Local Link Building

Context

Use this when a local business needs to build backlinks from local sources to support local pack rankings and domain authority. Local link building differs from general link building: the focus is on geographic relevance and community authority rather than domain metrics. Links from local directories, tourism boards, chambers of commerce, and community partners signal to Google that the business is established and trusted in its area.

Procedure

1. Audit current backlink profile: count referring domains, categorize by type (directory, press, partnership, social), identify any toxic links.
2. Identify top 3-5 local competitors and research their backlink profiles for gap analysis.
3. Build tiered prospect list: Tier 1 (essential directories), Tier 2 (authority links from associations and boards), Tier 3 (niche and community links).
4. Prepare directory submission data kit: canonical NAP, business descriptions (100/250/500 word versions), categories, photos, and social profiles.
5. Create outreach templates per prospect category: directory submissions, partnership requests, press pitches, community cross-linking proposals.
6. Prioritize prospects by: relevance to business × authority of linking site × effort to acquire.
7. Build 90-day implementation timeline: Tier 1 in weeks 1-2, Tier 2 in weeks 3-6, Tier 3 and outreach in weeks 7-12.
8. Set up tracking: log every prospect, submission, outreach, and outcome.

Output Format

# Local Link Building Plan: [Business Name]

## Current Backlink Profile
| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Referring domains | [N] |
| Directory links | [N] |
| Press/editorial links | [N] |
| Partnership links | [N] |
| Toxic/spam links | [N] |

## Competitor Gap Analysis
| Competitor | Referring Domains | Directory Links | Key Advantage | Replicable Opportunities |
|-----------|------------------|----------------|--------------|------------------------|
| [Name] | [N] | [N] | [e.g., Listed on ACSI, VVV] | [Specific directories/links to replicate] |

## Link Prospect List

### Tier 1 — Essential Directories (P0)
| # | Prospect | Type | Relevance | Authority | Effort | Status |
|---|---------|------|-----------|----------|--------|--------|
| 1 | [Directory] | [Type] | High | High | Low | Not listed |

### Tier 2 — Authority Links (P1)
| # | Prospect | Type | Relevance | Authority | Effort | Status |
|---|---------|------|-----------|----------|--------|--------|
| 1 | [Association/Board] | [Type] | High | High | Medium | Not member |

### Tier 3 — Community & Niche (P2)
| # | Prospect | Type | Relevance | Authority | Effort | Status |
|---|---------|------|-----------|----------|--------|--------|
| 1 | [Local partner] | [Type] | Medium | Medium | Low-High | Not linked |

## Submission Data Kit
- **Business Name:** [canonical]
- **Address:** [canonical format]
- **Phone:** [canonical format]
- **Website:** [URL]
- **Short Description (100 words):** [text]
- **Medium Description (250 words):** [text]
- **Long Description (500 words):** [text]
- **Categories:** [primary], [secondary]

## Outreach Templates
### Directory Submission (formal)
[Template with placeholders]

### Partnership Request (peer business)
[Template with value proposition]

### Press Pitch (local journalist)
[Template with newsworthy angle]

## 90-Day Timeline
| Week | Action | Prospects | Expected Links |
|------|--------|-----------|---------------|
| 1-2 | Tier 1 directory submissions | [list] | [N] |
| 3-6 | Tier 2 associations + boards | [list] | [N] |
| 7-12 | Tier 3 outreach + partnerships | [list] | [N] |

## Tracking
| Prospect | Date Submitted | Status | Follow-up Date | Link Live? | URL |
|---------|---------------|--------|---------------|-----------|-----|
| | | Pending/Approved/Denied | | Yes/No | |

QA Rubric (scored)

• Prospect legitimacy (0-5): all recommended prospects are indexed, editorial, and relevant to the business.
• Gap analysis depth (0-5): competitor backlinks are categorized with specific replicable opportunities identified.
• Outreach quality (0-5): templates provide genuine value to the linking site, not just an ask.
• Timeline realism (0-5): implementation phases are achievable with stated effort levels.

Examples (good/bad)

• Good: "Competitor analysis: Camping De Peel (competitor) has 45 referring domains including ACSI, ANWB, VisitBrabant, and 3 local tourism blogs. Wetland.nl has 23 referring domains and is missing ACSI, ANWB, and VisitBrabant. Tier 1 action: submit to ACSI (free listing available), ANWB (requires membership, ~€50/year), VisitBrabant (free accommodation listing form). Expected timeline: 2-4 weeks for listings to appear."
• Bad: "Build 100 links to your site. Here is a list of 100 directories." (no quality filter, no competitor analysis, no prioritization, no outreach strategy)

Variants

• Directory-only variant: focus exclusively on directory and citation submissions without outreach.
• Competitive catch-up variant: prioritize closing specific competitor backlink gaps.
• PR variant: focus on press outreach and digital PR for editorial link acquisition.