Definition
A brand mention is a textual reference to your brand, company, or website on a third-party page without a hyperlink. Since Google's patent on 'implied links', unlinked brand mentions are considered a trust and authority signal complementary to traditional backlinks. Google can associate a textual mention of your brand with your entity in the Knowledge Graph, even without a link. Brand mentions are particularly important in the E-E-A-T context as they demonstrate a brand's reputation and awareness. An effective strategy involves monitoring brand mentions with tools like Google Alerts, Mention, or Brand24, then contacting sites mentioning your brand without a link to request the addition of a backlink (link reclamation technique).
Key Points
- Textual reference to a brand without hyperlink, an implicit trust signal
- Google considers unlinked mentions as 'implied links' since its patent
- Monitor and convert mentions into backlinks via link reclamation
Practical Examples
Mention in a press article
An online media outlet mentions 'LemmiLink' in an article about link building trends in France without including a link. This mention strengthens brand awareness and can be converted into a backlink via a request email.
Forum citation
A user recommends your platform by name in an SEO forum. Even without a link, Google identifies this mention as a trust signal for your brand.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, brand mentions are a supplementary signal to backlinks, not a substitute. A backlink remains more powerful than a simple text mention. However, mentions contribute to your brand's overall awareness in Google's eyes.
Use Google Alerts (free), Mention, Brand24, or monitoring features from tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush. Set up alerts on your brand name, products, and executive names.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07