# Unlinked Brand Mentions: How to Find Them and Ask for a Link

> Find unlinked brand mentions, confirm there is no link, decide which deserve a request, and ask politely with a filled example email.

Canonical: https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/backlinks/unlinked-brand-mentions/
Author: Dex SEO, Editorial team
Published: Oct 21, 2026 · Updated: Oct 21, 2026

## Key takeaways

- Confirm there is really no link before contacting anyone.
- Ask only where a link clearly helps the article's readers.
- Thank the writer first and suggest a specific link location.

An unlinked brand mention is a page on another site that names your company, product, or people without linking to your website. The writer already knows you and chose to mention you. In some cases, a link would help their readers find what they mentioned. Asking for that link is one of the most natural link requests you can make.

Not every mention deserves a request, though. This guide shows how to find mentions, decide which ones to act on, and ask politely. For the wider picture of earning links, see the [backlinks guide](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/backlinks/).

## What counts as an unlinked mention

Look for these types:

-   Your company or product name in an article, review, or list.
-   A quote from someone on your team, attributed by name and company.
-   Your data or research cited without a link to the source page.
-   Your images or charts used with a text credit but no link.
-   A misspelled version of your brand or website address.

Mentions of your research are especially worth tracking. If you published a study, writers may cite the numbers and forget the source. The [original research guide](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/backlinks/original-research-backlinks/) explains how to make crediting easier from the start.

## Find mentions with free methods

**Search operators.** Search for your brand name in quotes and exclude your own domain, for example `"Harbor Tide" -site:harbortide.example`. Google documents how the [site: operator](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/monitor-debug/search-operators/all-search-site) limits results to a domain. Add terms like your product names or founder’s name to find more.

**Alerts.** Set up [Google Alerts](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/4815696) for your brand, product names, and common misspellings. New mentions then arrive by email.

**Coverage you already know.** Review articles from PR campaigns, partner announcements, and event listings. Coverage from [digital PR](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/backlinks/digital-pr/) often cites a company without a link.

**Your existing link data.** Search Console’s [Links report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606) shows a sample of sites that already link to you. A mention from a site missing from that list may be unlinked, but always check the page itself.

## Confirm there really is no link

Before you contact anyone, open the page and check:

1.  Search the page for your domain in the text and links.
2.  Check the author bio, image credits, and source notes at the end.
3.  Look for a link to your social profile, which may be the writer’s choice.
4.  Note whether the page is recent and still maintained.

Asking for a link that already exists is an easy way to lose credibility.

## Decide which mentions to pursue

| Situation | Ask for a link? | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Your tool or data is cited, and readers would want to use it | Yes | The link directly helps readers |
| Your product appears in a comparison or list | Usually | Readers may want to evaluate it |
| A team member is quoted | Sometimes | A link to a relevant page can add context |
| A passing mention in a news story | Rarely | A link adds little for readers |
| A negative review or complaint | No | Address the issue, not the link |
| A site that looks spammy or sells links | No | A link there is not worth having |

Prioritize mentions on pages that serve your audience and are well maintained. The scoring filters in the [link prospecting process](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/backlinks/link-prospecting/) work here too.

## Ask for the link politely

Thank the writer first. They mentioned you by choice. Then suggest the link as something for their readers.

_Fictional example._ Harbor Tide is an imaginary boat maintenance software company. A regional boating blog listed its winterizing checklist without a link.

> **Subject:** Thanks for including our winterizing checklist
> 
> Hi Morgan,
> 
> Thanks for mentioning our winterizing checklist in your off-season guide. We’re glad it was useful.
> 
> Readers looking for it can find the printable version here: \[URL\]. If a link would help them, it could go on the checklist name in your third section.
> 
> Either way, thanks again.
> 
> Sam, Harbor Tide

The message is short, specific, and easy to ignore without awkwardness. For subject lines, follow-ups, and sending rules, see the [link building outreach guide](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/backlinks/link-building-outreach/).

## Handle images, quotes, and misspellings

Some mentions need a slightly different request:

-   **Your image or chart with a text credit.** Thank them for crediting you and suggest linking the credit to the original page, where readers can see the full context.
-   **Your image with no credit.** Be polite and factual. Ask for a credit and link, and keep the tone friendly unless there is a clear rights issue for your legal contact to handle.
-   **A quote from your team.** Suggest a link to the page most related to the quote, such as the study or guide behind it, rather than your homepage.
-   **A misspelled web address.** If the writer linked to a wrong domain or path, the link is broken rather than missing. Point out the typo and give the correct URL.

## When not to ask

-   When a link would not help the reader at that point in the article.
-   When the publication has a clear no-external-links policy.
-   When the writer has already declined or asked not to be contacted.
-   When the only way to get the link is to pay. Google’s [spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) treat buying links for ranking purposes as link spam.

A mention without a link still has value. It puts your brand in front of readers and may lead to searches for your name. Do not treat every unlinked mention as a failure to fix.

## Track mentions in a simple sheet

Use one sheet with these columns: page URL, date found, type of mention, link status, decision, contact, date asked, and outcome. Review it monthly. A short routine works better than a big cleanup once a year.

Also note mentions where the writer linked to a page that no longer works. Those are not unlinked mentions; they are broken backlinks, which you can fix on your own site. The [broken backlinks guide](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/backlinks/broken-backlinks/) covers that process.

## Where DEX fits

DEX researches, writes, and publishes content connected to your products and services, and reports on how pages perform in search. Pages people mention, such as guides and checklists, are often the ones DEX helps you publish. DEX does not monitor brand mentions across the web or send link requests, so use alerts and the steps above for that part.

## Unlinked mentions checklist

1.  Search for your brand, products, people, and misspellings.
2.  Set alerts for new mentions.
3.  Open each page and confirm there is no link.
4.  Pursue mentions where a link clearly helps readers.
5.  Thank the writer and suggest a specific link location.
6.  Record outcomes and review monthly.

## FAQ

### What is an unlinked brand mention?

A page that names your company, product, or people without linking to your website.

### Should I ask for a link on every mention?

No. Skip passing news mentions, negative reviews, and sites that sell links.

### Is a mention without a link still useful?

Yes. It puts your brand in front of readers even if no link is added.

## Sources

- [Create an alert](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/4815696) — Google
- [Google Search site: operator](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/monitor-debug/search-operators/all-search-site) — Google
- [Links report](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606) — Google
- [Spam policies for Google web search](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies) — Google