Link building is just as beneficial to local SEO as it is for any other type of SEO. Moreover, many of the same techniques apply here as well. This includes publishing valuable content for your target audience, promoting it to relevant influencers, guest posting on other blogs, and obtaining links from relevant resource listings.

If you want to improve your company’s local SEO, consider local link building. Building local backlinks takes more outreach and hands-on effort, but the benefits to your business are well worth your time and effort. Here are seven local link-building tips and strategies for your business.

1. Establish Social Media Profiles

Setting up social media profiles is the first local link-building strategy. Using platforms like Google My Business, Facebook, and Instagram to connect with your customers outside of your website is a great way to connect with them. It’s also one of the simplest ways to create a backlink to your website.

2. Look For Local Business Directories

Local search results are not always tailored to large online directories, such as the Better Business Bureau or Whitepages, which display your company’s NAP details and earn a backlink from a high-authority domain. Look for local online directories that assist residents in locating local businesses and services.

To find local business directories, use Google’s advanced search features. To help you, Google provides a free Advanced Search tool. In Google’s Advanced Search, type in your desired keyword or phrase. You can narrow your results even further by returning only pages with your target keyword or phrase in the title or URL.

3. Search For Industry-Specific Directories

Another excellent way to increase local backlinks to your website is to join an industry-specific or niche directory. These directories are industry-specific and frequently include competitor data. Niche directories are critical in the buyer’s journey in some industries, such as the legal industry. Moreover, backlinks from niche directories can drive relevant referral traffic, as well as pre-qualified leads to your website.

Use Google’s Advanced Search tool to filter results for keywords or phrases when looking for industry-specific directories. A search for “lawyer directory” would return only pages that contained the phrase. Pages that contain the phrase in their title or URL will be displayed. However, be aware if a particular industry directory charges a fee or requires a subscription.

4. Contact Local Newspapers, Forums, And Communities

While this local link-building tips necessitates more manual outreach, reaching out to local newspapers, forums, or online communities is a great way to promote your business in your community while potentially earning some quality local backlinks in the process.

If you already have some local newspapers, forums, or communities in mind, you can use Google’s Advanced Search tool to find pages on each website or domain that contain your target keyword or phrase. The following are examples of common search terms:

  • Business feature 
  • business spotlight 
  • entrepreneur spotlight 
  • local business spotlight
  • spotlight on local businesses 
  • spotlight on small businesses

Once you’ve determined whether or not these local newspapers, forums, or communities, publish articles or posts about your target keyword or phrase, you can align your content or offer with their publication. If you can truly align your content or offer with their publication, you will demonstrate to them that you can help their audience, increasing your chances of receiving a backlink.

Send a press release or contact the site’s point of contact to see if your content or offer will be featured. Before pitching your content, get in touch with the site’s point of contact. You can use this to introduce yourself, gauge interest, and plan your next steps. If your content is relevant, keep your fingers crossed for a quality backlink!

5. Look For Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsorship opportunities are another way to earn local backlinks and increase your business’s visibility. However, only sponsor entities that are important to your company for local link-building purposes. Moreover, your organization could support charities, events, or even suppliers. 

6. Contact Local Bloggers And Influencers

Consider reaching out to local bloggers or influencers in your area to do a feature on your business. You can also offer to trade your product or service for a feature. This way, they will receive some sort of benefit as well. This type of local link-building tips can help increase your business’ visibility in your community and, as a result, reach more potential customers because they will most likely have a decent following.

7. Keep An Eye On Your Competitors’ Backlinks For Relevant Opportunities

You can then examine your competitors’ backlink profiles to see if there are any gaps. This strategy necessitates more time and effort, as well as the use of a tool, such as Ahrefs or SEMrush. SEMrush allows you to enter the websites of your competitors and view their backlink profiles, which include total backlinks and referring domains, page and domain authority, and any shared backlinks or referring domains.

A gap is a relevant domain that links to the websites of your competitors, but not to yours. Then, contact these domains and request that they link to your site.

Conclusion

Building local links is an important strategy for increasing traffic to your local business. It raises awareness in your community and invites people to try out your products or services. If you follow these local link building tips, your local SEO will improve, and Google will reward your site with higher local rankings.