How to Build Genuine Backlinks for Your New Beauty Cosmetics Brand: A Step-by-Step Course

17/06/2025

(image credit: NBC)

Let's be real: launching a beauty brand in today's saturated market feels like whispering in a stadium full of megaphones. So how do some indie brands go from unknown to everywhere in under a year without burning through their entire budget?

Two words: strategic backlinks.

They're not sexy, but they work.
And no, we're not talking about buying shady links from outdated directories. We're talking about earned backlinks, the kind that build SEO, trust, and actual visibility.

If you're launching a cosmetics or skincare brand in North America or Northern Europe, here's your step-by-step plan to start building powerful backlinks, using smart tools, real strategy, and a dose of PR charm.

Case in Point: How One Skincare Brand Did It Right

Let's take a clean beauty skincare brand launched in Scandinavia in 2022 (name under NDA, but the playbook is public).

They had no VC backing, just a founder with a derm background and a tight product line. In 9 months, their domain went from DR5 to DR47.

What they did right:

  • Used a spokesperson (the founder) to pitch insights to journalists

  • Focused on platforms where beauty editors request expert comments

  • Sent 15+ tailored pitches per week to build momentum

  • Scored backlinks from major beauty publications, wellness blogs & even industry B2B portals

The result?
5x growth in organic traffic, dozens of product mentions, and a 3rd-party reseller offer—all from backlinks that cost them... basically time.

First, What's the Goal?

Your endgame with backlink building isn't just "traffic."

It's authority, relevance, and long-term organic visibility.

The right backlinks help you:

  • Rank higher on Google

  • Get found by actual buyers (not just bots)

  • Build domain trust so your entire site performs better

  • Catch the eyes of distributors, influencers, and retailers

In short: good backlinks = compound visibility.

Step-by-Step: Your Backlink Blueprint

1. Choose Your Expert Spokesperson

People trust people, not brands. So who's your face?

It can be:
→ A dermatologist, cosmetic chemist, or esthetician
→ Your founder (if they have a personal story or expertise)
→ A long-term influencer partner

Tool tip: Use ChatGPT to help draft their professional bio and key talking points that will anchor your pitches.

2. Sign Up for Expert-Journalist Match Platforms

Platforms exist where journalists post queries like:

"Looking for a skincare expert to comment on acne ingredients trends."

You reply. If they love your pitch, they include your quote + backlink.

Popular tools:

  • Q&A/Expert sourcing platforms (some free, some freemium)

  • Beauty-specific media request newsletters

  • Local press contact databases (for region-specific targeting)

Effort math:
Send 10–12 pitches/week = 1–2 wins (average).
Consistency matters.

3. Technical Deep Dive: What Makes a Backlink Valuable?

Not all backlinks are created equal. Here's what makes one powerful:

Factor Why It Matters
Domain Authority (DA) Higher DA = more SEO trust
Relevance From a beauty site? Gold.
Placement In-body editorial links > footers
Anchor Text Use branded or natural keywords
Dofollow Passes SEO juice (vs. "nofollow")

Pro tip: Use tools like Ahrefs or Ubersuggest to analyze link quality post-placement.

5. Test, Tweak, Improve

Just like skincare—what works for one won't work for all. Here's how to optimize:

Test different pitch styles
→ Thought-leadership vs. product education vs. trend commentary

Track pitch-to-placement ratio
→ If you're under 5%, revise subject lines or angles

Experiment with timing
→ Some editors open pitches at 6am Monday. Others prefer mid-week. Track this.

Update your media list quarterly
→ Journalists move fast—keep it fresh.

4. Measure What Matters

Here's how you know your backlink efforts are working:

SEO Metrics:

  • Domain Rating (DR)

  • Referring Domains

  • Organic Keywords increase

Traffic Metrics:

  • Traffic from referral links

  • Landing pages linked in media = more conversions

Bonus KPI:
Track brand mentions. Even unlinked brand citations build SEO when paired with PR campaigns.

So What's the Cost & Return?

Let's break it down like a founder would:

Item Cost Estimation
Your Time (3–5 hrs/week) $0–$250 (if in-house)
Tools (optional) $0–$50/month
Outreach Admin (VA, optional) $300–$600/month

Result after 3 months:
- 10–30 high-authority backlinks
- 5–10 featured media placements
- SEO growth: up to 50–100% traffic increase
- More inbound inquiries, influencer collabs & reseller attention

Engagement you can expect:

  • Readers clicking your link from articles

  • Social mentions from the publications

  • Direct traffic spikes from media exposure

  • Increased newsletter sign-ups and low-cost conversion rates

Final Takeaway: It's Not Magic. It's Method.

Backlink building isn't a hack—it's a habit. It's showing up as a credible expert, week after week, telling a story that aligns with what editors and readers care about.

And it works. Especially in beauty and cosmetics, where authenticity + visibility = conversion gold.

So ask yourself:
Who's your voice? What's your angle? And are you ready to pitch it with power?