How to Get Your First 1,000 Backlinks as a SaaS Startup (10-Day Plan)

Your SaaS has zero backlinks. Google can't find you. Potential customers discover your competitors instead.

Sound familiar? Here's the good news: you don't need 6 months or $5,000 to build serious backlink momentum. With the right 10-day plan, you can secure 1,000+ quality backlinks that actually move the needle.

I'll show you exactly how—no fluff, just actionable steps you can start today.

Quick Answer: The 10-Day Backlink Framework

Days 1-2: Directory submissions (4,000+ backlinks) Days 3-4: Strategic partnerships (50-100 backlinks) Days 5-6: Content creation + outreach (20-50 backlinks) Days 7-8: Community engagement (30-60 backlinks) Days 9-10: Review platforms + cleanup (100-200 backlinks)

Total: 1,000-4,000+ backlinks in 10 days

Key principle: Focus on high-volume, low-effort wins first, then layer in high-quality links.

Day 1-2: Directory Submissions (The Foundation)

Why Start Here?

Directory submissions are the fastest way to build your initial backlink foundation. A single submission to a high-authority directory can generate 40-50 individual backlinks from different pages (homepage, category pages, search results, etc.).

The Strategy

Option 1: DIY Approach (100-200 backlinks)

Find 20-30 SaaS directories (Product Hunt, G2, Capterra, BetaList)
Spend 30-60 minutes per directory
Focus on free, high-DA options
Time investment: 10-20 hours

Option 2: Service Approach (4,000+ backlinks)

Use a directory submission service that handles the grunt work
Typically costs $49-199 for 100+ directories
Frees you up to focus on other strategies
Time investment: 2 hours (filling out forms)

Pro Tip: Don't try to discover the "secret list" of directories yourself. Either invest the time (20+ hours research) or pay someone who already has the list. Your time is worth more than $49.

What to Submit

Prepare these assets before starting:

Product logo (PNG, 512x512px minimum)
Screenshots (3-5 high-quality images)
50-word pitch (elevator pitch)
150-word description (detailed value prop)
500-word description (full feature list)
Pricing details
Category tags (choose 3-5 relevant ones)

Why This Works: Each directory creates multiple backlinks as your listing appears on various pages. Submit to 100 directories = 4,000+ total backlinks.

Day 3-4: Strategic Partnerships (High-Value Links)

Integration Partnerships

Identify 10-15 complementary SaaS tools that integrate with yours.

Action Steps:

Make a list of tools your target customers already use
Check if they have an "Integrations" or "Partners" page
Reach out with this template:

Subject: [Your SaaS] + [Their SaaS] Integration

Hey [Name],

I noticed [Their SaaS] doesn't list [problem your tool solves]
integrations on your partners page.

We built a native integration with [Their SaaS] that [specific benefit].

Would you be open to listing us on your integrations page?
Happy to add you to ours as well.

[Your Name]

Expected results: 50-100 backlinks from 10-15 partner sites

Affiliate Programs

If you have an affiliate program, reach out to:

Niche bloggers who write about your category
SaaS deal sites (AppSumo, SaaSMantra)
Coupon/discount sites

Pro Tip: Offer an exclusive deal code. Sites love exclusive offers and will feature you prominently.

Day 5-6: Content + Outreach (Quality Over Quantity)

Create One Linkable Asset

Don't write random blog posts. Create something people WANT to link to:

Best Options:

Free Tool/Calculator - Generates 100+ backlinks organically over time
Industry Report - Original data attracts journalist links
Ultimate Guide - Comprehensive resource becomes go-to reference

Choose ONE and execute it well.

Example: Free Tool

If you're a project management SaaS:

Build a "Sprint Planning Calculator"
Host it at yourdomain.com/sprint-calculator
Make it dead simple (no signup required)
Add share buttons + embed code

Outreach for Quick Links

Find 20 relevant blog posts about your category:

Google search: "best [your category] tools" -site:yourdomain.com

Reach out to authors:

Hey [Name],

Love your article on [topic]. I noticed you mentioned [competitor].

We just launched [your tool] that [unique differentiator].

Would you be open to adding us to your list? Happy to provide
screenshots, demo, or answer any questions.

Cheers,
[Your Name]

Response rate: 10-30% Expected backlinks: 20-50 quality links

Day 7-8: Community Engagement (Fast Wins)

High-DA Community Sites

Participate (genuinely) in these communities:

Reddit:

r/SaaS
r/Entrepreneur
r/startups
Niche subreddits for your industry

Strategy: Don't spam. Answer questions, provide value, mention your tool when relevant in comments.

Indie Hackers:

Post your launch story
Share metrics/learnings
Engage in discussions
Profile link = backlink

Quora/Stack Exchange:

Answer questions related to your tool's problem
Include link when it adds genuine value
Aim for thoughtful, detailed responses

Expected backlinks: 30-60 from profiles and valuable contributions

Founder Communities

Join and get listed on:

Indie Hackers
MicroConf Connect
Women Make (if applicable)
Failory directory
Startup Stash

Time per platform: 15-30 minutes Total time: 3-5 hours Backlinks: 20-40

Day 9-10: Review Platforms + Cleanup

Review Site Blitz

Claim and optimize your profiles on:

Essential (High DR):

G2 (DR 93)
Capterra (DR 94)
TrustPilot (DR 92)
Software Advice (DR 78)
GetApp (DR 80)

Niche-Specific:

Find 5-10 review sites specific to your industry
Search: "[your category] reviews site"

Pro Tip: Ask your existing customers (if any) to leave reviews. Even 2-3 reviews make you look legit.

Expected backlinks: 100-200 (each profile generates multiple page links)

Link Cleanup & Verification

Use Ahrefs or Google Search Console to:

Verify which links are indexed
Check for broken links
Ensure anchor text diversity
Identify any spammy links (disavow if necessary)

Time investment: 2-3 hours

The Reality Check: Not All Backlinks Are Created Equal

What Actually Matters

Metric	Why It Matters	Target
Domain Authority	Higher DA = more link equity	40+ ideal
Relevance	Niche-relevant links count more	70%+ relevant
Traffic	Links from actual visitors	Any traffic = good
Diversity	Avoid same-domain spam	100+ unique domains

Backlink Quality Tiers

Tier 1 (Gold): Editorial links from industry blogs Tier 2 (Silver): Partner sites, review platforms Tier 3 (Bronze): Directory listings, community profiles

Your 10-day plan should give you:

20-50 Tier 1 links
150-300 Tier 2 links
1,000-4,000 Tier 3 links

All three tiers matter. Directories provide volume, partnerships provide authority, content provides long-term growth.

Common Mistakes That Kill Your Progress

1. Trying to Manually Find Every Directory

The Problem: You'll spend 40+ hours researching directories instead of building links.

The Fix: Use an existing list (buy or subscribe to a service) or pay for submission.

Reality Check: Your time is worth more than $49. Spend it on creating linkable content instead.

2. Only Focusing on Homepage Links

The Problem: Google values link diversity. All links pointing to yourdomain.com looks unnatural.

The Fix:

40% to homepage
30% to blog posts/tools
30% to feature pages

3. Ignoring Anchor Text Diversity

The Problem: 100 links with the same "SaaS tool" anchor text = penalty risk.

The Fix: Mix it up:

Brand name (40%)
Naked URLs (30%)
Generic ("click here", "learn more") (20%)
Keyword-rich (10%)

4. Not Tracking Results

The Problem: You won't know what's working if you don't measure.

The Fix: Use Google Sheets to track:

Date
Source URL
Type (directory, partnership, etc.)
Status (pending, live, indexed)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to see SEO results from new backlinks?

Google typically takes 2-8 weeks to index new backlinks and adjust rankings. You'll see traffic improvements in 30-60 days for low-competition keywords, 90-120 days for competitive terms.

Should I disavow low-quality directory links?

Only if they're from obvious spam sites (gambling, adult, pharmaceutical links). Legitimate free directories—even if low DA—rarely hurt you. Google simply ignores them.

Can I build 1,000 backlinks in less than 10 days?

Yes, if you use a directory submission service. The 10-day plan assumes you're doing most work yourself. Services can deliver 4,000+ links in 10 days while you focus on content.

What if I don't have any customers yet for review sites?

That's fine. Claim your profiles anyway and optimize them fully. The backlinks still count, and you'll look more established when potential customers find you.

How much do these strategies cost?

DIY approach: $0-100 (tools like Ahrefs Lite or Moz) Hybrid approach: $49-199 (directory service + DIY the rest) Agency: $2,000-5,000/month (not recommended for early-stage startups)

Most startups should start with hybrid: pay for grunt work (directories), DIY the high-value stuff (partnerships, content).

Do I need to keep building links after the first 1,000?

Yes, but the pace changes. After your foundation (1,000+ links), focus on quality over quantity:

1 great partnership link > 100 directory links
1 viral tool > 500 manual submissions

Your Action Plan (Start Today)

Immediate Next Steps

Today (30 minutes):

Prepare your submission assets (logo, descriptions, screenshots)
Make a list of 10 potential partner tools
Choose one linkable asset to create (tool, guide, or report)

This Week:

Days 1-2: Submit to directories (or hire service)
Days 3-4: Reach out to 10-15 partners
Days 5-6: Create linkable asset + outreach to 20 sites
Days 7-8: Engage in communities (Reddit, Indie Hackers, Quora)
Days 9-10: Claim review profiles + track everything

This Month:

Monitor which links get indexed (Google Search Console)
Double down on what's working
Keep creating linkable assets (one per month minimum)

The Bottom Line

Getting your first 1,000 backlinks isn't about gaming the system—it's about being strategic with your time.

The 80/20 Rule:

20% of your effort (directory submissions) = 80% of your backlinks
20% of your links (partnerships, content) = 80% of your SEO value

Do the high-volume grunt work first (or outsource it), then focus on building relationships and creating content that attracts links naturally.

Start with Day 1 today. Your future self (and your Domain Authority score) will thank you.

Related Resources

Ready to skip the grunt work? Get 4,000+ backlinks from 100 directories in 10 days while you focus on building partnerships and creating content.

Meta Information:

Primary Keyword: saas backlinks startup Secondary Keywords: link building saas, startup seo, backlink strategy, directory submissions Word Count: 1,850 words Reading Time: 8 minutes

Image Suggestions:

Featured image: "Calendar with checkmarks showing 10-day progression"
Infographic: "Backlink Quality Pyramid (Tier 1, 2, 3)"
Screenshot: "Google Search Console backlinks graph"

Internal Linking Opportunities:

Link "directory submission service" to homepage/#pricing
Link related blog posts about SEO, link building, SaaS marketing
Add CTA buttons to your service throughout article

External Authority Links:

Ahrefs blog for link building best practices
Moz for domain authority explanation
Google Search Central for indexing guidelines