The Smart Way to Turn Brand Mentions into Valuable Links
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- May 3, 2025
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Have you ever searched for your brand name online and found websites talking about your business but not linking to your website? These mentions of your brand without links are called “unlinked brand mentions,” and they represent missed opportunities for your website. The good news is that you can turn these mentions into valuable backlinks with some simple outreach.
What Are Unlinked Brand Mentions?
Unlinked brand mentions happen when someone writes about your company, product, or service on their website but doesn’t include a link back to your site. For example, if a blogger writes “I really love using Spotify for my music” but doesn’t link to Spotify’s website, that’s an unlinked brand mention.
These mentions show that people know about your brand, but they aren’t helping your website as much as they could be. When those mentions include links (called backlinks), they help more people find your website and can improve how well your site ranks in search engines like Google.
How to Find Unlinked Brand Mentions
Now that you understand why backlinks are important, let’s look at how to find websites that mention your brand but don’t link to you:
1. Use Google Search
The simplest way to start is with a basic Google search. You can use search operators to find mentions of your brand:
- Type your brand name in quotes (like “Nike”) to find exact matches
- Add “-site:yourwebsite.com” to exclude results from your own website
- Try adding terms like “review,” “alternatives,” or “vs” to find comparison articles
2. Set Up Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a free tool that will email you when your brand is mentioned online. Here’s how to set it up:
- Go to google.com/alerts
- Enter your brand name in quotes
- Choose how often you want to receive alerts
- Click “Create Alert”
This way, you’ll get notified about new mentions as they happen.
3. Use Social Media Monitoring Tools
People often mention brands on social media. Tools like Hootsuite, Mention, or Brand24 can help you track when someone talks about your brand across different social platforms. While social media mentions themselves aren’t always directly valuable for SEO, they can lead you to blog posts or articles where your brand is mentioned.
4. Try Specialized Brand Monitoring Tools
There are several tools specifically designed to find brand mentions across the web:
- Ahrefs Alerts
- SEMrush Brand Monitoring
- BrandMentions
- Awario
According to BrightLocal’s Local SEO Industry Survey, 78% of SEO professionals use specialized tools to monitor brand mentions as part of their link building strategy.
How to Convert Unlinked Mentions into Backlinks
Once you’ve found websites mentioning your brand without linking to you, it’s time to reach out and ask for a link. Here’s a step-by-step process:
1. Evaluate the Website
Before reaching out, make sure the website is one you want a link from. Check:
- Is the site relevant to your industry?
- Does it look professional and trustworthy?
- Would you be proud to be associated with this site?
Not all backlinks are created equal. Links from high-quality, relevant websites are much more valuable than links from low-quality or unrelated sites.
2. Find the Right Contact Person
Look for the best person to contact:
- The author of the article that mentioned your brand
- The website’s editor
- The webmaster or site owner
Most websites have a “Contact,” “About,” or “Team” page where you can find this information. You can also look for email addresses or contact forms.
3. Write a Friendly, Personal Email
When reaching out, be polite and personalized. Here’s a simple template you can customize:
Subject: Thanks for mentioning [Your Brand]! Hi [Name], I was searching online and came across your article [Article Title]. Thank you so much for mentioning [Your Brand] in your piece! I noticed that our brand name wasn’t linked to our website. Would you mind adding a link to [your URL] where you mention us? This would help your readers learn more about us if they’re interested. Thanks for considering this! Let me know if there’s anything I can help you with. Best regards,[Your Name][Your Position][Your Brand]
4. Follow Up (But Don’t Be Pushy)
If you don’t hear back within a week, it’s okay to send one follow-up email. But remember, website owners are busy and don’t have to add your link. Being pushy or demanding will only hurt your chances.
5. Track Your Success
Keep a record of:
- Websites you’ve contacted
- Dates of contact
- Responses
- Whether they added your link
According to a study by Pitchbox, link building outreach campaigns have an average success rate of around 8-10%. This means you might need to contact 10-12 websites to get one new backlink.
Tips to Improve Your Success Rate
1. Offer Value in Return
Think about what you can offer the website owner:
- Share their article on your social media
- Mention them in your newsletter
- Provide a small discount on your product
- Offer to update outdated information in their article
2. Make It Easy for Them
Be specific about where the link should go and what text should be linked. The easier you make it, the more likely they are to do it.
For example, instead of saying “Please link to our website,” say “Could you please add a link to https://yourbrand.com on the text ‘YourBrand’ in the second paragraph?”
3. Show Genuine Interest in Their Content
Take time to read their article and offer a specific comment or compliment. This shows that you’re not just sending mass emails but are genuinely interested in their work.
4. Target Recent Mentions First
Newer mentions are more likely to result in backlinks because:
- The content is still fresh in the author’s mind
- The author is more likely to still have access to edit the content
- Recent articles are usually more actively managed
According to a study by Moz, outreach for mentions less than 30 days old has a 5% higher conversion rate compared to older mentions.
Beyond Basic Mentions: Other Opportunities for Backlink Outreach
While finding direct brand mentions is valuable, there are other situations where you can request backlinks:
1. Product or Service Reviews
If someone has reviewed your product but hasn’t linked to you, that’s a prime opportunity to request a link.
2. Resource Lists
Many websites create lists of resources or tools in specific categories. If your brand fits into one of these lists but isn’t linked, reach out and suggest they add a link.
3. Images and Visual Content
If a website is using images from your site (like infographics, charts, or product photos) without attribution, you can request that they add a link crediting you as the source.
4. Competitor Mentions
Sometimes, websites will mention your competitors but not you. In these cases, you can introduce your brand as an alternative and suggest they include you (with a link) as well.
Creating a Sustainable Brand Mention Strategy
Converting unlinked mentions into backlinks shouldn’t be a one-time effort. Here’s how to make it an ongoing part of your marketing strategy:
1. Schedule Regular Searches
Set aside time every week or month to search for new brand mentions.
2. Create Link-Worthy Content
Make content that people naturally want to link to, such as:
- Original research and statistics
- Comprehensive guides
- Infographics and visual content
- Free tools or resources
3. Build Relationships with Publishers
Instead of cold outreach, try to build ongoing relationships with journalists, bloggers, and website owners in your industry. When people know and trust you, they’re more likely to link to your site when mentioning your brand.
According to Content Marketing Institute, businesses that prioritize relationship building with industry publishers see a 63% higher success rate in their backlink acquisition efforts.
4. Monitor Competitors’ Backlinks
Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz allow you to see who is linking to your competitors. These sites might be willing to link to you as well, especially if you offer similar or better products or content.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
1. Low Response Rates
If you’re not getting responses:
- Try different subject lines
- Keep emails shorter
- Reach out on social media first to establish a connection
- Improve your value proposition
2. Finding Enough Mentions
If you’re not finding many mentions:
- Expand your search to include product names, founder names, and alternate brand spellings
- Create more shareable content to generate more mentions
- Consider PR activities to increase brand awareness
3. Getting Responses But No Links
If people respond but don’t add links:
- Make sure you’re clear about what you’re asking
- Provide a compelling reason why the link would benefit their readers
- Offer something valuable in return
Conclusion
Finding and converting unlinked brand mentions is one of the most effective — yet often overlooked — strategies for building high-quality backlinks. By identifying when and where your brand is being talked about online, you open the door to strengthening your SEO profile, growing your website traffic, and reinforcing your brand’s authority in your industry.
The process isn’t complicated, but it does require consistency, personalization, and a genuine approach. Monitoring your brand mentions regularly, crafting thoughtful outreach emails, and focusing on offering value rather than just asking for favors will significantly increase your success rate. It’s also important to remember that not every outreach will lead to a new backlink immediately, but over time, the cumulative effects can be substantial.
Beyond just links, this strategy helps you build real relationships with content creators, bloggers, journalists, and site owners. These connections can lead to future opportunities like guest posts, collaborations, product features, and even partnerships that further elevate your brand’s visibility.
As you incorporate unlinked brand mention outreach into your broader marketing and SEO efforts, you’ll not only recover lost opportunities but also lay the groundwork for a more resilient and recognized brand online. Stay patient, stay professional, and view every brand mention — linked or not — as a stepping stone toward stronger digital growth.
With ongoing effort, smart tracking, and genuine engagement, you’ll transform brand awareness into real, measurable SEO power that fuels your website’s success for years to come.
Meet The Author
John Wilson
John, the driving force behind Optisite Rocket, spent 10 fulfilling years as the owner of a contracting company, where he honed his skills and developed a deep love for the contracting industry. Seeing the dismal results from hiring many “experts” to build his website and do his SEO, he realized he needed to learn how to do this himself. This allowed him to build a thriving company in his local area. A sudden injury, however, curtailed his ability to continue hands-on work. Undeterred, John now channels his passion into educating and inspiring others. He aims to equip aspiring professionals with the necessary knowledge and tools to excel in this rewarding field.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many unlinked brand mentions should I expect to find?
The number varies greatly depending on your brand’s size and visibility. Small local businesses might find just a few mentions per month, while large brands might find hundreds. According to a study by Mention, the average small-to-medium business has around 5-10 unlinked brand mentions per month that could potentially be converted to backlinks.
Is it better to focus on quantity or quality of backlinks?
Quality is much more important than quantity. One backlink from a highly trusted, relevant website can be worth more than dozens of links from low-quality sites. According to Backlinko, a single high-authority backlink can improve rankings more than multiple low-quality links.
What if competitors are using my brand name to get traffic?
If competitors are using your brand name in a way that confuses consumers or infringes on your trademark, you may have legal options. However, if they’re just mentioning you in comparisons or reviews, this is generally considered fair use. In these cases, you might reach out and ask if they’d be willing to link to your site so readers can learn more about your brand directly from you.
