Hey everyone - I had a client pick up an amazing PR publication on a major source but I saw that a backlink to their website wasn't included. It sent me down a rabbit hole of "linkless backlinks" and how Google/search engines can recognize the links and build the site authority without needing a physical link to your site included. Can anyone from this community vouch for this? I'm looking to understand the impact of how brand mentions like this can affect performance overall. A few sources I was using to gain a bit more information: https://www.searchenginewatch.com/2017/12/21/why-linkless-mentions-are-the-future-of-link-building/?amp=1 https://searchengineland.com/use-brand-mentions-seo-linkless-future-link-building-290344 https://aicontentfy.com/en/blog/rise-of-linkless-mentions-and-what-it-means-for-link-building
Thanks in advance
Mentions can add value to your overall brand reputation but they are not a strong as a backlink in terms of relevance signals. But they can drive branded searches which can help increase Googles understanding of your brand a topic authority. If you want to get more value out of the mentions.... - request the addition of a backlink from the publication directly (this may or may not work, but it's worth a shot) - mention the coverage on your own website as news or blog post. It doesn't have to be long, but maybe a new quote or some behind the scenes about the coverage. Mention the publication by name and link to the original post. For instance if your recipe was mentioned in the NYTimes, write a new post talking about the coverage and how pleased you are to be featured. Link to the recipe, link to the coverage, add in some new information where relevant. Not only will this help Google to connect the two pieces across the web, but you will also likely pick up some additional searches. -share the links across your social media, particularly verified channels. - add a feature in section on your site or about page linking to the content
Hello, some benefits would be the following:
1. Increased brand awareness:
Brand mentions in high-profile posts increase brand visibility and familiarity with the target audience.
This can lead to more direct traffic and better search rankings.
2. Improved trust and authority:
Being mentioned in a high-quality source indicates that the brand is trustworthy and an expert in its field.
This can improve brand perception by users and Google, which can positively affect ranking.
3. Social signals:
Brand mentions on social media are considered positive social signals by Google.
A higher number of mentions can improve the website's ranking in search results.
4. Referral traffic:
Even if there is no direct backlink, brand mentions can generate referral traffic as users search for the brand or product mentioned.
5. Backlink Opportunities:
Brand mentions can attract the attention of other websites that might be willing to link to your client's website.
However, it is important to note that the impact of brand mentions without backlinks can be variable and depends on several factors:
Source quality and authority: Mentions on high-authority websites have a greater impact than those on low-quality websites.
Mention relevance: Mentions relevant to the website's topic have a greater impact than irrelevant mentions.
Volume of mentions: A greater number of mentions on different websites has a greater impact.