Enterprise link building is the process of earning backlinks for large, complex websites owned by big brands. It differs from regular link building in two major ways:
It happens on a large scale.
It requires careful coordination across different teams.
Enterprise link building includes managing thousands of internal links, running outreach campaigns, creating shareable content, digital PR, brand monitoring, and much more. If done right, it can boost website traffic, improve search rankings, and increase brand visibility.
Step 1: Get approval from stakeholders
Before starting, you need approval from key decision-makers, such as the marketing head or CMO. Here’s how you can get their buy-in:
Show past results: If you have data from previous link-building campaigns, share the ROI.
Use case studies: If past data isn’t available, show examples from other successful brands.
Link building to key metrics: Explain how link building can improve search rankings, traffic, and conversions.
Key metrics to track:
Referring domains: The number of new high-quality websites linking to you.
Search rankings: Improvements in your website’s ranking on search engines.
Traffic growth: Increase in organic and direct visitors.
Conversions: More leads or sales from visitors clicking on links.
Remember, link building takes time, usually at least three months. Be honest with stakeholders about the expected timeline while highlighting quick wins like brand mentions and referral traffic.
Step 2: Define roles and responsibilities
Enterprise link building is a team effort. Different departments need to collaborate to ensure success. Here’s who is involved:
Legal & Compliance: Approves use of copyrighted or trademarked content.
Outreach team: Contacts bloggers, journalists, and website owners for link placements.
Content team: Creates high-quality, shareable content.
SEO team: Identifies link-building opportunities, tracks performance, and ensures technical SEO is in place.
Project manager: Oversees the entire process, ensuring deadlines are met and teams are aligned.
Step 3: Fix quick wins first
A site audit can reveal immediate link-building opportunities. Fixing these early on strengthens the foundation for future efforts.
Easy fixes:
Improve internal links: Ensure important pages are linked properly within the site.
Fix broken links: Redirect 404 error pages to relevant live pages.
Reclaim brand mentions: If your brand is mentioned online but not linked, request a backlink.
Step 4: Find brand mentions and request links
One of the easiest ways to earn links is by tracking online mentions of your brand. If a website mentions your company without linking to you, reach out and ask for a backlink.
Tools to track mentions:
Google Alerts
Brand24
Mention
Step 5: Create high-quality linkable content
To attract natural backlinks, you need content that people want to share and reference.
Best content types for links:
Original research: Studies, surveys, and industry reports.
Infographics: Visual data representations.
Interactive tools: Free calculators, quizzes, or templates.
Ultimate guides: In-depth tutorials or expert advice.
If your content is unique and valuable, other websites will want to link to it, boosting your authority in search rankings.
Step 6: Optimize outreach strategies
Outreach is a key part of enterprise link building. The goal is to get websites to link to your content.
Outreach best practices:
Send personalized emails: Generic messages won’t work. Mention something specific about their website.
Follow up: A second email increases response rates significantly.
Offer value: Explain why linking to your content benefits them.
Step 7: Run digital PR campaigns
Digital PR involves getting media coverage and backlinks from high-authority news websites.
How to do it:
Identify newsworthy stories, research, or content assets.
Write a compelling press release.
Distribute the release through PR platforms.
Contact journalists directly with exclusive insights.
Over time, building relationships with journalists can lead to continuous media coverage and backlinks.
Step 8: Use guest posting strategically
Guest posting is writing articles for other websites in exchange for a backlink.
How to do it right:
Target high-authority websites in your industry.
Provide genuine value, not just promotional content.
Include a natural link to your website in the article.
Guest posting builds authority, boosts brand visibility, and earns valuable backlinks.
Final Thoughts
Enterprise link building is complex, but the right strategy can significantly boost website traffic and brand visibility.
Key takeaways:
Get stakeholder approval with clear objectives.
Assign roles across multiple departments.
Fix quick wins before launching large-scale campaigns.
Focus on creating valuable content that attracts links naturally.
Use outreach and digital PR to gain high-quality backlinks.
Consider guest posting and even acquiring websites for extra SEO power.
Following this 8-step framework, your brand can dominate search rankings in 2025 and beyond. Start implementing these strategies today for long-term success!