Local SEO without Link building

[HoosierBuff]

Hi all,

A question for the forum. Do most of you include linkbuilding in your SEO packages?

I don't love to offer linkbuilding, it is time consuming, and drives up the cost (if you want to do it right). I am usually confident I can impact a client with other things (improving site content, etc.) but, increasingly, with the recent research on citations not being as effective as everyone thought, I'm wondering if I'm "not doing my job" by focusing on links from the outset.

 

[Eric Rohrback]

Links are currently, and have always been one of the biggest factors in ranking (both locally and organically), so yes this should be an area of focus if you're good enough at it. I think the biggest problem is when people sell the client on getting them more links, but don't set the foundation with original content that people would want to link to. You could definitely take it in phases,

Mo 1 - Site audit
Mo 2 - Create 10 new pieces of original content (case studies, guides, comparisons, etc.)
Mo 3 - Build list & begin outreach

OR w/e the hourly utilization works out to be.

It all depends what kind of foundation the client has when you start. It's hard to give a blanket answer to this question, since each client/situation will be different. If you offer general SEO packages, then it might be pretty tough to make it work. You'll need a ton of organization, and make sure no particular task is burning through hour allocation. Every hour you go over, the less you make.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Yes. Link building isn't optional. It's one of the most-needed things for ranking well.

links are the key competitive differentiator even when it comes to Google My Business Rankings

Local SEO Ranking Factors Study 2016 - Local SEO Guide

 

[DanLeibson]

Not only is it the key driver in packs, thanks Joy , but it's also the key driver for local organic rankings. And as a lot of people will tell you, local organic traffic can drive just as much traffic (if not more) then GMB.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Not only is it the key driver in packs, thanks Joy , but it's also the key driver for local organic rankings. And as a lot of people will tell you, local organic traffic can drive just as much traffic (if not more) then GMB.

True dat Dan!

Plus organic ranking impacts pack ranking a lot!

 

[Durandl]

I've tried doing that for one of my clients and focused exclusively on Citations, on page optimisation as well as their GMB profile since they had a very limited budget. There was some clear improvements but nowhere near enough to climb to the coveted top spots. You need links, ideally local ones if you really want to make a difference