Local link building is the process of acquiring backlinks from locally relevant websites, directories, and organizations to improve your local search rankings. Unlike general link building, local link building focuses on geographic relevance, targeting links from local news sites, community organizations, business associations, and other businesses in your area.
Backlinks remain one of the most important ranking factors for SEO, and that includes local SEO. According to Whitespark's Local Search Ranking Factors survey, link signals account for approximately 19% of local pack ranking factors. That's nearly a fifth of what determines whether you show up in the Map Pack.
But for local businesses, not all links are created equal. A link from your city's Chamber of Commerce or a local news outlet carries more weight for local rankings than a random link from a national website with no geographic connection to your business.
Why Local Links Matter for Local SEO
Google wants to show searchers the most relevant, trustworthy local businesses. Links from other local websites signal that you're an established, trusted part of your community.
Think about it from Google's perspective. If local news sites link to you, if the Chamber of Commerce lists you, if local bloggers mention you, that's evidence you're a real, active business that the community recognizes. That's exactly what Google wants to surface in local search results.
Local links also help in ways that general backlinks don't:
They reinforce your geographic relevance. Links from websites in your city or region tell Google that your business is connected to that location.
They often come with local anchor text. When a local news site writes "Denver's ABC Plumbing recently..." that naturally includes your location in the link context.
They drive locally relevant traffic. People clicking links from local sites are more likely to be in your service area and become actual customers.
Types of Local Links to Target
Not all local links are equally valuable. Here's what to prioritize.
High-Value Local Link Sources
Local news sites and publications. A link from your city's newspaper or a local online news outlet is gold. These sites have high authority and strong local relevance.
Chamber of Commerce and business associations. Most chambers have member directories that include links to member websites. These are authoritative local links that are relatively easy to get.
Local government and .gov sites. Some cities maintain business directories or link to local businesses from relevant pages. These links carry significant authority.
Local nonprofits and charities. If you sponsor or support local organizations, they often link to sponsors from their websites.
Local educational institutions. Colleges and universities sometimes link to local businesses, especially for scholarships, sponsorships, or partnerships.
Industry associations with local chapters. Trade organizations often have local chapter pages that list member businesses.
Medium-Value Local Link Sources
Local blogs and content sites. Bloggers who cover local topics, events, or lifestyle can provide relevant links.
Other local businesses. Partner businesses, suppliers, or complementary services might link to you from their sites.
Local event pages. Events you sponsor, participate in, or host often have websites that link to involved businesses.
Community organizations. Sports leagues, community groups, and civic organizations you're involved with may link to supporters.
Lower-Value (But Still Useful) Sources
Local business directories. Beyond the major directories like Yelp, there are often local or regional directories specific to your city or industry.
Local review sites. Some cities have their own review or recommendation sites beyond the national players.
Local social groups and forums. While these links may be nofollow, they can still drive traffic and visibility.
Local Link Building Strategies
Here's how to actually get these links.
1. Join Local Business Organizations
The easiest local links often come from memberships. Join your local Chamber of Commerce, industry associations, and business groups. Most include a directory listing with a link to your website as part of membership.
Cost varies, but even a $200-500 annual membership that includes a quality backlink can be worth it.
2. Sponsor Local Events, Teams, and Causes
Sponsorship is one of the most reliable ways to earn local links. Consider sponsoring:
- Local youth sports teams
- Community events and festivals
- Charity runs and fundraisers
- School programs or scholarships
- Local nonprofit organizations
Sponsors typically get listed on event websites, often with links. The link value plus the community goodwill makes this a win-win.
3. Get Featured in Local Media
Local news sites need content. Position yourself as a source they can call for expertise in your field.
Pitch story ideas. If something newsworthy happens in your industry locally, reach out to reporters.
Offer expert commentary. When news breaks that relates to your field, offer yourself as a local expert for quotes.
Announce genuinely newsworthy events. Grand openings, major hires, community initiatives, and milestone anniversaries can all warrant coverage.
Write guest columns. Some local publications accept contributed content from local business owners.
This takes effort and relationship building, but media links are among the most valuable you can get.
4. Create Local Content Worth Linking To
Give other local sites a reason to link to you by creating content that serves the local community.
Local guides. "The Complete Guide to [Your Service] in [Your City]" can attract links from people looking for local resources.
Local data and research. If you can compile useful local statistics or research related to your industry, others may cite it.
Event calendars or local resources. Some businesses maintain community resources that attract links.
Local how-to content. Content that addresses local-specific concerns (like "How Denver's Altitude Affects Your HVAC System") can earn local links.
5. Partner with Complementary Local Businesses
Identify non-competing businesses that serve similar customers. A wedding photographer might partner with florists, venues, and caterers. A real estate agent might connect with mortgage brokers, home inspectors, and moving companies.
These partnerships can include:
- Reciprocal referral arrangements with website mentions
- Joint content or guides
- Cross-promotion on blog posts
- Shared community events
Be careful with reciprocal links. A few natural partnerships are fine, but excessive link exchanges look manipulative to Google.
6. Reclaim Unlinked Mentions
Sometimes local media or blogs mention your business without linking to your website. Search for your business name and look for mentions that don't include links. Reach out and politely ask if they'd be willing to add a link.
Tools like Google Alerts can help you monitor new mentions as they happen.
7. Offer Testimonials to Local Vendors
If you use products or services from other local businesses, offer to provide a testimonial. Many businesses feature customer testimonials on their websites, often with links to the customer's business.
This is an easy way to earn links from businesses you already have relationships with.
8. Host or Participate in Local Events
Hosting workshops, seminars, or community events creates link opportunities. Event listing sites, community calendars, and local media covering the event may all link to you.
Even participating in events can earn links if you're listed as a speaker, exhibitor, or sponsor.
Tools for Finding Local Link Opportunities
Several tools can help identify where to focus your efforts.
Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz. Use these to analyze competitors' backlinks. See where other local businesses are getting links and pursue similar opportunities.
Google Search. Search for "[your city] business directory" or "[your industry] [your city]" to find potential link sources.
HARO (Help a Reporter Out). Sign up to receive queries from journalists. Filter for local publications when possible.
BuzzStream or Pitchbox. These outreach tools can help manage link building campaigns at scale.
Measuring Local Link Building Success
Track your progress with these metrics:
Number of referring domains. More unique domains linking to you generally correlates with better rankings.
Local relevance of links. Are the links coming from locally relevant sources?
Domain authority of linking sites. Higher authority links have more impact.
Anchor text distribution. A natural mix of branded, generic, and keyword-rich anchors is healthiest.
Rankings for local keywords. Ultimately, link building should translate to improved rankings.
Referral traffic. Good links also send actual visitors to your site.
Common Local Link Building Mistakes to Avoid
Buying links. Purchasing links violates Google's guidelines and can result in penalties. Don't do it.
Excessive reciprocal linking. A few natural partnerships are fine. Dozens of "I'll link to you if you link to me" arrangements look spammy.
Irrelevant directory spam. Getting listed on hundreds of low-quality directories doesn't help and can hurt.
Ignoring link quality. One link from the local newspaper is worth more than 50 links from random blogs. Focus on quality.
Neglecting existing relationships. Often the easiest links come from people you already know. Don't overlook vendors, partners, and professional connections.
Giving up too soon. Link building takes time. Consistent effort over months yields results; sporadic attempts don't.
Getting Started
If you're new to local link building, start here:
- Join your local Chamber of Commerce and relevant business associations
- Identify 3-5 local organizations you could sponsor or support
- Set up Google Alerts for your business name and industry + your city
- Analyze where your top local competitors are getting links
- Create one piece of high-quality local content worth linking to
Local link building isn't complicated, but it requires consistent effort. The businesses that build strong local backlink profiles over time have a significant advantage in local search.
If you want to see where your current local SEO stands, including your link profile, get a free local SEO report that analyzes your online presence and identifies opportunities.
FAQ
How many local backlinks do I need?
There's no magic number. Focus on quality over quantity. A handful of links from authoritative local sources beats dozens from low-quality sites. Look at what your top-ranking local competitors have and aim to match or exceed that.
Are directory links still valuable for local SEO?
Major directories like Yelp, BBB, and industry-specific sites still provide value. But mass submissions to hundreds of low-quality directories don't help and can look spammy. Focus on relevant, authoritative directories.
How long does it take to see results from link building?
Link building effects typically take 2-6 months to materialize in rankings. It's a long-term strategy, not a quick fix.
Should I use exact-match anchor text for local links?
Use natural, varied anchor text. Some branded anchors ("ABC Plumbing"), some generic ("click here," "this company"), and some descriptive ("Denver plumbing services"). Over-optimized anchor text can trigger penalties.
Can I build links myself or should I hire someone?
Many local link building tactics are DIY-friendly, especially relationship-based approaches like joining organizations and partnering with other businesses. More advanced strategies like media outreach may benefit from professional help.
What about buying links?
I see offers all the time. Don't do it. Buying links violates Google's guidelines. If Google detects paid links (and they're getting better at it), your site can be penalized. The risk isn't worth it.
How do I get links from local news sites?
Build relationships with reporters, pitch genuinely newsworthy stories, and position yourself as a local expert source. It takes time, but media links are extremely valuable.
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