Local link building

[smartcow]

Hi,

I am looking to ask for peoples experience on getting local links and the best and most successful approaches made.

Let's say we have a local sports physiotherapist and wants to engage with local sports clubs, running clubs, etc.. What are the best methods for an agency to deploy to try and build relationships and links. Our client may have treated some of the local sports club members but as an agency we may not have the specifics.

What success have Marketing agencies got with emails, telephone, site visits etc in order to assist with building good quality relevant links.

What success do you have with offering discounts to build links or promoting competitions and offering guest blogging at a local level.

Are there other tactics, such as linkedIn or engaing on other social channels.

It would be nice to find out others experiences what ever the business sector for building local links.

Many thanks in advance to all those who contribute.

[smartcow]

Miriam,

Love the answer, some great info hidden in those links , Cheers.

Also I love the "Happy thanksgiving" message. Being in the UK it obviously means very little to us apart from for some strange reason we have decided to adopt your "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" .

All we do over here is have a few fireworks on the 5th November to remember some chap who tried to blow up the houses of parliament ages ago, no Turkey till Christmas for us Brits

I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving anyway

[Justian]

Instead of calling or sending mails I would try to figure out how to get in touch with the local business trough meetups or small business networks in the local area.

Most places has a business network for the area and meetings where you can show up and show you commitment for the local area. and that way gain trust and be endorsed by the locals though out the area.. that way you can build up a strong business relationship with the local community and also gain more then just a link.

Most sports clubs have a sponsor network that you become a part of by being a sponsor or helping them look good, this is the perfekt way to get in there and start making relationship that you can build on. Remember its all about getting your foot inside the door.. the rest is easy.

[MiriamEllis]

Happy Thanksgiving, Smartcow!

You might find some little gems here:

http://blog.ahrefs.com/local-link-building-guide-2014/

http://searchenginewatch.com/sew/how-to/2301740/link-building-101-local-link-building#

http://www.whitespark.ca/blog/post/8-local-link-building-tactics-beyond-business-listings

I hope some of the tips in the above will get some creative ideas going for you!

[Shakur]

There is no absolute truth, you have to see what example works better for each case.

Yes, i think starting with a research on targeted businesses/clubs will be the best idea, then you can try to apply some of these cases.

I let you my bible:

Call them - Get them on the phone. Make them hear your voice and know that you're a real person. I did it with some clients and i got great results.

Sometimes a good comment on a blog that makes a difference can help you build the relationship you want.

Interviews-Normally companies like to be interviewed, so take the advantage of this and make some. Remember to give them a mention when you gonna share that content on your social networks, they will be happy to share it.

Random acts of kindness - Whenever you can, be nice to people. It might just payoff. Always be on the lookout for helping those in need. These random acts can turn into lasting relationships.

Give a crap - Actually care about people. Show them you're not just a bot with a picture, but that you're somewhat human. If they share on Twitter that their daughter just graduated, congratulate them. Something as simple as that can open up your chances to build a relationship in the future.

Participate - If someone is conducting a survey or testing something, get involved and participate. Those are great chances to start conversations with new people.

Local meetups - Whether you find one or start one, meetups are a fantastic way to get to know people close by.

User group meetings - A great way to get to know people who think like you is by finding those who use the same products or services like you..

Conferences - Seriously, go to them.

G+ Hangouts/Skype - Be the first person to use a Google+ hangout! But seriously, that or Skype is a great way to meet face to face with someone without actually meeting face to face (if that makes any sense!).

Twitter RTs, Responses, & DMs - If you want to get to know someone on Twitter, first retweet them a few times. Then respond a couple times to a few of their tweets, then continue the conversation as direct messages. Finally, ask to email (because 140 characters is never enough), and now you've got the ball rolling.

Answer questions - Answer questions on Twitter, Quora, and anywhere else people hang out. People ask questions all the time. These external opportunities are a great way to put you on their radar.

Note: don’t think of it as a short-term input & short-term output, especially if you’re a marketing agency. More so, realize that these relationships can be tapped into for multiple links (i.e. for different campaigns, clients, etc.), as well as for other marketing opportunities (i.e running a joint-contest).

Regards

[smartcow]

Shakar,

Thanks for the advice. So would you say that engaging openly and socially is better than connecting by email and telephone?

I would suspect that you are spot on.

I would guess that we start with a bit of research on targeted businesses/clubs and then write about them either socially or in blogs. After a while if a natural engagement has not occoured then get in touch more personally to build a relationship.

what do you reckon?

[smartcow]

Many thanks for that, great idea and will suggest we target one or two local clubs.

What is your experience of gaining local links through email, calls, begging, blackmail etc....  OK not blackmail but you get my drift

[Shakur]

Hi there,

What I would do would be to start contacting them by facebook, twitter or other social networks. On twitter mentions work very well especially if you have written an article that you talk about them.

Buil relations, not backlinks- Instead of focusing on getting more and more backlinks, try to focus on creating relations.

being proactive in a community – actively commenting and participating in discussions

social media interaction – sharing valuable content and commenting on the topic in social media

creating content – it’s always good to add new value or fresh thoughts to the community

Hope it helps you.

[Justian]

Not long ago I was working on a local project for an Event agency that needed local links. What we did was:

We contacted a local soccer club about making an event (for free to support the team) right there on the stadium. The deal sounded like:

We would setup two Bouncing castle for families with kids, so they could have some fun at half time. We asked if they were willing to announce this service on their homepage and Social account.

The event went smooth and gave us:

• A Post about about the company and the event on the clubs homepage with link
• Mentions in the local news
• New customers from the audience.
• And last but not least a contract for 2 more events at the club

Hope you will find this useful.