How to Get Backlinks From Pages That Already Rank

To get backlinks from pages that already rank for your keyword, search the keywords your buyers use, collect the pages in the top 20 that list, compare or recommend tools like yours, check that each one is a real fit, find the person who wrote it, and pitch a specific change to that specific page. Then follow up twice, stop, and verify the link went live. That's the whole method. By hand it's slow, but you can do every step this afternoon with a browser and a spreadsheet.

It works because these pages already have what a link is supposed to borrow: Google's trust and real readers. A link from a "best tools for X" article ranking on page one puts you in front of people who are shopping right now. Below is the manual process step by step, followed by how our SEO agent runs the same steps for you, with your approval on every send.

Why links from ranking pages are worth more

Not every link is equal, and the difference has less to do with a domain metric than with the page itself. In an r/SEO thread about getting backlinks indexed, one reply put it this way:

"It's more that backlinks on pages that aren't indexed, don't rank and don't get organic traffic, bring 0 value." (u/SanRobot, r/SEO)

Starting from the search results reverses that problem. Every prospect on your list is, by definition, a page Google has indexed and ranks. You don't have to guess whether the page matters, because you can see that it does.

Founders often miss a second benefit. A SaaS founder in r/SaaS described being left out of the "Top 10" and "Best 12" alternatives articles in their category, and noted that these articles "often help drive bottom-funnel traffic" (u/Outrageous_Western28, r/SaaS). The people reading those articles are the closest to buying, so a mention there can send customers even if the link never moves a ranking.

Step 1: list the keywords your buyers search

Write down 10 to 20 searches someone makes right before they would pick a product like yours. These shapes work best:

• "best [category]" and "best [category] for [audience]"
• "[competitor] alternatives" and "[competitor] vs [competitor]"
• "how to [job your product does]"
• "[category] tools" or "[category] software"

Skip pure definitions ("what is X") for now, because those pages rarely recommend products.

Step 2: pull the pages that already rank

Search each keyword in a private window set to your target country and language, then copy the top 20 organic results into a sheet. One founder in the r/SaaS thread above described the same routine:

"Check the first 20 search results for each keyword." (u/Royal_Complaint_743, r/SaaS)

Next they pulled out the listing and review sites, which they expected would leave 20 to 30 potential sites. Your number will depend on your niche. Cut your competitors' own pages, the big marketplaces, and anything you have no way to contact.

Step 3: sort by page type, because each one needs a different ask

Most of what makes a pitch read as relevant instead of mass-produced is matching the ask to the page.

Step 4: score each page for fit

Cut the list before you write a single email. Give each page a quick score and write down why:

• Would you recommend your product to someone reading this page? If not, skip it.
• Check whether the page is maintained. A dated title like "2026", recent updates or active comments are good signs.
• Look at whether it already links out to products. Pages that never link to tools rarely start for you.
• Find the gap you fill: a missing category, an outdated entry, a price that changed.
• Check for paid placement. Lists marked "sponsored" or pages that ask for a fee are a different deal. More on that below.

Keep the reasons next to the score, because they become the first line of your pitch.

Step 5: find the person behind the page

Start with the byline, then the author page, then the site's about or team page. You're looking for a named editor or writer, not a contact form or a generic inbox. When you have a name and a likely address, check that the address accepts mail before you send anything. Bounces hurt your sender reputation, and a guessed address that bounces loses you the prospect anyway.

Step 6: pitch a specific change to that page

Make the pitch about their page, not your product. Name the article and the gap, then say in one or two sentences why your product fills it for their reader. Make the change easy to accept with a ready-to-paste blurb, the correct pricing, and a screenshot if they use them. Keep it short. Our backlink outreach templates have examples you can adapt by page type.

Leave out flattery about their "amazing content," any paragraph about your funding, and any request to change their anchor text.

Step 7: follow up twice, then stop

Most first emails get ignored, so a short, polite nudge is normal. One r/SEO commenter described replying in the same thread "at least 2 times with a weeks gap" (u/ahmadx138, r/SEO). Two follow-ups is a sensible ceiling. After that, move on. A fourth email is how you land in someone's spam filter, and every future email from your domain lands there with it.

Step 8: verify the link, then check it again

When someone says yes, open the page and check it yourself. The link should exist, point to the right URL and not be marked nofollow or sponsored unless you agreed to that. Check it again in a few weeks, because lists get rewritten and links get dropped without anyone telling you. If the page is new, our guide to getting backlinks indexed covers what to expect from Google.

The case against pitching ranking pages

The strongest objection comes from the people receiving the pitches. A blogger in r/SEO described it:

"As a blogger, I get BOMBARDED by these requests DAILY. Most of them haven't even read my blog." (u/ObviousCarrot2075, r/SEO)

Everyone else is pitching the same ranking pages, so the hit rate can be low. One person doing listicle outreach in 2019 reported getting "3 links out of roughly 50 emails/contacts" (u/Spekulatius2410, r/SEO). That is one account and not a benchmark, but it is a realistic warning.

We concede most of this. Ranking pages have crowded inboxes, and sending them generic pitches wastes everyone's time. Pitching worse pages doesn't fix that. Pitching fewer of them, and doing it better, does: pick only pages where you fit, write a pitch that proves you read the article, and bring something worth adding. One link builder with 300+ links behind them said the page you are building links to "has a VERY serious impact on whether you'll be able to build links or not" (u/DrJigsaw, r/SEO). If your product page is thin, fix that before you send anything.

Hold one more line. Some list owners will ask for money to include you. That can be a fine advertising deal, but Google's spam policies treat "buying or selling links for ranking purposes" as link spam, and paid links should be marked rel="sponsored" (Google Search Central; qualifying outbound links). If the traffic is worth paying for, pay for it. Don't pay for a followed link.

How BacklinkBot runs this method for you

BacklinkBot's SEO agent for link building runs these eight steps every week. It reads your site and pulls pages already ranking for your keywords (steps 1 and 2). It scores each one and gives its reasons (steps 3 and 4), then finds and verifies the person behind the page (step 5). It drafts a pitch about that specific page (step 6) and sends it from your own inbox, following up twice before it stops (step 7). Finally it checks that the link is live and dofollow, and re-checks it weekly (step 8). By default, you approve every send.

It doesn't write content or do technical SEO, so the page you want linked still has to be worth linking to. Pro costs $99/month for 4,000 credits and three warmed inboxes. Growth costs $199/month for 10,000 credits. There's no free plan and no trial. If you want foundational links first, the done-for-you directory submission service is a one-time payment of $99, $167 or $357 for 100+, 200+ or 300+ directories.

FAQ

Do I need a high domain rating to get included in listicles?

No. Editors adding a tool to a list care whether it helps their reader and whether the entry is accurate. A low domain rating matters much less than a clear product page, honest pricing and a reason you belong on that particular list. A thin or broken product page will cost you more than a low score.

Should I pay to be included in a "best tools" article?

Only if the traffic is worth paying for by itself, and only with the link marked sponsored. Google treats buying links that pass ranking credit as link spam. A paid placement can still send real customers, so judge it as an ad and not as a backlink.

How many ranking pages should I pitch?

Fewer than you think. A short list of pages where you clearly fit, each with a specific pitch, usually beats a long list of loose matches. Start with ten pages across your top three keywords and pitch the best fits. Read the replies before you scale up.

How long does it take for a new link on a ranking page to count?

Google crawls a page that already ranks on a regular schedule, so a new link there tends to get found sooner than one on an obscure page. Google says crawling can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Our guide to getting backlinks indexed covers how to check.

Start with ten pages

There is nothing clever about this method. It works because every prospect is already a page Google trusts and buyers read, and each pitch is about that one page rather than a blast to a list. Open a private window now, search your best buyer keyword and copy the top 20 results into a sheet. If you'd rather have that sheet built, scored and pitched every week, let BacklinkBot's SEO agent do it while you approve every email before it goes out.