What are Backlinks?
Definition
Backlinks (also called inbound links or incoming links) are hyperlinks on other websites that point to your website. Google treats backlinks as votes of confidence — when a reputable, relevant website links to your Shopify store, it signals to Google that your content is trustworthy and valuable. Backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking signals in Google's algorithm. The quantity, quality, and relevance of your backlinks directly influences how well your store ranks for competitive keywords.
Why Backlinks matters for Shopify stores
For Shopify stores in competitive niches (fashion, beauty, supplements, electronics), having strong products and optimised titles is not enough — you need backlinks to outrank established competitors who have accumulated years of link equity. A competitor with 500 high-quality backlinks will almost always outrank a store with 10 backlinks, all else being equal. Building backlinks is the hardest part of SEO — it requires creating linkable content, outreach, and ongoing relationship management.
Shopify example
A Shopify supplement store writes a comprehensive guide to 'magnesium glycinate for sleep'. Three health blogs link to it as a reference. Each link increases the page's authority. Over 6 weeks, the page moves from position 18 to position 4 for 'magnesium for sleep' — a keyword with 8,100 monthly searches.
How Sauron handles Backlinks
Sauron's backlink exchange network automates peer-to-peer link building for Shopify stores. After publishing a blog post, Sauron AI-matches complementary stores in other niches for mutual link exchange — verified weekly to ensure every link stays live.
See Backlink Exchange Network feature →Common mistakes
- ✕ Buying backlinks from link farms — these are detectable by Google and can result in manual penalties
- ✕ Building only exact-match anchor text links ('shopify seo app' on every link) — natural backlink profiles have varied anchor text
- ✕ Ignoring internal links — internal link structure is the underrated, free version of backlink building
- ✕ Not creating linkable content — product pages rarely attract backlinks; blog posts, guides, and data do
- ✕ Acquiring backlinks from irrelevant sites — a gaming website linking to a supplement store signals low quality
Questions about Backlinks
How many backlinks does a Shopify store need to rank? +
It entirely depends on what you're competing against. For local or niche keywords with low competition, 10–20 quality backlinks from relevant sites may be enough. For competitive terms like 'best running shoes', you'd need hundreds of high-authority links. Sauron's rank tracking shows you exactly where you rank for your target keywords so you can gauge the gap.
What makes a backlink 'high quality'? +
Three factors: relevance (is the linking site in a related niche?), authority (does the linking site itself have strong backlinks?), and context (is your link embedded in relevant, topical content?). A link from a specialist running magazine to a running shoe store beats 100 links from unrelated directories.
Automate your Shopify SEO
Understanding Backlinks is step one. Sauron handles the implementation — automatically, for your entire Shopify store.