Backlinks are really the backbone of your SEO strategy. All too often, SEO packages are sold without any backlink strategy. This is often due to budget constraints, because generating backlinks is time consuming and, although Google would tell you otherwise, often expensive. Unfortunately, without them you will struggle to compete even for low value search terms against other websites that have ignored link building entirely.
What Is A Backlink & Why Is It Important?
Look at any high ranking site and behind the scenes you will usually see a large number of linkbuilding from other trustworthy and authoritative websites. Relevant links from other sites and brands in the same industry signal trust, especially when those websites themselves have strong authority.
This is because links improve your PageRank with search engines, particularly Google. If Google can see that you are referenced across the web by other trusted brands, it builds confidence that your site is reputable and therefore worth showing to users in search results.
So the question remains, how do you do it with little or no budget?
It is difficult, but not impossible, and we will go into practical methods below.
Our Approach To Backlinks
Personally, we provide link building as an additional service rather than including it in every standard SEO package. It is resource intensive and often expensive to do properly. When we take on a client, we are very clear about this from the start.
Some technicians will disagree with this approach and argue that link building should always be included in search engine optimisation packages. The reality is that many small businesses simply cannot afford large scale link acquisition, and we tend to work with those businesses.
We could build large volumes of low quality links to fulfil a contract, but that does not produce meaningful results. It is possible to generate hundreds of irrelevant backlinks, but this rarely leads to improved rankings or real return on investment.
Instead, we focus on guidance and realistic strategies. Many small local businesses already have networks of suppliers, partners and industry contacts that can be leveraged for legitimate backlinks. With the right approach, these relationships can be far more valuable than generic link building campaigns.
How To Acquire Backlinks
At a fundamental level, backlinks are simply references between websites. They signal to search engines that one site trusts or recommends another. With that in mind, link building becomes more about relationships and relevance than technical tricks.
Below are three practical ways to generate relevant backlinks on a small budget.
Your Network
Your existing network is often your most valuable source of backlinks. If you think about your business relationships, you likely already have suppliers, partners or collaborators within your industry.
Even if high authority links are ideal, relevance is often more important. A handful of local, highly relevant websites can be more beneficial than unrelated high authority links.
For example, if you run a construction company, you might work with builders merchants who supply your materials. You are not competitors, but you operate in the same ecosystem. This creates a natural opportunity for mutual linking.
You could write content about material quality and link to trusted suppliers, while they might reference reliable contractors in your area and link back to your business. These types of partnerships are both natural and valuable for SEO.
Local Media & Authorities
Local media outlets, niche publications and industry blogs are another strong source of backlinks. If your business has an interesting story, offering or angle, there is often someone willing to cover it.
This includes online newspapers, magazines, forums and even social media platforms where content creators may feature local businesses or services.
The key point is that strong businesses attract attention more easily. If your product or service is genuinely useful or unique, link opportunities tend to follow naturally.
SEO cannot compensate for a weak business model. The stronger your offering, the easier link acquisition becomes over time.
Chamber Of Commerce
Joining your local Chamber of Commerce is one of the simplest ways to gain a legitimate backlink. Membership often includes a listing on their website, which typically provides a trusted, relevant link.
It also helps expand your local network, creating further opportunities for partnerships and referrals that can lead to additional backlinks.
HARO
Help A Reporter Out (HARO) is a useful platform for gaining authoritative backlinks from journalists and media outlets. After signing up, you can respond to journalist queries related to your expertise.
If your response is selected, you may be cited as a source and receive a backlink from a high authority publication.
You can access it here: https://www.helpareporter.com/
How A Backlink Should Look
There are two key characteristics of a strong backlink:
- Dofollow attributes
- Keyword relevant anchor text
Both of these influence how search engines interpret and value the link.
Dofollow vs Nofollow
A dofollow link is a standard hyperlink that passes SEO value, often referred to as link equity or PageRank, from one website to another.
When Google crawls a dofollow link, it follows it, passes authority and uses it as a signal of trust and relevance.
Example:
<a href=”https://example.com”>Example</a>
If no special attribute is added, a link is treated as dofollow by default.
A nofollow link includes a rel=”nofollow” attribute, which tells search engines not to pass ranking authority.
Example:
<a href=”https://example.com” rel=”nofollow”>Example</a>
Nofollow links may still be crawled, but they do not pass link equity or act as a strong ranking signal. For SEO purposes, dofollow links are generally more valuable.
Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable text within a hyperlink. It helps search engines understand what the linked page is about.
For example, linking the word “business” provides very little context. However, linking a phrase like “professional bricklayers throughout London” gives search engines clearer relevance signals for both topic and location.
This can improve the ranking potential of the target page for those specific terms.
It is also important to link to relevant pages rather than always pointing to the homepage. If you are trying to rank a specific service page, backlinks should ideally point directly to that page instead of relying solely on internal linking to distribute authority.
Contact Formwork Digital Today
Whether you are looking for guidance or a comprehensive link building service, get in touch with our team today. We have experience delivering a range of link building strategies designed to produce real SEO value and measurable results.