8 Ways to Build Website Authority for Local Businesses
Reading Time: 4 minutes This guide teaches you how to build website authority. Establishing site authority is essential for growing your search ranking and customer trust.
What is website authority? It includes links and citations from other sites. It also includes on-page trust factors, like a robust author page, customer reviews, author biographies, media coverage, and professional certifications.
Why does website authority matter? Search engines and customers value businesses that showcase experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Optimizing key website elements, securing mentions from reputable sources, and engaging with your local community, establish your business as a trusted leader.
Building authority matters for all local businesses, from home services to wellness providers.
How to Build Website Authority for Your Local Business
This guide covers practical strategies, such as building citations, improving your About page, leveraging customer reviews, and implementing schema markup to help boost your website authority and improve search rankings.
1. Building Links & Citations on Relevant Websites
Citations and backlinks from reputable sources help build domain authority, improving your local search rankings.
Ensure your business is listed in relevant directories like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and industry-specific platforms with consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) details.
Partner with local organizations, news sites, and chambers of commerce to earn valuable backlinks that boost credibility.
- Submit accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information to local and industry directories.
- Earning backlinks from reputable local sources (news sites, community blogs, chamber of commerce websites).
- List your company on professional directories. This can boost your domain rating and send valuable traffic to your website.
Caution: Be careful about purchasing links on irrelevant domains. There are countless services offering paid backlinks and these provide little value in your search ranking. Avoid building links on irrelevant websites.
2. Optimizing Your About Page for Trust
Your About page should tell your business’s story while building trust.
Highlight your mission, company experience, and unique value. Adding certifications and professional affiliations strengthens credibility.
Team Bios: Create a unique page for each team member. The page should include photos, links to professional social profiles (like LinkedIn), portfolio links, and an experience summary.
There should be enough detail to give prospects the confidence to do business with you.
3. Blog Author Bios for Demonstrating Expertise
Author bios help demonstrate expertise and credibility. Each blog post should include a short bio with the writer’s qualifications, industry experience, and links to professional profiles like LinkedIn.
Adding an author photo and social media links boosts transparency and trust, reinforcing your business’s authority. Every author bio should link back to the main page created in the previous step.
These authority indicators help give readers confidence in your content.
4. Implementing Schema Markup for Local SEO
Schema markup helps search engines understand and display key business details.
Adding LocalBusiness schema improves search visibility, while FAQ and review schema enhance rich snippets in search results. Properly implementing structured data can increase click-through rates and build credibility with both search engines and customers.
We recommend using an SEO plugin to help with schema. We currently use RankMath on all client and portfolio sites. It has free and premium options. Here are all of the tools we recommend.
5. Publishing High-Quality, Locally Relevant Content
Creating valuable, locally focused content positions your business as an industry leader. Write blog posts answering common customer questions, covering local events, and showcasing case studies.
Ultimate guides and resources specific to your area attract visitors and encourage engagement, further strengthening your site’s authority.
You can build website authority with local content creation.
6. Leveraging Customer Reviews & Testimonials
Online reviews play a crucial role in building trust. Encourage satisfied customers to leave feedback on Google, Yelp, and industry-specific platforms.
Display positive testimonials on your website and respond to reviews professionally. Engaging with customer feedback enhances credibility and reassures potential customers.
Here’s how to begin collecting Google reviews.
7. Earning Mentions & Features from Local Media
Getting featured in local news, blogs, or podcasts boosts brand visibility and trust. Submit press releases about business milestones, partnerships, or community involvement.
Collaborate with influencers, participate in local events, and offer expert insights to journalists to increase brand recognition and authority.
8. Strengthening Social Media & Online Presence
An active social media presence reinforces credibility. Share updates, customer stories, and industry insights to engage your audience.
Partnering with local businesses, responding to comments, and encouraging user-generated content through check-ins and tags help establish your brand as a trusted local authority.
How Will You Build Website Authority?
Building authority is a long-term process that requires consistency.
Optimizing your website, creating valuable content, earning quality backlinks, and engaging with your community can establish your business as a trusted local leader.
Prioritize credibility and trust, and your local SEO rankings will improve.
Next steps: Learn about our 7-step marketing system.
