What is Local Link Building?
Link building is the process of getting other websites to link to your website. Local link building is the same, but with a focus on acquiring links from other websites within a specific geographic area. For businesses in Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma, this means getting links from other Puget Sound websites.
When a reputable Seattle-based website links to yours, it sends a strong signal to Google that your business is a legitimate and trusted part of the local community. This boosts your authority and relevance for local search terms like "plumber in Ballard" or "best coffee in Capitol Hill."
How Do We Get Local Links?
Forget about spammy directories or paying for links. Those tactics don't work and can harm your rankings. We focus on earning links through genuine relationships and community engagement. Here are the specific, actionable strategies we use for our clients.
/Sponsor a Local Event or Charity
Sponsoring a local event is a straightforward way to earn a high-quality backlink. Most organizations link to their sponsors directly from their website. Look for opportunities that align with your company’s values.
For example, a Bellevue-based financial advisory firm could sponsor the Bellevue Downtown Association's annual fundraising gala. A Tacoma construction company might sponsor a Habitat for Humanity Puget Sound build day. These sponsorships create goodwill and result in a valuable link from a trusted local domain.
We often look at:
- Local arts and culture events (e.g., Fremont Solstice Parade, Tacoma Film Festival)
- Neighborhood farmers markets
- Youth sports leagues
- Charity auctions and galas
/Host a Community Workshop or Event
Hosting your own event creates a linkable asset. You create an event page on your website, and then local news outlets, community calendars, and partner organizations can link to it.
For a Seattle accounting firm, this could be a "Tax Prep for Freelancers" workshop at a local co-working space like The Riveter. A Ballard-based interior designer could host a "Small Space Design" seminar at the Ballard Community Center. The event itself builds your brand, and the promotion builds your local link profile.
We have seen clients get links from the Seattle Met, The Stranger's EverOut, and various neighborhood blogs just by hosting a valuable, free community workshop. It establishes expertise and serves the community.
/Partner with Non-Competing Local Businesses
Co-marketing with a neighboring business is an effective way to cross-promote and share link equity. Find a business that serves a similar customer base but doesn't directly compete.
A wedding photographer in Pioneer Square could partner with a nearby florist. They could write a guest post for each other’s blogs, such as "Top 5 Seattle Wedding Venues with Great Natural Light," and link to each other as a recommended vendor. This provides genuine value to potential clients while building relevant local links.
/Get Featured in Local News
Local journalists and bloggers are always looking for stories. If your business is doing something noteworthy, let them know. This could be a significant company milestone, a new hire, a charity initiative, or a unique perspective on a local trend.
Did you just complete a major web design project for a well-known Tacoma nonprofit? That's a story. Are you a real estate agent with data-driven insights on the changing housing market in the Puget Sound region? That's a story.
We help our clients craft concise, newsworthy pitches to outlets like the Puget Sound Business Journal, GeekWire, or specific neighborhood blogs. A link from a respected local news source is one of the most powerful backlinks you can get.
/Create Hyper-Local Content
Create resources on your website that are specifically for your local audience. These are natural link magnets.
For example:
- A moving company could create a "Definitive Guide to Moving to Seattle," with neighborhood breakdowns, utility information, and local tips.
- A veterinarian in Redmond could publish a guide to "Dog-Friendly Parks and Hikes on the Eastside."
- A coffee roaster could create a map of all their partner cafes in the city.
This content is useful, shareable, and likely to be linked to by community guides, neighborhood associations, and local bloggers.
Link building is not a one-time task; it's an ongoing effort that requires consistent engagement with your local community. By focusing on these genuine, relationship-based strategies, you build more than just links—you build a stronger, more visible local brand.
Ready to improve your local SEO? Let's talk. Find out what we can do for you with a /free-website-audit-report.
Seattle agency · Seattle, WA
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