Difference between revisions of "Learn/35-Local-Link-Opportunities"

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Search engines are including more and more "local" listings in their search results. That means they're including businesses related to both the search terms someone used and to that searcher's location.

What does that mean for a business owner? It means that it's harder to rank high in search results, because local results are pushing many sites that used to rank high onto the second page.

But more local results also offers small businesses an opportunity to rank better than they might have done a few years ago. By building more local links - that is, getting links from websites for businesses in your area - you can get a rich set of links that can help your site rise higher in search results.

How Can I Get Local Links?

Do you do business with anyone in your area? Of course you do.

Do you have an office? If so, you may have: 1) Used a real estate agency to find a rental space in a mall 2) Hired a moving company 3) Had an electrician wire your office to fit your needs 4) Bought paint and maybe hired someone to put it on the walls 5) Had the old plumbing fixed 6) Rented or bought furniture and office equipment 7) Had walls torn down 8) Hired someone to get rid of the junk left from construction 9) Bought and installed carpet or tile 10) Enjoyed a ride in a limo 11) To happy hour at the party room of your local watering hole 12) That you've had catered, to celebrate opening your new business.

Of course, you invited your: 13) Newly hired SEO (search engine optimization) firm 14) Web designer 15) Accountant 16) Business lawyer

I’ll stop there.

Almost all of the companies you would use to do all the things listed above have websites. Ninety-nine percent of them would love a testimonial. All you have to do is ask if they’re okay with you providing a fantastic testimonial and them providing a link to your company's site on theirs.

Below are lots of local link opportunities. If they’re not local for you, they’re still great linking opportunities for things you’ve already paid for, so make the most of them and ask for the link.

1. Sponsor a local animal shelter. Many of these are very city themed and link out to donors (I’ve seen as low as $10).

2. Sponsor a local meetup group.

A "site:meetup.com city" search should let you see the most valuable pages Google has indexed that relate to that city. Most have a link to click to provide them with an offer. Paid links shmaid links, whatever, if you offer them your office space for their meetings, I don’t see a problem with them putting your link under sponsors to identify that meetings are held at your business.

3. Have anyone in the company running a marathon or race that is city specific and they have a “help me raise money” page? If the fundraising domain has the city name in it and the page is able to have links, why not drop one in? But then there’s the whole racing thing…..good luck with that.

4. Go speak at a local college.

Whether it’s an intro to marketing course or a senior leadership class, a night class speaking engagement that takes 30 minutes give you some goodwill from the college community, gets your name out there, and most likely a link from either the course syllabus, teacher’s page, school events page, etc. All of which are probably city or state themed.

5. Is your business in a corporate park, strip mall, actual mall? Many of these places have websites that could link out to your business like www.kingofprussiamall.com linking out to Gertrude Hawk Chocolates.

6. Your local community development center probably has a business directory. It’s very likely to have the name of the city or community in the title. It’s extremely likely it’ll link out to you, like FairmountCDC.org links out to Ali’s Wagon.

7. There are plenty of local forums with city name in title where you can post legit dofollow forum signature links. Is there value? Minimal. Are you getting a free city themed link from a site like http://www.philadelphiaspeaks.com/forum/south-philadelphia/17387-i-95-history-lession.html while you’re able to talk about the history of i-95? You betcha.

8. Have you purchased anything from a local artist for the business? If so, take a picture of it, shoot it over and see if they’ll link to you. Artists enjoy seeing their work hanging up. You’ll probably get a link, and if not, ask for one.

From here down, it’s all about who you’ve worked with and what has physically been done to your business. The main idea here is testimonials.

9. Have you recently had your business remodeled? What company did you use and if you provide a glowing testimonial, will they link back to you from their site? They should.

10. Did you hire a local SEO firm? Ask for that link under clients or ask if you can provide a testimonial in exchange for a link.

11. Do you use a local janitorial service for the office? Do they have a site and can you provide that testimonial for a link?

12. Had an event catered recently? Find their site, be willing to say nice things for a link.

13. Have you rented a limo or party bus? Site, request link in exchange for testimonial.

14. Hired a junk removal service? Get the link.

15. Hired a local photographer, graffiti artist? Find site, request.

16. Used a real estate agency to buy or find a rental? Use a title company? Find site, request.

17. Have donuts, bagels, or coffee delivered? Find site, testimonial for a link.

18. Have water or groceries delivered to your business? Find site, testimonial for a link.

19. Had a plumber, electrician, painting or window installation company service your business? Find sites, testimonial for a link.

20. Book a trip through a local travel agency? Get the link.

21. Leased computer, construction, furniture, or any other equipment? Get the link with a testimonial.

22. Hired a local copywriter? Provide a testimonial, or if you’re a big company, just ask them to put you in a Clients tab linked up if you’re not already there.

23. Used a moving company? Find, get.

24. Hired a band or motivational speaker, clown? Find site, link.

25. Hired company to help train your employees in advanced excel? Testimonial, link.

26. Had an inspection from an independent inspector (or appraiser)? Find site, link.

27. Rented out a conference room or consistently renting out coworking space? Get the link.

28. Hired a masseuse, chiropractor, therapist, psychologist, grief counselor, or any service specific to employees (even a consultant to fire employees)? Get the link.

29. Had carpets, tile, or general contracting work done? If you like it, provide the testimonial in exchange for a link.

30. Used a local promotional products company? Get the link.

31. Hired a landscaping company to make things pretty outside company headquarters? Testimonial & get the link.

32. Used a local IT company for troubleshooting/outsourcing IT work? Link.

33. Purchased any type of vehicle for the business? Testimonial to the local car dealership & get the link.

34. Had a company happy hour? Get the link

35. Hire a local design firm? Done.

Read: 35 Local Link Opportunities You Missed | Seer Interactive SEO Blog