Do you know what backlinks are? Part of the digital marketing deck I teach for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program mentions backlinking. There were several small businesses that focused on SEO (search engine optimization) and pushed backlinking as a major solution to traffic. I did some light reading on 2024 and backlinks to make sure this was still a valid strategy.
The answer is yes, go get those backlinks.
Backlinks are third-party websites that link back to your website.
If you are interviewed on NPR, they tend to link back to your website about your business. If you guest on a podcast, the host tends to put your website in the episode guide. If you pitch a story and an article is written about you or mentions you, the writer will likely link back to your website somewhere in the article.
In a nutshell, think of backlinks as endorsements. When another website links to yours, it’s like they’re saying, “Hey, check out this quality resource.”
Google likes to see backlinks. It signals to them that your content is valuable, helping increase your credibility and search ranking.
Many of you are local businesses and can leverage the power of geography.
Here are some doable ways to build those backlinks and boost your business’s online reputation:
- Collaborate Locally: Partner with other local businesses for events or promotions and share the love on your websites. It’s a win-win, getting you those community-rooted backlinks.
- Be a Thought Leader: Share your expertise. Write helpful articles or blogs for your website or guest post on reputable sites in your industry. Not only will this position you as an authority, but it’ll also attract backlinks naturally.
- Get Social: Use your social media platforms to share your content far and wide. While social shares are not direct backlinks, they increase visibility, which can lead to more backlinks from other sites. (My rule for you is 1-3 social platforms, not ALL of them. You can’t do everything, every day.)
- Engage with Local Media: Local news outlets and community blogs are always looking for stories. Why not yours? Getting featured can secure a backlink, not to mention the exposure. Just make sure you’re sharing quality content that makes sense for that outlet; it can’t be a sales flyer.
The key is relevance and quality over quantity. Backlinks are not just about improving your SEO; they can build relationships and trust within your community and industry.
Here’s a solid article on backlinks and Google from Search Engine Land.
