Why Backlinks Are Still the Strongest SaaS Growth Signal in Google’s Evolving Algorithm

The Challenge: When Great SaaS Products Go Unnoticed

A SaaS startup can have a flawless product, perfect onboarding, and strong pricing, yet still struggle to appear on the first page of Google. That’s not because the product is weak, it’s because Google doesn’t just reward great software. It rewards trust signals, and backlinks remain one of the strongest.

Many founders learn this the hard way. They invest heavily in content and performance marketing but skip the one factor that actually tells Google, “others trust this site.” The result? Their blogs don’t rank, organic leads stay low, and growth hits a ceiling.

One startup’s story shows how a focused backlink strategy can completely change that trajectory.

The Turning Point: Discovering the Power of Quality Links

A small SaaS team in Bengaluru had built a solid workflow automation tool. Their product solved real problems, but their organic traffic was flat. After months of publishing high-quality blogs, they realized something was missing, their site had almost no backlinks from reputable domains.

They decided to test one thing: earn a handful of high-quality backlinks from relevant SaaS and tech blogs.

Within four months, their organic clicks tripled. Pages that had been buried on page three of Google climbed to the top ten results. Their traffic started converting into real demo signups, and Google began recognizing their domain as an authority.

What changed wasn’t the product or the content, it was how the web viewed them. That’s the influence of backlinks.

The Role of Backlinks in Google’s Evolving Algorithm

Google’s algorithm has gone through countless updates, but backlinks have stayed core to how it measures credibility. Each link acts like a signal of confidence from one website to another.

When an established SaaS publication links to your page, it’s essentially telling Google, this content is worth trusting.

Even with Google’s emphasis on user intent, page experience, and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), backlinks still reinforce all these signals. They tell the algorithm that your brand isn’t just talking, it’s recognized by others who matter.

That’s why modern SaaS SEO strategies treat link building as long-term brand building, not a one-time tactic.

Inside Link Coasters: Building Links the Right Way

In an industry full of shortcuts and automation-heavy services, Link Coasters has built its reputation on something rare, genuine care for its clients and an obsession with doing things the right way.

For them, link building isn’t a checklist. It’s a craft. Every link they secure has a purpose: to build trust, improve visibility, and move a SaaS brand closer to its long-term goals.

Before any outreach begins, their team runs a deep evaluation of potential websites, the kind of analysis most agencies skip. They look beyond surface metrics like DR and traffic numbers, focusing instead on whether the site truly aligns with the client’s niche, has organic relevance, and holds real authority in Google’s view.

Then comes their blend of technology and human precision. Their internal tools help find opportunities faster, but every placement decision still relies on human judgment and content sense.

Here’s what makes their process work so well:

  • Thorough Quality Checks: Every site is manually reviewed to confirm real traffic, clean backlink profiles, and topical relevance to the client’s industry.
  • Smart Use of Automation: Their internal systems assist in discovery, not decision-making, helping the team identify ideal sites quickly without losing control of quality.
  • Authentic Outreach: Each pitch is written by hand, tailored to the publication, and sent through personalized campaigns powered by Instantly.ai.
  • Strategic Placement: Backlinks are positioned where they make sense to readers, ensuring they add context and value, not distraction.
  • Consistent Monitoring: The team doesn’t stop after placement, they track performance, keyword shifts, and authority growth over time.

These steps come together to form a process that’s efficient yet deeply human. It’s not about flooding the web with links; it’s about building a foundation of trust that Google recognizes and rewards.

What truly sets Link Coasters apart is how invested they are in their clients’ progress. They don’t work as an outside vendor, they operate more like an extension of the client’s marketing team. Regular updates, transparent reports, and proactive suggestions keep every campaign moving in the right direction.

SaaS founders often describe the experience as refreshing. There’s no fluff, no inflated promises, just steady, measurable growth built on authentic connections and ethical SEO practices.

At the heart of it all, Link Coasters isn’t just placing backlinks. They’re building credibility, helping SaaS brands earn authority naturally, and guiding them toward lasting success in search.

The Case Study: How One SaaS Brand Built Authority from Scratch

When a project management SaaS startup approached Link Coasters, their main challenge was visibility. They had good traffic but were struggling to convert content into leads.

After a quick audit, Link Coasters found the issue, most of their backlinks came from irrelevant sources like generic directories and low-quality guest posts. These links carried little SEO weight.

The team rebuilt their backlink profile from the ground up.

  • They identified industry-specific blogs with real audiences in SaaS, tech, and B2B marketing.
  • They created custom outreach emails through Instantly to site owners who already published content related to productivity tools.
  • Each placement included a contextual mention within articles about remote collaboration, automation, and workflow tools, topics directly relevant to the startup’s niche.

Within six months, the startup’s domain rating improved, their top three product-related pages began ranking for competitive keywords, and referral traffic brought in qualified leads who were ready to sign up for demos.

What changed wasn’t just backlinks. It was credibility.

Lessons for SaaS Companies

The case highlights what many SaaS marketers forget, you can’t fake authority. Google sees through shortcuts and prioritizes quality over quantity every single time.

Here’s what SaaS founders can take away:

  • Focus on Relevance, Not Quantity

A handful of backlinks from respected SaaS or tech publications can move your rankings far more than dozens from random blogs. Google values context and authority. When a site that speaks your language links to you, it sends a stronger signal than a pile of unrelated mentions ever could.

  • Build Real Connections, Not Just Links

The best backlinks are a byproduct of genuine collaboration, a guest article, a joint study, or a shared piece of insight. When two brands exchange value, the link becomes natural and lasting. This is what turns SEO into relationship-driven growth rather than a transactional campaign.

  • Strong Content Always Wins

No outreach strategy can replace solid content. For people to link to you, your material has to be worth referencing, original insights, useful data, or guides that genuinely help readers. That’s what earns attention and trust in the long run.

Adapting to Google’s New Reality

Recent Google updates such as the Helpful Content and SpamBrain systems have changed how link building is viewed, it’s no longer about how many links you can get, but how authentic and relevant they are.

Today, search engines are far better at spotting manipulative link tactics. Low-quality backlinks that once helped rankings can now do the opposite, pulling your pages down or even triggering penalties.

That shift has made transparency and quality the core of modern link building. SaaS companies that focus on earning genuine mentions from credible sites are the ones seeing long-term growth. The era of shortcuts is over, now, only relevance and trust move the needle.

The right approach isn’t aggressive link acquisition, it’s organic authority building.

That means earning backlinks through genuine mentions, high-value collaborations, and credible publications.

SaaS brands that align with this shift will keep winning long after the next algorithm update.

The Bigger Picture: Backlinks as a Growth Engine

Backlinks don’t just move rankings; they move trust, visibility, and long-term growth.

When other experts cite your brand, customers notice. When Google sees those citations, it responds.

That’s why the smartest SaaS marketers treat backlinks as both a marketing and brand-building asset. They don’t chase every possible link, they choose the ones that reflect who they are and what they stand for.

Agencies like Link Coasters prove that ethical, careful link building is still one of the most powerful levers for sustainable growth.

Final Thoughts

Backlinks remain the strongest signal of authority in Google’s eyes. Algorithms evolve, trends shift, but trust never loses value.

For SaaS companies, the path to growth still runs through credibility, and backlinks are its foundation.

The lesson is simple: focus on quality, relevance, and real partnerships. That’s how SaaS brands rise above the noise, not just for a quarter, but for years.

FAQ

What makes backlinks so important for SaaS brands?

They strengthen trust signals, improve search rankings, and bring referral traffic from credible sources.

How can SaaS teams earn better backlinks?

By publishing strong, relevant content and building real relationships with industry publications instead of chasing mass placements.

Are backlinks still a ranking factor in 2025?

Yes. Despite all algorithm updates, backlinks remain a core element of how Google evaluates website authority.

What’s the safest way to build backlinks?

Work with partners like Link Coasters who manually vet every site and prioritize long-term authority over short-term link counts.