Local Link Building Tips

Local link building tips are helpful recommendations to bring traffic to your business, build local connections and increase leads for your products and services.

Link building is one the most rewarding and fun parts of owning a local business.

If you find that statement difficult to believe, then you have probably seen a lot of posts about how time-consuming and hard it is to build local links. They’re correct. A smart local link building strategy takes time and roots to develop in the community. They’re also wrong because:

The most effective link building campaigns not only drive referral traffic and increase brand visibility but also reflect your values and get involved in your community in meaningful ways. It shouldn’t be a tedious task to build local links.

This post will go over 15 ways to kickstart your local link-building campaigns. It doesn’t have be difficult.

Local Link Building Tips

1. Local businesses can partner with you

It’s a great way for you to network with leaders in your local community, build trust, stay on the pulse of current affairs, and make a few natural connections. You can support their charities or events by linking to them in your blogs and get excited about their future projects. Businesses are more than happy to share their goodwill.

2. Host a community gathering

Hosting an event that benefits your local community or inspires people to come is a good idea. You could host anything from a community barbecue, a charity drive, or a paintball match.

Many businesses host special events every year. These events help build brand, community, goodwill and lead flow. The more relevant that you can make the event to your business, the better it is to make your business memorable.

3. Local awards

You can do some research on local awards for business and find out what you are eligible for. These awards range from smaller local newspaper awards to larger awards (e.g. Chamber of Commerce’s “Best of the Best Award”. Greg Gifford’s Local Link Building Tips 2016 says that you will almost always get a link if your win. Some contents link to nominators.

4. Create a page of local resources

A resource page can be a great way for your community to share quality content and get natural links. You should find something you are passionate about and that is related to your niche. Then create a list of the best examples. If you are passionate about beer, (and who isn’t?), then this list could be a great example. You could make a list of your local microbreweries or pubs.

5. Sponsor a cause you care about

Volunteer with the groups that you are passionate about in your local community. They are usually open to partnering with their sponsors. You might consider becoming a board member if you are particularly driven.

We are excited about the Bear Lake Classic bike race, which will take place May 13-14. The event boasts a host of sponsors, including Blue Water Beach, Pepsi and Utah Public Radio. It promises to be a great weekend.

6. Get manufacturer links

Retail businesses often overlook a huge opportunity in front of them. If you carry different brands of products, they will usually be happy to list your location as a place where their products are sold. Ask manufacturing companies if you can add your link.

7. Offer discounts

Are you located near a college campus or another educational institution? Are there many veterans living in your community? If you have special rates for certain groups or local alumni organizations, they will be happy to link to your website.

8. Sponsor a Meetup Group

Meetup is great for link building and meeting people from your local community. Find a meetup that suits your interests or start a group. In my local area, I’ve noticed several small business owners that offer Meetups as a way to introduce their services for no- or low-cost. One is an art instructor who hosts a free paint class once a week and then offers a discount for people who take a class.

9. Get connected to local blogs and business websites

Network! Find a local blog you like and get to know them. If you have traction on a respected local website, it’s easy for you to begin link building. Focus particularly on services that are in alignment to yours which can make reciprocal linking relevant.

10. Local directories offer citations

You will need citations in your local directories so why not do some link building? Don’t be afraid to not sign up for all directories. Instead, take the time to search directories that are relevant to your business interests.

11. Participate in local conferences

It’s important to be open to networking at niche-specific conferences. But, it’s even better to do so locally. You’ll be amazed at the speed with which link building opportunities appear when you get to know other professionals in your field.

12. Your name will appear in the paper

Good public relations is the best way to establish your reputation within your community. You can reach out to local magazines and newspapers for publicity, whether you are hosting an event, launching new products, or sponsoring classes. A great strategy is to create something unique for these publications, such as an interview with a well-known industry figure.

13. Do not forget about seasonal opportunities

Although seasonal opportunities only occur once a year they are a great way for your community to show its festive spirit and get involved. Sponsoring a Thanksgiving food drive, or hosting a raffle for Christmas gift hampers is one example. These events will definitely get you some links from local media.

14. Collaborate with other influencers

This is link building 101. However, it still applies to building local links. You can collaborate with industry leaders to write blog posts and organize events in your niche. It’s great to know other influential people in your area.

15. Incite some “controversy”

It can be as much fun to work with industry leaders as it is to have a good time arguing with them. You’ll create buzz among both supporters and haters if you argue your case with well-supported facts in a good-natured manner. You might be picked up by local newspapers if your idea is sufficiently wild.

Conclusion

It’s long past the days of cramming three hundred links into a poorly written blog post. Today, there are better ways to do local business SEO. We have to rely upon solid copywriting and good old-fashioned community outreach to build brands. No matter how you build connections, don’t lose your passion. Look for avenues that you are passionate about and start building relationships with local businesses.