Unlinked Mention Finder
Check brand mentions before requesting a link.
A brand name can appear in an article without being clickable—even when the page already links to your website somewhere else. Check the candidate pages you have collected, see the mention and link evidence, and build a clearer list for outreach review.
Enter your brand phrases, owned domains and candidate URLs, or inspect saved HTML snapshots. Review article excerpts, existing destinations and findings that need a manual check. Export the results as CSV or JSON.
Current scope: Up to 8 candidate pages per check, with 1–5 brand phrases and 1–5 owned domains. The tool checks supplied sources; it does not search the web for new mentions.
Check your candidate pages
Add your brand phrases
Use the business, product or brand names you want to find. Include a genuine alternative spelling if publishers use one.
For example:
- AcmeWorks
- Acme Workshop
Start with distinctive names. A common word can appear in an unrelated article, and a matching phrase does not establish that the publisher is discussing your business.
Choose whether to ignore letter case. The current checker matches literal phrases; it does not automatically identify aliases, interpret Boolean searches or confirm brand identity.
Add the domains that belong to your brand
Include the official websites whose links should count as existing brand links. This might include your main domain and a separate product or regional website.
With subdomains included, a link to shop.example.com counts for example.com. A link to notexample.com does not.
Add domains because they belong to the brand, rather than because you would like a link from them.
Choose live URLs or HTML snapshots
Live URLs: Supply the full public addresses of the candidate articles. The tool inspects the HTML returned by those URLs.
HTML snapshots: Import a CSV or TSV containing exactly two columns: url and html. Quote cells containing commas or line breaks. Include complete, authorized source HTML where possible.
A plain-text article cannot preserve the link evidence needed for this check. A snapshot is inspected as supplied; it is not a fresh verification of the live page.
Complete the verification step, then select Find unlinked mentions.
What is an unlinked brand mention?
An unlinked brand mention is a reference to a business, product or other brand phrase without a corresponding link to an official website.
That definition still needs context. The phrase may identify another company. A link may appear in an image, source credit or footer. A tracking address may lead to your site through a redirect.
This finder checks selected mention text alongside direct links to the domains you declare. It helps you identify pages worth reviewing before you approach a publisher.
A review candidate is a starting point for an editorial decision. It does not establish that a publisher owes your business a link.
See why each page received its finding
A selected phrase appears in the inspected text and no matching direct brand link was found with sufficient link-scan evidence.
A selected mention and a direct link to a declared brand domain were found.
None of the supplied phrases matched the selected text.
The source belongs to a domain you declared as yours.
The available link evidence cannot support a reliable absence check.
The source could not be fetched or the requested text area could not be inspected.
An unavailable page stays unavailable. Incomplete link evidence stays uncertain. Neither becomes an unlinked opportunity simply because the checker did not find a link.
Review the evidence behind the result
Mention excerpts
Open Mentions to read the matched phrase in context. Check that it refers to your business and that a link would help someone reading that passage.
For a product mention, the relevant product page may be a better destination than your homepage.
Existing brand links
Open Brand links to inspect destinations, anchor wording, location and available rel attributes.
A direct link marked nofollow, sponsored or ugc still counts as an existing link. The report shows those attributes for context; it does not calculate their ranking contribution.
The brand phrase itself does not have to be the clickable text. A linked product image or a separate source credit can explain why a page already counts as linked.
Source text and inspection notes
Open Source text to check the text used for phrase matching. Review the source URL, final URL, selected area and available fetch notes.
These details help distinguish a genuine content match from an extraction problem. A check time describes when the inspection ran; it does not prove when a publisher first mentioned your brand.
Focus on the article while checking links across the page
The Mention area setting controls where the checker looks for your brand phrases.
Auto selects the first main element, otherwise the first article element, otherwise the body. You can also select a specific supported area. An explicitly selected area that is missing is reported as not inspected.
By default, navigation, headers, footers, sidebars and forms are excluded from mention text. Review Source text to confirm the intended content was selected.
Existing brand links are checked across the HTML document, including areas outside that mention text. This matters when an article mentions you in a paragraph but credits your website elsewhere.
It also prevents a common outreach mistake: asking a publisher to add a link without noticing the one they already included.
Three examples of a useful review
An article names AcmeWorks and contains no direct link to example.com.
If the text and link scan are sufficient, it can enter the review queue. Confirm the identity and inspect the original article before preparing a request.
An article names AcmeWorks and links to example.com with a sponsored attribute.
The page already contains a brand link. The attribute does not turn it into an unlinked mention.
An article names AcmeWorks, but a destination cannot be resolved reliably.
The evidence needs a closer look. An uncertain result is more useful than a confident claim based on an incomplete scan.
These are illustrative scenarios, not live publisher opportunities or measured campaign results.
Build a practical review list
Search the results by source URL and filter by finding to focus on candidates, existing links or unresolved checks.
Download Pages CSV for a page-level review list. It includes the finding, source information, selected phrases, counts and an initial excerpt.
Download Report JSON for the returned report, including the available evidence and inspection settings.
The current exports include all returned pages, even when the on-screen table has a filter applied. The JSON report covers the submitted check; it is not a complete record of mentions across the internet.
Use your exported list to record decisions such as review again, already linked, wrong brand, contact considered or no request needed.
Find candidate pages before running the check
Bring URLs from your existing press coverage, manual search research, brand alerts or a discovery service.
Collect the actual article addresses rather than search-result pages. Remove obvious duplicates and keep enough context to understand why each page may be relevant.
If you are preparing a list from supplied text or markup, the URL, Link and Domain Extractor can help organize those inputs. It extracts from the content you supply; it does not fetch pages or discover brand mentions.
Run the mention check after collecting candidates, then review the strongest findings in the original articles.
Make an editorial request that helps readers
Before approaching a publisher, confirm that:
- The mention refers to your business.
- The information around it is accurate.
- The page does not already provide an appropriate link.
- The proposed destination supports the passage.
- The request fits the publication’s contact and editorial policies.
A useful request identifies the article, the relevant passage and the reason a destination would help readers.
Example draft to adapt manually:
Subject: Source link for your AcmeWorks reference
Hello [editor’s name],
Your article [article title and URL] mentions AcmeWorks in the section about [specific topic]. The relevant [product details, documentation or original research] is available at [destination URL]. If it would help readers check that information, would you consider adding the source link?
Thank you,
[name and role]
Review the passage and destination yourself before using this draft. The current tool does not find contact details, send messages or manage follow-up.
A publisher may choose to keep the mention as plain text. There is no guaranteed response, publication outcome or search-ranking improvement.
Continue your link review
Explore the SEO and content tools for other parts of your workflow.
Need help organizing publisher outreach?
A list becomes more useful when someone reviews the brand identity, chooses the right destination and records each editorial decision.
Discuss your audience, target pages and review requirements through our blogger outreach services. Share the context you have already collected so the next step can be scoped around your campaign.
If you are planning new articles as a separate campaign, compare guest post publisher options. An existing unlinked mention and a new paid placement are different publishing decisions.
Discuss an outreach project
Frequently asked questions
Does the Unlinked Mention Finder search Google or the whole web?
The current tool checks candidate URLs or HTML snapshots you supply. It does not run a web discovery search, collect new mentions automatically or monitor a brand over time.
Does a brand-name match confirm the article is about my business?
No. The checker matches phrases. Similar company names, generic words and product names can produce unrelated matches. Read the excerpt and original article to confirm identity.
Why does a page count as linked when the brand name is plain text?
The page may link to an owned domain elsewhere, such as in a product image, source credit or footer. Link inspection covers the HTML document even when mention matching is limited to the article.
Does a nofollow link count as an unlinked mention?
No. A direct link to one of your declared domains counts as linked regardless of nofollow, sponsored or ugc attributes.
Does it follow tracking links or render JavaScript?
The current check reads returned HTML and direct anchor destinations. It does not execute scripts or follow every outbound redirect. Check the rendered page manually when those details could change the finding.
Can I upload saved HTML?
Yes. Use a CSV or TSV with exactly the columns url and html. Preserve the relevant markup. A snapshot result describes the supplied material, which may differ from the current live page.
Why did I receive “Link evidence uncertain”?
The checker could not complete a reliable link-absence assessment, for example because destinations were unresolved or the anchor scan reached its limit. Review the evidence rather than treating that finding as an opportunity.
Can I export a filtered list?
The current table can be filtered on screen, but Pages CSV and Report JSON include all returned pages. You can filter the exported CSV in your own review workflow.
Is this the same as backlink discovery or lost-link recovery?
No. This workflow starts with supplied pages that may mention your brand. A backlink index starts with discovered links, while lost-link recovery starts with a link known to have existed previously.
Are submitted HTML and reports stored in WordPress?
The published tool notes state that submitted HTML and reports are not stored in WordPress. The check involves server processing, and hosting and verification-provider policies apply separately. Review the privacy policy before submitting material.
Check the mention. Review the evidence. Choose the next step.
Bring your candidate pages and official domains. Separate existing links, review candidates and uncertain findings before preparing your outreach list.
Check brand mentions