Turn Unlinked Brand Mentions into Backlinks

People may already be talking about you: news stories, blog posts, event recaps, podcast pages. Some mention you without linking. Turning unlinked brand mentions into links is one of the fastest, friendliest link building wins available.

This guide is part of our authority link building series.

Step 1: Find mentions

• Set alerts for your company name, product names and founder names
• Use media monitoring or SEO tools that track mentions
• Search your name in quotes, excluding your own site
• Check event, sponsor and partner pages
• Review coverage from past PR campaigns (PR measurement)

Step 2: Decide which to pursue

Prioritize mentions that are:

• On relevant, reputable sites
• Recent (writers are more responsive)
• Positive or neutral
• In context where a link genuinely helps readers

Skip negative articles and sites with clear no-link policies.

Step 3: Find the right person

The author, editor or site owner. Check the article byline, contact page or LinkedIn.

Step 4: Send a friendly request

Subject: Thanks for mentioning [Brand]

Hi [Name], thanks for including [Brand] in your article on [topic]. We really appreciated it. If it's helpful for your readers, would you consider linking our name to [specific page URL]? It has [what readers will find there]. Either way, thanks again!

Keep it short, grateful and specific. More templates in outreach templates.

Step 5: Follow up once

If there's no reply after a week or so, one polite follow-up is fine. Then move on.

Step 6: Fix incorrect information

If a mention has outdated details (old name, wrong title, broken link), a correction request helps both accuracy and your online reputation.

Point links to the right page

Suggest the most relevant page: a product page for product mentions, a founder bio for personal mentions, a research page for data citations. Then let internal links carry authority further.

Track results

Keep a simple sheet: URL, date, contact, request sent, outcome. Track your success rate and the authority of links gained. See link building metrics.

Tips for a higher success rate

• Reach out within a few weeks of publication
• Be specific about the page you suggest and why it helps readers
• Thank them regardless of the answer
• Don't send the same request twice
• Build a relationship: offer expert comment for future stories

Create more mentions

The more you're mentioned, the more links you can reclaim. Digital PR, podcasts, speaking and advertising all increase mentions. See digital PR and offline to online authority.