Getting found on Google · Updated October 2026
What are backlinks, and how does a local business earn them?
A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Google treats a link from a trusted, relevant site as a vote of confidence: someone else thinks your page is worth sending people to. Backlinks are not the only thing that matters in search, and a few good ones beat hundreds of poor ones. This guide covers what counts, what to avoid, and where local businesses usually find their best links.
Why Backlinks Matter
They help Google decide which pages to trust, and they send real visitors.
Trust
Links from respected sites, such as a local newspaper, a trade association or a supplier, tell Google your business is real and established.
Relevance
A link from a site about your industry or your town says more than a link from an unrelated one. The words around the link matter too.
Visitors
The best links are the ones people actually click: a supplier’s “where to buy” page, a chamber of commerce directory, an event sponsor list.
Good Links and Bad Links
Links worth having
Editorial links someone chose to give: news coverage, partner and supplier pages, associations you belong to, local organizations you support, articles that cite your expertise.
Links to avoid
Paid links meant to pass ranking credit, link swaps at scale, private blog networks and spammy directories. Google’s spam policies cover these, and they can do more harm than good.
Nofollow, sponsored and UGC
Some links carry a tag that tells Google not to pass ranking credit, for example on ads (sponsored) or comments (ugc). They still send visitors and still look natural in a healthy link profile.
Quality over quantity
Ten links from real local and industry sites will do more than a thousand from sites nobody visits. If an offer promises hundreds of links for a low price, walk away.
Where Local Businesses Find Good Links
Most of these come from relationships you already have.
Suppliers and manufacturers
Many brands list dealers, installers or stockists on their website. Ask to be included, with a link.
Memberships
Your chamber of commerce, trade associations and licensing bodies often have member directories that link out.
Community involvement
Sponsoring a team, a fundraiser or a local event usually earns a link on the organizer’s site, and it is good for the business anyway.
Local news and expert quotes
A new location, a milestone or a useful local story can earn coverage. Offering expert comment to reporters can too.
Content worth linking to
A genuinely useful guide, checklist or tool on your site gives other people a reason to link without being asked.
Learn from competitors
Tools such as Ahrefs or Semrush show where competitors get their links. Often you will find directories or associations you can join too.
How to See Your Own Backlinks
The Links report in Google Search Console is free and shows the sites that link to you and the pages they link to. Paid tools add more detail and competitor comparisons. For local businesses, links work best alongside a strong Google Business Profile and a clear website, which our local SEO guide covers.
