5 Link-Building Tips for Small Businesses
Links are the currency of the web. The more high-quality links there are pointing to your website, the better your website will rank in search engines. But link building can seem like an overwhelming endeavor to the average small business owner. Big companies, on the other hand, earn links almost effortlessly. After all, they’re household names and journalists are just waiting for them to make a move, so they can write about it.
As a small business owner, you don’t have that luxury and you have a limited budget, minimal time, and a slew of other responsibilities. So, how do you build quality links without breaking the bank or neglecting your business?
- Offer online coupons
Offering online coupons could get your site featured on deal and bargain-hunting websites and forums, bringing you links and traffic as a result. The coupons will generate even more links when people discover them and re-post them on their blogs and websites.
- Host a local event
Hosting local events is a great way to build your brand, generate leads, and attract links. Events that you could host include business workshops, concerts, art shows, lectures, and conferences. By putting on a local event, you could get links from event listing sites, local news sites, and other prominent local websites. This is an excellent link-building technique since your competitors probably aren’t using it and it will diversify your link profile.
- Build relationships with local reporters
Local reporters are always on the lookout for interesting local news. And it’s a lot easier to get featured on a local news site than it is to get featured on a major news site, but the links are just as valuable. Create and distribute press releases with a local angle to try and get local reporters to write a story about your business. If there’s any way you can get involved in the local community, do it, and be sure to tell a local reporter about it. In addition, get in touch with local reporters and offer to be an expert source for their future stories.
- Donate to charity
Charities often link out to those who support them on their websites. The cost of making a donation is minimal compared to the long-term value you’ll receive by having a backlink on the website of a reputable charity organization.
- Give something away for free
Provide something of value to your website visitors for free, such as a widget or blog template, and embed your link in it so you can obtain a backlink to your website each time someone uses the freebie. You could also organize a contest with a compelling prize in order to attract links.
Get SEO Help from efelle
We get it. As a small business owner, your marketing budget is limited and you have little extra time to spare. That’s why efelle offers a full suite of search engine optimization services and an SEO-friendly CMS that automates a good part of the SEO process. Let us handle your website’s SEO needs, so you can focus on running your business. From building valuable, relevant backlinks to optimizing your website content for target search terms, we’ll help you every step of the way. Get in touch with our SEO specialists now by calling 206.384.4909 or filling out our online contact form.