Two roofers have similar profiles, similar reviews and similar websites. One ranks first, the other ranks sixth. Very often, the difference is links: other trusted websites, especially local ones, pointing to the business that ranks.
The good news for contractors is that local link building is mostly relationship work you are already doing: suppliers, sponsorships, associations, community work. You just need to make sure it shows up online. Here are 15 ideas, ranked by effort and value.
Key takeaways
- Relevance and locality matter more than the number of links.
- Start with the links you have already earned: suppliers, associations, sponsorships.
- Earn a few good links every month rather than a big burst.
- Never buy links or join link schemes.
- Point links at the pages that make you money, not just your homepage.
Why links matter for local businesses
Google treats links as votes of trust. For local rankings, links feed prominence, one of the three factors Google says it uses for local results along with relevance and distance. A link from your city's chamber of commerce or a local news story tells Google you are a real, known business in that area.
Not all links are equal:
| Link from | Local relevance | Industry relevance | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local news site | High | Low to medium | Very high |
| Chamber of commerce | High | Low | High |
| Manufacturer's dealer locator | Medium | High | High |
| Trade association | Low to medium | High | High |
| Local charity or sports team | High | Low | Medium to high |
| Random overseas blog | None | None | None, and possibly harmful |
15 local link ideas, ranked
| # | Idea | Effort | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturer and supplier dealer locators | Low | High |
| 2 | Trade associations | Low | High |
| 3 | Chamber of commerce and business groups | Low | High |
| 4 | Local sponsorships | Medium | High |
| 5 | Unlinked mentions you already have | Low | Medium |
| 6 | Partner and referral businesses | Low | Medium |
| 7 | Local news and expert comment | Medium | Very high |
| 8 | Community and charity work | Medium | High |
| 9 | Local resource pages | Medium | Medium |
| 10 | Real estate agent and home inspector partners | Medium | Medium to high |
| 11 | Useful local data or guides | High | Very high |
| 12 | Local events and workshops | Medium | Medium to high |
| 13 | Customer business case studies | Medium | Medium |
| 14 | Trade school and apprenticeship programs | Medium | High |
| 15 | Major directories and review sites | Low | Low to medium |
1. Manufacturer and supplier dealer locators
If you are a certified installer for a shingle, HVAC equipment, water heater or garage door brand, you are often entitled to a listing on their "find a dealer" page. These links are relevant, trusted and usually free. Check every brand you are certified with.
2. Trade associations
National and state associations such as the National Roofing Contractors Association, PHCC for plumbers or ACCA for HVAC contractors often have member directories with links. State and regional chapters count too.
3. Chamber of commerce and business groups
Membership usually includes a directory listing with a link. Local business networking groups and BNI chapters often have member pages too.
4. Local sponsorships
Youth sports teams, school fundraisers, charity runs and community events usually list sponsors on their websites. Choose causes you genuinely care about in the towns you want to rank in. A sponsor link is fine; just do not sponsor something only for the link.
5. Unlinked mentions
Search for your business name in quotes. Wherever you are mentioned without a link (a community newsletter, an event page), send a friendly email asking if they would add one.
6. Partner businesses
Plumbers work with remodelers, roofers with gutter companies, HVAC with electricians. A genuine "trusted partners" page on each other's sites is natural and useful to customers.
7. Local news and expert comment
Local reporters need expert sources after storms, freezes and heat waves. Offer short, useful comment: "How to protect your pipes before the freeze". Sign up for free journalist request services and contact local newsrooms before the season starts.
8. Community and charity work
Free repairs for a veterans' home, a roof for a family after a fire, a furnace for a community center. Real projects like these often earn coverage and links naturally. Do them because they matter, and let people know they happened.
9. Local resource pages
City sites, HOAs and neighborhood associations often keep pages of local resources or emergency contacts. Ask to be listed where it is genuinely helpful.
10. Real estate agents and home inspectors
Agents need roof, septic and HVAC inspections for sales. A useful page for agents (turnaround times, what your report includes) gives them a reason to link and refer. This works especially well for septic and inspection businesses.
11. Useful local data or guides
The highest-effort, highest-reward idea: a resource others want to cite. Examples: a guide to permit rules by county, a hail history map of your area, average water hardness by neighborhood. Local news and bloggers link to genuinely useful local data.
12. Local events and workshops
A free homeowner workshop on storm prep or energy savings, hosted at a library or hardware store, usually gets listed on event calendars with a link.
13. Case studies for business customers
If you do commercial work, offer the business a short case study of the project. They may link to it, or publish their own and link to you.
14. Trade schools and apprenticeships
Partnering with a trade school, offering apprenticeships or speaking to students often earns a link from an education site, and helps hiring too.
15. Major directories and review sites
Your listings on major directories (BBB, Yelp, Angi, Houzz, Nextdoor and your industry's directories) matter more for consistency and trust than for raw link value. Keep them accurate rather than adding hundreds of low-quality ones.
Outreach emails you can copy
Asking a supplier or manufacturer for a dealer listing
"Hi Karen, we've been a certified [brand] installer in Collin County since 2016 and installed over 300 of your systems. I noticed we're not listed on your dealer locator. Could you add us? Our details: [business name, address or service area, phone, website]. Thanks, Jake, Owner, [business]"
Asking for a link on an unlinked mention
"Hi Mark, thanks for mentioning us in the Riverside Little League sponsor list. We're proud to support the team. Would you be able to link our name to our website, [URL], so parents can find us? Thanks again, Jake"
Offering expert comment to a local reporter
"Hi Lisa, with temperatures dropping below freezing this weekend, I can share three quick steps homeowners can take to avoid burst pipes, and what to do if one bursts. I've been a licensed plumber in [town] for 15 years and can talk today. Mike, [business], [phone]"
Keep it short and specific. Busy people answer short emails that make the ask obvious and easy. One follow-up after a week is fine. After that, move on.
How to find your competitors' local links
Your competitors have already done some of your research for you. To find where they are mentioned:
- Search each competitor's business name in quotes, excluding their own site:
"Competitor Roofing" -site:competitorroofing.com. - Note every local site, association, sponsor page and directory that mentions them.
- For each one, ask: could we genuinely be listed or mentioned here too?
- Free and paid backlink tools can speed this up, but the manual search catches the local mentions that matter most.
What to avoid
"Any links that are intended to manipulate rankings in Google Search results may be considered link spam."
Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search
| Tactic | Why to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Buying links or "guest posts" on irrelevant sites | Link spam under Google's policies |
| Private blog networks | Link spam. Can be discovered and devalued or penalized |
| Link exchanges at scale | Excessive link exchanges are listed as link spam |
| Hundreds of directory submissions | Low value, and many directories are spammy |
| Fake scholarship pages built only for .edu links | Widely abused and largely ignored now |
Paid sponsorships are fine when they are real. If a link is paid for, it should be marked as sponsored or nofollow, which is what Google asks for.
Where your links should point
Most contractors let every link point to the homepage. Where it makes sense, point links at the pages that bring money: a sponsorship in Plano can link to your Plano page, a manufacturer locator to your installation page. Then use internal links to pass that strength through your site, as explained in technical SEO for service business websites.
A simple monthly routine
- Week 1: check for new unlinked mentions and partner opportunities.
- Week 2: contact one association, supplier or sponsorship.
- Week 3: pitch one useful local story or comment.
- Week 4: record what you earned, and plan next month.
Two to four genuine local links a month, kept up all year, is enough to pull ahead in many local markets.
Get help building local links
Local links are slow to earn by hand, which is why most competitors skip them, and why they work. Link building is included in the Growth and Pro plans on the pricing page. To see how your links compare with the businesses ranking above you, book a free strategy call.
People also ask
Real questions people search about Local SEO, answered plainly.
Do backlinks help local SEO?
Yes. Links from relevant, trusted websites help both your organic rankings and your map pack prominence. For local businesses, a handful of genuine local and industry links often matters more than a large number of generic ones.
How many backlinks does a contractor need?
There is no fixed number. Look at the businesses ranking above you and compare the quality and relevance of their links, not just the count. Many local markets are won with a few dozen good links built steadily over time.
Should I buy backlinks?
No. Buying links to manipulate rankings breaks Google's spam policies and can lead to lost rankings. Paying for a genuine sponsorship that includes a link is different, as long as the link is marked appropriately when it is paid.
Are directory links worth it?
A few major directories and your trade associations are worth having for consistency and trust. Hundreds of low-quality directories are not. Focus on directories real customers in your area actually use.
How long do links take to affect rankings?
Usually weeks to a few months after Google finds the link. Links work best as a steady, ongoing effort rather than a one-time push.