SaaS Link Building: Which Pages Should Get Links First?

Most SaaS companies start link building the same way: they earn a handful of links, almost all pointing at the homepage, and wonder why signups don't move.

The homepage rarely ranks for the searches that turn into revenue. Buyers search for "best SOC 2 software for startups" or "Notion alternatives", and those queries land on very specific pages. Where your links point decides whether link building drives pipeline or vanity metrics.

Start with the money map

Before building a single link, list the pages that convert visitors into trials or demos, and the queries each one should rank for. A competitor backlink gap analysis shows which of those pages your rivals are winning with links. For most SaaS sites, these fall into five groups:

1. Comparison pages ("Product vs. Competitor")
2. Alternative pages ("Competitor alternatives")
3. Use-case and industry pages ("Project management for agencies")
4. Integration pages ("Product + Slack integration")
5. Feature and category pages ("Automated invoicing software")

Then check where each page currently ranks. The best link targets are pages already sitting in positions 5–20 for valuable keywords. They've proven Google considers them relevant. They just need more authority to reach the top three.

The order we build links in

1. Pages in "striking distance"

Pages ranking between positions 5 and 20 for high-intent keywords come first. A few strong, relevant links here can move a page onto page one within weeks, and page-one rankings are where clicks happen.

2. Comparison and alternative pages

These pages target buyers who already know the category and are choosing a tool. Search volume is often modest, but conversion rates are some of the highest on any SaaS site. They're also competitive, because every rival wants them too, so links make a real difference.

3. Linkable assets that feed authority inward

Original research, free tools, templates and calculators earn links naturally because people want to cite or use them. Our own link building cost calculator is an example. They rarely convert directly. Their job is to collect authority, then pass it to money pages through internal links.

4. Category and feature pages

These pages target broad, high-volume terms like "CRM software". They're the hardest to rank, so they come once your domain has more overall authority and your striking-distance pages are already winning.

5. The homepage

Your homepage will collect branded and press links naturally. It rarely needs a dedicated campaign.

Don't forget internal links

External links bring authority into your site. Internal links decide where it goes. Every time you earn a link to a blog post or research asset, check that the page links prominently to the related money page, with descriptive anchor text.

A simple rule: every high-authority page on your site should link to at least one commercial page that it genuinely relates to.

Match anchors to the page's intent

Each target page needs a natural anchor mix. (If you're unsure how link attributes fit in, see dofollow vs. nofollow links.)

• Mostly branded and partial-match anchors, such as "Acme's SOC 2 automation" or "this compliance checklist".
• Some naked URLs and generic anchors, such as "acme.com" or "this guide".
• Few exact-match anchors. "Best SOC 2 software" as the anchor on ten links looks engineered.

Measure pipeline, not links

The point of SaaS link building is revenue, so report on it. For each target page, track:

• Ranking movement for its primary keywords
• Organic sessions to the page
• Trials, demos or signups attributed to organic traffic

When a page reaches the top three and conversions level off, shift links to the next page on the money map. That's how link building compounds: each win frees budget to push the next page up.