Backlinks helped a lot with Marketing DB’s growth, and the idea is actually very simple. Instead of sounding like an SEO textbook, think of backlinks as other sites vouching for your project in public
What a backlink really is
A backlink is just one website linking to another website, nothing fancy.
When someone links to your project page, they’re telling both their users and Google, “this is useful”.
Why developers should care
Good backlinks help your site rank higher on Google, so people can discover your project without ads.
They also send direct traffic from people who are already interested in your niche, which usually means better engagement and signups.
What changed for Marketing DB
On Marketing DB, there are now 40+ projects listed, and backlinks are a big reason traffic keeps growing.
When projects share their Marketing DB listing on X, blogs, and portfolios, each of those links becomes a backlink to the site.
Over time, this helped the directory show up more often for long-tail searches like “marketing tools for founders” or “tool directories for indie hackers”.
Why it works well for a directory
A directory like Marketing DB is a natural backlink magnet.
Every new project listed has a reason to link back: “Find us on Marketing DB,” “Featured on Marketing DB,” etc..
As more builders link to their listings, the whole site’s authority grows, which lifts all projects on the platform in search as well.
MarketingDB listed 40+ projects and more ahead
-> https://marketingdb.live
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