How Other Businesses Can Improve Your SEO
If you’re trying to improve your SEO, referral partnerships might not be the first thing that comes to mind—but they should be. Local backlinks, or links from other local business websites to yours, send a powerful signal to search engines. They tell Google (and anyone else paying attention) that your business matters in a specific area. This can give you a real boost in local search rankings and make it easier for customers to find you online. Let’s break down why local backlinks matter and how to start building them through smart partnerships.
Why Local Backlinks Matter
Backlinks are like SEO’s secret sauce. When another website links to yours, it’s a signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy and relevant. But, not all backlinks are created equal. Local backlinks—those from businesses and sites in your community—are especially valuable for three big reasons:
Improving Local Search Rankings: Google loves local backlinks because they show that your business is relevant in a specific area. If a local business is linking to you, it’s a good indicator that your business is active and worth ranking higher in local searches.
Increasing Visibility Among Nearby Customers: Local backlinks don’t just help with SEO; they can also bring in actual foot traffic. When someone’s browsing a local business site and they see a link to yours, it’s an invitation to check you out.
Building Trust in Your Community: Let’s face it: when people see that other local businesses are linking to you, it makes you look good. These links act as endorsements, signaling that you’re a trusted part of the local scene.
Steps to Build Local Backlinks with Referral Partnerships
So how do you get these golden local backlinks? It’s all about building relationships and finding ways to promote each other. Here’s a step-by-step guide.
1. Identify Potential Partners
First things first: find local businesses that share your customer base but aren’t direct competitors. If you’re running a fitness studio, a massage therapist or a nutritionist might be a good match. Look for businesses that have a solid online presence and could benefit from a reciprocal relationship. If you need help finding partners, check out our article on How To Find Referral Partners. It covers the basics on identifying businesses that could be a good fit for these types of partnerships.
2. Create a Local Business Spotlight Article
Once you’ve identified a partner, the next step is to create content that highlights their business. A local business spotlight article does just that. It’s a chance to tell your customers about the business you’re partnering with while naturally including a link back to their site. Here’s an example of what this might look like:
Local Business Spotlight: [Partner Business Name]
At [Your Business Name], we’re all about supporting local businesses. That’s why we’re excited to feature [Partner Business Name], a reliable provider of [service offered by the partner, e.g., “plumbing services”] right here in [county or city].
[Partner Business Name] has built a reputation for excellent service and reliable [service], making them a go-to for our community. Whether you’re looking for [specific services, e.g., “quick repairs or full installations”], they’ve got you covered.
Exclusive Deal: As part of our partnership, [Partner Business Name] is offering an exclusive deal just for our customers. You can get this offer by clicking here: [ShareSite offer link].
Learn more about [Partner Business Name] by visiting their website. We’re thrilled to partner with them and keep supporting local businesses like [Partner Business Name].
In this format, you’re not only promoting your partner but also creating a valuable local backlink for them. If both of you publish similar articles, you’re building backlinks to each other’s sites, which can be a huge SEO boost for both.
Note: The article can be posted on a blog or any published page on the web. It doesn’t need to be visible on the website’s navigation—just published and accessible by search engines for backlink benefits.
3. Enhance the Article with an Offer
A spotlight article is good, but adding a special offer makes it even better. This could be a discount, a freebie, or some other exclusive deal for customers who find you through the spotlight article. And if both businesses use ShareSites, setting this up is a breeze. You get the added benefit of driving traffic through the offer link, which enhances the backlink’s impact and gives customers even more reason to check you out.
Final Thoughts
Referral partnerships can be a game-changer for local SEO, especially when they’re built around local backlinks. By creating spotlight articles and enhancing them with special offers, you’re doing more than just improving your search rankings—you’re building a reputation as a trusted, valuable part of the community. And with the right partnerships, these local backlinks don’t just help you; they strengthen the entire network of businesses around you. So go ahead, start reaching out, and make those links count.