If you've ever dipped your toe into the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), you've probably heard people banging on about backlinks.

"They’re gold for your website!"
"Get more backlinks and you’ll shoot up Google’s rankings!"
"Backlinks are everything!"

But… what exactly is a backlink? Why are they such a big deal for SEO? And how can you, as a small business owner in the UK, actually get them without begging, borrowing or bribing?

In this post, I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know about backlinks—what they are, why they matter, how they help your Google rankings, and what to watch out for along the way.

Let’s get into it.

So, What Is a Backlink?

Let’s start at the very beginning. A backlink is simply a link from one website to another.

For example: if your local newspaper writes a story about your bakery and links to your website, that’s a backlink. If a blogger mentions your amazing handmade candles and includes a link to your site—yep, another backlink.

Think of backlinks as digital word-of-mouth. It’s someone else saying, “Hey, this site is worth checking out.”

Why Are Backlinks So Important for SEO?

Backlinks are one of Google’s top-ranking factors. In other words, they help Google decide:

• Which sites to trust

• Which pages are relevant

• Who deserves to show up at the top of the search results

Imagine you're Google. Millions of websites are shouting for your attention. How do you figure out who’s worth listening to?

You look at who else is talking about them.

When other reputable websites link to yours, it sends a strong signal to search engines: "This site is legit."

It’s like getting a five-star review from someone Google already trusts.

The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more likely you are to show up when someone searches for your products or services.

Not All Backlinks Are Created Equal

Let’s be clear: one good backlink can be worth more than 100 bad ones.

Here’s what makes a backlink high-quality:

1. It Comes From a Trustworthy Website

If the BBC, The Guardian, or your industry’s main trade journal links to your site, that’s SEO gold.

These sites have authority. A link from them is like getting a personal recommendation from a respected expert.

2. It’s Relevant to Your Business

If you run a yoga studio, a backlink from a health and wellness blog is way more valuable than one from a random car repair site.

Relevance matters.

3. It’s “Do-Follow”

Some links are marked as “nofollow,” meaning they tell search engines not to pass on any SEO power. You still might get traffic from them, but they don’t help your rankings.

You want links that are “dofollow.” Most natural links are, unless they’re marked otherwise.

4. It’s Not Spammy

Beware of shady SEO companies that promise “500 backlinks overnight!” Most of those are low-quality, spammy links that could actually hurt your site.

Google is clever. If it sees you trying to game the system, it won’t be impressed.

How Backlinks Help Your Small Business Get Found on Google

Let’s say you’re a florist in Manchester. You want to appear when someone Googles “wedding flowers Manchester.”

Backlinks can help in a few ways:

1. They Improve Your Domain Authority

The more quality backlinks you have, the stronger your website’s domain becomes in Google’s eyes. This helps all your pages rank higher.

2. They Get Specific Pages Ranking

If your blog post about choosing wedding flowers gets a backlink from a popular bridal blog, that post is more likely to rank.

3. They Bring You Referral Traffic

Even outside of SEO, backlinks send real people to your site. If someone clicks through from that bridal blog to your flower shop—hello, potential customer!

Okay, But How Do You Get Backlinks?

Ah, the golden question! Here are some tried-and-true ways to earn backlinks as a small business owner:

1. Create Helpful, Shareable Content

This could be a blog post, guide, checklist, or video that genuinely helps your audience.

Example: If you’re a builder, write a post on “5 Things to Check Before Hiring a Contractor.” If it’s useful, people will naturally link to it.

2. Get Featured in Local or Industry Press

Send a press release. Enter awards. Offer expert commentary. Journalists are always looking for sources.

If your story gets picked up, you’ll often get a juicy backlink.

3. Collaborate With Other Businesses

Partner with local businesses and mention each other on your websites.

Example: If you’re a photographer, team up with a local venue and swap links on your “Recommended Suppliers” pages.

4. Guest Posting

Write a blog post for another website in your niche. You provide valuable content, and in return, they link back to your site.

Win-win.

5. Directory Listings (With Caution)

There are legitimate UK directories—like Yell, FreeIndex, and Scoot—that offer backlinks.

Just avoid dodgy, low-quality directories. Google’s not daft.

6. Ask for Them (Nicely!)

If someone mentions your business but doesn’t link to you, reach out and ask politely. Often, they’ll be happy to add a link.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-meaning business owners can fall into a few backlink traps. Here’s what to steer clear of:

❌ Buying Low-Quality Links

Cheap links from spammy sites? Big red flag. Google sees right through it.

❌ Overusing Anchor Text

Anchor text is the clickable part of a link. If every link to your site uses “best hairdresser in London” as the anchor text, it looks unnatural.

Mix it up. Use your brand name, URLs, and phrases like “click here” too.

❌ Ignoring Internal Links

While backlinks from other sites are important, don’t forget to link between your own pages. It helps Google crawl your site and improves user experience.

Real-Life Example: Local Cafe Wins with Backlinks

Let’s take a real-world example (names changed for privacy!).

“Sweet Bean Café” in Bristol wanted to improve their Google ranking. They:

• Started blogging weekly about their suppliers, seasonal recipes, and events

• Got mentioned in a local food magazine (with a backlink)

• Wrote a guest post for a local “What’s On in Bristol” blog

• Partnered with a nearby yoga studio and swapped backlinks

Within three months, their traffic went up 45%, and they appeared in the top 3 results for “brunch in Bristol.”

Backlinks, They work.

FAQs About Backlinks (In Plain English)

Q: How many backlinks do I need?
A: It’s not about quantity—it’s about quality. 5 great links from respected sites can beat 100 dodgy ones.

Q: Are backlinks the only thing that matters for SEO?
A: Nope! They’re important, but Google also looks at content quality, page speed, mobile-friendliness, and more.

Q: What’s the difference between a backlink and an internal link?
A: A backlink is a link from another website to yours. An internal link is one within your own site, linking between pages.

Q: Are all backlinks good?
A: No. Some can actually hurt your rankings—especially if they’re from spammy or irrelevant sites.

Q: What’s a “nofollow” link?
A: It’s a link that tells Google not to pass SEO value. Still useful for traffic, but won’t help your rankings directly.

Q: How can I check who’s linking to me?
A: Use free tools like Ubersuggest or Google Search Console. Or go pro with Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz.

Q: Can I build backlinks myself, or should I hire someone?
A: You can absolutely do it yourself, especially starting out. But if you want to scale or get links from big sites, an experienced SEO agency can help.

Don’t Just Chase Links—Earn Them

Backlinks are a vital part of SEO, but they’re not about gaming the system. They’re about creating something worth linking to.

Focus on being helpful. Show up in your community. Collaborate. Share your story.

When you do that, the links come naturally—and so do the customers.

And if you're thinking about hiring an SEO agency in essex like ours to help with backlinks, make sure they understand your goals, care about quality, and can speak in plain English (like this blog, hopefully!).

Need help figuring out if backlinks are holding your website back? Give us a shout—we’re always happy to take a look.