Directory Backlinks for Software Companies: What Still Works
Which directory backlinks still help software companies in 2027, how Google treats nofollow and paid links, how to judge a directory and how to check a link yourself.
Directory backlinks still help software companies in 2027, but not in the way old SEO advice promised. Most directory profile links are marked nofollow, ugc or sponsored, which Google says will generally not be followed, and Google's spam policies list low-quality directory links as link spam. What still works is a small number of relevant B2B directories where buyers compare vendors, used for referral visits, reviews, trust checks and consistent company data. This guide explains how directory links are treated, how to judge a directory and how to check a link yourself, without promising rankings no one can promise.
What a directory backlink is
A directory backlink is the link from your company's profile on a directory back to your website. On a B2B directory such as Clutch, GoodFirms or Trusted IT Firms, it usually sits on a "Visit website" button or in the profile sidebar. Whether that link can pass ranking signals depends on the rel attribute the directory adds to it.
Google's documentation on qualifying outbound links describes three values:
| Attribute | What Google says it is for | Where you see it on directories |
|---|---|---|
| rel="sponsored" | Links that are advertisements or paid placements | Paid or featured listings |
| rel="ugc" | User-generated content such as comments and forum posts | Profiles and reviews written by users |
| rel="nofollow" | When other values do not apply | Most free profile links |
| No attribute | A normal link, often called "dofollow" | Some smaller directories and editorial mentions |
Google says links with these attributes "will generally not be followed", although it may still discover the linked pages in other ways, such as sitemaps. There is no official "dofollow" attribute. The word simply describes a link without a qualifying value.
What Google's spam policies say about directories
Google's spam policies list several practices as link spam that are directly relevant to directory submission:
- "Low-quality directory or bookmark site links".
- "Using automated programs or services to create links to your site".
- "Buying or selling links for ranking purposes", including exchanging money for links. The same section says paid links are not a violation when they are qualified with nofollow or sponsored.
- "Excessive link exchanges" and partner pages that exist only for cross-linking.
Put together, this means three things for a software company. Mass submission to hundreds of directories is a risk, not a strategy. A directory selling you a "dofollow" link for money is offering exactly what Google describes as link spam. And a nofollow link from a directory your buyers use can be worth far more to the business than a followed link from a directory nobody visits.
What directory listings still do well
Take rankings off the table and directory profiles still do five useful jobs:
- Referral visits from buyers. People comparing development partners on a directory are close to a decision. A few visits from them can be worth more than hundreds of casual visitors.
- Trust checks. Buyers who find you elsewhere often look you up on a review directory before replying. A TechBehemoths survey published in August 2026 found 84.5% of tech companies rated reputable third-party listings as very or extremely important.
- Reviews. Verified client reviews on an independent site carry more weight than testimonials on your own website.
- Consistent company data. The same name, location, services and founding year across reputable profiles helps search engines and AI assistants describe you correctly. The same survey reported 65.4% of respondents saying clients discover them through AI tools.
- Brand searches. A buyer who sees you on a category page may search your name later. That visit shows up as Google in your analytics, but it started on the directory.
Keep the numbers in proportion. The TechBehemoths survey also found directories produced 2.1% of new business for respondents, against 29.1% for Google Search. Directories support your other channels. They rarely replace them.
Four myths worth dropping
- "More directories means more authority." Volume is exactly what Google's policies target. Fifty thin listings add maintenance and risk, not value.
- "Nofollow links are useless." They can still bring buyers, reviews and brand searches. Judge the audience, not the attribute.
- "A high domain authority score means a directory is good." Domain authority is a third-party estimate. A large general directory can score highly while sending no software buyers at all.
- "Directory submission is a one-off task." Outdated profiles with an old address, a former team size or retired services send mixed signals to buyers and search engines. Profiles need a quarterly check.
How to judge a directory before you join
| Check | Good sign | Bad sign |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | Lists software, IT or agency firms only | Accepts any business or website in any category |
| Real companies | Recognisable firms in your niche, with recent activity | Empty categories, placeholder text, spam entries |
| Editorial control | Manual review or verification before a profile goes live | Instant approval for anything |
| Reviews | Reviewer verification and visible review dates | Anonymous five-star ratings with no detail |
| Ranking rules | Published criteria and disclosure of paid placements | No explanation of order |
| Offer | Visibility to buyers, measurable leads | "Guaranteed dofollow backlink" or "boost your DA" |
| Search presence | Its category pages appear for searches like your service plus a city | Its pages are not indexed or never appear |
If a directory fails on relevance or sells links as its main benefit, skip it. Third-party metrics such as domain authority are estimates from SEO tools, not Google measures, so do not let one number decide.
How to check a directory link yourself
- Open your live profile and find the link to your website.
- Right-click the link and choose Inspect in Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
- Look at the highlighted a element. If it contains rel with nofollow, ugc or sponsored, the link is qualified. If there is no rel value, or only values such as noopener, it is a plain link.
- Check again after any plan change. Some directories qualify links differently on free and paid profiles.
- In Google Search Console, the Links report shows which external sites link to you, which confirms that Google has found the profile.
Do this for every directory you use and note the result in your listings spreadsheet. It takes a minute and removes guesswork.
Profile quality is what turns a listing into leads
Whatever the link attribute, a thin profile wastes the opportunity. The profiles that bring enquiries share a few features:
- A description that names your services, technologies, industries and typical client size in plain language.
- An hourly rate band and minimum project size, so buyers can qualify you quickly.
- Two or three case studies with a problem, solution and measurable result.
- Recent client reviews, with replies from you.
- Accurate team size, location and founding year that match your website and LinkedIn.
Our guide on how to write an IT company profile that wins enquiries has templates for each part.
Where directory work fits in your SEO
For most software companies, rankings come from useful service pages, case studies, technical content and links earned from real relationships: partners, clients, events, podcasts and industry publications. Directory listings support that by making your company easy to verify and by sending qualified visits. Our guide to B2B SEO for software agencies covers the wider strategy.
When choosing where to list, start with the platforms in where to submit your software company website and the comparison of free agency directories. For general listing sites, see our earlier guide to free business listing sites for IT companies.
Measure the listings, not the links
Judge every directory by what it does for the business. Tag profile links with UTM parameters where the platform allows, ask each new lead how they found you, and record profile views and review counts each quarter. After six months, keep investing in directories that send visits, enquiries or reviews, and stop spending time on the rest.
Conclusion
Directory backlinks are not a ranking shortcut, and any directory that sells them as one is selling something Google calls link spam. Used honestly, a few relevant directories still help software companies get found, checked and contacted. Choose them for their buyers, fill the profiles properly and measure the results. To add your company to a directory built for IT and software firms, list your company free on Trusted IT Firms and check the profile link yourself once it is live.
Frequently asked questions
Do directory backlinks help SEO?
Not much on their own. Most directory links are nofollow, ugc or sponsored, which Google says will generally not be followed, and Google lists low-quality directory links as link spam. The value is in referral visits, reviews and trust.
Should I pay for a dofollow directory link?
No. Google's spam policies treat buying links for ranking purposes as link spam unless the links are qualified with nofollow or sponsored. Pay only for visibility you can measure.
How do I check whether a directory link is nofollow?
Right-click the link on your live profile, choose Inspect and look for a rel value containing nofollow, ugc or sponsored. No rel value means it is a plain link.
Are nofollow directory links worthless?
No. A nofollow link from a directory your buyers use can bring qualified visits and enquiries, which is worth more than a followed link from a directory nobody visits.
How many directories should a software company join?
A handful of relevant ones, usually two or three B2B directories plus Google Business Profile and LinkedIn, kept complete and up to date.
Sources
Add trusteditfirms.com as a preferred source on Google, or open this page in your AI assistant to use it as a source.
