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Backlinks for Local SEO: The Right Way to Do It (No Spam, No BS)

If you’ve been trying to figure out how to rank higher on Google, you’ve probably heard the word backlinks thrown around like it’s some kind of magic spell.

“Get more backlinks, and your site will rank higher!”

“Backlinks are the key to SEO success!”

Okay, sure. But where the hell do you actually get these backlinks? And which ones actually work instead of just wasting your time and money?

Most SEO gurus out there will sell you some nonsense about “Niche Edit Backlinks”, “PBNs,” or “Web 2.0” sites that won’t do a damn thing except maybe get your website completely ignored. What they don’t tell you is that Google cares about quality and local relevance—not just quantity.

That’s exactly what I’m going to break down in this post. I’ll show you where to find high-quality, locally relevant backlinks, how to get them, and why they matter if you want to dominate your market.

What the Hell is a Backlink (and Why Should You Care)?

A backlink is just a fancy way of saying another website links to your website. Simple, right?

But not all backlinks are created equal.

A link from some random blog in another country? Useless.

A link from a spammy website that sells links? Even worse.

A link from your local Chamber of Commerce, a trusted local business, or a news site? Gold.

Google doesn’t just count how many backlinks you have—it looks at who’s linking to you and why. If a local website links to your business, that tells Google, “Hey, this business is legit in this area.” That’s what actually moves the needle.

The Backlink Mistakes That Are Killing Your SEO

Let’s be real—most backlink advice online is straight-up trash. A major culprit of this is the website and services offered on Fiverr. That place is a straight cesspool of bad service.

Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid at all costs:

Buying Cheap, Spammy Links

You’ll see offers like “500 backlinks for $10!” on Fiverr. Sounds great, right? Wrong. Those are garbage links from fake websites, and Google will slap your site down the rankings if you use them.

Relying on PBNs (Private Blog Networks)

This used to work years ago. Not anymore. Google is smarter now, and if it catches you using a PBN (which it probably will), your site is toast.

Getting Links from Unrelated Niches

If you’re a roofing contractor, and you suddenly get a backlink from a casino website, Google’s gonna know you’re up to something shady.

Ignoring Local Relevance

This is the biggest mistake I see contractors make. They focus on backlinks from random SEO blogs instead of getting links from businesses in their own area—which is exactly what Google actually cares about.

How to Find High-Quality, Local Backlinks (The Right Way)

Alright, now that we’ve covered what not to do, let’s get into how to do this the right way.

This is the exact process I use when helping contractors build strong, natural backlinks that Google actually respects.

1) Steal Backlinks From Your Competitors

(Yes, seriously. If they’re ranking higher than you, they’re probably doing something right.)

How to Do It:

Find a competitor in your area that ranks at the top of Google.
Copy their website URL.
Go to Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker (just Google it, it’s free).
Paste their URL and hit search.

Boom.

Now you can see exactly who is linking to them—which means you can go after those same backlinks for your business.

You’ll find directories, local news sites, industry blogs, and other legit places where you can also get a link.

Just reach out and get listed!

2) Get Listed on Local Directories (Easy Wins)

There are thousands of online directories where you can list your business and get a solid backlink.

Here are some of the best ones:

Your Local Chamber of Commerce – Almost every city has one, and getting listed here is a strong local backlink.
Industry-Specific Directories – If you’re a roofer, there are roofing directories. If you’re a landscaper, there are landscaping directories. Find them and get listed.
Home Service Review Sites – Think Angi, Yelp, Nextdoor, Thumbtack, and Houzz. Even if you don’t use them for leads, getting a backlink helps.

Pro Tip: Google your service + city and see what directories show up. If they’re ranking on page one, they’re worth getting a link from.

And and on anther note, lets say that you provide your services in the town north of you 5 miles away and the town south of you 8 miles away, look into each one of those cities local chamber of commerce website too. It might just be worth getting into thos chambers and directories too.

3) Reach Out to Local News Sites

This one takes more effort, but it’s worth it.

Many local news sites accept sponsored posts or feature local businesses. Find one in your area and contact them. Some will let you submit an article about your business in exchange for a backlink.

Example: If you’re a roofing contractor and a storm just hit your area, write a quick article about “How to Spot Storm Damage on Your Roof” and send it to a local news site.

Again this may require a professionally written article that they will want on their website, but it may just be worth the efoort in hiring a pro to write it for you.

If they like it and approve it, they’ll publish it (with your link), and now you’ve got a strong local backlink.

4) Get Listed on Realtor & Community Websites

Realtors love referring good contractors. Many have local resource pages where they list businesses they recommend.

How to Get This Link:

Search for “[City] Realtor recommended contractors” in Google.
Find realtors who list businesses.
Reach out and ask if they’d consider adding your business.

Bonus: Offer to give their clients a discount, and they’ll be even more likely to feature you.

Another option is to actively get involved and get to know some of these realtors. It might just be worth on a personal level not just with the link on their website. Maybe it would be worth refering people to them. Do what ever it takes because what is starting to happen is that good old fashioned return to traditional hand shakes and getting to know more people in the community, all with the added bonus of being online.

5) Sponsor a Local Event or Charity

One of the easiest (and most legit) ways to get a backlink is to sponsor something in your community.

Many charities, little league teams, and local events list their sponsors on their website. That means a strong, locally relevant backlink for your business.

Check out:

Little League teams
High school sports programs
Local non-profits
Festivals & community events

A small donation usually gets your name and a high-quality backlink on their website, and not just that, people will see you brand at the event. They may not need your services but the time may come up when they do. And you never know! Some people will take a picture of your business logo out their and look you up by name, which is a great signal to the Google Local algorithim that show proof that you are known in the community.

Other places that are great are donating to places like little leagues. Again, you are not just helping out kids with sports but you are also making an impact in your community and people will notice. All of this in exchange for a great local backlink. It’s a win win!

6) Guest Post on Local Blogs

If you can find a local blog in your city that covers home improvement, real estate, or local businesses, offer to write a guest post for them.

For example:

A roofing company could write about “How to Spot a Roof Leak Before It Becomes a Big Problem.”
A landscaper could write about “The Best Plants for Low-Maintenance Landscaping in [City].”

The blog owner gets free content, and you get a quality backlink.

Do You Really Need Backlinks?

The truth?

If you’re in a small town with little competition, you probably don’t need many backlinks. A well-optimized website and good reviews might be enough to rank.

But if you’re in a bigger city, backlinks are a MUST. You’re competing against other contractors who are actively working on their SEO.

The businesses at the top didn’t get there by accident—they earned their rankings by doing things like this.

Wrapping Up: Stop Guessing & Start Ranking

SEO isn’t about tricks or loopholes—it’s about proving to Google that you’re the best local business. And part of that is getting backlinks from local, trusted sources.

Now you know exactly where to find them, how to get them, and why they matter.

No spam. No BS. Just real results.

Want more SEO tips? Check out my other blog posts, or hit me up if you need help.

Let’s get to work.