goldmine.
What you get from podcasts:
Links in show descriptions
People talking about you
Visitors checking you out
Others sharing your stuff
Check this out: Smart folks land up to 17 podcast spots in just 3 months. It works because you're showing off what you know while building connections.
Making podcast magic happen:
Find shows that fit
Tell them why you're interesting
Come ready to wow
Share episodes everywhere
But don't forget live events! Speaking at meetups gets you noticed on event sites, speaker lists, and industry write-ups.
Mix these smart moves together and watch your site power grow. Just keep it real and pick chances that match what you're all about.
Conclusion
At Anchorial.io, we've seen firsthand how software as a service companies establish outreach strategies that bring phenomenal results. The most successful brands master actionable strategies, combining carefully selected targets with content that screams quality.
Take Adobe's remarkable success - their 1.3 billion upvotes and 1.7 million referring domains speak volumes about what's possible. Microsoft demonstrates similar mastery, with 6.5 billion signals feeding 383.3 million monthly readers.
Looking to step up your game? Our team helps SaaS brands establish outreach plans that pass the test of time. While many struggle with execution, partnering with experienced professionals makes the path smoother.
The fundamentals remain simple - select quality targets, create content worth sharing, and maintain steady progress. Companies who follow these principles find themselves positioned among industry leaders, attracting attention that translates into business wins.
FAQs
Q1. What is link building for SaaS companies and why is it important?
Link building for SaaS companies involves acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to improve search engine rankings and organic traffic. It's crucial because it enhances domain authority, drives organic growth, and provides a competitive advantage in the crowded SaaS market.
Q2. How can SaaS companies quickly gain valuable backlinks?
SaaS companies can quickly gain backlinks through brand mention outreach and competitor backlink analysis. These tactics involve identifying unlinked mentions of your brand and reaching out to convert them into links, as well as analyzing competitors' backlink profiles to uncover new link opportunities.
Q3. What types of content are most effective for attracting backlinks in the SaaS industry?
Data-driven content, comprehensive resource pages, and detailed case studies are highly effective for attracting backlinks in the SaaS industry. These content types provide unique insights, practical value, and demonstrate real-world results, making them naturally linkable assets.
Q4. How can partnerships contribute to a SaaS company's link building efforts?
Partnerships contribute to link building through integration collaborations, co-marketing opportunities, and industry-wide initiatives. These relationships often result in mutual link exchanges, co-created content, and increased visibility within the industry, leading to more high-quality backlinks.
Q5. What are some advanced link building strategies for SaaS companies?
Advanced link building strategies for SaaS companies include digital PR campaigns, broken link building, and securing podcast and event appearances. These techniques help companies earn high-authority backlinks while also enhancing brand visibility and establishing thought leadership in their niche.