Ecommerce Backlinks: How Online Stores Build Links That Rank

Ecommerce backlinks are links that help an online store’s category and product pages rank in search. The challenge is that people rarely link to a product page on their own. Successful stores earn links to content, brand stories and resources, then use internal links to pass that authority to the categories that actually make sales.

This hub covers where ecommerce links come from, which pages to prioritise, and how to approach stores that sell in several countries. It is part of our complete guide to backlinks.

Which store pages need backlinks most?

For most stores, category pages are the priority. They target broader, higher-volume searches (“women’s running shoes”) than individual products, and they change less often. Product pages matter for specific searches, but products come and go, so links to them can be lost when stock changes.

Page	Role	Link approach
Homepage	Brand searches, overall authority	Press, partners, brand mentions
Category pages	Main commercial rankings	Contextual links from relevant content; strong internal links
Product pages	Specific product searches	Reviews, gift guides, manufacturer and stockist links
Buying guides and blog	Research searches; linkable	Guest posts, resource pages, digital PR

The best backlink sources for online stores

Manufacturer and brand “where to buy” pages

If you stock other brands, ask to be listed on their stockist or retailer pages. These are relevant, easy wins that many stores never request.

Gift guides and product roundups

Bloggers and publishers produce gift guides and “best of” lists all year round. Offering samples or useful product details for review can earn links to product and category pages. Make sure any paid or sponsored inclusion is labelled correctly.

Buying guides and useful content

A clear sizing guide, care guide or comparison of materials is the kind of page other sites reference. Link from these guides to the relevant categories.

Digital PR

Seasonal trends from your own sales data, quirky product stories or expert commentary can earn coverage on news and lifestyle sites. See digital PR links.

Guest posts and niche edits

Contextual placements on relevant blogs and magazines, pointing to genuinely useful pages, help build authority for competitive categories. See the guest posts guide and niche edits guide.

Internal linking: how links reach your categories

Most links will land on your homepage, blog and guides. To make them count for sales pages:

• Link from every buying guide to the two or three most relevant categories with descriptive anchor text.
• Keep main categories in your navigation so they receive links from every page.
• Use breadcrumbs so product pages link back up to their category.
• When a product is discontinued, redirect it to the closest category or replacement so any links it earned are kept.

Selling in several countries

If your store has country or language versions, each version needs relevance in its own market. Links from sites in the target country and language help localised category pages rank there. Our country guides cover the details:

• US backlinks for ecommerce
• German backlinks for ecommerce
• Country pages: USA, UK, Germany, France and all countries

You can also see how technical fixes and link building worked together in our ecommerce SEO case study.

Ecommerce link-building mistakes to avoid

• Linking only to the homepage while category pages stay weak.
• Letting links die when products are deleted instead of redirected.
• Unlabelled paid reviews. Sponsored content should be marked as sponsored, both for readers and for Google.
• Exact-match anchors like “buy cheap running shoes” on every link. Use brand and descriptive anchors; see anchor text ratios.

FAQ

How do you get backlinks for an ecommerce site?

Start with stockist listings from brands you sell, gift guides and product roundups, useful buying guides, and digital PR built on your own product or sales insights. Then use internal links to pass authority from that content to your category pages.

Should backlinks go to category or product pages?

Category pages are usually the priority because they target bigger searches and change less often. Product pages benefit from reviews and roundups, but link value can be lost when products are removed unless you redirect them.

What happens to backlinks when a product is discontinued?

If the page is deleted and returns a 404, the link value is lost. Redirect discontinued products to the closest replacement or category to keep it.

Next steps

We build relevant links for online stores in many countries. See our link building services or ask for a free plan. For the fundamentals, start with the backlinks guide.