You’ve followed every on-page SEO checklist, and your content is solid. But organic traffic? Still flat. Rankings? Stuck on page two. And conversions? Not even close to where they should be. You’ve got a great product, maybe even glowing customer reviews, but you’re still getting crushed in the SERPs by competitors with deeper pockets or bigger brands. Why?
Most SaaS companies fall into the trap of broken link-building tactics, such as mass outreach or trading links like baseball cards. Google’s smarter than that. And so are your competitors.
That’s where EMGI comes in. We’re a specialized link-building agency for SaaS companies, focused on clean, relationship-driven strategies that boost authority and visibility, attracting the right traffic that converts across long sales cycles and multiple touchpoints.
Take Prospeo, a fast-growing French SaaS company in the sales outreach space. They came to us with strong content and just 1,000 monthly visitors. With a targeted, high-authority link-building strategy, we helped them scale to 17,000 monthly visitors and supported their journey to $1.5M ARR.
The article below breaks down the exact off-page SEO checklist, i.e. the principles we use to get those results without shortcuts or spam—just what works.
What is off-page SEO? (And why your SaaS company needs it)
Off-page SEO (search engine optimization) refers to everything outside your WordPress site (or any other CMS you’re using) but directly impacts how well it ranks in search engines. It’s about how the rest of the internet ‘talks’ about your brand.
The three most influential components of a complete off-page SEO checklist should include:
- Backlinks: Links from other websites to your content
- Brand signals: Unlinked mentions, consistent directory listings and positive online reviews
- Social shares: While not a direct ranking factor, social shares can increase visibility, drive traffic, and help your content earn natural backlinks
Why this matters (Especially for SaaS)
SaaS companies compete in crowded, keyword-heavy markets. Ranking for BOFU terms like “email marketing platform” or “best HR software” means going head-to-head with giants. That’s where high-DR backlinks make the difference (more about link-building metrics down below).
A link from a trusted domain (like Hubspot or HR.com) drives traffic and tells Google your brand deserves a top spot. These links can:
- Strengthen your brand’s authority
- Push your pages into top search positions
- Attract referral traffic from relevant audiences
- Improve compliance with Google’s E-E-A-T framework
Plus, with long sales cycles and content-led growth models, every organic touchpoint matters. A single backlink-fueled blog post can drive thousands in ARR when it captures BOFU traffic and builds trust at the right stage.
Take Financial Cents, an accounting software company. With over 50 high-quality backlinks, we helped them double their organic traffic, jumping from 14k to 28k monthly visitors. The traffic value? Over $700k per year, mainly driven by SEO.
Your ultimate off-page SEO checklist
So, what exactly do you need to do to tick the boxes for that off-page SEO checklist to work? Here are our tips.
HARO link building
HARO-style link building helps SaaS companies earn high-DR backlinks by contributing expert quotes to media articles. It’s a direct way to build authority and get featured in trusted publications.
With HARO offline, platforms like Qwoted, SourceBottle and Help a B2B Writer offer similar opportunities. SaaS brands can stand out by positioning their CEO or leadership team as expert sources on topics like AI, SaaS growth or customer success.
Broken link building
Broken link building improves off-page SEO by replacing dead links with your content, helping site owners while earning valuable backlinks.
For SaaS companies, use tools like Ahrefs to find broken links on high-DR blogs like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) or OpenView Partners Blog. Spot a dead link on “SaaS onboarding” or “SEO tools”? Recreate the content, then reach out with a helpful pitch. It’s about offering value, not asking for favors. This is especially useful for BOFU pages—like product comparisons or feature breakdowns.
Note that this tactic is time-intensive and has low conversion rates. Most SEO pros today view it as supplementary, not core.
Partner collaborations
Partner collaborations help SaaS companies earn backlinks, grow visibility and build authority through content focused on product integrations.
This works best with complementary tools, like “How [Your Tool] Integrates with [Partner’s Tool].” Co-branded blog posts, webinars or case studies give both sides a reason to share and link. Plus, partner content focused on product interoperability taps into real buyer intent.
Digital PR
Digital PR helps SaaS companies earn high-authority backlinks by getting featured in top-tier publications. It builds credibility and drives SEO value through trusted media coverage.
SaaS brands should focus on relevance and original data. Journalists want unique insights, not fluff—think industry reports, trend analysis or AI use cases. Pitch trends like “AI in customer support” or “SaaS churn rates” and position your CEO as a go-to expert to boost your chances of getting quoted and linked.
Expert roundup contributions
Expert roundups are a straightforward way to earn backlinks and build credibility by sharing insights alongside other industry professionals.
SaaS companies should target niche roundups like “Top SaaS Marketers” or “Best Link Building Tools.” Use platforms like BuzzSumo to find opportunities and focus on practical, experience-based contributions that stand out.
Unlinked brand mentions
Unlinked brand mentions are low-effort, high-impact SEO wins. This tactic falls under the broader umbrella of link reclamation (that also includes fixing broken backlinks or reclaiming links lost after site migrations or content updates). It involves finding mentions of your brand or content that are missing a proper hyperlink.
Use tools like Mention.com or Ahrefs to track these mentions. Prioritize high-DR domains and reach out with a quick, polite request. Explain how linking improves the reader’s experience by giving them direct access to relevant content or context.
Community engagement
Actively participating in industry conversations puts your SaaS brand in front of real users, builds credibility, eventually leads to organic backlinks.
For SaaS brands, focus on answering questions in niche communities like r/SaaS, Indie Hackers or LinkedIn groups. Share useful insights without pitching. If someone’s asking about remote collaboration tools and you offer one, answer with substance, not sales.
Podcast & webinar appearances
Podcast and webinar appearances are powerful ways to build authority, connect with new audiences and earn backlinks, often from show notes, landing pages or host blogs.
SaaS companies can gain traction by pitching focused, high-value topics to relevant shows. For example, a growth lead at a SaaS brand might pitch “Scaling SaaS SEO in Competitive Niches” to a podcast like Experts on the Wire.
The key is offering insights that educate, not sell. Don’t forget to share the episode across your channels once it’s live. The more it spreads, the more backlinks (and buzz) it can create.
Original research & studies
When you publish unique, data-backed insights, people naturally cite and share your content, driving links without customized outreach.
For SaaS brands, this works best when tied to relevant trends. Surveying 100+ SaaS founders on topics like “The Role of AI in Customer Experience” creates timely, linkable insights. Gather data using tools like Typeform, then publish the findings in a report or blog post. Add visuals, highlight key takeaways and make it easy for others to quote or embed.
Guest posting on industry blogs
Guest posting is publishing content on other sites; it helps SaaS companies build authority, demonstrate expertise and attract qualified traffic (well, and backlinks).
SaaS companies should target niche blogs your audience already trusts, like SaaStr, G2 or vertical-specific sites. These platforms attract decision-makers who are actively looking for solutions like yours.
How to track off-page SEO checklist’s success
Building backlinks is only half the battle. Knowing what’s working (and what’s not) sets growth-minded SaaS companies apart. Off-page SEO success is more than link count. It’s about how those links move the needle on tangible business outcomes.
Here’s what to track after you followed our off-page SEO checklist:
- Domain rating (DR): A rising DR means your backlink profile is gaining authority. Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to monitor changes after major link-building pushes.
- Referral traffic: Check Google Analytics to see which guest posts, podcast appearances or mentions are actually sending traffic to your site.
- Keyword rankings: Use SEMrush or Ahrefs to watch how high-value keywords respond after earning new links. Did a page jump from position 12 to 4 after that DR70 mention? That’s the impact in action.
- Search visibility: Google Search Console can show impressions and clicks for linked pages, which is valuable for spotting the early lift in SERPs.
- Brand mentions: Use Mention.com or BuzzSumo to catch unlinked brand references. When your brand is mentioned on other websites or social media platforms, search engines also notice these mentions.
- Social engagement: Monitor shares, likes, and comments on social media, especially after PR coverage or digital events. These platforms also make it easier to connect with industry figures and influencers, increasing your chances of earning backlinks.
At EMGI, we don’t stop at links. We track every backlink’s influence on traffic, keyword movement and MRR. That’s how we helped brands like Prospeo grow from 1,000 to 17,000 monthly visitors and cross the $1.5M ARR mark.
Need help with off-page SEO optimization?
Following our off-page SEO checklist is crucial for SaaS companies that want to rank for competitive keywords, build authority and drive qualified organic traffic. But success depends on smart execution.
That’s where EMGI can help.
We help SaaS brands earn high-authority backlinks that lead to real growth. Whether it’s doubling monthly traffic, boosting search engine rankings or contributing to milestones like $1.5 M+ ARR, our work speaks for itself.
Skip the trial-and-error. Get strategic, high-impact links that support real business goals.
👉 Let’s talk!
FAQs
What does off-page SEO include?
Off-page or off-site SEO includes all actions taken outside your website to improve its rankings, mainly backlink building, brand mentions, social media engagement, digital PR and partnerships. These activities help build authority and trust with search engines.
What are the 4 P’s of SEO?
There’s no universally accepted “4 Ps” in SEO, but it can refer to the general marketing rules of:
- Product: Optimize product pages with keywords, content and images
- Price: Show clear pricing to match searcher intent
- Place: Use local SEO to boost regional visibility
- Promotion: Build awareness through content, social and backlinks
How to do link building step by step?
Your off-page SEO checklist should include link building, i.e.:
- Identify link-worthy pages on your site (blogs, tools, case studies)
- Find relevant, high-DR websites in your niche
- Pitch value-driven content or partnerships
- Secure the link through PR or collaboration
- Track performance using tools like Ahrefs or Google Search Console
What is off vs on-page SEO?
An on-page SEO checklist would include optimizing elements on your website (content, meta tags, internal linking).
An off-page SEO checklist involves external signals (backlinks, mentions, social shares).