Backlinks remain one of the most powerful ranking factors for local SEO in 2025. But how do you get the right ones that actually move the needle? In this guide, we’ll break down the most effective local link-building strategies, from leveraging local citations to forming partnerships with community organizations. By the end, you’ll have a clear, actionable plan to strengthen your local SEO backlinks game!
Why Backlinks Matter for Local SEO
Backlinks are a cornerstone of SEO. They help you to gain authority and trust from Google which allows your website to rank higher in the search engine results pages (SERP).
Local backlinks allow you rank high in local SERPs, rather than national. Think about it, if your website had 50 different backlinks from 50 local businesses in one area, Google will evaluate this and see that your business is highly relevant to said local area, and will rank your website higher.
Google’s local search algorithm is constantly evolving. Local businesses need to focus on location based keywords, local SEO backlinks, and directory citations to rank in the SERP and stay relevant in the local area. Here are some of the best strategies to gain local SEO backlinks:
Best Strategies to Get Local SEO Backlinks in 2025
Get Listed on Local Directories & Citations
Getting listed on local directories will increase the relevance Google holds in your business to your local area. It will also increase the trust Google has in your business as your name, address, and phone number will be consistent across business directories.
Here is a list of the best directories to get your local business listed on –
- gb.Enrollbusiness.com
- scoot.co.uk
- ukadslist.com
- brownbook.net
- local.standard.co.uk
- directory.mirror.co.uk
- gladiatorbusiness.co.uk
- fyple.co.uk
- uk.tradeford.com
- britishforcesdiscounts.co.uk
- uka-z.com
- industryleaders.co.uk
- provenexpert.com
- place123.net iformative.com
- zeemaps.com dealerbaba.com
- youbiz.com
- 2findlocal.com
- 247globalbusinesssolutions.com
- cgmimm.com
- preferredprofessionals.com
- buildersandtradesmen.co.uk
- hotfrog.co.uk
- yelp.co.uk
- tuugo.co.uk
- hubfind.co.uk
- cataloxy.co.uk
- businessmagnet.co.uk
- uksmallbusinessdirectory.co.uk
- pinklocaldirectory.co.uk
- ayd.co.uk opendi.co.uk
- tipped.co.uk
- smartbusinessdirectory.co.uk
- britishproductsdirectory.co.uk
- approvedbusiness.co.uk
- whatsonnetwork.co.uk
- touchlocal.co.uk business-directory.org.uk
- biznessdirect.co.uk misterwhat.co.uk
- business-directory-uk.co.uk
- localstore.co.uk
- truebusinessdirectory.co.uk
- recommendedcompany.co.uk
- midlandsindex.co.uk
- topukdirectory.co.uk
- extreme-directory.co.uk
- mylocaldirectory.co.uk
You can choose to reach out to each of these directories if you wish, or you can use a Local Citation Service to do it for you!
Leverage Local Business Partnerships
Reach out to local businesses who are in a complementary niche to you and offer a partnership. For example, if you’re a local web design agency, why not find an SEO agency or social media agency and partner with them? Along with this, you will get a local SEO backlink to your website!
However, if you do not feel comfortable with this approach, you can always reach out to any local business and offer a guest post exchange. This involves you writing a blog post for their website in return for a link to your website. It’s a win-win!
Sponsor Local Events & Charities
Sponsoring local events and charities will provide you with opportunities to gain local SEO backlinks from authoritative event websites. It will open doors to connect with influences, the media, and industry experts, which will be gold for gaining local SEO backlinks.
So, if you have a local charity, maybe write them a cheque and post about it, or try sponsoring your local football team, the list is endless!
Get Featured in Local News & Press Releases
Local press releases are a great way to earn local SEO backlinks to your website. If you have any interesting stories about yourself or your business which relate to what your local journalists write about, send them an email pitching a press release.
When pitching your press release, make sure to keep it sweet and snappy (get right to the point), as journalists probably deal with hundreds of pitches a day, so you want yours to stand out and not waste their time. Here are some journalist outreach strategies for you.
Utilize Local Influencer Marketing
Do you know anyone in your local area with a significant social media following? If you do, great! This is an opportunity to reach out to them and ask if they can promote your brand.
Obviously you need to give them a free sample of whatever it is you are offering in return, but the publicity you will receive from this is a no brainer. This publicity will be likely to generate local SEO backlinks to your website from credible sources.
Create Local Resource Pages & Guides
This is probably one of my favourite methods of generating local SEO backlinks – creating great content!
Writing in-depth articles or local guides for your users around your product/service, or around the local area, will build significant traffic to your website over time. This will lead to people naturally linking to your content, as it is what’s called “evergreen”.
Another idea is to create a resources page on your website filled with all the tools you use for your service and link out to useful tips and articles related to your service. This will generate local SEO backlinks in the future as it will act as a hub of information for all your users.
Encourage Customer Reviews & User-Generated Content
Local SEO reviews act as trust signals to both your future customers and Google. But, they can also help you generate local SEO backlinks.
Getting reviews from external websites like Trustpilot or Facebook can gain you a backlink from these sites. Or, if other websites see your Google reviews and decide you are a reputable source of information, they will be likely to link back to your website.
This is also where user generated content can help. User generated content (UGC) is content created by your customers, usually in the form of a review or testimonial on social media. UGC will significantly increase the trust your customers and Google holds in your business, therefore generating your backlinks in the long run.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building Local SEO Backlinks
Make sure you follow the above strategies to build high quality local SEO backlinks, and try to avoid the following pitfalls when building links –
- Buying low-quality or spammy backlinks – Any links that come from spam websites will hurt your backlink campaign.
- Over optimising your anchor text – Don’t use the same keyword or phrase constantly in your guest post articles.
- Ignoring no-follow links that still provide value – These are websites that link to your site but don’t carry any authority, However, they may still be beneficial to your campaign by building brand awareness.
How to Track and Measure Your Local Backlink Success
To track and measure your local SEO backlink success, you’re going to need a tool to monitor your website. Here at Click Shark, we have a backlink analysis tool you can use for free!
You can also use paid tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs, which will give you a more detailed overview of your website’s backlinks.
With these tools at your disposal, you can monitor how your local SEO backlink campaign is going, and make any changes where you see fit.
Conclusion
Backlinks remain a cornerstone for local SEO in 2025, but success comes from quality over quantity. By leveraging local partnerships, press opportunities, and strategic directory placements, you can build a strong backlink profile that boosts your rankings and drives more local traffic. Ready to dominate your local market? Start implementing these strategies today!
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