CASE STUDY

Community sponsorships deliver 321 links to product page for global software firm

Summary:

A global software company needed to diversify its backlink profile and build grassroots credibility. ZipSprout secured 321 homepage links through nonprofit sponsorships, extending visibility across community organizations and local channels.

Results Snapshot

  • 321 homepage links secured
  • Links directed to key product page
  • Featured in nonprofit newsletters
  • Promoted through events and social media
  • Visibility across 300+ community organizations
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The challenge: building community credibility at scale

The client, a global software company, needed to strengthen search visibility for a high-priority product in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Their internal SEO team was already active but faced two limitations: most of the backlink profile came from guest posts or press mentions, and they lacked bandwidth to pursue new approaches at scale.

Beyond search, the company also struggled with credibility at the community level. Their visibility was concentrated in industry channels, leaving them absent from the grassroots spaces where people gather, create, and advocate.

Our solution: nonprofit sponsorships with local reach

Building on the strategy from our partner, Citation Labs, we diversified the client’s backlink profile and built community credibility—focusing on building links from nonprofit sponsorships.

Rather than pursuing traditional link sources, the team focused on grassroots organizations such as arts groups, festivals, and community nonprofits where branded placements would feel natural and trusted.

Every sponsorship was designed to secure a homepage link, giving the client a consistent, high-visibility presence across hundreds of local sites.

Our process: structured sourcing and sponsorship delivery

The brief was ambitious: deliver hundreds of branded homepage placements that could diversify the link profile, comply with brand guidelines, and establish a presence inside trusted community networks.

We achieved this by:

  1. Sourcing opportunities from a database of more than 140,000 nonprofits, supplemented by manual research and custom outreach.
  2. Vetting organizations for homepage availability, brand safety, and budget fit.
  3. Presenting matches to the client for approval before sponsorship.
  4. Coordinating sponsorships by handling outreach, negotiation, and placement with each nonprofit.
  5. Balancing budgets across higher- and lower-cost opportunities to maximize volume without compromising quality.
  6. Fulfilling and confirming placements, ensuring every link and logo appeared as required.

The roadblocks: brand safety narrowed the field

The homepage-only requirement significantly narrowed the pool of eligible nonprofits, and strict brand-safety rules excluded entire categories of organizations. Many of the qualified organizations were volunteer-run, which often meant longer response times and extra guidance.

At times, smaller groups were even skeptical that a global brand truly wanted to sponsor them, requiring additional trust-building before a placement could move forward. We worked with each organization to confirm the legitimacy of the sponsorship, helping them receive funding and placing the link for the client.

The results: 321 links to client’s homepage

Over twelve months, ZipSprout secured 321 homepage placements from vetted nonprofits and community organizations, all branded and pointed to the client’s priority subdomain.

These partnerships extended the client’s visibility into grassroots communities, with many organizations providing added exposure through channels like newsletters and event promotion.

The scale and consistency of the sponsorships demonstrated clear value to the client.

Key results:

  • 321 homepage placements delivered over 12 months
  • 100% branded and pointed to the client product page
  • All hosted on vetted nonprofit and community organization homepages
  • Additional exposure through nonprofit newsletters, events, and social posts
  • Renewed client commitment, continuing the program into the next year

What’s next: continued partnership and future opportunities

The client has continued its partnership with ZipSprout into the next year, with new orders already underway. This ongoing work reflects the value of consistent, grassroots sponsorships as part of their long-term visibility strategy.

Looking ahead, ZipSprout is also developing complementary initiatives such as Coupons for Good and Surveys for Good. These programs illustrate how brands can extend community impact beyond traditional sponsorships and may play a role in future strategies.

Client overview:

A software company that provides digital tools for marketers, designers, and small to large businesses, supported by multiple specialized product teams.

  • Industry: Software/Digital tools
  • Size: 10,000+ employees
  • Location: San Jose, California