Why links still matter
Links from other websites remain one of the signals search engines use to judge how trusted and well known a website is. Google describes prominence, one of its three local ranking factors, as being based partly on information from across the web, including links and articles. A business that is mentioned and linked by respected local organizations looks more established than one that nobody references.
Links also bring visitors directly. A link from a chamber of commerce directory, a supplier's "find an installer" page or a local news story can send customers who are already interested.
What makes a link valuable
| Quality | Higher value | Lower value |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | A Phoenix home builders' association linking to a roofer | An unrelated overseas blog |
| Trust | An established organization with real visitors | A site created only to sell links |
| Locality | A Valley organization, school or publication | A generic national directory |
| Context | A link within an article explaining why you're recommended | A link in a long list of unrelated sites |
| Earned | Given because of a real relationship or useful content | Paid for in exchange for the link |
A handful of strong, relevant local links usually does more for a local business than hundreds of weak ones.
The rules: what not to do
Google's spam policies prohibit link schemes: buying or selling links that pass ranking credit, excessive link exchanges, large-scale guest posting with keyword-rich links, private blog networks and automated link creation. Penalties can range from links being ignored to manual actions that reduce rankings.
Some paid placements are legitimate, such as advertising or sponsorships, but links from them should be marked with the rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" attribute so they do not pass ranking credit. Sponsorships still have value: they build relationships, visibility and often genuine mentions.
Our link building services
Local link building
Local link building focuses on links from the Valley: chambers of commerce, associations, community organizations, schools, events, local publications and business partners. These links carry strong local relevance and are hard for competitors to copy.
Industry links
Links from trade associations, manufacturers' dealer or installer locators, supplier partner pages and industry publications show relevance to your field.
Content-driven links
Useful content, such as a well-researched local guide or data from your own work, can earn links from people who reference it. Our local content marketing service creates content designed to be worth citing.
Unlinked mentions
Your business may already be mentioned online without a link, for example in a local news story or an event recap. Politely asking the publisher to add a link is often successful.
Lost and broken links
Links to pages that no longer exist on your site waste value. Redirecting those old URLs to the right pages, or asking linking sites to update their links, recovers it.
Links and local citations
Citations and links overlap. A chamber of commerce listing is a citation because it shows your name, address and phone, and it is often a link too. Our Phoenix citations service and link building work together, so every relevant local listing also includes a link where the organization allows it.
Link opportunities by industry
Different industries have different natural link sources:
| Industry | Natural link sources |
|---|---|
| HVAC, plumbing, electrical | Manufacturer dealer locators, utility rebate program lists, builder partners |
| Roofing and solar | Manufacturer certification directories, home improvement associations, HOA vendor lists where permitted |
| Dental and medical | Professional societies, hospital affiliations, school health programs, insurance network listings |
| Law firms | Bar associations, legal aid partnerships, law school events, community legal clinics |
| Restaurants | Local food guides, event organizers, farmers' markets, tourism sites |
| Real estate | Neighborhood associations, relocation guides, local business directories |
Starting from the sources natural to your industry produces links that are both relevant and achievable.
Anchor text from other sites
When another site links to you, the clickable words, called anchor text, help describe your page. Natural anchor text varies: your business name, your web address, a phrase like "this Phoenix plumbing company" or the name of a service. A link profile where most anchors are exact keyword phrases, such as "best plumber Phoenix", looks manipulated. We never ask organizations to use keyword-stuffed anchors; your business name or a natural description is best.
How links connect to map pack rankings
Links help local visibility in two ways. First, links to your website strengthen the site's organic rankings, and Google says that a business's position in organic results contributes to its prominence in local results. Second, links from local sources reinforce the connection between your business and the area. Neither works alone; links support a strong Google Business Profile, relevant pages and steady reviews rather than replacing them.
Our process
- Review your current links: who links to you, which pages they point to, and any risky links from past campaigns.
- Compare with competitors: the links held by the businesses ranking above you, to find realistic opportunities.
- Map your real relationships: suppliers, partners, associations, sponsorships, community work and customers who are organizations.
- Prioritize opportunities by relevance, trust and effort.
- Outreach: personal, relevant requests, never mass templates.
- Create linkable assets where a gap exists, such as a local guide or resource.
- Track every link earned and its effect on rankings.
Handling risky links from the past
Some businesses have links from previous SEO providers that look manipulative, such as links from link networks or spam directories. Google says it generally ignores spammy links rather than penalizing sites for them, and recommends the disavow tool only in specific cases, such as when a site has a manual action for unnatural links or has clearly built manipulative links. We review link profiles carefully and recommend disavowing only when that situation applies.
Links for multi-location businesses
Businesses with several Valley locations can earn links for each one: a sponsorship near the Glendale branch links to the Glendale location page, a chamber membership in Mesa links to the Mesa page. Spreading local links across locations helps each branch build its own local prominence, rather than concentrating everything on the homepage.
How long link building takes
Earning genuine links takes time. Relationships, memberships and content all require effort before links appear, and search engines take time to discover and weigh new links. Most businesses see the effect of link building over months rather than weeks, which is also why the links last: they reflect real connections that competitors cannot quickly copy.
Measuring link building
We report:
- New links earned, with source, target page and type.
- Links lost, and whether they were recovered.
- Changes in rankings and visibility for the pages that received links.
- Referral visits and leads from linking sites.
These numbers appear alongside your other results in our SEO analytics and reporting.
Phoenix link opportunities
The Valley has many organizations that link to local businesses: city chambers, trade groups, youth sports leagues, schools and parent associations, neighborhood associations, charities, business districts, community event organizers, local podcasts and newsletters. Businesses that are genuinely involved in their community often already have the relationships; the work is turning them into listings and links.
What we will not do
We will not buy links that pass ranking credit, use private blog networks, publish spun guest posts in bulk or place links on sites created only to sell them. These shortcuts can harm rankings and are not worth the risk to your business.