How Do I Build Links for My Business? A Simple Guide for Durban Businesses

A close-up of a black chain, taken by Suki Lee on Pexels.

Building links for your business doesn’t have to be difficult. Start with local citations and industry memberships, then answer journalists looking for expert sources, pitch guest posts to relevant websites, and ask partners and anyone who already mentions you for a link. It is a long-term process, though, so plan to keep at it month after month.

Links are one of the ways Google decides whether to trust your website, and how to get them is one of the questions I hear most. I’ll walk through what I do for my own website and for clients, starting with the easy wins and moving on to the work that takes a bit more effort.

What is a backlink, and why does it matter?

A backlink is a link from another website to yours, and Google treats good ones like references. Google says one of the ways it judges quality is whether other prominent websites link or refer to the content.

Think of it the way you’d choose a tradesperson. One glowing recommendation from someone you trust counts for more than ten from strangers. Links work the same way: a link from a respected local news site or industry body carries far more weight than one from a random directory nobody visits.

Links also send people straight to you. Someone reading an article about Durban businesses can click through to your website, which is valuable whether or not that link helps your rankings.

What are the different types of links?

Most links fall into two camps: dofollow links, which pass on link equity, and links marked nofollow or sponsored, which don’t. Website owners choose which one to use with a small piece of code on the link, and Google explains the options in its guide to qualifying outbound links.

Dofollow links

A dofollow link is a normal link with nothing added to it, and it’s the kind that distributes link equity. Link equity is a trust signal passed from one website to another. When a strong, trusted website links to you, it passes some of its own strength over to your business, which helps you rank. SEOs sometimes call it “link juice”.

The stronger and more relevant the website linking to you, the more equity that link carries.

Nofollow links

Nofollow links don’t distribute that equity, so they do little for your rankings directly. They can still be beneficial, though. People can click through to your website, and AI tools read the pages that mention you whatever code sits on the link. A nofollow mention in a respected publication still tells AI tools and readers what your business does, and that someone credible wrote about it.

Sponsored links

Sponsored links are a similar deal. Google asks websites to mark paid links and advertisements as sponsored, so a link you’ve paid for usually passes little or no equity either. You’ll also see links marked UGC, short for user-generated content, on things like forum posts and blog comments.

A healthy mix of all of these is normal. Chase the dofollow links from relevant websites, and welcome the rest for the visitors and visibility they bring.

Do links still matter now that people use AI?

Yes. AI tools like ChatGPT usually run a live web search before recommending a business, and those searches lean on search engines that use links to judge trust. Every trustworthy website that mentions you also gives AI tools one more source confirming what you do and where you are. I cover this in how to get your business found on ChatGPT and other AI tools.

Start with local citations and directories

The first and probably the easiest way to build links is through local citations. When I say local citations, I really mean links from business directories, of which there are many, and from relevant industry websites or memberships you can pay a small amount to be part of.

It’s a very easy thing to do. All you need to do is get yourself submitted on the different websites, provide your information and make sure it’s NAP consistent. NAP stands for name, address and phone number. Keep those identical on every listing, including your website, so Google can build a good picture of your business. Then add a link to your website wherever the option is given.

Do that across enough directories and you’ll quickly have a good number of links. I list a few free South African directories to start with in how to get found on Google.

Keep your expectations realistic

Bear in mind that these links will most likely be lower value. Google understands them to be directories, or at least understands that these websites give links out very freely, so they won’t carry as much weight as a link someone chose to give you. Google’s spam policies even list low-quality directory links as a form of link spam, so stick to reputable directories that real people use.

Even so, it’s an easy win and something you can do from the get-go.

Join industry bodies and associations

Many industry bodies and membership organisations list their members online, with a link back to each website. In pest control, for example, that might be the South African Pest Control Association. Local business chambers often do the same.

These links are worth more than general directory listings, because the website is relevant to what you do and is selective about who it lists. Some charge a membership fee, so weigh up what else the membership gives you before you sign up.

Answer journalists looking for expert sources

The next thing to do is sign up for platforms that connect journalists with expert sources. Journalists post requests for expert comment on a variety of topics, and you respond. If they use your answer, they’ll often credit you with a link to your website, sometimes from very well-known publications.

These platforms have shifted around a lot. HARO, the original, was shut down by its previous owner in December 2024, then bought and relaunched by Featured.com in 2025. Featured.com has since brought back Connectively as a separate platform too. A few worth signing up for:

• Qwoted: free to join, with a limited number of pitches on the free plan
• HARO: the relaunched original, a free email digest of journalist requests
• Source of Sources: a free email list run by HARO’s original founder

You can also sign up for media alerts from South African PR websites. I receive daily media alerts from one, and they’re a good way to find local opportunities the international platforms miss.

It’s a competitive space, and a lot of people will respond to every request. But if you provide a really good, original response that will be valuable for the article, there’s a good chance you’ll be featured.

Make your answer quotable

If your answer isn’t quotable, you won’t get featured. Journalists want a short, clear statement they can drop straight into their article, backed by real experience. A few things help:

• answer the exact question in your first sentence
• give a specific tip or example from your own work
• keep each answer to a short paragraph
• say who you are and why you’re qualified in one line

What a good response looks like

Here’s roughly how I’d reply to a journalist writing about local SEO:

Hi there,

I saw your request looking for experts on local SEO. I’m a local SEO specialist and run my own SEO business, Net Narrator, where I help local businesses grow. Here’s what I think about your question.

How do you get your Google Business Profile to rank?

To get your Google Business Profile to rank, I’d highly recommend a review management system. That’s some sort of automated process, either through your emails or a quick phone call, that asks customers for a review after each job. I’d also recommend filling out all the relevant fields as completely as possible.

I hope this answers your question. Let me know if you need further information.

Kind regards,
Joshua Brouard
Net Narrator | 071 364 4054

Notice how each answer gets straight to the point and could be quoted on its own. If you’d like the full version of that Google Business Profile advice, it’s in how to show up in “near me” searches.

Share your good news with the media

Sending out press releases about good work you’re doing is another way to earn links, because news publications may pick up the story. A press release is a short write-up of something newsworthy, emailed to journalists and editors who cover your area or industry.

Think about what a local reader would genuinely find interesting. For example:

• charity work or community projects you’re involved in
• a milestone, like 20 years in business or a new branch opening
• an award or industry certification you’ve earned
• a local event you’re hosting or sponsoring

Send it to local news sites, community papers and publications that cover your industry. Keep it short with the most interesting part in the first line, and include a good photo and your contact details. If they run the story, they’ll often link to your website.

It might also be a good idea to plan a proper PR initiative later down the line, especially if your business is active in the community or does a lot of charity work. Those stories are a great opportunity to get your name out there on different news publications, and a link from a respected news site is one of the strongest you can earn.

One word of caution. Google’s spam policies flag keyword-stuffed links in press releases that are distributed across other websites. Use your business name as the link, let each publication decide how to credit you, and skip services that blast your release to hundreds of low-quality websites.

Pitch guest posts to relevant websites

Another way to build links is cold outreach to websites that accept guest posts. Typically, they accept guest posts because they monetise their website and want relevant traffic, so they publish high-quality content on a variety of topics. Most have a particular niche they focus on, so you just need to find ones that relate to you.

An AI tool can speed this up. Ask it for websites that accept guest posts related to your niche, then check each one yourself before you pitch. Look for real readers and recent articles, and skip any website that seems to exist mainly to sell links.

A few guest posts I’ve placed

Here are some guest posts I wrote while briefly doing link building for Jones Whyte Solicitors, a Scottish law firm. Each one is unique content written for that website’s readers, with the firm’s solicitors quoted as the experts:

• Fleximize, a UK business finance website: 5 Legal Steps Every UK SME Should Take Before Scaling
• The Scottish Banner, a publication for Scots around the world: 5 Scottish Laws That Prove Scotland Is One of a Kind
• Automotive Blog, a UK motoring website: How Legal Oversights Can Affect Your Car Insurance Claim in the UK
• Workplace Wellbeing Professional, a UK website for HR and wellbeing managers: Supporting Team Mental and Physical Health in High-Pressure Roles

Before that, while I was editor at Trademarkia, a US trademark and patent firm, I wrote Patents: A Tool for Inventors for Legal Desire, a legal news website, with one of Trademarkia’s patent agents quoted as the expert.

Look at how the topic shifts to suit each website. The business finance site got an article on the legal steps to take before scaling, and the motoring blog got one on car insurance claims. When an article fits naturally with what a website’s readers already come for, an editor is far more likely to say yes.

Some websites, if they’re worth it, will accept paid guest posts too, which is also an option. Just know where Google stands: it treats paid links that pass ranking credit as link spam, and asks for paid links to be marked as sponsored. A paid post can still bring you exposure and traffic, but a well-run website will label the link, so don’t expect much of a rankings boost from it.

Ask partners and suppliers for a link

If you have partners you’ve worked with for a long time, getting a link back from them is an easy win. Think about suppliers, distributors, clients who’d happily recommend you, or businesses you regularly refer work to. Many already have a partners or stockists page, and adding you takes them a minute.

Keep it genuine, though. A link from a real partner makes sense to their visitors. Google’s spam policies warn against excessive link swaps made purely for cross-linking, so avoid trading links with every business you meet.

Find where your business is already mentioned

Another really common tactic is to look back at your history and find places that mention your business without linking to it. If you search your business name, what comes up? Check the News tab and try a few variations of your name, too. A search like this hides your own website from the results:

"Your Business Name" -site:yourwebsite.co.za

Set up Google Alerts for your business name as well. It’s free, and it emails you when Google finds new pages that mention you.

There are a number of tools that do this more thoroughly, but most of them are paid. Semrush’s Brand Monitoring app, for example, tracks mentions across news sites and social media. It comes with a seven-day free trial before it becomes a monthly subscription, which is enough time for a one-off sweep of where you’ve been mentioned.

When you find a mention without a link, reach out to whoever wrote it. Thank them, then politely ask whether they’d add a link to your website so their readers can find you. People say yes more often than you’d expect, because it makes their article more useful.

To see who already links to you, check the Links report in Google Search Console. It’s free and shows the websites linking to you most.

Which tools help you find the right person?

If you’re looking for a particular website owner, editor or marketing manager, tools like Hunter can find their email address. Say you have an idea for an article you’d like to pitch. Hunter lets you search a website for contact details, and its free plan covers a limited number of searches each month, which is plenty for most small businesses.

LinkedIn helps too. Find the right person, look at what they’ve published recently and shape your pitch around it.

How do you write a pitch people actually read?

Remember that the people you’re emailing receive tons of these all the time. Make yours succinct, and make the value add very clear in the first couple of lines. Nobody wants to read something boring or repetitive.

Write it yourself, too. If you use something like ChatGPT to generate it, it comes off as very generic, especially if you don’t prompt it correctly. Editors spot those emails quickly.

A good pitch usually:

• uses the person’s name and mentions something specific they’ve published
• explains your idea in a sentence or two
• says who you are and why you’re the right person to write it
• ends with one simple question, like whether they’d be open to seeing a draft

If you don’t hear back, one polite follow-up a week later is fine. After that, move on to the next website on your list.

Which links should you avoid?

Steer clear of anything that promises lots of links quickly. Google’s spam policies list several practices as link spam, including:

• buying or selling links that pass ranking credit
• using automated programs or services to create links
• excessive link exchanges made purely for cross-linking
• low-quality directory or bookmark site links
• links with keyword-stuffed anchor text in guest posts or press releases

Websites that break these policies can rank lower or drop out of the results altogether. The cheap “500 backlinks” packages you’ll see advertised fall squarely into this category.

How many links do you need, and how long does it take?

The right number depends on your competition. What counts is how your links compare with your competitors’, and how relevant and trustworthy the linking websites are. For a small Durban business, a handful of links from respected local and industry websites can make a real difference.

Expect it to take time. Links build up gradually, and Google takes a while to find and weigh them. Building links is also something you keep doing, because your competitors keep earning new links too. More on timelines in how long SEO takes to work, and on comparing yourself with rivals in why is my competitor showing above me on Google.

Where to start this week

If you’re starting from zero, here’s what I’d do first:

1. List your business on a handful of reputable South African directories, with identical NAP details on each.
2. Check whether your industry body or local business chamber lists its members, and get yourself added.
3. Sign up for one or two journalist request platforms and set alerts for your topics.
4. Search your business name, set up a Google Alert and note any mentions without a link.
5. List your closest partners and suppliers, and ask them for a link.

Set aside an hour a week for this and the links will start to add up.

Questions Durban business owners ask about link building

Want help building links for your business?

Every business has different link opportunities, depending on your industry and where you’ve already been mentioned. Your first chat with me is free. I’ll look at the links you have now and who links to your competitors, then tell you what I’d go after first. You can also see how my SEO services work, or read how to get found on Google for the basics.