Local Link Building for Restaurants, Pubs & Hotels: The Authority Playbook

What “local links” actually mean in hospitality

In hospitality, the best links are rarely “SEO links.” They’re operationally real: a local newspaper lists your charity night, a BID calendar features your live music schedule, a brewery links to you as a stockist, a wedding venue recommends your private dining room, a tourism board includes you in a “where to eat” guide.

That’s why local link building is one of the most ethical and resilient SEO plays you can run. You’re not trying to game Google. You’re building real-world visibility — and the internet leaves a trail.

Why links help Maps and organic (without the fluff)

Links are also an AI-era asset. When trusted sources mention your venue, it becomes easier for assistants and AI overviews to understand and recommend you. That’s part of the longer-term strategy outlined in AI & ChatGPT for Hospitality.

Fix your link targets first (where links should point)

If you want links to move bookings, your targets must be correct. A link to a generic homepage often underperforms because it doesn’t match intent. Here’s the rule:

• Venue mention → link to the location page (address, hours, booking, map, menus).
• Event mention → link to the event hub (football, brunch, Christmas parties). See Seasonal & Event SEO.
• Private dining mention → link to the private dining page (capacity, packages, enquiry).
• Menu feature → link to HTML menu (not only PDF). See Website UX.

Before outreach, make sure those pages exist and are genuinely good. Fast loading, clear CTAs, strong local info, and correct schema support (Schema Markup).

The 9 link types that move the needle for pubs & restaurants

1) Local “What’s On” calendars

These are gold for event-led venues. They’re relevant, local, and often well-crawled. Use them for live music, quiz nights, ticketed takeovers and seasonal campaigns.

2) Local press & publishers (PR-lite)

You don’t need national PR to win. Small, consistent local coverage is often more valuable: “new menu launch,” “chef collab,” “fundraiser,” “new terrace,” “sports screening,” “Christmas party packages.”

3) Tourism boards and local guides

Tourism sites and city guides can be powerful authority sources. Package your venue information like a press kit: one sentence, address, nearest station, booking link, and one strong image.

4) BID (Business Improvement District) sites & local councils

BIDs often run “eat/drink” directories, event calendars, and campaigns. These links are typically highly trusted and hyper-local.

5) Supplier and producer links

If you stock local beer, coffee, bakery goods, or spirits, ask to be listed as a stockist. This is one of the easiest win-win links because it’s commercially true and mutually beneficial.

6) Partnerships (gyms, theatres, offices, venues)

Think “local ecosystem.” Theatres list pre-show dining, gyms list recovery brunch spots, wedding venues list recommended after-party bars. These links drive real customers.

7) Sponsorships & community organisations

Local sports teams, charities, schools and community groups often have sponsor pages. If you already support them, make sure the web evidence exists.

8) Awards, associations and memberships

Hospitality awards, chamber of commerce directories, trade groups — these can be strong legitimacy signals. Prioritise quality over volume.

9) High-quality directories (selective)

Not all directories are equal. Focus on reputable, curated directories that real people use. Avoid mass submission to low-quality sites.

Bonus: links and mentions reinforce reputation too. If your venue is being talked about, it often increases review velocity — covered in Reviews & Reputation SEO.

Linkable assets you can build once and reuse

The fastest way to make link building easy is to create pages people want to link to. In hospitality, the best assets are practical and evergreen:

• Event hubs (football, brunch, Christmas parties). Start here: Seasonal SEO.
• Private dining / group bookings pages with capacity tables and package PDFs (optional).
• Community / charity page: your local partnerships, fundraising totals, and upcoming nights.
• Press kit page: short description, logo pack, hero images, contact email, key facts.
• Local guide content (for hotels): “best walks nearby,” “weekend itinerary,” “things to do near [area]” — these earn tourism links.

Once these exist, outreach becomes simple: you’re not begging for a link, you’re offering a useful destination.

A simple monthly link-building process (repeatable)

Don’t overcomplicate it. Consistency beats intensity. Ten good opportunities per month, executed well, compounds into meaningful authority.

Multi-location link building (estate-level without spam)

Multi-location groups often make two mistakes: (1) they only build links to the brand homepage, or (2) they mass-produce the same outreach for every venue. Both waste potential.

Instead:

• Use a two-layer model: estate-level PR angles (brand initiatives, partnerships) + venue-level local wins (BID, community, local press).
• Link targets must match the venue: local articles should land on the relevant location page, not a generic “locations” list.
• Standardise the kit: each venue has a consistent fact pack (address, nearest station, hero image, booking link) but unique local angles.

For structure and internal linking at scale, follow Multi-Location SEO.

Common mistakes that waste time (and what to do instead)

• Chasing volume: 100 low-quality directory links won’t beat 5 strong local mentions. Prioritise quality.
• Linking to the wrong page: match intent. Events → event hub. Venue mention → location page.
• No conversion path: if the landing page doesn’t make booking easy, the link won’t pay back. Fix UX first (Website SEO & UX).
• Ignoring GBP: people often see you on Maps first. Make sure links reinforce your GBP story (GBP optimisation).
• Over-automation: AI can help draft outreach, but local link building is relationships and relevance. Use AI as a tool, not a replacement (AI & ChatGPT).

How to measure link building properly

Measure outcomes, not just “links gained.” The best hospitality link building creates three outcomes:

• Visibility: better rankings for local and event searches.
• Confidence: higher click-through and more branded searches.
• Revenue: bookings, calls, directions, private dining enquiries.

Practical KPIs:

• Referral sessions to event hubs and location pages
• Conversion rate of those sessions (book/call/directions)
• Growth in branded searches over time
• Map Pack visibility improvements alongside review velocity (Reviews)

Paid can amplify seasonal wins too. If a new guide sends good traffic, add Search campaigns around that theme (Google Ads) and scale with PMax once conversion value is wired.

Outreach templates you can copy/paste

Local calendar listing

Subject: Listing request — {Event Name} at {Venue} ({Area})

Hi {Name},

We’re running {Event Name} at {Venue} in {Area} on {Date/Time}.
Could you add it to your {Calendar/Guide}?

One-line description:
{Short description (max 20 words)}

Key info:
Address: {Address}
Nearest station/parking: {Nearest}
Booking link: {URL}
Image: {Image URL}

Thanks a lot,
{Name}

Supplier “stockists” request

Subject: Stockist listing — {Venue Name}

Hi {Name},

We serve {Supplier/Product} at {Venue Name} in {Area}.
Do you have a “Find us / Stockists” page? If so, we’d love to be listed.

Venue: {Venue Name}
Address: {Address}
Link: {Location page URL}

Thanks,
{Name}

Partner page / cross-promo

Subject: Partnership listing — {Venue} x {Partner}

Hi {Name},

We’re partnering with {Partner} for {Offer/Event}.
If you have a partners/recommended page, happy to provide a short listing and image.

Suggested copy:
{One sentence + why it’s useful}

Link: {Relevant hub URL}
Image: {Image URL}

Cheers,
{Name}

FAQs

How long does link building take to show impact?

In hospitality, you often see benefits in weeks for event-led pages (because demand is immediate). Broader authority gains compound over months.

Do we need national press?

No. Local, relevant mentions often outperform generic national links for local rankings and conversion.

Should we buy links?

We don’t recommend it. Hospitality has enough real-world opportunities (events, suppliers, community, listings) to build authority safely and sustainably.