A Strategic Framework to Increase Online Visibility & Increase Customer Volume Through Local Backlink Acquisition
Why do local backlinks matter for your business?
Local backlinks are a powerful indicator to Google that your business is relevant and trusted within your geographic community. These links act as votes of confidence, not just from anyone, but from websites that also serve or are known in your area.
Showing up in Google’s search results the moment someone searches for services you provide or “near me” searches has the potential to lead to an increase in visits.
In a recent update to its local search ranking documentation, Google clarified how it evaluates prominence: one of the three core factors that influence local rankings. The update underscores the growing importance of inbound links and online reviews in helping businesses surface in local search results.
Because you are competing in a saturated market, this signals a clear opportunity: earning locally relevant backlinks from reputable sources can directly improve online visibility. These backlinks can function as trusted signals to Google that your business is credible, established, and deeply connected to the community it serves.
Given this shift, earning local backlinks is no longer optional; it’s essential. However, understanding their importance is only the first step. What follows are recommended approaches for acquiring the kinds of backlinks that can elevate your business’s local presence and drive more visits.
Jump To:
1. Partner with local businesses and organizations
How can you do it?
Sponsor activities such as festivals, youth sports leagues, charity events, or fun runs and races. Look for sponsorship opportunities for events that feature sponsor logos and links on their event pages.
Example
Imagine your business sponsors a “Run for the Cure” 5K. These event websites often list all sponsors and links to their websites. Another example: the local Little League team. Prioritize finding organizations with websites that list sponsors with logos or copy with links that point back to the sponsor’s website.
Selecting events and sponsors that have links from their website to their sponsor’s website should play a key role in the selection process when backlink acquisition is the goal.
2. Get listed on relevant local directories and citations
How can you do it?
- High-authority listings: Chamber of Commerce, local Better Business Bureau, city government business listings, and state/local healthcare directories.
- Niche directories that are specific to your business (i.e., Zoc Doc for healthcare providers, Anji for plumbers and electricians).
- Local business associations and societies: These businesses may offer member directories. Joining these not only earns a backlink but positions your business as a trusted resource.
- Keep NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information consistent across all directories to reinforce trust signals and establish credibility.
- Conduct a competitor backlink audit: Identify where other local competitors earn backlinks by reviewing their backlink profiles using tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, or BrightLocal. This can uncover directories, sponsorships, or local media mentions you may have missed. Amsive can help identify these high-value opportunities and build an innovative, localized backlink strategy tailored to your market.
Pro tip
Google Support often relies on BBB Listings to verify a business’s existence. We highly recommend getting your locations BBB certified, in case any of your Google Business Profile listings ever lose verification or get suspended. A BBB certification for each location can expedite a GBP reinstatement.
3. Contribute local content to community websites
How can you do it?
Offer to write expert content for:
- Neighborhood association blogs
- Local online magazines (examples: New York Family Magazine, Miami Kids Magazine)
- Parenting or lifestyle blogs
Topics should be relevant, helpful, and locally focused. Include a short author bio with a link back to your website.
Example
If you are an urgent care in Miami, pitch a guest post titled “Flu Season in <city name>: What You Should Know” to a local parenting blog. Include a call-to-action to visit your clinic for same-day flu shots. Or, if you are a local window installation company, pitch an article titled “Childproofing Your Windows: A Parent’s Guide to Safety” that provides practical tips and precautions parents can take to secure windows in their homes and reduce the risk of accidents involving young children.
4. Create link-worthy local content in the form of assets
How can you do it?
Build assets that others in your area would reference, such as:
- Decision charts
- Local data reports or studies
- Interactive maps
- How-to guides for local processes or services
- Event calendars for the community
- Resource directories (nonprofits, schools, parks, etc.)
- Cost comparison charts for everyday local needs
- Infographics highlighting local trends or history
- Checklists tailored to seasonal or location-specific activities
- Photo galleries featuring recognizable local landmarks or events
- Add informational videos into your “asset” catalog so it can be easily shared across social platforms
- Be sure to optimize the digital versions of these assets: They can drive organic traffic, earn backlinks, and capture leads, but only if they’re optimized with relevant keywords, alt text, and internal links.
Example
Use tools like Canva to design attractive visuals. Promote them on social media and outreach to local websites that serve similar audiences. If you are a community-focused business, create an interactive map of local farmers’ markets and share it with neighborhood blogs and community Facebook groups.
If you are a home services business, develop a seasonal maintenance checklist tailored to your climate, then pitch it to local news outlets or HOA newsletters. If you are a tourism-related business, publish a cost comparison chart for popular local activities and collaborate with local influencers or tourism sites to feature it.
Regardless of your industry, the goal is to create valuable, locally relevant resources that others will want to share and reference, thereby helping you earn quality backlinks and strengthen your local presence.
5. Collaborate with schools, churches, and nonprofits
How can you do it?
- Offer to speak at community meetings or events.
- Provide free materials or resources that share helpful, relevant information.
- Co-sponsor a community event or initiative, such as a fair, fundraiser, or volunteer drive.
Example
Ask a nonprofit if you can present to their organization, and then ask the organization to link to your website in event announcements or resource pages. If you create a branded digital flyer, host it on your site, and share the link with presentation attendees and the nonprofit.
6. Leverage local public relations opportunities
How can you do it?
- Send press releases to local media about:
- New hires who will directly impact the community
- Expanded hours or new services
- Free community events where your business is involved
- Sign up for Help a Reporter Out (HARO) and local journalist contact lists to be a quoted expert.
- Identify broken backlinks: Pinpoint broken links on local websites. This gives your business a chance to offer a relevant replacement and earn a high-quality backlink. If your team does not have access to the tools that can uncover broken backlinks, Amsive can support.
- Leverage unlinked brand mentions of your business that don’t include a backlink. If your team does not have access to the tools that can uncover unlinked brand mentions, Amsive can support.
Example
Send a press release to your local community website’s editor. Many local news outlets allow you to include links in the press release or the editor’s notes. You can also contact the health reporter at your local Fox, NBC, ABC, or CBS affiliate to request local news coverage. When you do this, also include the newsroom’s assignment editor to ensure your press release lands in front of the right person.
7. Engage local influencers and micro-creators
How can you do it?
- Identify micro-influencers in your city, especially bloggers, TikTokers, or Instagrammers.
- Invite them to your business and provide them with helpful information and a pleasant experience.
- Ask for a blog post, YouTube mention, or Instagram Story with a link to your site in their post or bio.
- Resource: Short-Form Social Video: How Brands Win Attention and Drive Connection in Seconds
Best Practice
Be transparent. Offer the service as a gift and request that they disclose it in accordance with FTC guidelines. Also, don’t script the content. Authentic mentions get better engagement (and more respect from your local community).
Pro Tip
Amsive’s Social team can support your backlink strategy by identifying local influencers and executing targeted campaigns to boost local visibility and engagement.
8. Participate in local awards or recognition programs
How can you do it?
- Nominate your business or ask satisfied customers to nominate you for “Best of [City]” awards hosted by local newspapers, lifestyle sites, or radio stations.
- Promote voting through email and social channels.
- Local award and recognition programs often feature listing pages for nominees with backlinks. They also regularly feature winners in “Top 10” lists that generate more sustained backlinks and visibility.
9. Participate in Local Forums Like Reddit and Quora
How can you do it?
Join discussions on platforms like Reddit and Quora where people in your area are asking questions that your business has the expertise to answer. Focus on being helpful and building trust, not making a sales pitch.
- Search for local subreddits and Quora threads and determine where it might be appropriate to contribute.
- Create an account that reflects your expertise and your brand.
- Answer questions with thoughtful, informative responses.
- Include a link to your blog or resource only if it directly supports your answer and adds value to the conversation.
- Learn more about how Reddit is impacting SEO.
Best practice
All comments on behalf of your business should be consistent, positive, helpful, and sincere. Establish a reputation by consistently answering questions regularly, not just occasionally. Avoid sounding promotional. The goal is to help, not to sell. Over time, people may start linking to your responses or blog posts on their own, which can build your online visibility and authority in the local region.
Pro tip
Amsive offers Reddit strategy playbooks that integrate SEO with social community management, providing clients with actionable, platform-specific recommendations for success.
10. Leverage Your Existing Network for Local Backlinks
How can you do it?
Your employees, leadership team, board members, and key individuals affiliated with your business are likely already connected to local organizations, schools, or causes, all of which present opportunities to earn relevant, local backlinks.
Audit your internal network:
- Is someone on your staff involved in a university alumni group? Ask about being featured in an alumni spotlight or newsletter.
- Does someone on your leadership team speak at local events or serve on a nonprofit board? Review your leadership team’s biographies online to find opportunities for backlinks.
- Have team members been featured in local business journals or earned community awards? Follow up and ask for a backlink if the coverage didn’t include one.
Final Thoughts
Earning local backlinks is about authentic community engagement. When your business shows up for your neighbors, through sponsorships, education, collaboration, and truly helpful content, your backlinks will grow naturally and sustainably. These links will not only help you rise in local search results but also reinforce your reputation as a trusted healthcare provider in your community.
What Google Likes
- Naturally earned backlinks
- Links from relevant, geographically focused domains
- Brand mentions that include a link to your site, even without rich anchor text
What to Avoid
- Buying links (including “sponsored content”)
- Participating in link exchange schemes
- Using automated services or spammy blog networks to obtain backlinks
- Overusing exact-match anchor text like “best…near me”
The businesses that win in local search aren’t just optimizing their websites. They’re investing in their communities, building meaningful partnerships, and creating resources worth sharing. That’s the essence of modern local SEO.
AI search is evolving at breakneck speed. Explore how you can improve the possibility of being cited by ensuring strong brand foundations, or let’s talk about how Amsive can help you future-proof your marketing strategy.
