If you are considering implementing a local link development strategy to enhance your site’s SEO efforts, you must have a brick-and-mortar business or have a physical location. Local link development can help business owners reach a target audience within the area where they provide products or services. This area can be condensed to a single town or a whole state, depending on your type of business.
Types of Local Links
There are ample link building opportunities that businesses can use to enhance their SEO efforts. Some types of local links include:
- Local news article links
- Directory sites
- Volunteer pages from local charities
- Event pages for local events attended by your business
- Links from business partner sites
- Review sites
- Community forums
The best place to start building out local links is through directory citations. This allows you to list your business name, physical address, phone number, link back to the website, and any other important information, such as business hours or description of services.
Local News
Sharing press releases or industry expert knowledge with local news stations are two great ways to position yourself as a leader in your industry. It can also bring awareness to your brand and business offerings for people located in your target area.
Each local news site has its own requirements and rules as to whether or not they accept content from businesses. For ones that do accept content or business advertising, this can be a great place to add a relevant link back to your site. News sites contain credible, engaged traffic that can provide you with a book organically from referral traffic.
Directory Sites
Consumers in your area may already be looking for businesses like yours. Adding a business listing to a local directory allows you to add all of your business’ important information. Anything potential customers need to know about accessing your business offerings can be included in a directory, including your local business hours, physical location, and reviews.
Volunteer Pages
Is your business currently supporting any local charities? There may be an opportunity for the websites of those charities to link back to your own site. When businesses support causes, they may receive a thank you on the website of that charity. If possible, receiving a link back from these sites can add great value. Not only does it paint your business in a great light, but the link back can help bring organic traffic to your site. Increased organic traffic to your site is one of three contributors to boosting your site’s domain authority.
Events
Links from event pages reflect your business’ engagement with their targeted audience. These events can include local charity events, expos, networking events, and more. In some instances, it provides your target audience with an opportunity to meet your business in person. This can be a great way to engage with your brand, while the link back shows search engines that your site is relevant and actively engaging with the local community.
Business Partner Sites
Do you work with any business partners or are associated with other brands? If their site contains high organic traffic that may be interested in your business, this can be great referral traffic. Inquire with your business partners whether there is an opportunity to receive a link back to your site from theirs.
Review Sites
For consumers looking for local goods and services, reviews are a strong indicator that other local consumers have already tried your business. There may be other sites available where you can add a business listing and receive local reviews. For example, a local restaurant that uses Yelp can include a link back to their own website from their Yelp listing. Yelp is a great review site used by local consumers to find businesses in their area. When consumers see reviews on your Yelp listing, they are more inclined to engage with your brand. They also build trust and credibility within the local community.
Community Forums
Community forums often discuss local businesses that people in the area are looking for. For example, someone might post on Nextdoor looking for a roofing contractor in their area. Another user may refer them to your business and include a link to the site.
You can also create a business page for Nextdoor and respond to posts offering your services. When you include a link to your site in these community forums, you are boosting organic traffic to your site, which, in turn, can help boost your site in organic search results over time.
