I bet you’re either ignoring backlinks… or you assume they’re only something big national sites need to care about.
Right?
Here’s the truth: if you want to show up when someone searches for “[your service] in Redcar”, backlinks still matter – a lot.
They’re not a hack.
They’re one of the main ways Google works out who’s worth trusting near the top of the results.
Here’s what we’re covering:
- What backlinks are
- Why they matter (especially locally)
- What makes a backlink good
- What to avoid
- How to get backlinks the legit way (without turning into a full-time “outreach person”)
Ready? Let’s crack on.
First, What Are Backlinks?
A backlink is just a link from someone else’s website pointing to yours.
That’s it.
Why does it matter? Because a backlink is essentially another website saying:
“This business/site is worth checking out.”
And Google pays attention to that.
From your side, it’s called a backlink.
From their side (the site giving the link), it’s an external link.
Same thing – different perspective.
How backlinks happen
You get backlinks two main ways:
- Naturally – someone finds your site useful and links to it
- Proactively – you do outreach or create something worth linking to
How to see your current backlinks (free):
Open Google Search Console → go to Links (bottom of the left sidebar).
You’ll see:
- Your top linked pages
- The sites linking to you
- Which pages attract links naturally
Helpful terms:
- Referring page = the page linking to you
- Target page = your page being linked to
Backlinks aren’t some mystical SEO thing. They’re just online “votes of confidence”, and are one of the most important signals Google looks out for when it’s deciding to rank your website or not.
Why Backlinks Matter (Especially for Local SEO)
If reputable sites link to you, Google sees that as a trust signal.
Not “guaranteed top spot” – but a strong reason to take your site seriously.
Here’s what happens behind the scenes:
- Links pass value between pages (often called link equity / PageRank)
- A link from a stronger, trusted page tends to carry more weight
- That value then flows around your site through internal linking
In short:
Backlinks = authority.
Authority = stronger ability to rank.
And for local SEO, backlinks can also support:
- Your local credibility signals
- Your brand legitimacy (especially if you’re a newer business)
- Your Google Maps visibility indirectly (through trust + prominence signals)
No drama. Just how the ecosystem works.
What Makes a Backlink Worth Anything?
Not all backlinks are created equal.
Some help. Some do nothing. Some can cause issues if you go chasing the wrong stuff.
Here’s what actually matters.
1) Follow vs Nofollow (Does it “count”?)
Some links pass ranking value more strongly than others.
Website owners can add attributes like:
- rel=”nofollow”
- rel=”sponsored”
- rel=”ugc”
These usually tell Google: “This isn’t a full endorsement.”
Do you still want nofollow links?
Sometimes, yes – they can still send traffic and build credibility. But in general, you want a healthy mix, with some proper followed links in there too.
How to check?
Right click → Inspect (or view source) and look at the link.
If you’ve been mentioned on a decent site but the link is nofollow, a polite email like this can work:
“Hi – thanks for mentioning us in your article. Quick one: the link looks like it’s marked as nofollow. If you’re happy to stand behind the recommendation, would you mind switching it to a standard link?”
No begging. No weirdness. Just a straightforward ask.
2) Relevance (Topical + local)
A backlink from a site that’s related to what you do tends to make more sense to Google.
If you’re a Redcar accountant, a link from:
- a local business association
- a business blog
- a finance publication
- a local partner site
…makes more sense than a random unrelated blog.
That said: don’t obsess. One odd link won’t destroy your profile.
Now the local part:
Local relevance is gold
For Redcar businesses, links from local sources can be disproportionately useful because they reinforce:
- “This business exists here”
- “This business is part of this community”
- “Other local entities reference them”
Examples of local relevance sources:
- Redcar business directories (reputable ones)
- Local news sites / local publications
- Schools, charities, clubs, and community sites
- Event pages (sponsorships, speakers, exhibitors)
- Local supplier “recommended partners” pages
3) Authority (Is the site legit?)
A link from a trusted site usually hits harder than one from a spammy directory nobody’s ever heard of.
Google doesn’t publish an “authority score”, but you can generally tell a legit site by:
- It ranks and gets traffic
- It isn’t stuffed with ads and thin pages
- It has real content, real purpose
- It looks like something humans actually use
Tools like Ahrefs/Semrush can help here – but you don’t need to become a tool merchant to spot obvious rubbish.
Quick note: the first link from a website is usually the most valuable. More links from the same site often have diminishing returns.
4) Placement (Where the link lives)
A link buried in a footer with 100 other links? Not great.
A link placed inside the main content where it’s genuinely relevant? Much better.
Think:
- Higher on the page = usually better
- In-context = better
- Less clutter around it = better
5) Anchor text (The clickable words)
Anchor text helps provide context.
If lots of sites link to a page using the exact same keyword over and over, it can look unnatural.
You want a natural mix such as:
- branded anchors (your business name)
- partial-match anchors (a phrase that includes the topic naturally)
- generic anchors sometimes (“learn more”) with good surrounding context
We’ve already covered anchor text in its own guide – but the principle here is simple:
Clarity + variety > repetition.
Avoid This (Because It’s Not Worth It)
Google has spent decades fighting spammy link tactics.
So if you’re thinking of:
- buying links from “SEO packages”
- auto-generated backlinks
- spam directories
- comment spam
- footer link networks
- “we’ll link to you if you link to us” exchanges at scale
Best case: Google ignores them.
Worst case: you create a mess you’ll spend months cleaning up.
Not worth the stress.
If you do have a history of dodgy links pointing to your site, Search Console can help you spot patterns – and yes, disavow exists, but it’s not the first lever to pull unless you truly know what you’re doing.
8 Legit Ways to Get Backlinks (That Make Sense for Redcar Businesses)
You don’t need 10,000 backlinks.
Most local businesses don’t win because they have “loads of links”.
They win because they have the right links, as we’ve already covered.
But how do you actually get “the right links” for your Redcar business website?
Well, here are the strategies that actually work; starting with a tedious but VERY rewarding one:
Create something worth referencing
The easiest backlinks to earn are the ones people don’t need convincing to give.
This usually means creating a page that answers a question better than anything else locally.
Think:
Pricing guides, explanations of how a service works, comparisons, or even practical checklists often become reference points for other sites.
When a page genuinely helps people understand something, it gives bloggers, local publications, and other businesses a reason to link to it without being asked.
This is slow, but it compounds – and it’s one of the cleanest ways to build authority.
Fix broken links on other sites
Broken link building works because it’s helpful, not because it’s clever.
Plenty of websites – especially older local blogs, community sites, or resource pages – still link to pages that no longer exist. That’s bad for their readers and their site.
If you spot a broken link and can offer a relevant replacement from your own site, you’re doing them a favour. When handled properly, this often results in a backlink without any sales pitch at all.
This works particularly well at a local level, where site owners are more approachable and less bombarded.
Get mentioned locally, on purpose
Local news sites, community blogs, and local publications still carry a lot of weight – especially for location-based visibility.
You don’t need a PR agency to be featured. Local mentions often come from:
- community involvement
- events
- sponsorships
- charity work
- small but interesting business updates
When something genuinely happens offline, it’s worth seeing whether it can be mentioned online too. Those links tend to be natural, relevant, and trusted.
Use the relationships you already have
Most businesses already have link opportunities sitting right in front of them – they just don’t think to ask.
Suppliers, partners, contractors, venues, and referral relationships often have websites with pages like “Who we work with”, “Recommended partners”, or case study sections.
A short testimonial or description of how you work together is often enough to earn a link. No cold outreach required.
These links make sense because the relationship already exists.
Choose directories carefully (quality over volume)
Directories still play a role – but only when they’re legitimate.
A handful of well-known, locally relevant directories is far more valuable than being listed on dozens of low-quality sites. Google is very good at spotting the difference.
If a directory exists to genuinely help people find businesses in your area, it’s usually worth being on. If it exists purely to sell listings, it usually isn’t.
Support something local (and make it visible)
Local sponsorships still work because they’re grounded in reality.
Sports clubs, events, schools, and charities often list supporters on their websites. These links tend to be:
- locally relevant
- trusted
- long-lasting
You’re not “buying a backlink” – you’re supporting something locally (and you should genuinely do this too, it should feel good) and receiving recognition for it.
That distinction matters.
Be quotable when journalists need insight
Media request platforms connect writers with people who have real experience.
If you can explain something clearly, offer insight, or share practical knowledge, you may get quoted – often with a backlink.
These links are harder to get, but they’re also some of the cleanest and most trusted signals you can earn.
“But how do I know WHAT links to go after?”
If another local business consistently outranks you, there’s usually a reason – and backlinks are often part of it.
Looking at where competitors are getting mentioned can reveal:
- directories you’ve missed
- local sites you didn’t know existed
- partnerships you could also build
The goal isn’t to clone their profile link-for-link. It’s to understand what Google already seems to trust in your local area, and then earn similar signals in your own way.
Backlinks Are Built Slowly – and That’s Fine
Backlinks aren’t something you rush or automate.
They’re built through:
- relevance
- usefulness
- relationships
- and consistency
For most Redcar businesses, a small number of solid, locally relevant backlinks will outperform hundreds of low-quality ones every time.
