Generating Link Building Plans
Learn how to generate link building recommendations based on where AI platforms cite your competitors.
Last updated: January 9, 2025
AI-Focused Link Building
Traditional link building targets sites for SEO value. AI-focused link building targets sources that AI platforms cite when making recommendations. Getting mentioned on these sources improves your AI visibility.
How It Works
The Principle
AI platforms cite authoritative sources when recommending brands:
"According to G2, Salesforce is the top-rated CRM..."
If you're mentioned on G2, you're more likely to be recommended by AI.
The Strategy
- Identify - Find sources AI cites for your competitors
- Prioritize - Focus on frequently-cited, relevant sources
- Pursue - Get your brand featured on these sources
- Monitor - Track citation improvements
Generating Link Building Opportunities
Step 1: Access Citation Details
From your brand report on the Dashboard:
- Click "Citation Details"
- The modal opens with citation data
Step 2: Review Competitor Sources
In the Citation Details modal:
- Click on competitor tabs
- Review their citation sources
- Note sources where they appear but you don't
Step 3: Generate the Plan
- Click "Get Link Building Plan"
- Wait for analysis (5-10 minutes)
- View results in Link Building Plan
Step 4: Review Opportunities
Each opportunity shows:
- Source name and website
- How often AI cites this source
- Which competitors appear there
- Priority and effort level
- Suggested approach
Understanding Opportunities
Source Information
For each opportunity:
- Source name: The website/platform
- Domain: The URL
- Citation frequency: How often AI references it
- Topics: What topics it's cited for
Competitor Context
Shows competitive intelligence:
- Which competitors are on this source
- What content/listings they have
- Why AI cites them
Opportunity Score
Factors in the score:
- Impact: How much could this help?
- Relevance: How related to your business?
- Difficulty: How hard to achieve?
- Competition: How crowded is it?
Types of Link Building Opportunities
Review Sites
Examples: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Software Advice
How to pursue:
- Create/claim your profile
- Encourage customer reviews
- Complete all profile sections
- Respond to reviews
Industry Publications
Examples: TechCrunch, Forbes, industry blogs
How to pursue:
- Pitch thought leadership articles
- Offer expert commentary
- Provide newsworthy stories
- Build journalist relationships
Comparison Sites
Examples: GetApp, SelectHub, Comparably
How to pursue:
- Submit for inclusion
- Provide accurate product data
- Participate in comparisons
- Update listings regularly
Resource Lists
Examples: "Best of" articles, curated directories
How to pursue:
- Reach out to list curators
- Demonstrate your qualifications
- Offer exclusive insights
- Request inclusion
Prioritizing Opportunities
High Priority
Focus first on sources that are:
- Frequently cited by AI
- Highly relevant to your prompts
- Already feature competitors
- Achievable for your brand
Medium Priority
Good secondary targets:
- Moderately cited by AI
- Relevant but less specific
- Some competitor presence
- Moderate effort to pursue
Lower Priority
Address later or skip:
- Rarely cited by AI
- Tangentially relevant
- No competitor presence
- Very difficult to achieve
Taking Action
For Each Opportunity
- Research the source - Understand requirements
- Check current status - Are you already there?
- Plan your approach - What's needed to get featured?
- Execute outreach - Take action
- Track progress - Update status
Common Approaches
| Source Type | Typical Approach |
|---|---|
| Review sites | Claim profile, get reviews |
| Publications | Pitch articles, PR outreach |
| Comparison sites | Submit product info |
| Directories | Apply for listing |
| Blogs | Guest post, expert quotes |
Tracking Progress
Update Status
As you work on opportunities:
- New: Not yet started
- In Progress: Outreach underway
- Completed: Successfully featured
- Dismissed: Not pursuing
Monitor Citations
After getting featured:
- Wait 2-4 weeks
- Check for new citations in your data
- Monitor visibility improvements
Tips for Success
Quality Over Quantity
Better to secure strong placements on key sources than many weak placements.
Be Patient
Link building takes time:
- Outreach may require follow-up
- Profile approval takes time
- Reviews accumulate gradually
- AI updates take weeks
Track Everything
Document your efforts:
- Who you contacted
- When you reached out
- What the response was
- Status of each opportunity
Coordinate with Content
Link building and content work together:
- Content gives you something to promote
- Links build authority for your content
- Both contribute to AI visibility