Testimonial Link Building: An Underrated Way to Get Unique Backlinks

Testimonial link building involves writing testimonials of products and services in exchange for backlinks on their websites.

For example, as a digital marketer, SEO, or link builder, you will use an SEO suite like Ahrefs. If your testimonial gets published on their website, they link back to your website.

In the article, you will learn how to write convincing testimonials that convert into high-quality homepage links. I will also share tips on how to increase the chances of your testimonials getting published and maximize their impact on your business.

Benefits of Testimonial Link Building

Testimonial link building comes with a number of advantages.

How to Build Testimonials Backlinks?

Companies often reach out to their customers or clients with testimonial requests. If they contact you, it's a quick win.

However, let's assume you want to build links with testimonials actively.

Here's my 6-step process.

Step 1. Find relevant services or products to review

Start by listing all the products and services you use. Testimonials based on first-hand experience are most valuable because they are genuine.

Let's imagine you're a marketing agency owner. Your team will most likely use:

• SEO and keyword research tools (e.g., Ahrefs)
• Content marketing and AI writing tools (e.g., Surfer)
• Social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite)
• Email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp)
• Website and landing page builders (e.g., WordPress)
• Ad and PPC management platforms (e.g., WordStream)
• CRM and marketing automation tools (e.g., HubSpot)
• Graphic design and branding tools (e.g., Canva)
• Project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Trello, Slack)
• Analytics and conversion rate optimization (e.g., Hotjar)
• Video and webinar platforms (e.g., Loom, Riverside)
• Affiliate marketing and partner management (e.g., PartnerStack)
• WordPress and hosting services (e.g., Hostinger)
• Influencer and PR outreach tools (e.g., Respona)
• Social listening tools (e.g., Brand24)

On top of that, you might be collaborating with other businesses, for example:

• Link building services
• PR agencies
• Paid advertising specialists
• Web development agencies
• Freelance content writers and designers

All of these are potential prospects.

Some SEOs will go one step further and target relevant businesses even when they don't use their product or services. It isn't something we recommend as this doesn't offer value to customers and is truly unethical.

Step 2. Qualify the prospects

Not all of the products or businesses you use are a suitable match.

When qualifying them, ask these questions:

• Does it feature testimonials on their website? If it doesn't, they may still use your testimonial, for example, when updating it or in their sales enablement materials. But it's less likely to result in a link.
• Do the testimonials come with a backlink? If you're after pure SEO value, a link is a must, so prioritize websites that offer them, like Mangools.

Mind you, an unlinked brand mentioned on a well-known website like Semrush can still do wonders for your online visibility, so don't dismiss them.

• Are the links dofollow? The Ahrefs links I showed you above are nofollow, so their impact on search engine performance isn't as significant as if they were dofollow. 
• What is the domain traffic? Links, even nofollow ones, can bring lots of referral traffic to your website.
• What is the Domain Rating and the outbound link count? If your goal is improving your domain authority, you want a website with a high domain rating and few outbound links.
• How big is the brand? Your testimonial is less likely to get published by a much larger brand, so start by targeting the ones of your size and smaller ones.

Step 3. Find the right person to contact

Once you have your prospect list, look for the person responsible for testimonials. In smaller companies, this could be the CEO. In larger ones, look for:

• Heads of marketing or content marketing managers
• Customer success managers
• Affiliate/partnerships managers

How do you find them?

Through LinkedIn, of course. Head to the People tab in the company profile and look for people in the right roles.

Here, you have two options:

• Send them a friend request with a short note introducing yourself and follow up with a pitch once they accept it.
• Use an email finder tool, like Hunter.io, to find their email address.

Here's what works best for me:

If I know someone at the company I want to contact, I ask them to introduce me or help me find the decision-maker. This usually works better than a cold message or emails.

Step 4. Create a perfect pitch

What should you write in your email when pitching your testimonial?

Introduce yourself, explain how long you've been using the product and the impact it has had on your business, and offer to write the testimonial.

Something like this:

The trick is to keep your email short and easy to read so your recipient immediately knows what you're offering.

Step 5. Write a compelling testimonial

Got a positive response?

Excellent!

Let's get to work on the testimonial. Here are a few tips:

• Be authentic. Focus on a problem the product or service helped you to solve. For example, in this testimonial for Moz, Jas Nurmi, Zillow’s Sr. Marketing Manager, explains how the tool helps him prove the success of his projects.

• Provide specific results you've achieved. For example, GetResponse has achieved 15% organic traffic growth thanks to Surfer.

• Highlight the tools' standout features, benefits, or advantages over competitors you've tried. For instance, Freddy Hunt of Oneupweb praises Semrush for superior keyword tracking accuracy.

• Avoid vague statements like "It's great." 
• Keep it concise. Aim for 1-2 short paragraphs, each 2-3 sentences long. This way, the editor can choose the best parts.
• Make it personal and relatable. Use the language you'd use to communicate with your peers because that’s the target audience. 
• Ask your contact person if they'd like you to include anything else.

Step 6. Make sure your testimonial is published

When you send your testimonial, don’t count on your liaison letting you know it’s live, even if you ask them to. Keep an eye on their website in case they forget.

If nothing happens in 2-3 weeks, send a quick follow-up email.

Something like:

What if they forget to link to your website?

Give them a little reminder.

For example:

Testimonial Link Building Best Practices

Let's finish with a few tips and best practices for testimonial link building:

• Turn your testimonial into an engaging video. Video testimonials are more effective than written ones, so you're more likely to get published in a prominent place on their website. They're also more shareable, which will increase your visibility.

• Offer to share your story for a case study. This requires more time and preparation but will give your business more exposure.

• Share the published testimonials on social media. The company is likely to reshare it, which will amplify its reach.  
• Write a review on independent websites like G2, Clutch, or Trustpilot. Companies often feature positive reviews on their websites.

Final Words

Product or service testimonials and reviews you write can easily turn into quality links.

However, bear in mind two things.

First, the link juice isn't always the main benefit of having your testimonial published.

It's the exposure. A nofollow link or even just a mention on an authoritative website like Ahrefs or Hubspot can give your brand a boost.

If you are after links, there is a limit on the number of testimonials, reviews, or case studies you can genuinely offer. Even if your company uses 30-40 different tools, the links will be just a drop in the ocean.

You need way more to drive your SEO strategy, and this means using different link-building methods. And above all, a comprehensive link-building strategy.

If you need help developing a strategy for your business, get in touch with the Editorial.Link team.