Link Building
Brand Mention
Quick definition
A brand mention is any reference to your brand name on the web, with or without a hyperlink.
Brand mentions appear in articles, reviews, social posts, podcasts, and forums. Even without a backlink, Google can interpret consistent mentions as implied authority signals.
Why Brand Mention matters
Unlinked brand mentions are also reclaimable: a polite email to the editor often converts the mention into a proper backlink, especially when you've added value the author can quote.
How Brand Mention works in practice
Monitor brand mentions with Ahrefs Alerts, Google Alerts, or paid tools like Mention.com and Brand24. Triage them weekly — respond, thank, or pitch a link when appropriate.
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Related terms
Unlinked Mention
An unlinked mention is a reference to your brand on a third-party page that does not include a hyperlink back to your site.
Link Reclamation
Link reclamation is the process of recovering lost backlinks or converting unlinked brand mentions into proper hyperlinks.
Citation
A citation is a mention of your business name, address, or phone number (NAP) on a third-party site, often without a hyperlink — important primarily for local SEO.
Pillow Links
Pillow links are low-risk, brand-only backlinks (social profiles, business directories, brand mentions) used to make a backlink profile look more natural.
Co-Citation
Co-citation occurs when two websites are mentioned together by a third site, even without a direct hyperlink between them.
Foundational Links
Foundational links are baseline, easy-to-acquire backlinks (business directories, social profiles, citations) that make a brand's link profile look natural.