SaaS Backlinks: A Link Building Guide for Software Companies

SaaS backlinks are links that help a software company’s pages rank, especially the commercial pages that turn searchers into trials and demos. Software buyers research heavily before they sign up, so the links that matter most point to comparison pages, use-case pages, integrations and genuinely useful content, not just the homepage.

This hub explains how link building works for SaaS, which link sources suit software companies, and how to approach new markets. It is part of our complete guide to backlinks.

Why link building is different for SaaS

• Buyers compare before they buy. Searches like “best [category] software”, “[competitor] alternatives” and “[tool] vs [tool]” sit close to a purchase, and those results are competitive.
• Product pages rarely earn links on their own. Nobody links to a pricing page unprompted. Links usually land on guides, tools, data and templates, and internal links pass that authority to commercial pages.
• Markets are often global. A SaaS product can sell in many countries, but each country’s search results reward local relevance and language.

Which pages should SaaS backlinks point to?

Page type	Why it matters	How it earns links
Use-case and feature pages	Match “software for [job]” searches	Contextual guest posts and niche edits in industry content
Comparison and alternatives pages	Capture buyers close to a decision	Rarely earned naturally; support with internal links and relevant mentions
Integration pages	Partners link to each other	Partner directories and marketplace listings
Free tools and templates	Useful resources attract links	Resource pages, communities, outreach
Original data and research	Journalists and bloggers cite data	Digital PR
Blog guides	Rank for problem-aware searches	Guest posts, roundups, expert quotes

The best backlink sources for software companies

Integration partners and marketplaces

If your product integrates with other tools, ask to be listed in their integrations directory or app marketplace. These are relevant, trusted links that also send qualified users.

Software review and comparison sites

Listings on software review platforms and “best tools” roundups put you in front of buyers comparing options. Many of these links are nofollow, but the visibility is valuable on its own.

Guest posts on industry publications

A guest post that genuinely helps your buyers, such as a workflow guide or a teardown of a common problem, earns a contextual link and positions you as an expert. See the guest posts guide and niche edits guide for how to vet placements.

Digital PR with product data

SaaS companies often hold anonymised, aggregated data that nobody else has. Turned into a clear finding, it can earn coverage and links from news and industry sites. See digital PR links.

Free tools and templates

A small free tool, calculator or template related to your product can attract links for years. It also gives prospects a reason to try your brand before they buy.

SaaS link building in other countries

If you sell internationally, links from sites in each target country and language help the localised versions of your pages rank. A German SaaS buyer searches in German on Google.de, and links from relevant German publications are a clearer signal there than English links from the US.

• US backlinks for SaaS: building authority in the most competitive software market.
• German backlinks for SaaS and B2B: what works for software companies selling into Germany and the DACH region.
• Country pages: USA, UK, Germany, Netherlands and all countries.

A simple SaaS link-building plan

1. List your highest-value commercial pages: use cases, comparisons, integrations.
2. Create or improve two or three linkable assets that support them: a data piece, a free tool, a definitive guide.
3. Link from those assets to the commercial pages with descriptive internal links.
4. Earn links to the assets through partners, digital PR, guest posts and resource pages.
5. Check which sites link to competing products and work through realistic targets. See competitor backlink analysis.
6. Track rankings and signups for the commercial pages, not just link counts.

Mistakes SaaS companies make with backlinks

• Pointing every link at the homepage while the pages that rank for buying searches get none.
• Exact-match anchors on comparison pages, which looks manipulative. Keep anchors varied; see anchor text ratios.
• Buying cheap links on unrelated sites that have no software audience.
• Ignoring international markets where competition may be lower and local links go further.

FAQ

How do you get backlinks for a SaaS company?

The most reliable sources are integration partners, software review listings, guest posts on industry publications, digital PR built on product data, and free tools or templates that people want to reference. Internal links then pass that authority to commercial pages.

Should SaaS backlinks point to the homepage or product pages?

Both, but most links naturally land on useful content such as guides, tools and data. Link from that content to use-case, comparison and integration pages so they benefit too.

Do SaaS companies need country-specific backlinks?

If you sell in several countries and have localised pages, yes. Links from relevant sites in each country and language help those pages rank in local search results.

Next steps

We help software companies build relevant links in the US, Europe and beyond. See our link building services or request a free plan. For the fundamentals behind all of this, start with the backlinks guide.