SEO can try anyone’s patience. It is a consistent effort that often does not yield immediate benefits or results. This leads to many brands becoming frustrated with their progress, and often can result in said brands abandoning their pursuits. Local SEO is no different, but it does differ in terms of who you target, how you target them, and how you can improve search engine clout. Building links for the purpose of driving local SEO requires a more nuanced understanding of the community being targeted; today, we’ll discuss some ways that you can build more and better links for the purpose of local SEO.

Connect With Local Bloggers and Writers

Local SEO is about building connections and credibility within a given area. In order to do this, some outreach is absolutely necessary. There are no doubt many local websites and blogs in your given niche that can be useful in the process of link building – if you have something to offer. For example, bloggers who cover community events and businesses will be more than happy to feature your website in their directories or in the form of a shout-out if you have a legitimate service or brand that caters to their visitors. At the end of the day, pinging for SEO in local niches requires interacting and networking with local bloggers and writers, so don’t be afraid to do so!

Provide a Community Benefit

To build quality connections and links in local SEO, it’s important to be referenced by as many local entities as possible. Another way to build local links of relevance is to find a way in which to give back to the community. This could be through sponsoring a local club or charity, providing a great promotion or sale that caters exclusively to a community’s shoppers, building a resource hub or directory that helps people find information on a variety of relevant local places and issues, or a variety of other local activities that are service-oriented. This can be a great way to build links through news outlets, local forums, blogs and even local government websites (the holy grail of local links).

Network With Local Community Members

If you follow the advice already given above, then you’ll be making impressions and communicating with local residents and officials in some way, shape or form. But in order to truly make an impression and earn notable mentions and links, meeting with community members in person is a great way to build more clout. From local citizen hearing forums to weekend fundraisers, prove to the community that you are a part of their causes. This can make it easier to network with fellow local websites, blogs and resources, and gives them more reason to mention your website. It also helps build trust and increases the likelihood that they’ll help in your quest to be pinging for SEO.

Not all brands targeting local SEO niches can interact with communities in the intimate ways recommended above, but the important thing to remember is that local SEO is most effective when your efforts are more personalized. By networking in person with community members, providing benefits to the community and connect with like-minded bloggers and websites, you can increase the number of backlinks you’re building and explode your brand’s local SEO potential!