Why Brand Mentions Matter More Than Backlinks (And Also, Why That’s Annoying)

Welcome to the Weird World of Brand Mentions

Let’s get one thing straight: backlinks are great. They’re basically the SEO version of getting tagged in someone’s viral TikTok. But lately, there’s a new trend in town—brand mentions. That’s right. Search engines are now giving side-eyes and subtle nods to your brand even if nobody links to you.

In other words:

Google might like you… just for being talked about.

Which is nice. And also infuriating.

Wait—What Are Brand Mentions? (And Should I Panic?)

Brand mentions are exactly what they sound like: your brand’s name being dropped somewhere online. Doesn’t matter if it’s a blog post, podcast transcript, Yelp review, Reddit thread, tweet, or a YouTube video comment that says:

“Ugh I bought from MostlyFunctional.com and I’m emotionally recovering.“

👍 That’s a brand mention.

👎 Still no therapy included.

There are two kinds of mentions:

• Linked = someone mentions you and links to you. This is SEO gold.
• Unlinked = someone just drops your name without linking. This is SEO… silver. Or maybe bronze. Or vibes.

Do Unlinked Mentions Actually Matter? ( Yep.)

Back in the day, Google only cared about backlinks. If no one linked to you, you didn’t exist.

But then Google developed emotions (just kidding… maybe), and now it pays attention to “implied links.” This means if your brand is mentioned on reputable sites—even without a link—Google might think:

“Hmm. People seem to know this brand. Maybe I should care.”

So yeah, unlinked brand mentions = digital street cred. They show:

• You’re not a figment of your own content strategy
• Real humans (and bots) are aware you exist
• People trust you enough to say your name out loud on the internet

Even Bing—yes, people still use Bing—confirmed that brand mentions impact rankings. And Google? Well, their PR-approved responses sound like:

“Unlinked mentions aren’t links, but… like… they matter, okay?”

Translation: They’re important. Just not in a way that’s conveniently measurable. Thanks for that, Google.

How Brand Mentions Actually Help SEO (So You Can Justify All This Effort)

1. Builds authority and trust

The more often you’re mentioned in trusted spaces, the more you look like an authority. It’s like being quoted in a TED Talk instead of a group chat.

2. Boosts E-E-A-T

Expertise. Experience. Authoritativeness. Trustworthiness. Brand mentions support all of this—even if they’re unlinked. Google sees a brand mentioned all over the place and goes,

“Okay, maybe they’re not totally useless.”

3. Strengthens your reputation

Good mentions = good vibes. Reviews, shoutouts, rants with positive energy—it all builds a perception of trust.

Bad mentions? Also useful. Because they give you a chance to respond, fix things, and look like a brand that cares. A wild strategy, I know.

4. Brings in referral traffic

If someone reads about your brand in a blog post, even without a link, they might just Google you. That’s dark traffic. And you can’t track it.

But it’s happening. (Creepy, right?)

Examples From the Wild (SEO Isn’t Just Theory, You Know)

• Linked mention win: A small SaaS tool got dropped in a “Top 10 Tools” roundup. Got a sweet backlink and a ranking boost. Easy. Clean. Delicious.
• Unlinked mention magic: A local restaurant gets rave reviews on Yelp. No links. But their Google My Business traffic? Climbing. People saw the brand, remembered it, searched for it. Boom—local SEO.
• Fixing the unlinked gap: A company noticed a blog had mentioned them without linking. They asked nicely. The blogger added a link. Cue traffic bump, backlink boost, and dopamine rush.

How to Get Brand Mentions Without Selling Your Soul

Let’s be honest: nobody’s going to mention your brand if your content is trash. So here’s how to be mention-worthy:

Create stuff worth referencing

• Evergreen blog posts
• Wildly useful guides
• Genuinely funny rants (you’re welcome)

Partner with people louder than you

• Influencers
• Thought leaders
• Niche celebrities who drink weird coffee and post about it

Do media outreach like a grown-up

• Guest posts
• Interviews
• PR stunts that don’t end in lawsuits

Encourage your audience to talk

• Ask for reviews
• Run contests
• Feature user content (then they’ll brag about it)

Actually participate in the internet

• Forums
• Social groups
• That one Slack channel you joined and forgot about

Yes, There’s Data. Here’s the Proof

• A 2025 study by Seer Interactive showed a 0.65 correlation between being mentioned and ranking on Page 1. Strong. Like morning espresso.
• BuzzSumo got 200 links in a month by reaching out to sites that mentioned them but didn’t link. That’s hustle.
• 91% of marketers said SEO efforts (brand mentions included) improved their overall performance in 2024. That’s everyone. Except Chad. Chad still thinks TikTok is SEO.

Want to Track Mentions? Use These Tools:

Set up alerts for your name, your brand, your CEO, your product—heck, even your misspellings. It’s all data.

Let’s Clear Up the Usual Confusion

Myth: Only linked mentions matter

Truth: Unlinked ones build authority, trust, and make you look real.

Myth: Google treats brand mentions like backlinks

Truth: They’re not 1:1. But they still influence how Google sees you.

Myth: More mentions = better SEO

Truth: Quality > Quantity. A mention on Forbes > 100 on your cousin’s blog.

Myth: Social media mentions don’t count

Truth: They’re not direct ranking factors, but they start the ripple that leads to links, traffic, and search interest.

Quick Win Checklist: How to Get More Mentions Today

• Publish something ridiculously useful
• Add your brand name to every visual or download
• Monitor who’s already talking about you
• Follow up to turn unlinked mentions into backlinks
• Make your brand too interesting to ignore

Final Thought: You Might Be More Famous Than You Think

If people are talking about you and you don’t know it?

That’s terrifying—but also powerful.

Mentions are happening in blogs, forums, podcasts, and inboxes.

Track them. Earn them. Use them.

Unlinked or not, your name has weight—and Google is watching. Always.

Now go make some noise worth being mentioned.