Links from other websites have been part of how Google judges pages for a very long time. A link from a relevant, respected site is a bit like a recommendation. It suggests your page is worth visiting. Link building done properly is about earning those recommendations.
Unfortunately, that has created a whole industry of shortcuts: bought links, link networks, spammy guest posts and “500 backlinks for £49” offers in your inbox. Most of these range from pointless to actively risky.
The better approach is slower, but it builds something that lasts. Here’s how to think about link building as a small business, and what actually works.
What makes a link worth having
Not all links are equal. A useful link generally has most of these qualities:
- Relevance. It’s from a site connected to your industry, your area or your customers.
- Genuine editorial choice. Someone decided to link because it was useful to their readers, not because they were paid to.
- A real audience. The site has actual readers, and some of them might click through to you.
- Context. The link sits in content that makes sense, rather than a list of hundreds of unrelated links.
A single link from your local newspaper’s website, a trade body or a respected supplier is likely to be worth more than hundreds of links from sites nobody visits.
What to avoid
Google’s spam policies specifically cover link schemes. That includes buying or selling links that pass ranking credit, excessive link swaps, large-scale guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich links, and automated link building. Google may ignore these links, and in more serious cases can take manual action against a site.
Warning signs that you’re being sold a link scheme:
- A fixed number of links promised for a fixed price.
- “Guaranteed” links on high-authority sites.
- Links on sites that publish anything on any subject for a fee.
- An unwillingness to show you where links will appear.
- Lots of links using exactly the same keyword-heavy anchor text.
Paid placements aren’t banned outright, such as a sponsored article or an advert. They should be clearly marked as sponsored and the link should carry the right attribute so it doesn’t pass ranking credit. That’s how legitimate advertising works online.
If a link would only make sense because of SEO, it’s probably not a link worth paying for. If it would make sense even without SEO, you’re on the right track.
Links you’ve probably already earned
Start with the easy wins. Many businesses have relationships that could reasonably produce a link:
- Suppliers and manufacturers with “find an installer” or stockist pages.
- Trade bodies and accreditation schemes with member directories.
- Local organisations you sponsor or support, such as sports clubs, charities and events.
- Business partners you work with regularly, where a link genuinely helps their customers.
- Existing mentions of your business online that don’t include a link. A polite email asking them to add one often works.
Digital PR for small businesses
Digital PR means creating stories, insights or resources that journalists, bloggers and other websites want to reference. It sounds grand, but it can be modest and local.
- Share real expertise. Local and trade publications often want expert comment. A roofer explaining how to check for storm damage, or an accountant on deadlines, is useful to their readers.
- Use your own data. If you have anonymised insights from your own business, such as the most common problems you fix or seasonal trends, that can be genuinely newsworthy. Only publish data you actually have and can stand behind.
- Create a useful resource. A clear guide, checklist or tool that others in your area or industry would want to point people to.
- Genuine local stories. New premises, apprenticeships, community projects, milestones. Local news sites cover these, and they build reputation as well as links.
- Respond to journalist requests. Services exist where journalists post requests for expert comment. Answer only where you have real expertise, and be quick and concise.
Being realistic about link building
For many small local businesses, links matter less than a strong Google Business Profile, good reviews and solid service pages. Don’t let link building distract you from the basics. But a steady trickle of genuine, relevant links and mentions does help over time, and it tends to bring the side benefit of real visitors and credibility.
Aim for a sustainable rhythm: a couple of meaningful outreach efforts a month, one story or resource a quarter, and a habit of asking partners for links whenever it’s genuinely relevant.
Want help with it?
If you’d like support finding stories and getting them in front of the right people, our PR and media relations service works hand in hand with our SEO team, so coverage helps both your reputation and your search visibility.
