How to Get Backlinks for Your Startup
Backlinks remain one of the most important ranking signals in Google's algorithm. For a new startup with zero domain authority, getting your first 20–50 quality backlinks is the single highest-leverage SEO action you can take. This guide covers seven methods that actually work for early-stage startups.
In this guide
- 1.1. Startup Directory Submissions
- 2.2. HARO and Media Mentions
- 3.3. Guest Posting
- 4.4. Build a Free Tool
- 5.5. Get Listed in Roundup Articles
- 6.6. Partnership and Integration Pages
- 7.7. Product Hunt Launch
1. Startup Directory Submissions
The fastest way to build backlinks from scratch. Startup directories like Product Hunt, SaaSHub, AlternativeTo, Uneed, and dozens of others create permanent, dofollow backlinks to your site. A single submission run across 50–100 directories can generate 30–60 live backlinks from domains with DR 40–90.
This is the recommended starting point for any new startup because the cost is low ($35–$99 with a service like SubmitWell), the effort is minimal, and the impact on domain rating is measurable within 4–8 weeks.
2. HARO and Media Mentions
Help A Reporter Out (HARO) connects journalists seeking expert sources with founders and subject matter experts. When a journalist features you, you typically get a backlink from a high-DR news publication.
How to use it: Sign up for HARO alerts in your niche. Respond to relevant queries with concise, expert answers. Even a 20% response rate can generate 2–4 high-quality backlinks per month from major publications.
3. Guest Posting
Write articles for other blogs and publications in your niche in exchange for a byline and backlink. The key is targeting publications with DR 40+ that your target audience actually reads.
Best approach: Pitch articles that provide genuine value to the publication's readers — not promotional content about your product. A useful article with a natural backlink performs far better than a thinly veiled ad.
4. Build a Free Tool
A free, publicly accessible tool related to your product's domain naturally attracts backlinks. Examples: a calculator, a checker, a generator, or a small utility that people find useful enough to share and link to.
SubmitWell's own free Domain Rating checker is an example. It attracts backlinks because it provides genuine value, and those backlinks benefit the entire submitwell.com domain.
5. Get Listed in Roundup Articles
"Best tools for [category]" articles are published constantly by bloggers and publications. Many of these writers accept new tool suggestions from founders. Find relevant roundup articles by searching "best [your category] tools" and reach out to the author with a brief pitch on why your tool deserves a mention.
Conversion rate is low but the backlinks you do get are high-quality, relevant, and in editorial context — Google weighs these heavily.
6. Partnership and Integration Pages
When you integrate with another product or partner with another company, ask to be listed on their integrations or partners page. These backlinks are highly relevant (same industry) and typically from established, high-DR domains.
This requires existing relationships or business development activity, but even one partnership page on a DR 60+ platform is worth multiple directory submissions from a pure SEO perspective.
7. Product Hunt Launch
A Product Hunt launch generates multiple backlinks: from Product Hunt itself (DR 90+), from coverage if you're featured, and from community members who share your launch. The combination of DR 90 backlink, community traffic, and potential press coverage makes a Product Hunt launch one of the highest-impact single events for domain authority.
SubmitWell includes Product Hunt submission in all plans.
Start with the easiest method first
Directory submissions are the fastest way to build backlinks from zero. Starting at $35 for 50 submissions.
See Plans — Starting at $35Frequently Asked Questions
How many backlinks do I need to rank on Google?
It depends on your niche and target keywords. For low-competition long-tail keywords, 10–20 quality backlinks from high-DR sites can be enough. For competitive terms, you'll need significantly more. The key metric is your DR relative to competing pages.
Are all backlinks equal?
No. A backlink from a DR 80 site is worth far more than 10 links from DR 20 sites. Domain diversity matters too — 50 links from 50 different high-DR domains is more valuable than 50 links from the same site.
Should I buy backlinks?
No. Paid link schemes violate Google's guidelines and can result in manual penalties that tank your rankings. All seven methods in this guide produce legitimate, organic backlinks that improve rankings sustainably.
Related Resources
Start with the easiest method first
Directory submissions are the fastest way to build backlinks from zero. Starting at $35 for 50 submissions.
See Plans & PricingOne-time payment. No subscription.