SEO has changed a lot, but backlinks haven’t gone anywhere. Google still treats them like votes of confidence, and in a world full of noise, that still counts for something. Especially if you’re a small business in a competitive area like Roseville, trying to show up before your competitor down the street.
You can tweak your titles, speed up your site, and polish your content till it shines — but if no one’s linking to you, Google sees you as a ghost town. Backlinks are still one of the clearest signs that your site matters. And if you want to rank for anything worthwhile, you’re going to need a few.
What Makes a Backlink Valuable?
If you’re spending time (or money) getting backlinks, you want the kind that actually move rankings. And that comes down to four things: authority, relevance, context, and link type.
1. Authority (Domain and Page)
This one’s still a big deal. A link from a high-authority domain like forbes.com or harvard.edu carries more weight than one from a no-name site with five visitors a week. But here’s the catch: authority isn’t just about the domain — it’s also about the page that links to you.
If your link ends up on a forgotten tag page or buried at the bottom of a long comment thread, it won’t do much. But if it’s placed inside a popular article that gets traffic and has its own backlinks? That’s the sweet spot.
A good SEO service (like the one we offer here in Roseville) will always check both domain and page-level metrics before chasing a link.
2. Relevance (Niche and Location)
Google’s gotten smarter. A link from a local roofing company in Roseville to your landscaping business is more valuable than one from a random fashion blog. Why? Because it makes sense. It’s contextually and geographically relevant.
You want backlinks from websites that cover topics in your industry — or at least share your audience. Even better if they serve your region. If you’re a service business, aim for mentions in local roundups, directories, or news outlets. They might not have the highest domain authority, but their relevance often makes up for it.
3. Context Around the Link
This is where things have really evolved. A few years ago, SEO folks obsessed over exact-match anchor text like “best SEO company in Roseville.” And yes, that can still help — but Google now looks at the entire paragraph (and even page) surrounding the link.
If the sentence around your link clearly explains what your business does, who it serves, and why it matters, that’s gold. It builds credibility and sends the right signals without looking like spam.
Bottom line: getting a link inside helpful, well-written content will always beat stuffing a keyword into awkward anchor text.
4. DoFollow vs. NoFollow
Here’s the deal. DoFollow links pass authority (also called “link juice”) — they help with rankings. NoFollow links don’t… most of the time. Google has softened its stance a bit recently, and sometimes it does count NoFollow links, especially from trusted sources. But if your goal is to climb the search results, DoFollow links are still what you’re after.
That said, NoFollow isn’t useless. If a major site like Wikipedia or Reddit mentions you, even with a NoFollow tag, that visibility can drive real traffic — and might lead to more links down the road.
Easy Wins First: Free, Local, and Obvious
Before you start emailing strangers or dreaming up viral content, knock out the low-hanging fruit. These links are free, fast, and surprisingly effective — especially for local SEO.
Business Directories
Start with the basics: Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Maps. Then hit industry-specific directories — especially if you’re a service business. These links build trust with search engines and help you show up in local results.
Local Listings
The Roseville Chamber of Commerce, city event calendars, local blogs — these are gold. Even a simple listing or shoutout can land you a clean, relevant backlink with zero fuss.
Review Sites
Claim and optimize your listings on Yelp, BBB, Facebook, Angi, and so on. Most of these give you a solid link — and customers expect to find you there anyway.
Niche Directories
Don’t skip industry hubs. If you’re a contractor, sites like HomeAdvisor or Houzz matter. If you’re a therapist, Psychology Today. Every industry has its corner of the internet — go claim your space.
Guest Posting Without the Spam
Guest posting still works — as long as you’re not blasting garbage to every blog on the planet. The trick is quality over volume. One good link can outperform a dozen weak ones.
How to Find Good Websites
Start with Google. Search for phrases like “write for us + [your industry]” or “guest post + [your niche]”. Then vet them. If the blog hasn’t been updated in two years or looks like it was built in 2009, move on. Aim for sites with real traffic, real content, and a clean layout. Bonus points if they’re based in or around your area — we’ve landed great placements for Roseville clients just by targeting California-based publishers.
What a Decent Outreach Email Looks Like
Short, clear, and human. Don’t pretend to be a lifelong fan if you’re not. Introduce yourself, share one or two ideas, link to your best writing, and respect their time. No templates. Editors can smell those a mile away.
Writing Something Worth Linking To
Think practical. Think helpful. A blog about “5 Common AC Repair Scams (and How to Avoid Them)” is more likely to get accepted than “The Importance of HVAC.” Make it specific. Make it readable. And most importantly — don’t stuff it with links. One clean backlink in a good article is all you need.
We’ve used this strategy to build backlinks for SEO clients right here in Roseville, and it still delivers. No tricks, just real content placed in the right hands.
Leverage What You Already Have
You don’t always need to create new stuff to earn backlinks. Sometimes the best links come from relationships and content you already built.
Turn Testimonials into Links
Leave honest reviews for tools, platforms, or partners you actually use — and include your business name and URL. Many companies publish those on their site (with a link back to you) as social proof.
Ask Your Network
Vendors, suppliers, referral partners — if you’ve worked with them, there’s a good chance they’ll link to you. Especially if you’ve collaborated on something or have a client story worth sharing.
Repurpose Existing Content
Take your best-performing blog posts or case studies and repackage them into something useful for other sites. Turn a how-to guide into a checklist. Turn a local success story into a guest post. If the info’s solid, someone out there will want to link to it.
Create Something People Actually Link To
Want backlinks to come to you? Make stuff worth sharing. Doesn’t need to go viral — just needs to be genuinely helpful for your audience.
Here are a few ideas that work, especially for local businesses:
- Local Resource Guides
Think: “Best Family-Friendly Hikes Near Roseville” or “2025 Summer Events Calendar.” People love bookmarking these — and local blogs love linking to them. - Comparison Tables
Side-by-side breakdowns of service options, pricing tiers, or tools in your field. Super useful, easy to link. - Custom Calculators or Tools
If you offer something technical — like remodeling estimates or auto repair diagnostics — build a simple calculator. These attract both links and leads. - Before-and-After Galleries
Especially for contractors or designers. Real work builds trust and makes people want to reference your results. - FAQs and Visual Explainers
Break down complicated topics in your niche. A well-structured FAQ page or infographic often earns links over time — especially if it fills a content gap.
Avoid the Junk
There’s no shortage of people promising hundreds of backlinks for $5.99. Skip them. Those links usually come from shady sites filled with spun content, expired domains, or private blog networks built solely to game the system. Google’s gotten good at spotting this stuff, and when it does, your site pays the price.
Blog comments, forum profiles, and spammed social bookmarks might technically be backlinks, but they don’t help — and too many of them can actually hurt. If a link looks like it was built just for SEO, it’s probably not worth having.
Stick to links that make sense to real people. If it wouldn’t drive actual traffic or make someone curious enough to click, it’s not the kind of link you want.
Build a Reputation, Not Just Links
The best backlinks don’t come from cold outreach or clever tricks — they come from being worth talking about. If you consistently publish useful content, help your customers, and stay active in your industry or community, the links tend to follow.
You don’t need to chase every SEO trend. Just focus on doing good work, creating things people actually want to share, and showing up where it matters — whether that’s a networking event or an online forum in your niche.
Backlinks are earned over time. It’s not fast, and it’s not flashy, but if you’re playing the long game, it works.
