You didn’t build a brilliant SaaS product just to be buried on page three of Google.
Yet that’s exactly where most companies land—and stay.
1.2 trillion searches happen on Google every year. That’s 1.2 trillion chances to be discovered… or completely ignored.
The truth? Too many teams still treat SaaS link building like it’s a checkbox—cranking out bland guest posts, begging for backlinks, hoping something sticks. It doesn’t.
Today, link building needs to be creative, collaborative, and built for scale. It should fuel your SaaS content marketing, amplify your SaaS email marketing, and make your SaaS PPC dollars work harder.
We’ve seen it in action, like a B2B SaaS marketing agency partner who can drive a spike in organic traffic through smart, unconventional strategies.
This guide isn’t here to repeat the basics. It is here to present 7 unexpected, proven link-building tactics that actually shift momentum.
Let’s get into them.
1. Turn Brand Mentions Into Link Machines (Without Writing a Word)
Your brand is being talked about online, and you’re not getting credit for it.
Every time someone mentions your SaaS without linking to you, that’s a missed opportunity. And there are likely hundreds of those mentions floating around right now. Think of them as unpaid invoices your marketing never bothered to collect.
Now here’s the kicker: Hotjar reclaimed over 200 backlinks just by chasing these kinds of mentions—and saw a 30% conversion rate on outreach.
Source: Serp
This is precision.
And it scales beautifully when approached right.
Here’s how your team—or your SaaS fractional CMO—should run it:
- Set up alerts: Google Alerts, Ahrefs, or Brand24 to catch every new mention.
- Prioritize the high-authority mentions: Not all mentions are worth chasing—go for ones with absolute domain authority.
- Send custom outreach: A warm, friendly email like,
“Hey [Name], love the shoutout in your article! Would you mind linking our mention to [relevant page] so your readers can explore further?”
It’s polite. It’s helpful. It works.
Why it’s brilliant: You don’t have to create new content. You’re not building links—you’re reclaiming them. It’s low lift, high reward.
This is gold for growth leaders running lean, like a fractional CMO driving pipeline without bloating the headcount.
It’s a fast, efficient way to increase domain authority, improve rankings, and keep the content engine humming without spending a dime on production.
2. Embed It and They Will Link
Want backlinks on autopilot? Make your product shareable—literally.
When users embed your product on their site—forms, dashboards, calculators, charts—and that embed includes a “Powered by [Your SaaS]” link, you’re quietly building a backlink machine that scales with every customer.
This is how Typeform turned contact forms into link-building assets,
Source: Buildd.co
Here’s how to make it work for you:
- Pick an embeddable element in your product (form, widget, calendar, snippet).
- Make it stupid simple to share—add a one-click “Embed” button or code snippet.
- Include a small, clean “Powered by [Your Brand]” link pointing to a high-value page.
- Educate users: Add a nudge in your onboarding emails, product walkthrough, or blog content. Help them see why embedding helps them and you.
Pro tip: If you’re not already, this strategy ties beautifully into SaaS CRO.
Why? Because those same embeds improve trust and conversion on your user’s site, while boosting your domain authority behind the scenes.
Why it works:
You’re turning your users into link builders—without asking them to “do SEO.” You’re giving value, and getting value back. No cold emails. No begging. Just smart product-led growth with backlinks baked in.
3. Badges, Bragging Rights, and the Ego Effect
There’s one thing stronger than outreach, ads, or incentives: ego.
Give someone a reason to flex, and they’ll do the marketing for you.
That’s the entire psychology behind badge-based link building. Platforms like G2, Capterra, and Clutch mastered this by giving companies digital “trophies” like High Performer, Leader, or Most Loved—and then letting brands plaster those all over their websites.
Source: Capterra
Each badge usually includes a link back to the awarding platform. Multiply that across hundreds or thousands of recipients, and you’ve got backlinks rolling in like clockwork.
Why this works:
- It feeds social proof for your users.
- It builds backlinks for you.
- And it creates brand visibility in places you didn’t even ask to be featured.
Now, imagine applying this to your SaaS brand.
Let’s say you release quarterly badges like:
- “Top 50 Fastest Growing Marketing Teams”
- “Best UX in Sales Enablement Tools”
- “Most Recommended in DevOps SaaS”
Send the badge to each company featured with simple copy/paste embed instructions, and watch the backlinks roll in.
This strategy thrives alongside SaaS social media marketing, too. The same people adding your badge to their site are shouting about it on LinkedIn and Twitter. That’s double the exposure, half the effort.
Ego, when channeled right, is one of the most scalable link-building levers in SaaS. You’re not just earning links—you’re earning loyalty.
4. Rank ’Em and Watch ’Em Link
Want to get hundreds of backlinks from companies in your industry? Put them on a list.
Seriously. GetLatka’s SaaS company rankings—like “Top 100 Fastest-Growing SaaS Startups by Employee Count”—are prime examples of this strategy in motion.
They pull public data, package it into neatly designed leaderboards, and let human nature do the rest.
Because when people see themselves on a list?
They share it, link to it, forward it to investors, and add it to their press page.
Here’s why it works:
- It gives status without strings.
- It’s free PR for the companies ranked.
- And it taps into pride without requiring you to sell anything.
To make your rankings bulletproof (and link-worthy):
- Use data from tools like LinkedIn, BuiltWith, or public funding rounds.
- Validate methodology using SaaS marketing analytics—add clear logic and transparency.
- Include logos, growth metrics, and link targets to relevant company pages.
- Send personalized outreach to everyone featured with a shareable snippet or visual.
You’re not begging for links—you’re handing companies a microphone.
And the real genius? These pages also rank well on Google. So while they’re helping you build backlinks, they’re bringing in traffic, subscribers, and even potential customers.
5. Make Trend Reports That Outrank Everything
Want a content piece that keeps building links year after year without you lifting a finger?
Create one URL that never dies—just evolves.
That’s exactly what Venngage did. Their “Design Trends” report, updated annually, has pulled in over 429 referring domains, simply because they turned one blog post into a living resource.
Source: Venngage
It’s got everything: data, visuals, long-form breakdowns, and an infographic that makes the internet want to link to it.
This is a SaaS link-building jackpot.
Here’s why this works:
- It’s newsworthy—every year, your report becomes timely all over again.
- It’s a reference—journalists, bloggers, and thought leaders cite it as industry proof.
- It’s a showcase—your SaaS becomes the authority, not the echo.
And you don’t need 10K words to pull it off. Focus on:
- A compelling hook (e.g. “7 Unexpected Martech Trends for 2025”)
- Clean visuals (infographics still crush)
- Easy-to-quote stats
- One permalink (never change the URL—just update the content)
This strategy fits beautifully into long-term saas content marketing plans.
Why? Because while the rest of your blog feeds recency, this post feeds relevance. You build a compound backlink engine with zero outreach and maximum shareability.
Pro tip: Layer in media types—charts, videos, audio snippets. The more link-worthy assets, the more surface area for backlinks.
6. Say It on a Podcast, Earn It on Google
Let’s get real: writing blog posts is time-consuming. Optimizing them is worse. And ranking them? A toss-up.
Now imagine getting a high-authority backlink… without writing anything.
Welcome to the podcast guest strategy—where your voice builds links while your keyboard takes a break.
Source: SaaSclub
Every time you speak on a podcast, the host:
- Publishes a blog-style recap or episode page
- Includes a backlink to your SaaS or personal site
- Promotes the page to their email list and audience
It’s one of the few SaaS link-building methods that also builds thought leadership and trust.
Plus, it fits neatly into your saas email marketing funnel.
After the episode drops:
- Send it to your list as value-packed content.
- Create a follow-up email sequence for leads who clicked.
- Repurpose the insights into micro-content for LinkedIn, Reels, or newsletters.
Why it outperforms:
- Less production time than writing
- Higher authority links (most podcasts use strong CMS platforms)
- Human connection + discoverability in one shot
If you’re too busy to blog but still want to dominate SERPs, get on the mic. It’s the most underused shortcut in modern SaaS marketing.
7. Turn Your CEO Into a Backlink Magnet
You’re sitting on one of your strongest marketing assets—and he or she is probably in a Zoom call right now.
Source: LinkedIn
Your CEO is a content goldmine.
But most SaaS brands overlook them as a link-building channel. They focus on product blogs, outreach, and SEO… but forget the one thing every tech publisher loves: an opinionated, insightful founder with a clear point of view.
Here’s the play:
- Pitch guest interviews or founder profiles to SaaS-focused publishers, industry newsletters, or growth blogs.
- Answer questions in detail (written or recorded). Keep it tight, smart, and jargon-free.
- Ensure every piece includes a link to your homepage, a high-intent product page, or a recent trend report.
You’re getting branded visibility and founder-level positioning.
Want proof it works?
Written interviews often rank organically for long-tail keywords like “best startup advice from SaaS founders” or “[founder name] + SaaS insight”. This traffic is high-intent and brand-curious.
And here’s where it gets even better:
These same pages can support your SaaS Google Ads efforts by boosting Quality Scores.
Google’s algorithm loves fresh, relevant, content-linked mentions—and what better than a high-authority founder interview that speaks directly to your ICP?
Bonus move: Repurpose interview soundbites into SaaS SEM ad copy or landing page testimonials. Yes, one interview can fuel multiple channels.
Thought leadership is a scalable, trust-building link-building tactic hiding in plain sight.
Smart Beats Scalable in SaaS Link-Building
The strategies you just read? No cap. They’re real plays used by fast-growing SaaS brands—and by us at [A] Growth Agency.
Because SaaS link-building today isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing it smarter. And when it’s tied to your SaaS PPC and CRO efforts? The growth compounds.
So here’s your move:
Pick one strategy. Test it this week.
Even a small experiment can create momentum.
And if you’re ready to build links that actually drive business, not just traffic—a B2B SaaS Marketing Agency like ours is built for that.
Let’s talk.
