Top 12 Local Link Building Tactics

Local Link Building Strategies

The text provides a list of our preferred local link building strategies, however it is important to note that not all strategies are suitable for every business. For instance, a professional services firm may find it easier to acquire links from local colleges or universities, but may encounter difficulties when attempting to target a local tourist board.

Choose the tactics that best suit your business, thinking step by step. Do not add new information or remove any information.

1. Add Your Business to Local Directories

Any local business should consider this as their first step in improving their link profile.

Despite not providing the most potent local links, online business directories are usually convenient and straightforward to obtain, making them valuable to search for. Furthermore, directory backlinks alone can often be sufficient for many local businesses to achieve a respectable ranking.

When searching, it is important to be creative and use different terms as no single term will yield all the directories you desire. There are numerous directories available, including many that are specific to certain areas.

• “[your area] small business directory”
• “[your area] business directory”
• “[your area] [business type] directory”

In addition to your own city or state, consider searching neighboring towns or areas. We came across several business directories focused on Camden, a specific area within London, when looking for London directories. Well-known directories like Yelp, Yahoo, and Foursquare usually have a straightforward process for adding your listing. However, this may not be the case with local listing sites.

If you are unable to locate instructions on how to add your site, contact the directory owner via email to obtain further information. In order to add your website, you will usually be required to provide your name, address, and phone number, along with a link to your site. It is noteworthy that certain sites may request payment for business listings. In such cases, carefully consider factors such as the site’s traffic, search engine visibility, cost, and the overall quality of the directory before making a decision.

2. Reach Out to Local Media

Contacting local media can be an effective approach for building links. This strategy is advantageous due to the substantial audiences these sites usually cater to, and the presence of numerous reputable publications in most regions that you can specifically focus on. It is quite likely that you are already familiar with several publications that serve your locality.

It is worth checking Google to explore any unique opportunities that you may not have already thought of. You might come across some surprising niche options. For instance, if you search for “Manchester Newspaper,” you will discover a long list of publications. It is likely that many individuals in Manchester are unaware of these publications.

Don’t limit yourself to newspapers alone as magazines and industry publications frequently feature stories about local businesses. Local news can also be published by radio stations. After compiling a list of contacts, you need to make an effort to contact them and have your business featured.

If the local media outlet has high domain authority or a large local readership, it may be worth the effort to adhere to their stringent coverage requirements.

3. Send a Press Release About Newsworthy Events

Publishers of online content are typically delighted to showcase stories about businesses operating locally. The rationale behind this is that the greater the number of articles they release, the higher the likelihood of attracting more readership. However, the challenge lies in devising something captivating enough to capture the attention of publishers, prompting them to consider featuring it.

When crafting your business description, go beyond a simple introduction and instead include unique elements such as innovative concepts, charitable initiatives, or upcoming events. It’s crucial to customize your story to suit the publication you are targeting. Keep in mind that local trade publications might find different angles interesting compared to local lifestyle magazines.

4. Become a Trusted Source

Becoming a source is an excellent approach to being featured in the press as it provides greater credibility to articles by offering quotes related to your field of expertise. HARO link building employs a comparable strategy that extends beyond just the local press.

The primary difficulty lies in establishing connections with journalists. Reach out to individuals within your network to inquire about any acquaintances who might be interested in writing. Another effective approach is to utilize Twitter. Numerous journalists actively engage on this platform, making it a great avenue for building relationships. Additionally, other social media platforms can offer valuable assistance.

Alternatively, you can skip directly to the publications you wish to highlight. Inform journalists and editors about your skills and express your willingness to be featured in their articles.

In an article discussing the factors that limited companies should take into account when selecting an accounting firm, Fusion Accountants showcased its expertise. This resulted in the firm receiving a backlink, while the website was able to enhance the credibility of their article.

5. Get Links From Other Ranking Sites

A tactic which is sometimes called Barnacle SEO involves searching Google for your relevant terms and then attempting to obtain links from the websites that appear in the search results.

It is unlikely that you will receive links from your competitors, but you can search for aggregator or directory-type websites instead. When individuals are searching for a company, they often use these types of sites. By simply signing up and including your business information, you can usually get listed on these sites. This straightforward method guarantees that your business is considered and provides direct value for your business.

6. Get Links your Competitors Have

By examining the links that your competitors’ websites share, you will likely come across numerous relevant link prospects that are contextually and locally significant. To easily assess this, you can utilize Link Intersect, wherein you input your site and your competitors’ sites, and consequently identify the websites that link to your competition but not to you.

When you search, you will probably come across numerous links that are relevant to your niche and a plethora of directories. These directories, often called local citations, contain information about businesses such as their name, address, and phone number.

7. Reclaim Lost Links

To compensate for websites changing over time and the possibility of old pages no longer existing, redirecting the previous versions of your pages to the current ones helps regain lost links and their significance. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to accomplish this.

1. Paste your domain into Site Explorer
2. Go to the Best by Links report
3. Add a “404 not found” HTTP response filter

8. Get Local Citations

When using Link Intersect, we have already observed some of these opportunities. There are several citation services available. However, the ones that rank in your market are the ones you should consider starting with for the US. Most of these services distribute their data to other websites and are typically regarded as the most crucial citations.

The primary aggregators in the US are:

• Data Axle
• Localeze
• Foursquare

Other significant contributors:

• Google My Business
• Bing
• Apple Maps
• Facebook
• Yelp
• Yellowpages
• Dunn & Bradstreet
• TomTom

9. Pursue Other Local Link Opportunities

If you search for them, you can find numerous links from other websites that are centered around your area. There are plenty of diverse opportunities available.

• Colleges or Universities (e.g., job postings, scholarships, club sponsorships, discounts, alumni links)
• City-specific sites and directories
• Local news, magazines, and podcasts
• Some sites focus on the state or surrounding areas
• Local community groups (e.g., Reddit, Facebook groups, Nextdoor, etc.)
• Sponsorships in general (e.g., sports leagues, races, meetups, charities, etc.)
• Local awards

When thinking in a systematic manner, you can consider rephrasing the following passage without altering its meaning, while also utilizing existing connections. These connections may involve testimonials or case studies from suppliers or affiliations, as well as connections through churches, business groups, or individuals. Local expert roundups can be an effective strategy for ego bait.

10. Claim Unlinked Mentions

If other websites mention your company or its individuals in discussions but do not provide a hyperlink to your website, it is referred to as unlinked brand mentions. This approach is most effective if your business operates in a niche that receives media attention, such as the legal profession, or if your company and its employees are already engaged within the community.

11. Buy Companies, or at Least Their Websites

Mergers and acquisitions at the local level are less common but still occur in certain situations. On rare occasions, a company may sell their current website or allow one of their domains to expire.

With the acquisition of these, you can choose between having two ranking sites or consolidating into a single site that achieves a higher ranking.

12. Add Internal Links

Your website is under your control and functions as a local site. Implementing internal links is an effective strategy for building links.