Why Mentions of Your Company on Other Sites Help Improve Google Rankings

Many businesses focus on SEO, social media, and content to build their online presence. One way to accelerate that growth is to focus on growing your brand through citations and mentions. Both Google and Bing have indicated that they can track brand mentions and that they matter for search engine rankings. While the SEO community continues to debate the value of unlinked brand mentions, Google’s John Mueller clarified in 2023 that Google does not use unlinked mentions as a direct ranking signal — though many practitioners still consider them a meaningful indicator of brand authority. The conversation around whether unlinked mentions can function similarly to links for measuring a site’s authority remains an active one.

Aside from tracking mentions, search engines can also determine whether mentions are positive or negative. This means that companies need to be proactive when it comes to maintaining a positive reputation. While links remain a confirmed top-ranking factor for Google, some SEO practitioners argue that brand mentions could grow in importance as search engines become more sophisticated at interpreting brand signals beyond traditional link building.

So what are some ways that companies can brand themselves online? Here are 9 tips to get more citations and brand mentions for your business.

Use the links below to jump to a section:

• Customer reviews
• Influencer marketing
• Guest blogging
• Brand monitoring
• Competitor monitoring
• Forums and communities
• Public speaking, events, and networking
• Citations
• Advertising and sales

1. Customer Reviews

According to BrightLocal’s 2024 Local Consumer Review Survey, 75% of consumers “always” or “regularly” read online reviews when browsing for local businesses, and 49% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family.

One of the best ways to increase online mentions is by getting reviews from satisfied customers. Customers who are actively using your product or service can share specific details about what makes it worth using. A great recommendation can even convince prospects to choose your business over a competitor.

So how do you get customers to leave reviews? Here are a few tips.

Follow up with customers through email

Set up an automated email to go out shortly after customers receive your product to check in on their experience. Follow-up emails show customers that you care and give you the opportunity to address any concerns before they become public complaints.

If a customer is happy with their purchase, simply ask them for a review. Many customers are glad to help when asked directly.

Make it easy for customers to review your business

Link to review sites in your emails and on your website so customers can get there quickly. If you collect reviews on your own site, keep the process simple — customers should be able to complete a review in just a few steps.

Your site and review form should be mobile responsive, since most people browse and shop on their phones. If you have a physical storefront, a simple “Find us on Yelp” sticker on your window can serve as an effective reminder.

Run retargeting ads to reach review sites

Retargeting ads are inexpensive and can be used on Facebook and Google to guide customers toward review platforms. Consumers are busy, and sometimes they just need a timely reminder. Ads are a non-invasive way to make that ask.

Reward people who take the time to review your product

Providing an incentive can encourage more customers to write a review. Rewards can include discounts on future purchases or complementary products and services the customer might enjoy.

2. Influencer Marketing

Another way to get more brand mentions is to use influencer marketing to reach your target audience. Influencers have different motivations and needs, so get to know them before making an approach.

Some influencers do affiliate marketing and are looking for relevant products to pitch to their audience. Others may share your product with their followers for a fee — though any paid partnership must include a clear disclosure such as #ad or #sponsored, as required by the FTC.

The influencer landscape has expanded well beyond traditional bloggers and YouTubers. Micro-influencers and nano-influencers — those with smaller but highly engaged audiences — often deliver stronger results for niche brands. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have also become central to influencer campaigns. Identifying the right platform and influencer tier for your audience is just as important as the outreach itself.

Many influencers offer their own products or services but are open to collaborations that benefit their audience. Start conversations and see if a partnership makes sense. Rather than leading with an ask, think about how you can offer value first.

Get to know influencers in your niche by subscribing to their blogs and following them on social media.

• Engage with them on social media, blogs, or online communities they participate in.
• Link to their content and share their articles on social media.

Influencer marketing offers a unique opportunity to build relationships while growing your own brand. As influencers start to notice you, they may begin promoting you in return.

3. Guest Blogging

Guest blogging is a reliable way to indirectly increase citations and brand mentions. Even if a guest post doesn’t send a surge of new subscribers, it can still deliver meaningful brand exposure.

To succeed with guest blogging, focus on topics that genuinely stand out. In digital marketing, for example, case studies and success stories tend to perform well because they are specific, credible, and relatively scarce.

Guest posting on a popular blog can generate significant brand exposure quickly. For the best results, become a regular contributor so readers become familiar with your name. Here is a list of places to guest post.

Look for blogs that actively promote older content, since posts on high-traffic sites can continue ranking in Google and driving traffic long after publication. That said, Google’s link spam updates have significantly reduced the SEO value of guest post links — particularly on low-quality or off-topic sites. If a guest post is paid or part of a link-building arrangement, Google recommends using rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow” on those links. The primary value of guest blogging today is brand exposure and audience building, not link acquisition.

4. Brand and Competitor Monitoring

If your brand is already somewhat well known, brand monitoring should be a regular part of your strategy.

Tools like Mention, Google Alerts, Brand24, and Semrush’s Brand Monitoring tool notify you whenever someone mentions your brand online. Enter your company name, any brand names you own, or keyword phrases you want to track, and you’ll receive an email alert whenever your brand gets a link or mention. You can also hire a company to manage this for you.

If someone complains about your product, you can quickly join the conversation and address the issue. Providing a positive customer service experience — even when people aren’t asking for it — demonstrates to prospects that you genuinely care about your customers.

Sometimes people mention your brand without linking to your site. If you are doing SEO, you can thank them for the mention and ask if they’d be willing to add a link.

Competitor Monitoring

Monitoring your competitors is another way to find opportunities for more citations and brand mentions. The same tools used for brand monitoring — Mention, Brand24, and Semrush — also offer competitor alerts.

Does your competitor do a lot of guest blogging? Monitoring them can reveal where they are posting and surface publications you can pitch your own content to. Did a writer cover your competitor? Reach out and let them know about your product or service.

Beyond direct competitors, monitor businesses selling related products or services. Set up alerts and review what shows up regularly — it’s one of the most reliable ways to uncover new brand mention opportunities.

5. Forums and Communities

Online forums and communities that target your desired audience are a valuable place to build brand awareness indirectly. They are also great for networking with people who share similar interests — including potential customers.

Some businesses have won clients simply by staying consistently active in the right online community. Active community members are also more likely to comment on your blog and share your content.

Here are a few places to look for communities to participate in:

• Professional communities on LinkedIn and niche Slack groups are among the most active spaces for B2B networking and industry discussion. Indie Hackers is also worth exploring for entrepreneurs and product builders.
• Reddit — Reddit hosts communities around virtually every topic. Search for active subreddits in your niche. Reddit discourages self-promotion, but consistent, valuable contributions can build genuine curiosity about who you are and what you do.
• Facebook Groups — Facebook groups can still be useful for finding communities, though organic reach has declined and younger audiences have largely moved to Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms. Prioritize groups with consistently active engagement over those with large but passive memberships.
• Google search — A quick search for “your niche + forums” or “your niche + communities” can surface niche spaces that are worth joining.

Communities are often overlooked as a brand-building channel, but they can be especially effective when you are just starting out. Understanding effective ORM strategies can help you make the most of your community participation.

6. Public Speaking, Events, and Networking

One counter-intuitive way to earn more online citations and mentions is to invest in offline marketing activities like public speaking and in-person networking. Face-to-face connections tend to be more personal and lasting than digital introductions.

Public speaking also positions you as an expert in your field. Find events that attract your prospective customers or audience and ask the organizer if they are looking for speakers.

A quick Google search will often surface a list of conferences in your industry. Eventbrite and industry associations are also good resources. Speaking opportunity databases and directories specific to your niche can help you find a broader range of stages and events.

Offline involvement can generate online mentions in unexpected ways. A business owner who participates in local fundraisers and charity events may earn links and mentions from those organizations — without ever focusing on SEO directly.

Measuring the ROI of public speaking and networking is difficult, and earning online mentions probably shouldn’t be your primary goal. But these activities can be genuinely effective for growing your brand and forming real relationships that pay off over time.

7. Citations and Local Business Directories

Citations in local business directories help local businesses earn more search engine traffic and visibility. Getting listed typically involves filling out a form with your business information.

Google Business Profile is the first place any local business should submit their information, and it’s free. A completed profile allows you to appear on Google Maps, and you can add photos and business details to encourage visits.

You should also submit your information to other business directories. Here is a list of places where local businesses can get citations.

Services like Yext or Synup make it easy to post to many directories simultaneously, though they can be a significant investment — Yext in particular can run into the thousands of dollars per year for multiple locations. More budget-friendly alternatives include BrightLocal’s Citation Builder and Whitespark, both of which offer citation management at a lower price point.

8. Advertising and Sales

Paid advertising and direct sales are another way to generate more brand mentions. The primary goal is revenue, but as more people use your product, brand mentions naturally follow.

If your paid advertising delivers a strong ROI, you can scale growth quickly. Large brands have relied on this strategy long before online marketing existed — and it works just as well for smaller businesses, provided the economics make sense.

Native advertising, social media ads, and Google Ads are solid starting points. Depending on your audience, TikTok Ads, LinkedIn Ads, and connected TV or streaming platforms may also be worth testing.

If you are building an audience for content marketing, paid ads can accelerate that process significantly. Pairing paid visibility with a strong online reputation management strategy ensures that the attention you attract converts into lasting brand trust.

To Sum It Up

Getting brand mentions is an important part of achieving strong results from your online marketing. Use monitoring tools to track mentions of your own brand and your competitors, and invest time in activities that increase awareness of your business. For a deeper look at how your overall online presence affects your brand, explore our guide to running an online reputation audit.