How to Get Backlinks for Your Website: A Complete Guide
Want to rank higher on Google? Backlinks are a key factor in improving your SEO and building online authority. In this guide, we’ll cover simple, effective ways to earn high-quality backlinks—helping you get more visibility, traffic, and trust from search engines.
Quick Take:
Backlinks act as “votes” of confidence for your website, signaling to search engines that your business is credible and trustworthy. The more high-quality links you earn from reputable sites, the better your chances of ranking higher, getting found online, and attracting more customers.
Want to rank higher on Google and be included in AI searches? You’ll need backlinks.
Backlinks are links to your website from other websites on the internet.
To rank your site, Google considers where your business is mentioned and where your URL is linked across the web. Google treats links from other sites kind of like “votes” for your website’s quality.
After all, if someone is willing to link to your site, they must have trust that your website is a good one to send their visitors to. That’s a big deal to search engines and shows that your website is high-quality.
In this guide, we’ll share some ideas for where and how you can get more links.
Backlink Ideas for All Businesses
Get listed in industry-specific directories
One of the simplest ways to build backlinks is by listing your business in directories that cater to your industry. For example, wedding professionals can submit their details to platforms like Zola and Carats & Cake, lawyers can submit to Justia and Avvo, and yoga teachers can submit to Wellness.com. Not only do these directories boost your SEO, but they also make it easier for potential clients to find you.
Pro Tip: Ensure your business information (name, address, website URL) is consistent across all directories. Inconsistent details can confuse search engines and your clients!
Guest post on other blogs
Collaborating with fellow business owners or industry bloggers is a win-win. By writing a guest post for their blog, you provide valuable content for their audience while earning a backlink to your website. Look for blogs that align with your niche and share an audience with your business.
Swap a Q&A post with a complementary business
Do you have another business you refer often or have a great relationship with? Team up with another business that complements yours! For example, a web designer and a copywriter could do a "Q&A Spotlight" featuring each other. Post the interview on your blog and link to each other's websites. This creates backlinks and builds relationships in your industry.
Get mentioned as an expert source in news articles
News outlets are always looking for expert opinions. Services like Source of Sources and others connect journalists with experts like you. Sign up and respond to requests in your field. If selected, you'll be quoted in an article, which often comes with a valuable backlink.
The downside is that it can take a lot of time to wade through these opportunities, but the payoff is big if you get mentioned in a major publication.
Guest on podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to earn backlinks. When you're a guest on a podcast, the host will often link to your website in the episode’s show notes. Share your story, your expertise, or tips for their audience. It’s like networking, but from the comfort of your own home!
Many podcasts have a “guest application” form you can fill out to pitch yourself, or you can even hire companies that do podcast outreach for you.
Submit to sites that offer guest interviews
Some websites actively feature interviews with business owners and industry leaders. Research sites relevant to entrepreneurship or your niche and pitch yourself as an interviewee. These interviews often come with backlinks. A few examples are:
https://canvasrebel.com/ - Look for the “Nominations” link
https://valiantceo.com/ - submit here
Backlink Ideas for Local Businesses
These ideas are for businesses that serve customers locally and want to get found in specific local areas. For example, if you want to get found for a search specific to “Raleigh”, it helps to have links from websites related to that city.
Get local listings
Local and regional directories like your Chamber of Commerce, tourism bureau, or downtown business association are excellent places to list your business. These sites often have high authority and help you get in front of local clients while strengthening your local SEO.
These types of links make it very clear to Google where you are located and where you serve your customers.
Get mentioned in local newspapers or blogs
Local news outlets and community blogs are always looking for stories. If you’ve just opened a new location, are hosting an event, or have a unique story, pitch it to your local paper. Even a small feature can earn you a backlink and new clients.
Get linked by other local businesses
Partner with other businesses in your area to create cross-promotional opportunities. For example, a photographer could collaborate with a local wedding venue for a styled shoot and have their website linked in the photo credits. The more interconnected your local business network is, the stronger your backlink profile becomes.
Sponsor local events or organizations
Sponsoring local events or organizations is an excellent way to gain backlinks while supporting your community. Many event websites and nonprofits include a “Sponsors” page where they link to the businesses that contribute to their cause. This not only earns you a high-quality backlink but also helps build goodwill and brand awareness in your local area.
Pro Tip: Focus on events that align with your brand and target audience to maximize the impact!
Host Local Workshops or Events
Consider hosting a workshop, open house, or community event. When you promote the event through local news sources, community calendars, or event-listing websites, you’ll often get a high-quality backlink from those sources.
Get Featured in “Best Of” Lists
Reach out to local blogs or websites that publish "Best Of" lists, such as “Best [Your Business Type] in [Your City].” Submit your business for consideration, or offer to provide useful information that enhances their content. These lists often include backlinks to the businesses featured.
Need more ideas specific to your business?
One of the best ways to understand what types of links you can get is to check out your top-ranking competitors’ backlinks. You can use a free SEO tool to do this.
Search on Google and find a competitor who ranks well for the same keywords you want to get found for.
Enter their domain name and click “Check backlinks.”
You’ll get a list of their top links.
Are there any listing sites here that you could submit to?
Are they included in any “Best of” articles you could apply to for consideration?
Could you earn any similar links with the connections you have?
Interested in upping your SEO game but not sure where to start? Learn more about my web and SEO setup services and contact us to start your project.
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Hi! I’m Taryn Schroder
I help small business owners ditch the DIY struggle and build custom brands and websites that look as professional as they are. My goal is simple: to create a brand and website that grows with your business and feels authentically you.
