When it comes to SEO for your site, there’s so much to know and it’s always changing. It’s so hard to keep track of what needs to be done to make your site a success. Something you may not have heard of is local backlinks. These are often neglected these days, but they’re still incredibly valuable. Here’s what they are, and how they’ll help you make your site a success.
WHAT’S A LOCAL BACKLINK?
Firstly, you need to know what a local backlink is. It’s a link to your site from another site that searchers know and trust. These can come in many forms, such as from online directories, top ten lists in your industry, well known blogs, and so on. The reader should be able to click the link to come to your site, and see what you do.
THE VALUE OF LOCAL BACKLINKS
Why is a local backlink so valuable when it comes to your SEO? When it comes to local SEO, there’s nothing better than these backlinks. Visitors are more likely to trust you as a business if they come from another site that they already trust. Because someone else who they trust has recommended your site, that makes them a lot more likely to visit you and subsequently buy from you.
Then there’s the way local backlinks help build up your SEO. The more your site is visited, the more search engines, such as Google, will see you as a trusted site. It’s not clear how search engines rank websites, but it’s clear that having those backlinks on other sites means that you’re a site that is valuable.
As you can see then, it’s important that you have backlinks up for your site on other local sites. How do you do this and get those valuable clicks?
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HOW TO BUILD VALUABLE LINKS
When building up a catalogue of backlinks, remember that they need to be as organic as possible. You can get your link on as many sites as possible, but they aren’t going to do you any good if no one is clicking on them. You need to find sites that your customers are already visiting, and use that to your advantage. Here are some ways to find those sites.
Online directories: This should be your first port of call. It’s a good idea to create a Google Business Profile listing, if you haven’t already. You should also be on the major directory sites, such as Yelp. Also, look into specific directories for your industry. For example, if you’re a lawyer you should be on directories like FindLaw.
Local sponsorships: If you’re able to, you can sponsor local groups in order to get backlinks to your business. Ensure that your business has a link to the organisation you’re looking to sponsor, to ensure that people are more likely to click the link. Think a sports goods store sponsoring a local football team. It’s a great way to get your company’s name out there, as well as creating those backlinks on the organisation’s page.
Popular blogs: Is there someone in your area that has a popular blog? There are a couple of ways you could have them backlink to your site. You could ask to guest blog on their site, which will include a link to your own site. You can also give them goods or services to cover on the blog, again leading to that backlink.
Local events: Is there an event happening in your community that you can be a part of? This is an organic way to create some backlinks. For example, if you’re a gift shop and your community is holding a competition to raise money for charity, you could donate some prizes. On the event’s website, your page will be linked as you’ll be involved in it. It also helps raise trust, as you’re getting involved with the local community.
