Links play an important role in how you rank in the search results page. It’s not enough to just have links on your page though. Having links from external, high-quality sources is essential. Link building at the local level can help you to rank at or near the top of a local search results page. It can also aid in establishing you as a trusted authority in your specific niche. Here are a few tips on how to build links at the local level.
Local Awards
Just about every city offers some type of local business awards. You can find out the exact types of awards you might be eligible for by searching for those related to your niche in your city. The instructions on how to get yourself nominated are generally found on the organizer’s website.
The results of these awards are almost always published online, and winners receive links to their websites. Depending on the awards, you might get a link even if you are only a nominee but don’t actually win. There’s also a chance that you might even appear in a high-visibility list such as “Top 10 Bakeries in Atlanta.”
Offer Military or Alumni Discounts
Offer discounts to alumni of local colleges and universities. Write a landing page that explains how the discount works and what it can be used for. Then all you have to do is reach out to local alumni groups to get yourself a link on their website. Discounts for military members work similarly. The only difference is that it requires a little extra effort and follow up. It might be helpful to reach out to your local American Legion or Veterans Associations.
We learned this tip from McKremie at a search engine conference. They explained this works well for high quality link building services especially for getting links from colleges and university websites. Offer a good discount for students and the discount often gets posted on their company website. Don’t specifically ask for a link, just see if it happens naturally. Most schools will post a mention of your brand and some will give a link.
Sponsorships
There are a few ways in which you can gain links through sponsorships. One way is to do some research into local events. Contact the event organizers and find out how you can help. In exchange for sponsoring an event, your website may be linked on the event’s page.
Another way to provide sponsorships is by sponsoring a local little league or other sports team. Local kids are able to enjoy playing a sport that they love with your help and you get your website linked from theirs. There are endless possibilities within most local markets. To begin search Google for “sponsorships + your city name” to find local opportunities.
Reach Out to Local Bloggers and Influencers
No matter where you’re located, there’s bound to be a really good chance that there are at least a few local bloggers or influencers that produce high-quality content about your area. While they might be small bloggers with a focus on your location, this is perfectly alright. After all, you’re looking to reach a local audience. Search out these individuals, form a relationship with them, and offer an exchange of content. For instance, you can ask them to write a post on your website and you can write an article that they can then place on their blog.
Create a Local Resource Page
A local resource page is a page within your website where you share useful information and links to other related websites with your visitors. This information can be as general or as specific as you want. You can even use it to share information about something local that you’re passionate about. For instance, if you’re a dog lover, you can share a list of the top dog-friendly restaurants in your city or the best dog parks in town. If you provide useful information, other sites will begin to link to yours.
These are just a few of the ways that you can build links in your local community. One of the biggest takeaways of local link building is to be present and active in your community. Don’t just sit back and rely on citations or mentions of your business. Get out there and get involved.
