A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Google uses the number and quality of backlinks as a measure of a website's authority and trustworthiness. More links from credible sources generally means higher organic rankings.
For local trade businesses, the backlink landscape is manageable. You are not competing with national companies that have thousands of links. You need more links than your local competitors. In most local trade markets, 20 to 40 relevant, credible backlinks is enough to build a clear ranking advantage.
Where Trade Businesses Get Local Backlinks
Trade accreditation directories
Every trade accreditation you hold — Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, Trustmark, FMB, CHAS — comes with a directory listing on the accreditation body's website. These listings include a link to your website. These are high-authority links because the accreditation bodies are established, trusted organisations. If you hold accreditations and your website is not listed in their directories, that is a straightforward backlink to collect.
Local business associations
The local Chamber of Commerce, local Federation of Small Businesses chapter, and town centre business associations typically maintain member directories with links. Membership fees range from £150 to £400 per year. The link value in most local markets justifies this cost, and the networking benefit is separate. A link from your town's Chamber of Commerce website is a strong local relevance signal.
Suppliers and manufacturers
Boiler manufacturers, tile suppliers, roofing material suppliers, and paint brands often maintain 'find an installer' or 'approved contractor' directories. Being listed in a manufacturer's approved contractor directory provides a link from a credible, relevant source. For heating engineers, this could mean links from Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, or Ideal Boilers. For roofers, from Marley or Redland.
Local press and community websites
Local newspaper websites, community news sites, and parish council websites often feature local business stories. Completing a notable project, sponsoring a local event, or contributing expert comment on a local issue are all reasons a local news site might link to your business. A single link from a credible local news website carries significant local authority.
Complementary trade referrals
A plumber and an electrician who refer work to each other can link to each other's websites. A builder and a landscaper who work together on projects can feature each other's work and link to each other. These local, trade-relevant links are exactly what Google's local algorithm values. A page on your site that says 'We work regularly with [name], a trusted electrician in Sheffield' with a link, and a reciprocal page on their site, is a legitimate and valuable link exchange.
What not to do
Paying for links from link farms, private blog networks, or unrelated websites consistently harms more than it helps. Google's algorithms detect unnatural link patterns. A sudden increase in links from irrelevant websites triggers a spam assessment that can suppress rankings for months.
The safest and most effective backlink strategy for trades is slow, steady accumulation of relevant, credible links from sources that make logical sense for your business. Accreditation bodies, local associations, suppliers, and complementary trades are the right sources. Random directories and paid link schemes are not.