Should I Pay Someone for Backlinks? (What Local Businesses Need to Know)
You get the email.
“Hi There,
We are a professional Outreach link-building assistant guest posting service provider. We can publish your link on AP News, Benzinga, Good Men Project…”
Sounds impressive - but if you’re a local business, it’s usually not worth it.
In fact, this is the kind of SEO advice we try to help people avoid.
Here’s what’s actually going on - and what to do instead.
First, what’s a backlink?
A backlink is a link from someone else’s website to yours. It’s one of the ways Google decides whether your site is trustworthy and relevant.
Think of it like a vote of confidence. It’s another site saying, “Hey, these guys are worth checking out”.
But not all backlinks are equal.
The Paid Link Trap
When someone cold emails you offering to “place” your site on huge news websites or business blogs, what they’re really doing is buying space in someone else’s guest post or article.
That might sound good, but…
Here’s the problem:
These links are rarely local - they don’t help you show up in your area.
A link from a tech blog in California isn’t going to help a plumber in Southampton.
They’re often irrelevant - you’re just another link on a site that has nothing to do with your industry.
Worse still, you might end up on a site that links to payday loans, crypto scams, and dodgy “miracle cures”.
They can get you penalised - if Google thinks you’re buying links to manipulate rankings, it can hurt more than help.
Google’s spam team has cracked down hard on unnatural link-building, and they’re only getting better at spotting it.
They’re expensive - hundreds of pounds for a single link in a blog no one reads.
And once it’s placed, you have no control over whether it stays live or gets deleted the next time the site does a clean-up.
What actually helps your local SEO?
For small, local businesses, backlinks are most useful when they’re:
Local - tied to your town, postcode, or community
E.g. A local gardening blog linking to your landscaping business in Eastleigh.
Relevant - from sites that talk about services like yours
If you're a yoga studio, a link from a wellness blog makes sense. A link from a Bitcoin forum? Not so much.
Real - earned through good content, not shoehorned into spammy posts
Even better if the person reading that post could realistically become your next customer.
So... Should You Ever Pay for a Backlink?
If it’s:
From a real site,
In a relevant context, and
Transparent about what you’re getting…
Then yes - it can be a small but useful part of your SEO mix.
But it should never be the foundation of your strategy. It’s the cherry on top, not the cake.
That’s why we offer our own £10 backlink service:
Backlink - Sponsor an Example
For £10, we’ll add a natural, helpful backlink to your business from a real blog post on this site - often from phrases like “air conditioner in Southampton” or “local driving instructor”.
These aren’t spammy roundup posts. They’re real articles designed for humans first, search engines second.
No spam. No fake news sites. Just a clean, sensible link that fits the content and helps your visibility.
TL;DR
Don’t get sucked into expensive, low-value backlink schemes.
If you’re a small business, you’re better off with:
Local citations (like Yell, Checkatrade, etc.)
Relevant content on your own site
The occasional well-placed backlink that makes sense
And that’s exactly what we help with at SO SEO.
Are paid backlinks bad for SEO?
Not always - but if they’re irrelevant, low quality, or violate Google’s rules, they can do more harm than good. Focus on local, relevant links instead.
Do I need backlinks for local SEO?
Backlinks can help, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle. For local businesses, things like your Google Business Profile and on-page content are often more important.
What’s a safe way to get a backlink?
Look for natural opportunities: local blogs, community websites, or real businesses that talk about your service. Or try our £10 backlink option for a safe, relevant starting point.
