Unique Link Challenges for Ecommerce Sites
Getting links to an online store isn’t as simple as it sounds. You’re not offering blog posts or research studies, you’ve got product pages, category filters, and seasonal inventory that changes every few months. That makes ecommerce backlink building trickier than most people expect.
Most sites don’t want to link directly to a product. It feels promotional. Even if they like what you sell, sending readers straight to a sales page often gets a hard “no”. And if your URLs change or stock runs out, that link ends up going nowhere.
Ecommerce brands have to work harder to earn links that stick. That means creating resources people actually want to reference, building relationships that lead to placements, and thinking long-term instead of chasing quick wins.
Leveraging Product Reviews & Influencers
One of the few types of links that actually belong on a product page is a review. When someone talks about using your product and links to it, it feels organic, because it is. That’s why influencer partnerships, press kits, and early-access campaigns are still some of the best ways to build product page backlinks.
To make it work, you need to give reviewers something worth linking to. That means no broken pages, no hard-to-navigate product variants, and no generic copy pulled from a catalog. If you want strong reviews, start with a page that deserves them.
Want to scale this? Combine product reviews with link building outreach services that actually vet publishers and influencers, not just mass-email every blog with a contact form.
Resource & Gift Guide Placements
Gift guides and curated resource pages are a solid way to earn links for online store — especially when your product fits naturally into a specific theme or niche. These pages pull in readers who are already searching with intent, and getting featured puts you in front of buyers, not just bots.
Here’s how to make it work:
- Find guides that fit your niche. Use search terms like “best gifts for coffee lovers” or “eco‑friendly essentials” and identify editors who regularly compile those lists.
- Match the tone and content. Review past gift guides to understand how they introduce products. Some focus on affordability, others on aesthetics or sustainability. Pitch accordingly.
- Leverage services that already know the space. Instead of cold outreach, consider partnering with teams experienced in ecommerce placements. Check out our expertise in link building outreach services section for editorial and niche-specific opportunities.
Link Reclamation From Competitor Gaps
Websites break and drift over time. Products get renamed, specs change, images move, PDFs vanish, and older posts keep mentioning brands without a link. Those gaps add up. Treat them as a pipeline for earned links that support your category page link strategy without rehashing reviews, guides, or skyscraper plays. Many teams also reinforce successful replacements with tier 2 backlink building to compound authority from each win.
How to run it:
- Find unlinked mentions and orphaned assets. Use alerts and backlink tools to spot brand or product mentions with no link, swapped-out SKUs that left stale references, moved images without credits, and retired PDFs or datasheets still cited.
- Map a clean replacement. Point editors to a current category, a stable spec page, or an evergreen resource that matches the original intent. Keep URLs durable and fast.
- Pitch the fix, not a favor. Show exactly where the mention sits, what’s outdated, and the one-click swap that helps their readers. Include alt text or a fresh asset if you’re reclaiming image credits.
- Make it stick. Add short, factual copy on your target page that answers the context of the mention, so the new link feels natural and future-proof.
- Log and loop. Track sources, responses, and wins to spot patterns across competitors and publishers you can scale next month.
This is about repairing the web where it already points at you, and turning those fixes into steady authority and qualified traffic.
Skyscraper Content for Category Pages
The idea: find what’s already ranking and earning links in your niche, then build something better, not just longer, but more useful, better organized, and more up to date.
If you’re building ecommerce SEO links to a category page, start by turning it into a resource. Think comparison charts, filtering tips, buying advice, or even mini-guides built into the page. It’s not about stuffing in keywords, it’s about making it the page someone would actually send to a friend.
Here’s what works:
- Add a short guide at the top: “How to choose the right electric bike” or “What to look for in trail shoes”;
- Include filters that actually help people compare options;
- Add FAQs based on real search queries;
- Include original images, reviews, or data where possible.
Then, once it’s strong, pitch it to blogs, forums, and guides as a go-to resource in your niche.
Coupon & Deal Site Link Pros & Cons
Coupon sites are fast and accessible, but not without tradeoffs. They can drive short bursts of traffic, but they’re not a long-term SEO play on their own. Use them as a supplement, not a strategy.
| Pros | Cons |
| Quick to place, no need for outreach | Often marked as nofollow, which limits SEO value |
| Appear on high-DR domains like RetailMeNot or Honey | Weak contextual relevance, not tied to your niche or content |
| Can generate short bursts of referral traffic | Links usually land on coupon pages, not your main product URLs |
| Useful during high-volume sale periods (BFCM, holidays) | May attract low-intent traffic focused only on discounts |
| Low cost and minimal effort required | Overuse can make your backlink profile look unbalanced or spammy |
As part of a broader ecommerce backlink building plan, they can add reach. On their own, they don’t move rankings.
Other Proven Link Building Tactics for Ecommerce
Some backlinks don’t need fancy tricks. The basics still work, as long as you approach them with care:
- Guest or sponsored posts — writing for niche blogs is still one of the cleanest ways to get exposure and earn a link. Sponsored posts can help too if the site feels relevant to your space.
- Link insertions — instead of a new article, ask editors to add your product into a piece that’s already live. Lists like “best kitchen tools” or “top fitness apps” are perfect.
- Free product reviews — giving samples in exchange for an honest write-up can bring in solid product page backlinks, especially if the reviewer has an audience that trusts them.
- Tools and resources — things like size charts, calculators, or ingredient checkers tend to attract links on their own. People like sharing stuff that makes their life easier.
- Forums and comments — not a powerhouse for SEO, but if you drop a helpful link into a busy Reddit thread or community board, it adds both visibility and some authority.
- Link swaps — trading links with another store in a related niche (but not a direct competitor) can work. A camping gear shop pointing to a hiking food store feels natural.
Mixed in with bigger strategies like broken link building or skyscraper content, these smaller plays keep your backlink profile looking balanced and human.
Measuring Revenue Impact of New Links
Getting links is great. But if you’re running an online store, the real question is: do they bring in sales? That’s why it’s important to track what happens after the click.
If you’re building links for online store pages, like product or category URLs, here’s what to keep an eye on:
- Are people actually landing on those pages from the link?
- Do they stick around, add to cart, or bounce right away?
- Are the links showing up in assisted conversions or first-click paths?
- Which sites send traffic that turns into buyers, not just visitors?
Sometimes just tagging links with UTMs or watching referral paths in GA4 is enough to see the patterns. The goal isn’t to get the most backlinks. It’s to get the ones that matter. If a link helps a real customer find the right product and buy it, that’s the win.