Over the past few years, the Google searches for businesses nearby people that involve the phrase “near me” have skyrocketed! The same goes for searches involving the phrase “open now near me.” This shows the increasing importance of local link building in SEO. It also is the reason why people have started paying more attention to local link building tips and started incorporating local building in their content marketing strategies.
So, if you have started paying attention to local link building strategies, then you need to start right now, especially if you want to expand your business. Link building for local SEO must be a key component of your SEO strategy. In other words, you must not overlook it!
Local SEO inbound links are just as beneficial and important as other SEO metrics for establishing your website as a local authority.
We have created a guide on local link building tips to guide you about harnessing the power of local SEO link building.
As we dig deeper in this guide, you will also find essential tools to get local links so you can set yourself apart from your competitors.
What is Local SEO Link Building?
The process of getting high-quality backlinks from other reputable local websites is known as “local SEO link building.” By applying local backlinks tips to improve your organic visibility for extremely regionally specific search terms, you can reach a greater percentage of prospective consumers in that area.
Link building for local businesses can be defined more simply as the process of obtaining recommendations, brand mentions, and backlinks from other local businesses. The popularity of local links is a reliable measure of how much they impact a local business’s popularity when it comes to search engine rankings.
One of the most potent strategies to increase your site’s authority and visitor numbers is to get backlinks from other websites. One of the easiest ways to prove that your website is useful to a specific geographic area is to gain backlinks for local SEO from other sites in that area.
Obtaining backlinks from other websites is one of the most effective ways to raise the authority and traffic of your website. Getting a local SEO backlink for your website from another website in that area is one of the simplest ways to demonstrate to potential customers that your website is valuable in that particular location.
Building links for local businesses requires more than just accumulating backlinks. Building strong relationships with locals, taking part in and supporting community events, and doing these things can help customers view your company as a reliable source.
11 Local Link Building Tips
If you want to know how to get local backlinks, here are some local backlinks strategies for you to follow if you want to take your business to the top:
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Sponsor Local Events (In Your Area)
If you’ve ever gone to a local event, you know that they’re a fantastic way to promote your company and deepen your involvement in the neighborhood.
Sponsoring an event in your area can give you benefits beyond obtaining a high-quality local SEO backlink. Many event websites receive a lot of traffic, which might increase the number of people who visit your website.
However, where can you find such local events to support in order to improve your SEO?
You can cook through the city newspaper in your area. Local event calendars, which often present excellent sponsorship opportunities, can be found in your city paper.
Plus, you can examine the local event listings. Event calendars are frequently kept up to date by local news and government websites, and holding or sponsoring these events can frequently result in a mention.
But how can you find these events? All you need to do is perform a quick search on your search engine of choice such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo.
Just search for:
- (The name of your city) events
- (The name of your city) event calendar
You can also add specific topics in your searches in order to narrow down the results.
- (The name of your city) intitle: sponsors
- (The name of your city) intitle: association
- (The name of your city) intitle: donors
Or you can use Meetup to search for local events. You can offer your office as a venue in exchange for a mention or a backlink, sometimes both.
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Get Local Press Mentions
Getting articles about your business published in the local press, such as newspapers and news websites, is another one of local link building tips.
This is akin to listing your business in regional directories. Reaching out to local sources like newspapers, websites, and blogs is a great way to raise brand awareness and reputation, even though it requires more time and work than other link building for SEO approaches.
Finding articles where your brand was mentioned and contacting the site administrators to request a link will help you get your business linked to by local media.
All you have to do is write a brief, courteous email to the editor asking them to include a link to your website.
That’s it!
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Get Your Business Listed On Alumni Pages
Advertising your business on alum websites is another successful local SEO link building tactic. Numerous academic institutions publish articles or maintain websites showcasing the enterprises of their former students.
If you attended school in the same county or city as the company you represent, it’s a great approach to build local SEO inbound links.
On the university website, look for listings of alumnae businesses. Locate one and get in touch with them to ask about featuring your company. Websites for colleges and universities frequently have strong domain metrics and local relevance. So, it’s a win-win situation for you.
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Monitor Any Unlinked Mentions
Another one of the simplest local link building tips is asking website owners or webmasters who have written about your business to include a link to your website. Even though it might seem like a lot of work, Google Alerts can make it very easy for you to automate the process.
Google Alerts allows you to personalize a number of features, including the frequency of your notifications and the topic you choose to receive alerts on. If your company is well-known in the area, it can be mentioned multiple times.
All you have to do is check to see if you are connected to the site when you get an alert. If there isn’t a backlink in the mention, ask the publisher to add one.
This method of getting local links is also a really good method of keeping tabs on how frequently your brand is getting mentioned by other businesses and websites online. As a result, you will get to know what other people say about your company.
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Build Business Relations in Your Area
One of the quickest and finest local link building strategies is to cultivate strong ties with other businesses in your local community. You’ll find a lot of opportunities to build local links on your own if you shift your focus from link building for local SEO to relationship building. Here are some of the best methods for striking up a professional conversation.
- Go through the contacts on your list. Making a connection with people you currently engage with on a regular basis can be beneficial.
- Form alliances with other business owners whose products or services complement yours.
- Speak with your suppliers. Manufacturers typically disclose their partners on a vendor’s page these days. Reaching out to these brands could make link building for your website somewhat easier.
- In business, in-person interactions are very beneficial for developing relationships. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet in person with a coworker if you can; you might accomplish much more than by just sending an email.
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Work on Building Citations
Next on our list of local link building tips is building citations. In fact, this needs to be your initial priority when creating a local link building strategy. Getting essential information about your company listed in as many places as you can should be your aim of citation building.
Citations and backlinks are not the same thing. Backlinks are connections to your website made by other websites. The name, address, and phone number (NAP) of your company are listed in internet business directories as citations, on the other hand. Getting citations can help you get local links when a company directory includes a backlink to your website.
Business directories frequently provide nofollow links. But getting as many directory placements as you can is worthwhile because these links are really simple to build and help your firm gain relevancy. You can also build citations for free on a plethora of local business directories, including NextDoor, Yelp, YellowPages, and more.
Look for industry-specific directories that are targeted to your particular expertise in order to uncover more options for building citations. Using search phrases such as these makes it simple to locate industry-specific directories:
- (name of your industry) directory
- (name of your industry) listings
- (name of your city) (name of your industry) directory
- (name of your city) (name of your industry) listings
Before you start building local SEO links, make sure to learn more about the directories you find. Verify that they are relevant to your company, receive a good volume of traffic, and concentrate on directories that provide free listings. If you come across directories that charge for listings, make sure the advantages of having a presence outweigh the cost.
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Work With Experts in Your Area
Another one of local backlinks strategies that you can use is networking with knowledgeable residents in your area. For the best link building results, work with local authorities who are knowledgeable in verticals related to your business. Finding authorities in domains that are similar to your area of expertise should be your first move. We suggest using web directories to find local specialists in the field.
By getting in touch with these experts, you can find potential partners that can offer reliable knowledge on the topic at hand. Collaborating with local authorities also enables you to deliver more comprehensive information to your audience.
In addition to that, if your partners share your content on their websites and social media accounts, you will gain backlinks that will boost your SEO.
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Create Locally Relevant Content
Locally targeted content on its own shouldn’t be your main priority because it isn’t likely to garner many links. However, that being said, when combined with the other local link building tips we’ve covered, local content can aid in drawing in your target market.
Think about the kinds of articles that readers in your area are looking for. Think about writing articles or lists that focus on location-based keywords because they can be very successful.
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Take Part in Local Business Associations
Gaining high search engine rankings in your area can be achieved in part by obtaining trustworthy backlinks from other respectable companies. With a few keystrokes and Google searches, you can find them. Before committing to membership, visit the website of the local business organization to determine whether the SEO advantages for companies are worthwhile.
So ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the rank of their page on Google? They might not be very significant to your field if they are not listed on the first page of results.
- Do you know if they maintain a list of their members? Verify if you can get a mention along with a citation and a backlink.
- In terms of authority in their domain, particularly with reference to their website, where do they stand? In general, a website will improve your search engine ranks more the more authoritative it is.
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Write Guest Articles for Others
As the proprietor of a local business, you possess particular information that could be useful to others. Utilize this data to write articles or guest posts for the neighborhood newspaper. This is similar to guest blogging in certain ways. You make a list of regional magazines that allow guest articles and send your pitches to the editors of such newspapers.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that not every local magazine that writes about your business will include a link to your website. This can be applied to news outlets in particular.
Nevertheless, that’s positive publicity, and if other media pick up the story, it could result in more links. However, if obtaining links from news coverage is your top concern, be sure the websites you’re reaching out to offer them.
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Make a Deal With Businesses to Give References
A business will give a backlink to your website from their official page if you write them a favorable recommendation. The relationship helps the business as well because it may spread the word about its service to additional people (your audience).
You can also reach out to SEO companies to help you compile a list of nearby businesses to advertise. You can then get in touch with them to inquire about their interest in utilizing your review. Seek out nearby businesses that have case studies, client testimonials, or stories on their website. These sources are ideal because they will have a history of establishing links with other websites.
And this is where we put a full stop to our local link building tips!
Challenges Of Link Building for Local SEO
When we discuss local link building tips, we usually picture finding a large number of reputable websites and persuading them to link to ours.
It is hard for most local businesses to rank effectively in local search results because they lack a strong content strategy. Small business owners typically lack the resources to hire link building SEO services, which means they are unable to acquire the kinds of assets that would organically generate a lot of backlinks and raise brand awareness.
When searching for local businesses, users don’t anticipate finding amazing content. All they need is referrals from trustworthy local companies. This implies that they are not searching for informational keywords, but rather targeted ones.
One important element connecting the success of local firms is their local relevance. Links to local businesses rather than national chains are more common on websites catering to a particular region. As part of your local link building tips, it is crucial to reach out to your local market.
What Are Some Good Tools for Link Building for Local SEO?
You have all the local link building tips that you will need in order to run a successful local SEO link building campaign.
However, what if we tell you that you can get even more benefits out of the above given local link building tips?
Sounds too good to be true, right?
Well, it isn’t!
It is absolutely true.
There are tools that youc can use to get help in various aspects of local link building strategies, from finding opportunities and analyzing competitors to managing outreach and citations. Depending on your specific needs and budget, you can find a good tool that is suitable for your local SEO inbound links strategy.
Here’s some more good news:
You do not have to waste your time doing the research yourself.
We have already done it for you!
We have searched and reviewed some amazing tools to help you get the most out of your local link building tips. Let’s take a look:
Moz Local
Moz Local is an indispensable tool for businesses aiming to maintain accurate and consistent business information across online directories. With Moz Local, you can effortlessly manage your local business listings, ensuring that crucial details such as your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are uniform across the web. Consistency in NAP information is pivotal for local SEO, as it reinforces trust with search engines and potential customers alike.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a powerhouse SEO tool renowned for its comprehensive backlink analysis capabilities. For local businesses seeking to gain an edge over competitors, Ahrefs offers invaluable insights into their backlink profiles. By delving into your competitors’ local backlinks, you can unearth hidden opportunities to bolster your own link building efforts and enhance your local search visibility.
Bright Local
Bright Local empowers businesses with a suite of tools tailored for local SEO success. Among its arsenal is a citation builder designed to streamline the management of your business citations—mentions of your business across various online directories. With Bright Local, you can effortlessly audit and manage your local citations, ensuring consistency and accuracy to boost your local search rankings.
SEMrush
SEMrush stands as a comprehensive SEO toolkit offering multifaceted insights into digital marketing strategies. When it comes to local link building tips, SEMrush shines in dissecting competitor backlink profiles to uncover lucrative opportunities. By analyzing your competitors’ local backlinks, you can identify untapped avenues for acquiring high-quality links and fortifying your position in local search results.
Google My Business
Google My Business (GMB) serves as the cornerstone of local SEO, providing businesses with a platform to showcase their offerings directly in Google’s search results. By optimizing your GMB listing with up-to-date information, captivating visuals, and encouraging customer reviews, you can elevate your local visibility and attract valuable local backlinks from authoritative sources.
Hunter
Hunter facilitates efficient outreach efforts by simplifying the process of finding email addresses associated with specific domains. For businesses engaged in local link building tips, Hunter proves invaluable in identifying and contacting relevant local businesses, organizations, and influencers. With Hunter, you can streamline your outreach strategy and forge meaningful connections within your local community.
Pitchbox
Pitchbox revolutionizes the outreach process with its automation capabilities, enabling businesses to scale their local link building efforts without compromising personalization. Whether you’re reaching out to local bloggers, influencers, or media contacts, Pitchbox empowers you to craft tailored outreach emails, manage follow-ups, and track campaign performance — all from a single, intuitive platform.
Local Citation Finder by Whitespark
The Local Citation Finder by Whitespark is a specialized tool designed to streamline the process of discovering and analyzing local citations. With this tool, businesses can identify existing citations, uncover new citation opportunities, and assess the quality and consistency of their business information across various directories. By mastering local citations, businesses can bolster their local SEO efforts, improve their local search rankings, and attract valuable local backlinks from reputable sources.
How to Get Local Backlinks FAQs
What is local link building, and why is it important?
Local link building involves acquiring backlinks from websites within your local community or area. It’s crucial for businesses targeting local customers as it improves local search visibility, enhances credibility, and drives more traffic to your website.
How can I find local link building opportunities?
You can find local link building opportunities by leveraging local directories, partnering with local businesses, sponsoring local events, participating in community activities, and reaching out to local media outlets and bloggers for collaborations.
What are some effective strategies for local link building?
Effective local link building tips include creating valuable local content, optimizing your Google My Business listing, getting listed on local directories and review sites, reaching out to local bloggers and influencers, and engaging in local community outreach and sponsorships.
How can I ensure the quality of local backlinks?
You can ensure the quality of local backlinks by focusing on relevant and authoritative local websites, avoiding spammy or low-quality directories, prioritizing websites with high domain authority and relevance to your industry or niche, and avoiding black and grey hat SEO tactics.
What are the benefits of guest blogging for local link building?
Guest blogging on local websites allows you to reach a targeted local audience, establish authority in your industry or niche, build relationships with local influencers and bloggers, and earn high-quality backlinks that can improve your local search rankings.
Should I prioritize local link building over general link building?
It depends on your business goals and target audience. If your target customers are primarily local, prioritizing local link building can yield better results in terms of local search visibility, brand awareness, and customer engagement. However, a balanced approach that includes both local and general link building can be beneficial for the overall SEO strategy.
How long does it take to see results from local link building efforts?
The timeline for seeing results from local link building tips can vary depending on factors such as the competitiveness of your industry, the quality of backlinks acquired, and the effectiveness of your overall SEO strategy. Generally, it may take several weeks to months to see noticeable improvements in local search rankings and website traffic.
How can I measure the success of my local link building campaigns?
You can measure the success of your local link building campaigns by tracking key metrics such as website traffic, search engine rankings, domain authority, referral traffic from local sources, and conversions or leads generated from local visitors. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console can provide valuable insights into the performance of your local SEO efforts.
Final Thoughts on Getting Local Links
And there you have some of the best local link building tips you will ever need.
All you need to do is use these local link building tips wisely and apply them where they fit the best. You will definitely see some really good results if you use the above-given local SEO backlink strategies as well as local SEO link building tools.
If you do not get it right in the first attempt, do not worry. It might take you some time to master local SEO link building.
Best of luck!
