When someone new to digital marketing reads about link building strategies, it’s likely a confusing and stressful experience. The reason is, most people try to complicate the process to sell services by convincing you there’s something proprietary about their methods.

Now, most businesses should consider SEO or link building services if they want to get results, but the cost is something many small businesses simply can’t afford. But instead of just forgoing link building altogether, you need solutions that fit your business, right?

That’s why I’ve put together a list of five simple link building strategies that small businesses can start immediately. So take notes and start building links!

Sponsor Something Locally or Create Your Own Event

Local businesses are often asked to sponsor events, children’s sports teams, and school functions. And while many see some of these are charitable or simply promotional, most of the organizations looking for sponsorship would be happy to feature you on their website or already do it as a part of the sponsorship.

When looking for opportunity’s, check out the  organization or event’s website to see if they link to their sponsors.

Alternatively, you could create your own local event, which will attract plenty of link opportunities from local press, event trackers, and perhaps other local businesses.

Become a Source for Reporters

Local press is huge for small businesses, but there are other ways small businesses can utilize the press to aid in link building efforts.

One of the best ways is by signing up to be a source on Help A Reporter Out(HARO), a service that connects journalists and bloggers with sources that can help them craft the perfect story.

So if you run a car dealership and a reporter was seeking someone with experience in the automotive industry to comment on last month’s national car sales report,  you could reach out that reporter directly with an original comment. If the reporter likes it, they’ll quote you and often leave a link to your company.

Offer Products to Industry-Related/Local Bloggers

Bloggers love it when businesses reach out with free products/samples. Whether you’ve got a local shop or sell a retail product, reaching out to bloggers is a great way to get your brand in front of readers, get links, and build relationships.

Take some time to research blogs/bloggers in your industry or local area and simply ask for their shipping details or invite them to your shop at a specific time. When presented with such an easy answer, most bloggers will respond, which will give you an opportunity to pitch them.

Turn Non-linked Mentions into Links with Outreach

Most business owners are happy to receive mentions of their business in articles or on resource pages. Known as “citations” to SEOs, they offer some value on their own, but offer even more as links to your business’s website.

In this guide on getting sites to link these mentions, I break down my own personal method for discovering and reaching out to sites that have mentioned your business but not linked. It takes less than 15 minutes, but can add a ton of great authority that you might have otherwise overlooked.

Create Resourceful Content Using the ‘Skyscraper Technique’

Envisioned by Brian Dean of Backlinko, the “Skyscraper Technique” is one of the easiest ways to create truly amazing content that’s worth linking to more than any other similar piece.

Because one of the realities of content today is that there’s just way too much of it being created. If you’re just throwing more of the same onto the web, no one is going to value it, as it doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

To change this, many bloggers and businesses employ the Skyscraper Technique using these three simple steps laid out by Dean:

1. Find content that has attracted links
2. Make that content even more attractive by building upon the foundation
3. Reach out to relevant sites that link to similar content

It’s that simple. You might not hit a home run on your first try, but the pay off of valuable links makes it more than worth the time and effort.

Taking Action

If you’re a small business owner with a few employees but no real marketing budget, turning these ideas into a reality can be tough. But you don’t have to do it all at once.

The order in which these strategies are presented is a great way to get started, meant to build up your comfort level and experience in link outreach.

Like most things in life, you’ll learn as you go. Good luck!

This post originally appeared on Wikimotive's blog on February 16, 2015.