# Free-user backlink ask on published output

> Ask free users who already publish the output from your product on their own sites or blogs to link back to the tool as part of that workflow.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/free-user-backlink-ask-on-published-output/
- Source: [kapwing.com](https://www.kapwing.com/blog/how-we-got-our-first-10-customers/)
- GrowthDex source hub: [Kapwing Blog](/sources/kapwing-blog-kapwing-com/)
- Last checked: May 24, 2026
- Rarity: rare
- Budget: free
- Channels: SEO, Product, Lifecycle
- Stages: acquisition, link building, authority
- Key metric: Kapwing said all 15 of its first paying customers came through Google within three weeks of launching the paid offering.

## Why this can grow

If users already distribute your output publicly, they are in the best position to create relevant backlinks with almost no extra friction. The ask is more credible than cold link building because it is attached to something they genuinely used. It also compounds trust because the links come from real workflow pages, not artificial SEO exchanges.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. For SEO and AI search, I care less about clever keyword tricks and more about clarity. A buyer, crawler, or answer engine should quickly understand who this is for, why it works, what proof backs it, and what page deserves to be cited. For acquisition, I would keep the first test narrow enough that a clear yes or no is possible. Broad reach is not useful if the signal is muddy. For this tactic, I would watch one clear growth signal before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where free-user backlink ask on published output can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the SEO and Product channel.
3. Use the evidence from kapwing.com to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: one measurable growth signal.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

Kapwing said it emailed non-premium users, many of whom were content creators, and asked them to add links to Kapwing.com on their websites or blogs while they were already publishing work made with the product.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [Newsworthy side-tool backlink bait](/growth-ideas/newsworthy-side-tool-backlink-bait/) - same source, 1 shared channel, 1 shared stage
- [Startup-learning post backlink wedge](/growth-ideas/startup-learning-post-backlink-wedge/) - same source, 1 shared channel, 1 shared stage
- [Self-serve template landing-page generator](/growth-ideas/self-serve-template-landing-page-generator/) - 2 shared channels, 1 shared stage
- [Enriched company-page programmatic SEO](/growth-ideas/enriched-company-page-programmatic-seo/) - 2 shared channels, 1 shared stage

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [The small proof should travel before the pitch does](/blog/the-small-proof-should-travel-before-the-pitch-does/) - community-led growth, SEO

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.