CASE STUDY
Citation Labs Delivers 6,496 Unbranded Links to 120+ Enterprise Product Pages
Summary:
To stay visible in competitive search, the client used Citation Labs to earn 6,496 unbranded links to 120 product pages. The system scaled across five teams and now powers their in-house link-building program.
Results Snapshot
- 6,496+ unbranded backlinks to product pages
- 120+ distinct sales URLs targeted
- 5+ year engagement
- 5 internal product teams supported
- Stood up in-house link building team
Challenge
An enterprise SEO team was tasked with delivering 14,000 unbranded backlinks to key product pages to stay visible in the sales cycle. Without those links, potential customers would land on competitor product pages instead.
The internal team was small and still ramping up. One stakeholder was responsible for hitting the number fast while coordinating multiple vendors and building in-house operations from scratch.
In addition to meeting link targets, they needed regular reporting to share with leadership, proving the ROI of their efforts. They also needed support upskilling their growing team to manage link building in-house long term.
OUR SOLUTION
Citation Labs built an unbranded outreach program aligned to the client’s quarterly link targets and weekly reporting needs, customized per team. Each campaign focused on driving new links to product pages—not blogs—using buyer-focused content placed on vetted, relevant sites (one link per domain).
The team adapted to shifting priorities each quarter, adjusting anchor text and target URLs across up to five product teams. Domains required manual approval before outreach, so we built a workflow to keep delivery moving without bottlenecks.
Alongside execution, we supported internal training, shared documentation, and tool development as the client’s in-house team matured.
OUR PROCESS
We ran a high-volume, unbranded outreach program with strict link requirements and weekly reporting to meet evolving priorities. The process was built for scale but flexible enough to support five product teams with different workflows.
- Kicked off with campaign planning: identifying priority URLs, aligning on anchor text, and reviewing quarterly goals.
- Gathered initial content guidance and brand alignment criteria from the client.
- Conducted publisher research and submitted domains for manual approval (one by one).
- Launched weekly outreach campaigns based on approved domains.
- Delivered weekly customized reports, broken out by product team and mapped to quarterly targets.
- Held regular check-ins to adjust targets, shift strategy, and onboard new teams.
- Provided documentation and support as the client took over campaign planning and approvals internally.
TOOLS
To support scale, consistency, and visibility, we integrated our custom tools into the client’s workflow.
Specifically, we used Link Launch to build campaigns, the Link Impact Report to show results, and our custom-built outreach engine to support outreach.
ROADBLOCKS
The domain approval process for each link was a major early bottleneck. The client also relied on outdated metrics like DR to assess link quality. We worked with the team to redefine what “relevant” meant and built an approval workflow that balanced scale with brand alignment. This allowed for more links from hyper-relevant publishers.
As new product teams came on board, coordination became more complex. Each team had different priorities, timelines, and expectations. We developed standardized templates and intake forms to streamline requests and reduce delays.
The one-link-per-domain policy also created natural constraints. After the first wave of placements, performance required constant publisher development and tighter content relevance to meet increasingly narrow targeting requirements.
RESULTS
We helped the client earn 6,496+ unbranded backlinks to high-priority product pages delivered through ongoing campaigns with one link per domain and custom content on pre-approved sites.
Links supported visibility in the sales cycle, ensuring the brand appeared alongside competitors when buyers actively evaluated solutions.
Beyond placement, content was designed to position the platform as more accessible than alternatives—supporting a broader initiative to expand the total addressable market.
The program scaled from a single product team to five, each with unique priorities and reporting needs. The client now owns their link strategy in-house, with systems, templates, and training in place to manage campaigns independently.
Key Results
- 6,496+ unbranded backlinks to product pages
- 120+ distinct sales URLs targeted
- 5+ year, ongoing engagement
- 5 internal product teams supported
- Stood up internal link building team
Campaign pages now capture 81% more visibility on competitive commercial keywords matched against controls.
WHAT'S NEXT
As the pool of high-quality, relevant publishers narrows, our team continues to evolve its outreach strategy. Future campaigns are focusing on brand visibility (using offsite articles, video content, and buyer-relevant assets) to reinforce product value during the evaluation stage.
The client now runs additional link-building efforts in-house while continuing to collaborate with us on campaign planning, content direction, outreach management, and new ways to reach potential customers as the link landscape becomes more competitive.
We’re also working with the client to stay visible in LLMs using our new tool suite, Xofu. The insights this platform provides are helping the brand get mentioned when potential customers use sales-focused prompts in AI tools like ChatGPT.
THE CLIENT
A software company that provides digital tools for marketers, designers, and small to large businesses, supported by multiple specialized product teams.
- Industry: Software / Digital tools
- Size: 10,000+ employees
- Location: San Jose, California