Partner, Supplier and Customer Links

Every business has relationships: suppliers, distributors, technology partners, customers, industry associations. Many of these organisations already maintain pages listing the businesses they work with — stockist locators, partner directories, client showcases — and most of them simply haven’t been asked to add you. These are some of the easiest links to earn precisely because there’s no cold pitch involved; you’re just formalising a relationship that already exists.

Where these links actually live

• Supplier and manufacturer sites — “where to buy”, “find a stockist”, “certified partner” or “authorised dealer” pages.
• Technology partners — integration directories and partner marketplaces run by software you use (link building for SaaS: integrations, comparisons and guest posts).
• Customers — “our suppliers” pages, case studies and testimonial pages published by companies you sell to.
• Industry associations and trade bodies — member directories, often searchable and public.
• Service providers you use — agencies, accountants and consultants that showcase their clients, sometimes with permission-based case studies.

Build the list before you start asking

This works best as a systematic pass rather than an ad hoc one. Go through your supplier list, your active partners, your largest customers and every association or trade body you’re a member of. For each one, check two things: does the organisation have a relevant page for this at all, and if so, are you already listed on it? You’ll usually find you’re missing from more pages than expected, simply because nobody thought to ask when the relationship began.

Keep a simple tracker

Organisation	Relationship	Has a relevant page?	Status
Example supplier	We stock their product	Yes — stockist locator	Requested
Example software vendor	We integrate with them	Yes — partner directory	Listed
Example trade body	Paid member	Yes — member directory	Not yet checked

Ask simply and make it effortless

These requests convert well because they’re low-effort for the other side. A short message works: introduce the genuine relationship, point to the specific page you noticed, and ask to be added. Then remove every possible reason for them to say “later” — attach your logo in the right format, a short description ready to paste in, and the exact URL you want linked. The easier you make it, the faster it happens, since most of these pages are updated by someone juggling several other jobs.

Case studies and testimonials extend the same idea

Beyond a simple directory listing, offer a testimonial or collaborate on a short case study for suppliers and tools you genuinely rely on day to day. Many vendors publish these with a prominent link back to the customer’s site, and a detailed case study usually earns better placement than a one-line testimonial. The rule that keeps this tactic honest is simple: only endorse products and services you actually use and would recommend without being asked (testimonial link building: how to do it honestly).

Don’t skip associations and directories

Trade association and chamber-of-commerce member directories are frequently overlooked because they don’t feel like “real” link building, but they’re legitimate, relevant, and often carry decent authority within their niche. If you already pay membership dues, check whether your listing exists and is current — this is close to free value sitting unclaimed (which directory submissions are still worth it).

Keep it relevant, not reciprocal

These links are strong specifically because they reflect real relationships, not because two sites agreed to link to each other. Don’t drift into swapping links with unrelated businesses just because a supplier’s page happens to also be labelled “partners” — mass reciprocal linking arranged purely for ranking purposes is a recognisable and discouraged pattern, distinct from the genuine relationships described here (reciprocal links and link exchanges: where the line is).

What to do when the answer is “no page exists yet”

Not every relationship has a corresponding page to be added to, and that’s an opportunity rather than a dead end. If a key supplier or partner has no stockist or partner page at all, it’s worth suggesting they build one — pointing out that other customers or partners in your position would likely want the same visibility. This won’t work everywhere, but for a supplier actively trying to demonstrate its reach, the suggestion is often welcomed rather than seen as a strange request.

Following up without being a nuisance

Most of these requests get handled within a few weeks, since they usually just need someone with website access to add a logo and a line of text. If you haven’t heard back after two or three weeks, one polite follow-up is reasonable. Beyond that, treat it as a low priority you revisit during your next quarterly relationship review rather than something to chase repeatedly.

Where to go next

Once you’ve worked through existing relationships, broaden the search with competitor backlink analysis to find similar directories competitors are listed on, and read awards, badges and certifications for links for another category of earned, relationship-based links. See also link building for small businesses for how this tactic fits into a broader plan. For relationships that don’t yet exist, the marketplace is a faster way to build relevant links at a fair price.

Frequently asked questions