Local SEO and Link Building: How to Get Your Business Ranking Locally

Local SEO is about much more than your Google Business Profile. Learn how local links, sponsorships and partnerships move your business up in local search results.

What is local SEO — and what do links have to do with it?

Local SEO is the optimisation of your visibility when people search for a service nearby — 'carpenter in Copenhagen', 'physiotherapist in Aarhus' or 'restaurant in Odense'. Google uses a combination of your Google Business Profile, your website's relevance, and your site's overall authority to decide who appears in the local packs and on page one.

Links play a decisive role. While your Google Business Profile matters, local businesses more often rank on page one when they have a strong local link network. Links from local media, organisations and partners are among the most underrated signals in local SEO.

28% of local ranking factors are link-based

3 packs Google displays local results in

D+R distance and relevance decide placement

Local links are often cheaper

Local media outlets and associations typically charge lower prices than national news sites. At the same time, they're often more relevant for local SEO, because they signal to Google that your business is part of the local community.

Citations vs. editorial links

There are two types of external references that help local SEO: citations and editorial links. They work differently, and you need both.

Citations

NAP consistency: name, address, phone
Found on business directories, Yelp, local listing sites, etc.
Help Google verify your location
Don't require a link, but a link is a bonus
Good foundation, but limited authority

Editorial links

From local media, blogs and news sites
Require genuine editorial coverage
Provide markedly more authority than citations
Can drive direct referral traffic
Harder to earn, but more valuable

Start by making sure your business is correctly registered in the major Danish directories and business listings. Then go after the editorial links that really move the needle.

10 concrete opportunities for local links

Local links are about being a visible part of your local community. Here are ten places you can typically find relevant links — many of them cheaper than national media.

Local news sites: papers covering your municipality or region. A guest post about local business trends can earn a strong link.
Business associations: local chambers of commerce, business hubs, or trade associations often have member lists and newsletters.
Sponsorships: local sports clubs, cultural events and schools typically link to sponsors.
Local blogs: food bloggers, local event guides and lifestyle blogs covering your town.
Guest posts on local media: '5 tips from a local [profession]' can be pitched as news content.
Partnerships: partners, suppliers and resellers can link to you under 'partners'.
Educational institutions: internships, case studies and collaborations with schools can earn high-authority .dk links.
Local events: events, workshops and talks generate coverage and links.
Trade publications: national trade media with regional focus can also be relevant.
Reviews and guides: 'Best [service] in [city]' articles are gold for local SEO.

Think local, not just cheap

A link from a local newspaper or a regional business association is often worth more for local SEO than 10 generic foreign links. Relevance to your geographic location counts heavily.

Guest posts on local media

Local media are often interested in content relevant to their readers. A guest post from a local business can offer both news value and expert insight — if you pitch it the right way.

Angle the article on local conditions: 'How Aarhus homeowners can avoid frost damage this winter'.
Focus on advice, not sales. The more useful the article, the easier it is to pitch.
Offer to share data or case studies from your own practice. Local figures and examples are interesting.
Be explicit that it's sponsored or commercial content, and label it clearly in the article.
Choose publishers that genuinely cover your municipality or region — not just 'Denmark' in general.

Partners can publish too

Do you have a partner with a blog? A mutual guest post on a shared topic can give you both a relevant link, at no cost beyond time.

Reviews, Google Business Profile and NAP

Technical local SEO elements strengthen the effect of your links. Make sure your foundation is solid so the links can work as effectively as possible.

✓ NAP (name, address, phone) is identical across your site, Google Business Profile and all directories.
✓ Google Business Profile is optimised with categories, description, photos and regular updates.
✓ Reviews on Google and other platforms are actively encouraged — respond to every review.
✓ A local landing page exists for each physical location, with unique content.
✓ Structured data (LocalBusiness schema) is implemented correctly.
✓ Internal links from blog/guides to local landing pages.

Links without a strong foundation deliver limited results. Make sure your Google Business Profile and local pages are optimised before spending heavily on link building.

How to measure local SEO impact

Local SEO has its own KPIs. You shouldn't just look at national rankings — you need to see how you perform in the specific geographic zone.

Google Business Profile views: how many times do you appear in local search results?
Clicks for directions, calls and website visits from Google Business Profile.
Rankings for '[service] + [city]' keywords.
Organic traffic to local landing pages.
Referral traffic from local media and partner sites.
Physical enquiries or purchases you can trace back to local searches.

Use local rank trackers

Some tools can track rankings from a specific city or postcode. This is more precise than national tracking, since local results vary from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.

Get started with local link building

Local link building is about becoming a visible part of your local ecosystem. Start by ensuring NAP consistency, then aim for 2-3 local links each month from media outlets, associations or partners. After 3-6 months, you'll typically see a clear improvement in local rankings.

Find local publishers on the marketplace

On Linkfabrikken you can filter publishers by niche and geographic relevance. Use it to find local or regionally based websites that can give you the links Google rewards in local search results.