How do local SEO backlinks differ from regular backlinks?
Regular backlinks and local SEO backlinks share the same core function: they act like votes of confidence for your website, influencing its ranking in search results. However, local SEO backlinks have a specific focus on boosting your visibility in local search results. Here’s how they differ:
10 Ways to Build Backlinks to Your Website
Target Audience:
- Regular Backlinks: These target a general audience searching for information or products online. They can come from websites anywhere in the world, as long as they’re relevant to your niche.
- Local SEO Backlinks: These target a local audience searching for businesses or services in a specific geographic area. They typically come from websites with a local focus, like local directories, chambers of commerce, or news websites within your city or region.
Link Value:
- Regular Backlinks: The value of a regular backlink depends on the website’s authority and relevance to your niche. High-authority websites in your industry can pass on more link equity (SEO value) to your website.
- Local SEO Backlinks: While domain authority is still a factor, the local relevance of the linking website carries more weight in local SEO. A link from a high-authority website located in a different country might hold less value compared to a link from a local news website with lower domain authority.
Examples:
- Regular Backlink: An article about the best running shoes on a national sports website linking to your online shoe store (assuming you sell running shoes).
- Local SEO Backlink: A local running blog listing the top 5 shoe stores in your city, including yours, with a link to your website.
Building Backlinks:
- Regular Backlinks: Building these backlinks involves general link-building strategies like guest blogging, creating high-quality content, and digital PR.
- Local SEO Backlinks: Focus on strategies that target local websites and audiences. This could involve getting listed in local directories, sponsoring local events, or partnering with other local businesses.
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Overall Impact:
- Regular Backlinks: These can contribute to your overall website ranking and visibility in search results for your target keywords.
- Local SEO Backlinks: These primarily focus on improving your ranking in local search results, making your business more visible to potential customers searching for products or services in your area.
In conclusion, both regular backlinks and local SEO backlinks are valuable for website SEO. However, local SEO backlinks cater specifically to local search and should be part of your strategy if you want to attract customers within your geographical area.