Free Links Just Sitting There
Right now, someone on the internet has mentioned your brand without linking to your website.
That's an unlinked brand mention. And converting it to a backlink is one of the easiest wins in SEO.
Why? Because they already know you. They already like you enough to mention you. They just didn't add the link.
How to Find Unlinked Mentions
Google Alerts. Set up alerts for your brand name, product names, and key personnel. Free and simple.
Ahrefs Content Explorer. Search for your brand name, then filter to "highlight unlinked" domains. Their backlink checker also shows who's linking and who isn't.
Mention or Brand24. Dedicated brand monitoring tools that track mentions across the web.
The Conversion Email
"Hey [Name], thanks for mentioning [brand] in your article on [topic]! We really appreciate it. Would you mind adding a link to [our URL] so your readers can easily find us? Thanks!"
That's it. No long pitch needed. They already mentioned you voluntarily.
Success Rates
This tactic has the highest conversion rate in link building. We routinely see 20-40% success rates.
Because the ask is tiny. They've already done the hard part (writing about you). You're just asking them to add a hyperlink. This is the ultimate link building on a budget strategy.
Make It Ongoing
Set up monitoring to catch new mentions weekly. Turn it into a monthly habit: find unlinked mentions, send quick emails, collect easy links. Pair this with link reclamation to protect the links you already have too.
Track these alongside 113 other SEO tasks at SEO Checkup. Free. 30 seconds.
The easiest links you'll ever build.