May 29, 2026
SEO
What are backlinks in SEO and what are the benefits?
Backlinks are one of the most important concepts in SEO.
They are also one of the most misunderstood.
Some people think backlinks are magic buttons that instantly push a website to the top of Google. Others think they are dangerous and should be avoided completely. The truth is somewhere in the middle — less dramatic, but much more useful.
A backlink is simply a link from another website to your website.
For example:
If a local newspaper writes an article about the best restaurants in town and links to a restaurant’s website, that restaurant has received a backlink.
If a business association lists a construction company in its member directory and links to its website, that is also a backlink.
If a local health blog links to a dental clinic’s guide about oral hygiene, that is another backlink.
If a relocation website links to a real estate agency’s neighbourhood guide, that is also a backlink.
In SEO, backlinks can work as signals of trust, relevance and authority. But not all backlinks have the same value.
In this article, I’ll explain what backlinks are, why they matter, what benefits they can bring and how local businesses such as plumbers, lawyers, real estate agencies, dentists, clinics, accountants, restaurants and construction companies can use them in a smart way.
Quick backlink checklist
A good backlink strategy usually includes:
Getting links from relevant websites
Prioritizing quality over quantity
Building links from local, industry or trusted sources
Using natural anchor text
Avoiding spammy directories and link farms
Creating useful content that other websites may reference
Looking for existing partner and supplier opportunities
Tracking referral traffic, not just SEO metrics
Combining backlinks with strong on-page and technical SEO
This checklist is simple, but it helps separate useful link building from random “let’s get 500 backlinks by Friday” energy. Usually not a good sign.
What is a backlink?
A backlink is a link placed on another website that points to a page on your website.
Backlinks are also called:
Inbound links
Incoming links
External links pointing to your site
Imagine you own a dental clinic. If a local health blog writes an article about dental check-ups and links to your page about preventive dentistry, that is a backlink.
If you run a real estate agency and a local lifestyle website links to your guide about living in a specific neighbourhood, that is also a backlink.
If you are a plumber and your company appears in a local business directory with a link to your website, that link is a backlink too.
In simple terms, backlinks are digital references. Another website is pointing to your content, service, brand or business.
Why are backlinks important for SEO?
Backlinks are important because they help search engines understand that other websites consider your content relevant or useful.
When a credible website links to your page, it can act as a trust signal. It does not guarantee rankings, but it can help support the authority and relevance of your website within a specific topic, industry or location.
Think of backlinks like recommendations in the real world.
If one person recommends a restaurant, it may help. If many people recommend the same restaurant, it becomes more convincing. If the recommendation comes from a respected food guide or local newspaper, it carries even more weight.
Backlinks work in a similar way.
For example:
A law firm mentioned by a legal directory may look more credible.
A restaurant featured in a local food guide may attract more interest.
A real estate agency linked from a relocation website may build stronger local authority.
A dentist referenced by a health website may gain more trust.
A construction company featured by a supplier or architecture blog may strengthen its reputation.
A link from a relevant, trusted and contextual website is usually much more valuable than dozens of random links from websites that have nothing to do with your business.
You can also read what is off-page SEO to understand how backlinks fit into the wider SEO picture.
Not all backlinks have the same value
One common mistake is focusing only on the number of backlinks.
More links does not always mean better SEO.
A website with 10 strong backlinks can sometimes benefit more than a website with 500 weak, irrelevant or spammy links.
A good backlink usually has some of these characteristics:
It comes from a relevant website
It appears in a natural context
It points to a useful page
It has potential to generate real traffic
It comes from a trusted domain
It uses natural anchor text
It does not look artificially created only to manipulate rankings
For example:
A backlink from a local newspaper to a law firm’s guide about family law can be valuable.
A backlink from a dental association to a dental clinic can be valuable.
A backlink from a local tourism blog to a restaurant can be valuable.
A backlink from a supplier to a construction company can be valuable.
A backlink from a relocation guide to a real estate agency can be valuable.
A random link from a low-quality international website with hundreds of unrelated links? Probably not so valuable.
Quality matters more than quantity.
What are the main benefits of backlinks?
Backlinks can bring several benefits to a website.
The main benefits include:
Authority: relevant backlinks can help strengthen the perceived authority of your website.
Discovery: links can help search engines find new pages.
Referral traffic: backlinks can send visitors directly to your website.
Credibility: being mentioned by relevant websites can make your business look more trustworthy.
Competitiveness: backlinks can help your site stand out when competitors have similar content.
Local relevance: links from local websites can support location-based visibility.
For example:
A restaurant mentioned in a popular local guide may get visitors who click through to see the menu or book a table.
A plumber listed on a local business association website may receive more visibility for nearby homeowners.
A law firm linked from a legal resource may build stronger trust.
A real estate agency mentioned in a neighbourhood guide may attract buyers, sellers or landlords.
A dentist referenced in a local health article may gain more patient confidence.
Backlinks are not only about rankings. They can also support brand awareness, trust and direct visits.
Examples of good backlinks for local businesses
The best backlinks are usually relevant to your industry, location or audience.
Here are some examples.
Business type | Good backlink opportunities |
|---|---|
Plumber | Local directories, home improvement blogs, supplier websites, neighbourhood associations |
Law firm | Legal directories, business associations, media mentions, professional resources |
Real estate agency | Local guides, property portals, relocation websites, mortgage brokers, architects |
Dentist | Health websites, professional associations, local directories, school partnerships |
Restaurant | Food blogs, tourism guides, event websites, local newspapers |
Construction company | Supplier websites, architecture blogs, project features, trade associations |
Accountant | Business networks, tax guides, startup directories, local associations |
The common rule is simple: a backlink makes more sense when it is relevant to what you do or where you operate.
Link building strategies that make sense
Link building is the process of actively trying to earn backlinks.
Some strategies can be useful. Others can be risky, low quality or simply a waste of time.
For most local and service-based businesses, the best strategies are usually practical and relationship-based.
Good link building can include:
Guest posts on relevant websites
Local directories
Supplier and partner links
Digital PR
Competitor backlink analysis
Local sponsorships
Industry associations
Useful guides, reports or tools
Mentions from local media
The goal is not just to “get a link”. The goal is to earn links that make sense for your business.
Guest posts
Guest posting means writing an article for another website and including a relevant link back to your website.
For example:
A dentist could write an article for a local health blog about common oral hygiene mistakes.
A lawyer could write a practical article for a business website about contracts for small companies.
An accountant could write about tax planning for freelancers.
A real estate agent could write a guide about buying property in a specific area.
A construction company could write about planning a home renovation.
The key is relevance.
The article should be useful, not just an excuse to insert a link.
A good guest post should:
Help the website’s audience
Be connected to your expertise
Include a natural link
Avoid keyword stuffing
Feel like a real contribution
Low-quality guest posts published at scale are not a strong long-term strategy. Thoughtful expert contributions are much better.
Local directories
Local directories can be useful, especially for local SEO.
A local business can benefit from being listed on relevant platforms such as:
Business directories
Local chambers of commerce
Tourism websites
Professional associations
Industry directories
Local community websites
For example:
A restaurant could appear in local tourism or food directories.
A clinic could be listed in health-related directories.
A plumber could appear in local service directories.
An accountant could be listed in business directories.
A real estate agency could appear in local property directories.
These backlinks may not always be powerful on their own, but they can help build local relevance, consistency and trust.
Just avoid low-quality directories that exist only to sell links and list every possible business category under the sun.
Supplier and partner links
Many businesses already have relationships that can generate natural backlinks.
For example:
A construction company may be listed by suppliers.
A dental clinic may be mentioned by professional partners.
A restaurant may be featured by local event organizers.
A real estate agency may be linked by mortgage brokers, architects or relocation partners.
A law firm may be listed by professional associations.
An accounting firm may be included in local business networks.
These are often easier opportunities because there is already a real-world connection.
Before chasing random backlinks, start with:
Suppliers
Partners
Associations
Clients, where appropriate
Local business groups
Event organizers
Professional networks
Sponsorships
Sometimes the best backlink opportunities are already in your existing relationships.
Digital PR
Digital PR is about creating something newsworthy or useful enough to be mentioned by other websites.
This could be:
A local market report
A useful study
A practical guide
A ranking
A calculator
A checklist
Original data
Expert commentary
For example:
A real estate agency could publish a report about property prices in a specific region.
A clinic could create a guide about seasonal health issues.
A restaurant could collaborate on a local food guide.
A law firm could explain a new legal change in simple language.
A construction company could publish before-and-after project case studies.
An accountant could create a tax calendar for small businesses.
Good digital PR can earn stronger backlinks than generic outreach because it gives other websites something useful to reference.
People link to things that help their audience.
Competitor backlink analysis
Competitor backlink analysis means looking at where your competitors are getting links from.
This can help you find:
Directories
Blogs
Associations
Media websites
Local platforms
Supplier pages
Industry resources
Partner websites
For example:
If several competing law firms are listed in the same legal directory, it may be worth checking whether your firm should be listed there too.
If competing restaurants appear in the same food guides, those guides may be relevant targets.
If competing real estate agencies are mentioned in relocation websites, you may find similar opportunities.
If competing construction companies are featured by suppliers, your company may also be able to request a listing.
This does not mean copying everything competitors do.
It means finding patterns and opportunities.
What about niche edits and paid links?
Niche edits, also known as link insertions, involve adding a link to an existing article on another website.
This tactic is often discussed in SEO communities, but it needs caution.
If a link is added naturally because it improves the content and makes sense for readers, it can be useful. But if links are bought or inserted purely to manipulate rankings, they can become risky.
The same applies to paid links.
Paid links intended to manipulate search rankings can create problems if they are not handled properly. Sponsored or paid placements should be transparent and treated correctly.
For most local businesses, the safest long-term approach is to focus on:
Relevance
Real relationships
Useful content
Local visibility
Brand mentions
Trusted directories
Natural backlinks
Shortcuts may look attractive, but they can create long-term risks.
What is anchor text?
Anchor text is the clickable text of a link.
For example, in a link that says “family lawyer in Porto”, the anchor text is:
family lawyer in Porto
Anchor text helps users and search engines understand what the linked page is about.
However, anchor text should look natural.
If every backlink to your website uses the exact same keyword, it can look artificial. A natural backlink profile usually includes a mix of different anchor types.
For example:
Brand name
Website URL
“Visit the website”
“Read the full guide”
“Dental clinic in Lisbon”
“Property guide in Ericeira”
“Emergency plumbing services”
“Home renovation examples”
Natural variation is healthier than trying to force the same keyword everywhere.
How to know if a backlink is good
Before trying to get a backlink, ask a few simple questions.
A backlink may be worth pursuing if:
The website is relevant to your business, industry or location.
A real potential customer could visit that website.
The link appears naturally within useful content.
The website looks trustworthy.
The page is not filled with hundreds of unrelated links.
The link could send real traffic, not just SEO value.
The website has a real audience.
For example:
A link from a local business association to an accountant makes sense.
A link from a local food guide to a restaurant makes sense.
A link from a health directory to a dental clinic makes sense.
A link from a relocation guide to a real estate agency makes sense.
A link from a supplier website to a construction company makes sense.
If the website looks spammy, has hundreds of unrelated outbound links and exists only to sell backlinks, it is probably better to avoid it.
A backlink should make sense even without SEO. That is usually a good sign.
Backlinks are only one part of SEO
Backlinks are important, but they are not everything.
A website also needs:
Strong content
Good technical SEO
Clear service pages
Useful internal links
Fast loading speed
Good user experience
Clear calls to action
Trust signals
For example:
A plumber may get backlinks from local directories, but if the website has no clear service pages, no phone number and slow loading times, those backlinks will not solve everything.
A law firm may receive links from legal directories, but it still needs clear practice area pages and trustworthy content.
A real estate agency may earn mentions from local blogs, but it also needs good property pages, local guides and strong internal linking.
A dentist may be listed in health directories, but still needs useful treatment pages and booking options.
A restaurant may be featured in food guides, but still needs clear menus, opening hours and reservation details.
Backlinks can help amplify a good website. They cannot fully save a weak one.
You may also want to read:
These areas work together. Strong backlinks are much more useful when the website itself is clear, useful and well structured.
Need help improving your SEO authority?
If your website has good content but still struggles to rank, backlinks may be part of what is missing.
But the goal is not to get random links. The goal is to build the right kind of authority around your business.
I help businesses improve their organic visibility through keyword research, technical SEO, content strategy, internal linking, SEO audits and practical SEO recommendations focused on real business results.
For local businesses such as plumbers, lawyers, real estate agencies, dentists, clinics, restaurants, accountants and construction companies, the right backlinks can help build trust, authority and visibility over time.
You can explore my SEO consulting services if you want to understand whether your website needs better content, stronger technical foundations or a smarter backlink strategy.
FAQ
1. What is a backlink in SEO?
A backlink is a link from another website to your website. It acts as a reference and can help search engines discover, understand and evaluate your content.
2. Why are backlinks important for SEO?
Backlinks are important because they can signal trust, relevance and authority. They may help improve organic visibility, support rankings and generate referral traffic.
3. Are all backlinks good?
No. Relevant and trustworthy backlinks can be valuable, but spammy, irrelevant or manipulative backlinks can be risky or useless.
4. How can local businesses get backlinks?
Local businesses can get backlinks from directories, business associations, local media, supplier websites, partners, guest articles, sponsorships, useful guides and digital PR campaigns.
5. Can backlinks guarantee higher rankings?
No. Backlinks can help SEO, but they do not guarantee rankings. SEO also depends on content quality, relevance, technical SEO, user experience, internal links and overall website authority.
