Local Link Building 101: Why Links Still Matter for Local SEO

Link building is the process of getting other websites to link back to yours. For local businesses in South Africa, these links tell Google your business is trustworthy and relevant to your area.

I worked with a Rosebank café owner who thought link building was dead. His mate told him Google doesn’t care about links anymore. Wrong. After we got him links from three local food blogs and the Rosebank Business Improvement District site, his Google ranking jumped from page three to the top five within two months.

What Makes Link Building Important for Local SEO

Think of links like votes of confidence. When a respected website links to yours, they’re telling Google “this business is legit.” The more quality votes you get, the higher Google ranks you.

Not all links carry the same weight though. A link from a random blog with no traffic does basically nothing. But a link from the Randburg Chamber of Commerce? That’s powerful stuff.

Links also send direct traffic to your site. Someone reading a local news article about your industry might click through to check you out. That’s a potential customer you wouldn’t have reached otherwise.

How Local Link Building Differs from Regular Link Building

Local link building focuses on getting links from websites in your area. These matter more for local rankings than links from international sites.

A link from a Joburg blogger carries more weight for local search than a link from someone in Cape Town. Google knows your business serves Johannesburg, so local links make more sense.

Industry relevance still matters too. A plumber benefits more from a link on a home improvement site than a fashion blog. Location and relevance together create the strongest links.

Where to Start Your Link Building Journey

Begin with the obvious spots. Get listed on your local chamber of commerce website. Most chambers link to member businesses, and these links carry serious weight with Google.

Community organisations are gold mines for links. Sponsor a local sports team or charity event. They’ll usually add your business to their sponsors page with a link back to your site.

Local business directories matter too. Sites like Snupit and TrueLocal aren’t just for citations. The links from these directories help your rankings as well.

Link Building Through Local Content

Creating content that local websites want to link to is the smartest strategy. Write a guide about your neighbourhood or industry that others find useful.

One electrician I know wrote a detailed post about load shedding preparation for Durban homes. Local news sites and bloggers linked to it non-stop. That single piece of content earned him 15 quality links.

Data and statistics work brilliantly too. Survey your customers, compile the results, and share them. Journalists love local data and will link to original research.

Common Link Building Mistakes to Avoid

Buying links is the fastest way to get penalised. Google’s algorithms spot paid links easily now. The short-term gain isn’t worth the long-term damage to your rankings.

Spammy directory submissions waste your time. Those “submit to 500 directories” services? They’re rubbish. Focus on quality directories that actual people use.

Don’t ignore broken link building either. Find broken links on local websites, then offer your content as a replacement. It’s a win-win that builds relationships whilst earning links.

Building Relationships for Link Building Success

Link building is really relationship building. Get to know local bloggers, journalists, and business owners. Genuine connections lead to natural links over time.

Comment on local blogs and share their content. When they see you supporting their work, they’re more likely to mention or link to you later. It’s just how people work.

Attend local business events and networking meetups. Face-to-face relationships often turn into online links. Plus, you might find customers whilst you’re at it.

Measuring Your Link Building Results

Track which links actually move the needle. Use Google Search Console to see which sites are linking to you. Check how your rankings change after earning new links.

Not every link will boost your rankings immediately. Some take months to show results. Patience matters in link building more than almost any other SEO activity.

Quality beats quantity every single time. Ten links from respected local sites will outperform 100 links from random directories. Focus your energy where it counts.

Why Link Building Still Works

Some SEO experts claim links are dead. They’re dead wrong. Google’s algorithms still use links as a major ranking factor, especially for local search.

Recent algorithm updates actually made links more important for local businesses. Google wants to show trustworthy results, and links help determine trust.

The businesses dominating local search in Port Elizabeth? They’ve all got strong link profiles from respected local sources. That’s not a coincidence.

Taking Action on Link Building Today

Start by reaching out to three local websites this week. Ask if they’d be interested in featuring your business or if you could contribute content.

Be patient with link building though. It’s a long game, not a quick fix. Building relationships and earning quality links takes time.

The effort pays off big time. Strong link building separates businesses that dominate local search from those stuck on page three. Which one do you want to be?