Go Up vs WhiteLinko for Shopify and Ecommerce SEO

Ecommerce stores face an awkward truth about links. Few people link to a product page or a category of kitchenware simply because it exists. Publishers rarely reference online shops unless there is a reason. Yet authority remains one of the factors that separates stores ranking on page one from those stuck further down, especially in competitive categories. Strong technical foundations and well-written category pages are essential, but on their own they may not be enough.

This article explains practical, honest ways for Shopify and ecommerce brands to earn links and mentions, and compares Go Up and WhiteLinko. WhiteLinko is the author. Go Up describes itself as a multi-award-winning SEO agency based in Clerkenwell, London. It appears in a list of SEO agencies in the UK.

Why links still matter for stores

Links from relevant, trusted sites signal that a store is credible and worth recommending. They help category and product pages compete, support brand recognition and contribute to the reputation signals AI assistants draw on. For ecommerce, the goal is not volume but relevance: mentions from publications, bloggers and organisations your customers actually read.

Eight ways online stores earn links

1. Gift guides and product roundups

Journalists and bloggers publish gift guides throughout the year, especially before Christmas, Mother's Day and Father's Day. Supplying good product information, images and samples to the right writers, well ahead of their deadlines, can earn coverage with links to product pages.

2. Data from your own sales

Stores hold interesting data: which products sell most in which regions, how trends change over time, what people buy together. Anonymised and aggregated, these insights can make newsworthy stories for trade and consumer press.

3. Supplier and manufacturer links

Brands you stock may list authorised retailers on their websites. Ask to be included, with a link to your store. If you sell your own brand through other retailers, link relationships can work the other way too.

4. Useful resources

Sizing guides, care instructions, compatibility charts, calculators and how-to content attract links from forums, blogs and communities because they solve problems. A store selling bike parts, for example, might publish a detailed compatibility tool.

5. Expert commentary

Founders and staff with real expertise can offer comment to journalists writing about their category, such as a coffee retailer commenting on bean prices or a fashion brand on sustainable materials.

6. Brand story and founder features

Independent brands with an interesting origin, ethical sourcing or local manufacturing can earn features in regional press, business publications and niche blogs.

7. Unlinked mentions

Monitor mentions of your brand online. Where publications mention you without linking, a polite request often secures the link.

8. Community and partnerships

Sponsoring relevant clubs or events, partnering with charities or collaborating with complementary brands creates genuine reasons for others to link to you.

Timing outreach

Much ecommerce coverage follows a calendar. Long-lead print publications plan seasonal features months in advance, and online gift guides are often written weeks before the event. A simple outreach calendar, mapping key retail moments in your category to the lead times of target publications, helps you pitch at the right moment rather than too late. Quieter periods are a good time to build resources and gather data that can be pitched later in the year. Track which publications and writers respond, and nurture those relationships over time; a journalist who has featured your products once is likely to consider you again. Our web development team can build interactive tools that make strong outreach assets.

Influencers and disclosure

Working with creators can raise awareness, but paid or gifted content must be clearly disclosed under UK advertising rules. Links in sponsored content should be marked appropriately so search engines know they are paid. The value lies in exposure and trust with the creator's audience, not in manipulating rankings.

What to avoid

• Buying links or paying for placements disguised as editorial content.
• Link networks and private blog networks.
• Mass outreach with generic pitches.
• Irrelevant coverage that does nothing for your categories or customers.

These approaches breach search engine guidelines and can damage a store's visibility, sometimes for a long time after the links are removed.

Where links should point

Coverage linking only to the homepage helps less than links to the categories and products that matter commercially. Where appropriate, suggest the most relevant page to journalists and partners. Strong internal linking from linked pages to key categories spreads the benefit across the store.

Shopify considerations

When earning links to products, make sure they point to the main product URL rather than a collection-path variant. If products are discontinued, redirect their URLs to the most relevant alternative or category so earned links keep their value. Use canonical tags consistently so authority is not split across duplicate URLs.

Links and AI shopping answers

AI assistants increasingly recommend products and stores. Mentions in trusted publications, reviews and roundups shape which brands they suggest. Since 10 November 2026, eligible businesses can claim a listing in Businesses in ChatGPT through Business Hub; a listing does not guarantee placement in answers.

Comparison

Area	Go Up	WhiteLinko
Positioning	Multi-award-winning SEO agency	SEO and AI search agency with ecommerce experience
Location	Clerkenwell, London	Remote team led from Lahore
Ecommerce link building	Ask about its approach	Gift guide outreach, data stories, supplier links and resources
Shopify technical SEO	Ask	Canonicals, redirects, collections and speed
No paid links	Ask	We never buy links or use PBNs
Alternative pricing	Ask	Growth Partnership for suitable ecommerce brands
Terms	Ask	Three-month blocks, no long lock-in

Go Up details from its website title and description and the cited list, November 2026.

How WhiteLinko builds ecommerce authority

Our link building for online stores focuses on relevant coverage: gift guides, data stories, supplier listings and genuinely useful resources. Our ecommerce SEO work makes sure links point to the right pages and that Shopify technical issues do not waste them. Our content team creates the guides and resources that attract links, and our technical team handles redirects and canonicals. Examples of our ecommerce work include our fashion brand case study and online marketplace case study. Our AI search optimisation tracks how assistants recommend your products.

For suitable brands, our Growth Partnership charges a maintenance fee for the first three months, continuing until it is recovered from sales, then moves to a revenue share. We work with stores across the UK and beyond.

A hypothetical example

A UK online retailer of tea and teaware has strong product pages but few links. A plan might pitch its products to gift guide writers months before Christmas, publish an annual report on regional tea-buying trends from its own data, ask the brands it stocks to list it as a retailer and create a detailed brewing guide that tea forums can reference. This is illustrative, not a real client.

When Go Up may suit you

If you want a multi-award-winning SEO agency based in Clerkenwell, Go Up's positioning may appeal. Ask how it approaches link building for ecommerce stores.

Why WhiteLinko is a strong ecommerce partner

We earn relevant links honestly, make sure they reach the pages that sell and fix the Shopify issues that waste authority. You own everything and terms run in three-month blocks. For ecommerce brands that need more authority without risk, we believe we are a strong choice.

FAQs

Do online stores really need links?

In competitive categories, relevant links often make the difference between page one and page two.

Does Go Up work with ecommerce stores?

It describes itself as an SEO agency in Clerkenwell. Ask it about ecommerce experience.

Should we pay influencers for links?

Paid content must be disclosed and links marked as sponsored. The value is exposure, not rankings.

What happens to links when products are discontinued?

Redirect the URL to the most relevant alternative so the link keeps its value.

Can you promise a number of links?

No. We pitch and create link-worthy content, but coverage cannot be promised.

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