Small businesses can become big businesses once you start collecting quality local backlinks. We’ve got 15 proven strategies to build local backlinks for your business and improve your local SEO.
15 Proven Strategies to Build Local Backlinks for Your Business
- Create High-Quality, Shareable Content
- Leverage Local Business Directories
- Write Guest Blog Posts
- Build Relationships with Local Influencers
- Claim Unlinked Mentions
- Become Their Go-to Resource Center
- Network with Local Businesses
- Leverage Social Media Engagement
- Seek Testimonials from Customers and Partners
- Work Those Infographics
- Submit Your Content to Online Communities
- Reclaim Broken Links
- Publish Local Success Stories
- Partner with Nonprofits
- Host or Sponsor Local Events
Stay tuned after the 15 strategies for a helpful idea guide to get your imagination running and help you build local backlinks effectively for your local business.
1. Create High-Quality, Shareable Content
Develop content like blog posts, infographics, videos, and how-to guides that are informative and engaging, making them more likely to be shared and linked by others as you build local backlinks naturally.
If your business has a website, start by linking your content back to your site. Don’t start with linking to or from your social media accounts.
Here’s the thing… a business owner doesn’t own their followers on any of their social media accounts. This means that if the social network goes down, or you lose access to your account for any reason, you lose access and your direct line to all your followers. The best thing to do is to build a foundation from your website, using all the tools available, but keeping a controlled line to your customers.
Are Missed Customer Calls Costing You Business?
Transform Your Business with a Voice AI Receptionist and Effortlessly Capture Every Call While Boosting Sales
2. Leverage Local Business Directories
Submit your business details to reputable local directories such as Yelp, Google My Business, and industry-specific platforms to gain backlinks and improve local SEO.
Keep your business information correct and updated at all times. Also, be sure your information is exactly the same across all directory platforms. Search engines are finicky and will frown upon your business for any error (we’re talking down to punctuation). Is this fair? No! But, you’re a REBEL local business owner so you know you can’t count on fair.
3. Write Guest Blog Posts
Partner with blogs relevant to your industry to contribute valuable content. Include a backlink to your site within the author bio or content. Some business owners are concerned this will send business to their competitors, but here’s the thing… There’s plenty of business to go around. Your product or service may be just what they’re looking for and for whatever reason, the path they follow to get to you will many times, lead them through that guest post you wrote. There’s always a chance for you to win new customers!
4. Build Relationships with Local Influencers
Collaborate with local bloggers, vloggers, and social media influencers who can mention your business in their content, helping you build local backlinks from trusted local sources.
Are there local influencers relevant to your business or niche? Start networking and building relationships with them. It can’t hurt to reach out and if they recognize you’re offering something of value that could contribute to their cause, they’ll be more than happy to collaborate with you.
5. Claim Unlinked Mentions
Monitor online mentions of your business using tools like Google Alerts or BuzzSumo. Reach out to site owners and request that they add a link to your site.
6. Become Their Go-to Resource Center
Create resources like industry statistics, reports, or toolkits that others in your niche will naturally want to reference and link to as you build local backlinks over time. You know your business and you can share the information you have that will be helpful to your target audience.
Becoming a go-to resource for your target audience requires you to present yourself as an authority in your field. Knowing how to create content and messaging that is effective is essential for this. Learn how to present your AUTHORITY with EFFECTIVE MESSAGING, and be prepared to watch your local business grow!
7. Network with Local Businesses
Build partnerships with complementary businesses in your area. For example, a florist could exchange links with a local wedding planner. Side bar: I didn’t always write for local SEO… for years I managed and coordinated for a small wedding venue in Los Angeles, and I can tell you from personal experience, that there is nothing more helpful than to have a list of trusted vendors I can hand my clients – also check out our post on SEO for wedding planners. This helped me to streamline the entire process and it solved a lot of planning issues my clients had.
8. Leverage Social Media Engagement
Actively share and promote your content on social media platforms. The more your content is shared, the more likely it is to attract backlinks and help you build local backlinks naturally.
9. Seek Testimonials from Customers and Partners
Offer testimonials for products or services you’ve used. Businesses often showcase testimonials on their websites with a backlink to the author’s site, helping you build local backlinks from trusted partners.
Reviews are the new word-of-mouth and you want as many quality and honest reviews as possible. Keep an eye out for negative reviews and have your plan ready to go so your potential customers can see that you are involved and interested in their satisfaction.
10. Work Those Infographics
Infographics are visually appealing and easily shareable, making them a powerful tool for earning backlinks from content-sharing platforms. Infographics especially appeal to those individuals who are visual learners and need to see the information in the form of an image in order to make sense of it.
11. Submit Your Content to Online Communities
Share your articles, guides, or resources in forums like Reddit, Quora, or niche-specific communities. Ensure your posts are relevant and not overly promotional.
12. Reclaim Broken Links
Find broken links on websites in your niche and offer your content as a replacement. Use tools like Ahrefs or Broken Link Checker to find these opportunities.
13. Publish Local Success Stories
Share case studies or success stories of how your business helped local customers. Other businesses and local publications may link to these stories.
14. Partner with Nonprofits
Collaborate with nonprofits in your area. Charities often list their sponsors or partners on their websites, offering valuable backlinks.
15. Host or Sponsor Local Events
Organize community events or sponsor local initiatives to build local backlinks from event websites, community calendars, and partner promotions. Event websites often link back to sponsors, offering a great opportunity for quality backlinks. Think about what kind of community you have. Is there any culture that dominates the area where you do business? Is there any way for you to contribute to the causes in your area? Work that into your brainstorming session. People love being appreciated and honored; doing this will ultimately bring you more regular business.
It’s time for some ideas. The following should help to get your creative wheels turning so you can start implementing some of this to grow your collection of local backlinks and improve your local SEO. Ready local business REBELS?
Let’s go!
Idea Guide
Community-Oriented Events
DIY Workshop Night
- Host a hands-on workshop that aligns with your business. For example:
- A coffee shop could offer barista training.
- A craft store could teach DIY holiday décor making.
- Charge an entry fee or sell kits with the necessary materials.
Local Talent Showcase
- Organize an event featuring local musicians, poets, or artists.
- Partner with other businesses to co-sponsor, and set up a vendor area for your products or services.
Family Movie Night
- Sponsor a free outdoor movie screening in a park.
- Sell snacks, drinks, or promotional items at the event.
Seasonal Photo Booth Event
- Set up a themed photo booth for holidays like Halloween, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day.
- Offer the photos for free with a purchase or for a nominal fee.
Pet-Friendly Event
- Host a pet adoption day or a “cutest pet” contest.
- Offer discounts or pet-related items to attendees.
Promotional Events
“Try Before You Buy” Event
- Provide free samples or trial sessions of your products/services during a special event.
- Offer exclusive discounts for purchases made on-site.
Pop-Up Market
- Partner with complementary small businesses to host a one-day pop-up market.
- Use your venue to attract foot traffic and feature your offerings.
Customer Appreciation Party
- Invite loyal customers to an exclusive event with free refreshments, giveaways, and discounts.
Interactive Events
Community Scavenger Hunt
- Create a scavenger hunt with clues leading to your business and nearby local spots.
- Reward participants with discounts or small prizes.
Themed Trivia Night
- Host a trivia night relevant to your industry (e.g., food trivia for a restaurant or tech trivia for a gadget store).
- Charge an entry fee and offer prizes.
Educational Events
Business Networking Mixer
- Host a networking evening for local professionals or small businesses.
- Sell tickets or provide food and drinks for a fee.
Expert Speaker Series
- Bring in an expert to discuss topics related to your business or the local community.
- Charge an entry fee or promote your services/products at the event.
Skill-Building Workshops
- Offer sessions that help customers learn something new (e.g., personal finance, marketing tips, or hands-on crafts).
Health and Wellness Events
Yoga or Fitness Class Pop-Up
- Partner with a local fitness instructor to host a class in your space or a nearby park.
- Offer refreshments or related products for sale after the class.
Mental Health Awareness Day
- Offer free resources, workshops, or short talks about stress management and self-care.
- Sell related products like journals or relaxation kits.
Festive Celebrations
Holiday-Themed Events
- Host a “Santa’s Workshop” or “Easter Egg Painting” for families.
- Include product promotions or exclusive sales for attendees.
Cultural Festival
- Celebrate a specific culture or holiday (e.g., Lunar New Year, Cinco de Mayo).
- Feature relevant food, music, and products.
Interactive Competitions
Cooking or Baking Competition
- Invite community members to participate in a competition judged by local influencers or chefs.
- Promote your business during the event.
Art or Design Contest
- Host a contest for local artists to design something relevant to your brand (e.g., a new logo or mural).
- Offer prizes and showcase the winner’s work.
Fitness Challenge
- Sponsor a “Steps Challenge” or “Plank Contest.” Be nice, don’t do a “Burpee Contest.” That will not help you.
- Partner with fitness apps or gyms to boost participation.
These events are flexible and can be tailored to your business’s niche and target audience. They encourage community engagement while driving traffic to your business.
By implementing these strategies, small business owners can build local backlinks organically and create a diverse, authoritative backlink profile that strengthens their website’s SEO performance.
Robert & Liz, RebelFish Local CoFounders, doing local volunteer work.We are RebelFish Local and are here to help you with all your SEO needs. Download our free resource for 5 Hacks That Will Get You On Page 1 Of Google today, and start climbing to the top of Google!