What's Dead (Or Dying)
Guest posting at scale. When guest posting was done for genuine editorial value — getting your expertise in front of a relevant audience — it worked and was legitimate. When it became a mass-production link scheme, Google caught on. Sites that run obvious guest posting networks are being algorithmically discounted. The links aren't passing the authority they once did.
PBNs and tier-2 networks. Private blog networks are riskier than ever. Google's spam detection has become sophisticated enough to identify unnatural link patterns even when they're layered across multiple "tiers." We've taken on clients who bought into PBN services and spent their first three months doing cleanup, not growth.
Generic directory submissions. Submitting to 500 low-quality directories was never great, but in 2026 it's actively harmful. The only directories worth being listed in are those with genuine editorial standards and real local authority.
What Actually Works
Local citation building — done properly. This is the foundation of local SEO link strategy. Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data across authoritative local directories — Yelp, Google Business, Apple Maps, Bing Places, Angi, HomeAdvisor (industry-specific), chamber of commerce sites — builds the trust signals Google uses to verify your business is real, legitimate, and locally relevant. We build these systematically for every client.
Community and industry associations. Local chamber of commerce memberships, Better Business Bureau listings, industry association pages, and local sponsorships all generate high-quality, contextually relevant links that are impossible to replicate at scale. They're slow to acquire but extraordinarily durable.
PR and editorial mentions. Getting your business featured in local news, industry publications, and genuine editorial pieces drives links that Google values highly. We approach this through a combination of expert commentary outreach (journalists often need quotes from local business owners), press releases on genuinely newsworthy events, and relationships with local bloggers.
Resource page link building. Finding pages in your industry that list useful resources and securing a spot requires genuine value — a useful tool, a comprehensive guide, a dataset — but the links that result are editorial and lasting.
The Authority Gap
Most local business competitors haven't invested in link building at all. In most markets, having 20–30 high-quality, relevant links puts you in the top tier of local authority. You don't need hundreds — you need better ones than your competitors.
We audit your current link profile, map your competitors' backlink sources, and build a 90-day acquisition plan that targets the gaps. Get in touch to see what that looks like for your market.