You own a fantastic local business. Your products are amazing, your customer service is excellent, and everyone in your community knows and loves what you offer. But there's a big problem: when potential customers search online for businesses like yours, you're nowhere to be found. Your website is buried on the second or third page of Google while your competitors, who don't offer as much value, are in the spotlight.
This is a frustrating problem many local business owners face. Every day your website stays hidden means lost opportunities, missed sales, and customers choosing your competitors instead. It feels like you're doing everything right, but your digital presence simply isn't resonating.
The worst part? You don't need to spend thousands on expensive ads or complicated marketing tricks to solve this. The solution is simpler than you think, and it's something that can help you stand out in local search results, where it matters most. You need to build local backlinks, which are one of the most potent and effective ways to improve your online visibility.
Local backlinks are like digital recommendations. When other local websites link to your business, they're telling Google that you're a trusted part of the community. These links are seen as votes of confidence and will help your business show up higher in local search results, meaning more people will find you when they need your services.
In this guide, we'll walk you through nine easy and actionable strategies to help you start building the best local backlinks. These strategies are designed for local businesses just like yours to help you increase your visibility and dominate local search results. Let's get started and unlock your business's full potential!
What Are Local SEO Backlinks and Why Are They Essential?
Before diving into strategies, let's understand exactly what local SEO backlinks are and why they are so crucial for your business.
A backlink is a link from one website to another. Local SEO backlinks refer to links from websites that are geographically relevant to your business. For example, suppose you own a pizza shop in Brooklyn. In that case, a link from a local Brooklyn-based blog about "Best Pizza in Brooklyn" is a highly valuable local backlink.
Why are local backlinks so important?
1. They Signal to Google You're a Local Authority
Google views backlinks as a form of vote of confidence. When a trusted local website links to your business, Google interprets that as a signal that you're a reputable authority within your geographic area. This is essential for local SEO, as Google uses these signals to determine which businesses to rank highly for location-based searches.
2. They Drive Highly Relevant, Ready-to-Buy Traffic
Backlinks from local websites help attract traffic from people who are not only geographically close but also likely interested in what you offer. For example, someone reading a blog post about "Best Brooklyn Restaurants" will likely be in the market for a new place to eat. A link from that blog will send ready-to-buy customers your way, which is the most valuable kind of traffic for any local business.
3. They Strengthen Your Digital Footprint
The more local websites that link to you, the stronger your digital presence becomes. Each link builds brand recognition and trust. Over time, this visibility establishes your business as a key player in your local area.
Bonus Tip: The Rule of 7 in marketing suggests that a customer must see your brand at least seven times before they're likely to make a purchase. Local backlinks help increase these impressions and improve your chances of converting website visitors into paying customers.
The Anatomy of a High-Quality Local Backlink
Not all backlinks are created equal. For optimal results, focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks. A high-quality local backlink has four key characteristics:
1. Relevance
Relevance is the most crucial factor when it comes to local backlinks. The website linking to you should be related to your industry or local community. For example, if you own a pet store in Chicago, a backlink from a local pet-related blog or Chicago-focused directory is much more valuable than a link from a random site about tech gadgets.
2. Authority
The authority of the linking website plays a critical role in the effectiveness of the backlink. In SEO, Domain Authority (DA) is a metric used to measure a website's overall authority and trustworthiness. While you don't need links from massive websites like Wikipedia, acquiring links from local sites with high DA (preferably higher than your own) will pass more link juice and help improve your SEO rankings.
3. Geography
The "local" aspect of local SEO backlinks is critical. A link from a website that is geographically relevant to your business sends a strong signal to Google that you are indeed a local authority. Links from local news outlets, community organizations, local directories, and even city-specific blogs are ideal.
4. Link Attributes (Dofollow vs. Nofollow)
Links come with attributes that influence how Google views them. Dofollow links tell Google to pass authority to the linked website. In contrast, nofollow links traditionally tell Google not to pass authority. While dofollow links are preferred, nofollow links should not be ignored—they can still offer some SEO benefit as Google now treats them as a hint rather than a command.
9 Proven Strategies to Build the Best Local Backlinks for SEO
Now that we understand the importance of local backlinks and how to identify high-quality links, let's look at nine actionable strategies that can help you build the best backlinks for your local SEO.
1. Optimize Your Local Citations and Directory Listings
Before diving into complex backlink strategies, start with the basics. Getting listed on key directories is one of the easiest and most effective ways to build foundational local backlinks.
- Google Business Profile (GBP): This is the most powerful tool for local SEO. Make sure your profile is complete with the correct name, address, phone number (NAP), and a link to your website. A fully optimized GBP will improve your visibility in Google's local search results.
- Core Directories: Ensure your business is listed on major platforms, including Yelp, Bing Places, and Apple Maps. Google highly regards these platforms and offers valuable citations and backlinks.
- Hyper-Local Directories: Search for directories specific to your city or industry. For example, if you're a local real estate agent, get listed on Zillow or your local real estate directories. Similarly, contractors should look into directories like Houzz or HomeAdvisor.
Pro Tip: Use tools like Gindexer to automate and manage your directory submissions. This will save you time and ensure your business is consistently listed across all major directories.
2. Engage Actively in Your Local Community
Building real-world relationships with other local businesses and organizations can lead to valuable backlinks that signal trust and relevance to Google, ultimately enhancing your online presence.
- Sponsor Local Events: Sponsoring local sports teams, charity events, or festivals is an excellent way to earn backlinks. These events usually have a dedicated web page that links to sponsors.
- Host Local Workshops or Classes: Host events at your location or partner with other local businesses to offer free workshops or seminars. The event page created for these activities often leads to backlinks from local event calendars and community sites.
- Partner with Charities or Nonprofits: Many local charities will thank their sponsors with a backlink to their website. Partnering with a local charity can not only strengthen your community ties but also result in backlinks from trusted nonprofit (.org) websites.
Example: A local yoga studio sponsors a charity run in the city, and the event website includes a sponsor page with a link to the yoga studio's website. This not only strengthens the yoga studio's local authority but also builds goodwill in the community.
3. Become a Source for Local News and Media
Local journalists and bloggers are always looking for expert sources to quote. Positioning yourself as a thought leader can lead to backlinks from highly authoritative local sites.
- HARO (Help a Reporter Out): Sign up for HARO to get notifications of media opportunities. Responding to a relevant query can land you a feature and a backlink from a local news site.
- Build Relationships with Local Journalists: Follow local reporters on social media, share their stories, and engage with their content to foster meaningful connections. Once you've built a relationship, you'll be better positioned to pitch your business as a valuable source for their stories.
- Write and Distribute Press Releases: If your business is celebrating a milestone or accomplishment, writing a press release and distributing it to local media outlets can get you featured in local news, earning a valuable backlink in the process.
4. Leverage Your Professional Relationships
Your existing network of suppliers, vendors, and partners is an excellent resource for backlinks. Cultivating relationships with these partners can benefit both parties.
- Write Testimonials for Partners: Offer testimonials to suppliers or service providers, and request that they include a backlink to your site alongside your testimonial.
- Create a "Local Favorites" Resource Page: Highlight other local businesses you work with on your website. Once the page is live, email those businesses and let them know you've featured them. Many will reciprocate by linking back to you.
5. Create Hyper-Local Content That Deserves Links
Content marketing is an excellent way to attract backlinks naturally. When you create valuable content that serves your local community, other websites will want to link to it.
- Ultimate Local Guides: Create detailed, in-depth guides about your city or neighborhood. A guide like "The Ultimate Guide to Exploring [Your City]" or "Best Local Hidden Gems in [Your City]" will attract backlinks from local blogs and websites.
- Interview Local Experts: Interview other local business owners, community leaders, or influential figures and feature them on your blog. Often, the individuals you interview will share the content and link back to your site.
Pro Tip: Regularly update your content to keep it fresh and relevant. As your community changes, so should your content.
6. Find and Claim Unlinked Brand Mentions
Sometimes, websites mention your business but don't link to it. These unlinked brand mentions present a low-hanging opportunity for backlinks.
- Use Alerts: Set up Google Alerts for your business name and monitor mentions across the web.
- Reach Out: Once you find an unlinked mention, send a polite email to the website owner thanking them for the mention and asking if they would be willing to add a link to your website.
7. Analyze Your Competitors' Backlinks
One of the easiest ways to find backlink opportunities is by analyzing the backlink profiles of your competitors.
- Use Backlink Analysis Tools: Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or Ubersuggest can help you identify where your competitors are acquiring their backlinks.
- Identify Opportunities: Look for local directories, blogs, or events where your competitors are listed and consider getting featured there as well.
8. Host or Speak at Local Events
Position yourself as a thought leader in your community by hosting or speaking at local events and conferences.
- Host Meetups: Use platforms like Meetup.com to organize a local event for people in your industry. The event page itself provides a valuable backlink.
- Speak at Conferences or Business Groups: Offer to speak at local business networking events or local Chamber of Commerce meetings. These events often list speakers and include backlinks to their websites.
9. Don't Forget Internal Linking
While internal links (links from one page of your site to another) aren't technically backlinks, they play a significant role in your overall SEO strategy.
- Internal Link Structuring: Ensure that you link to important pages on your website, such as your services or contact page, from blog posts or other relevant pages.
- Reinforce Local Themes: Use geographic keywords within your internal linking. For example, linking to your "Best Plumbing Services in [Your City]" page from a local blog post will signal to Google that your business is relevant to that specific location.
Conclusion: Start Building Your Local SEO Backlinks with Gindexer
Building local backlinks is one of the most crucial steps you can take to enhance your business's online presence. It helps search engines like Google see your business as trustworthy, relevant, and important in your local area. This increases the likelihood that your website will appear on the first page when potential customers search for it—don't give up. It has to be there. By following the nine strategies we shared—like optimizing your business listings, sponsoring local events, and creating valuable content—you can start building a strong backlink profile that will help your business grow.
Remember, the key to success in local SEO is patience and consistency. Don't expect results overnight. As you build relationships within your community, get listed in local directories, and share helpful content, your website will gradually rise in the search rankings.
However, we know that managing all of this can be time-consuming. That's where Gindexer can help. We offer a user-friendly platform that automates many of these tasks for you. From submitting your business to high-quality directories to managing your citations, Gindexer enables you to save time and focus on what matters most—growing your business.
At Gindexer, we make it simple to get started with local SEO. Our tools are designed to support business owners like you, making local backlink building easier and more efficient. Let us help you get your business noticed by the right people.
Get Started Today! Visit Gindexer.com to sign up and see how our services can boost your local SEO efforts. The sooner you start, the sooner you'll see your business grow. Don't wait—take the first step now!