SEO · Link building
The links that help a local business rank come from real relationships and genuinely useful pages. Here is where to find them and what to avoid.
Start with people who already know you
Create one resource worth citing
Never buy links that pass ranking credit
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To get backlinks for your website, start with the organizations that already know you: suppliers, manufacturers, partners, trade associations, your chamber of commerce and local groups you sponsor or support. Ask each for a listing or mention with a link. Then create one or two pages other sites have a reason to cite, such as a local cost guide or a practical checklist, and pitch them to local press and industry blogs.
Avoid buying links, mass link exchanges and automated link services. Google lists these as link spam in its spam policies, and they can do more harm than good. For most small businesses, a modest number of relevant links from real organizations does more than hundreds from sites nobody visits.
Google says in its SEO Starter Guide that it primarily finds pages through links from pages it has already crawled. Links also send visitors. A useful link usually has these traits:
Directories have a role, but a small one. Keep your core listings (Google Business Profile, major review sites, industry directories) accurate and consistent. Do not pay for hundreds of low-quality directory submissions.
Google’s spam policies name the practices that put a site at risk. As of 2026 they include:
Paid placements are allowed for advertising and sponsorship, as long as the link carries rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow”. If an outreach email promises a set number of links for a fee, that is a red flag.
Most link requests fail because they ask for a favor with nothing in return. Better requests are short and specific:
For press, pitch a story, not a link. A local angle, a number from your own work and a short quote are what reporters use. The link is often a by-product of being a good source.
Book a free 30-minute call. We look at your site, your links and your local competitors, and tell you what we would change first. No obligation. Pick a time.
Repeat the cycle each quarter. Link building is slow but it compounds: a good link can keep working for years.
You rarely control the exact words other sites use to link to you, and you should not try too hard. Google’s link guidance asks for descriptive anchor text, and natural links usually use your business name, your web address or a short description of what you do. Asking every partner to link with “best plumber Boca Raton” looks manipulative and falls under the keyword-rich link patterns Google warns about.
JLB USA has done marketing for growing businesses for more than 15 years, with 500+ clients and 1,000+ projects. Our SEO service covers the technical side, content worth citing and practical link earning, billed month to month so you can cancel after any month. If you serve a local area, our guide to local SEO for contractors and our breakdown of what SEO costs are good next reads.
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There is no fixed number. A handful of relevant links from real organizations can make a difference for a local business, as long as the site itself is fast, clear and covers its services well. Compare yourself with the businesses ranking above you.
Not for ranking purposes. Google’s spam policies list buying or selling links for ranking as link spam. Paid placements are fine for advertising if the link uses rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow”.
They do not pass ranking credit in the usual way, but they can still send visitors, build brand searches and come from sources customers trust. A good sponsorship link is worth having even if it is marked sponsored.
Usually weeks to months. Google has to crawl the linking page first, and the effect depends on the link’s relevance and on how competitive your search terms are.
A handful are: your Google Business Profile, major review sites and directories specific to your industry or area. Mass submissions to low-quality directories add little and can look manipulative.
