Backlinks remain one of the most powerful SEO ranking factors, especially for UK businesses targeting both local and national search visibility. Backlinks from sites with high Domain Authority (DA) and real organic referral traffic help Google see your business as a trusted, relevant resource, improving rankings in search results and driving more visitors.
Below is a curated list of high-impact backlink sources from global authority platforms to UK-specific business directories that every UK business should consider for their link-building strategy.
1. Google Business Profile
DA: 100 (google.com domain)
Monthly Traffic: Billions (global ecosystem)
Why it matters:
For UK businesses, claiming and optimising your Google Business Profile is fundamental. Though technically a directory listing, this platform is deeply integrated with Google Search and Maps, making it a powerful source of backlinks and local SEO authority. Profiles include your website link, business descriptions, photos, and customer reviews all of which help Google understand your business relevance and boost local rankings. Unlike traditional social media backlinks, this link is directly tied to search visibility for local queries (e.g., “plumbers in Manchester”) and is typically indexed quickly due to Google’s own ecosystem. Google Business Profile doesn’t show traditional DA numbers like third-party SEO tools, but its impact on visibility and branded search presence is exceptionally high.
2. LinkedIn
DA: 99
Monthly Traffic: 1B+
Why it matters:
LinkedIn’s business and personal profiles allow you to include a website URL and have become an essential backlink source for B2B and service-based UK companies. Although most LinkedIn outbound links are nofollow (so they don’t pass direct SEO link equity), they drive referral traffic, authority signals, and brand trust, particularly relevant for corporate audiences and professional services. Creating company pages and posting original content with links back to your site can lead to higher engagement and outbound traffic. As UK businesses increasingly adopt content marketing and professional networking on the platform, LinkedIn remains a must-have backlink source in any SEO strategy.
3. Trustpilot
DA: 93
Monthly Traffic: 200M+
Why it matters:
Trustpilot is one of the top review platforms globally and highly influential in the UK consumer space. With a strong Domain Authority and millions of organic visitors, having a Trustpilot profile with your website link offers both SEO value and credibility signals. For e-commerce businesses especially, positive reviews displayed on Trustpilot are shown on Google search results, which can increase click-through rates (CTR) and traffic while helping search engines trust your brand. Trustpilot backlinks and structured data can also influence rich snippet visibility in SERPs, meaning your brand could appear with star ratings and trust signals directly in search results.
4. Yelp UK
DA: 94
Monthly Traffic: 100M+
Why it matters:
Yelp is a well-known local business review and directory platform, and while it originated in the US, Yelp also operates a strong presence for UK businesses. By claiming your Yelp listing and linking back to your website, you get a backlink from a trusted domain with a high DA and real user intent traffic. Yelp backlinks contribute to local SEO relevance, especially for service-based and brick-and-mortar businesses like restaurants, salons, and tradespeople. They also help your business appear in local map packs and search results for queries like “best cafes in London” or “electricians near me”. While some of Yelp’s outbound links may be nofollow, the traffic you receive from Yelp users who read your reviews and business details can still be significant for conversions and visibility.
5. Facebook Business Page
DA: 96
Monthly Traffic: 2B+
Why it matters:
Social media profiles like Facebook Business Pages allow you to add your website and business details publicly, creating a backlink from a globally trusted, high-traffic domain. While many links on social platforms are nofollow, they still generate important trust signals and referral traffic, particularly for UK audiences where Facebook remains widely used. A well-set-up Facebook page also encourages reviews, check-ins, and engagement, all factors that contribute to brand visibility and potential organic search benefits. In addition, Facebook posts that link back to blog posts or service pages can drive targeted traffic that converts well, especially when coupled with UK-specific posts, ads, or promotions.
6. Yell.com
DA: 83
Monthly Traffic: 10M+ (UK-focused)
Why it matters:
Yell (formerly Yellow Pages UK) is a long-established UK business directory with solid Domain Authority and strong local traffic. For UK SMEs, getting a listing on Yell.com offers a trusted backlink and an additional venue where customers search for services. Because Yelp and Yell focus specifically on local business discovery, links from Yell often carry strong local relevance signals, which can help Google associate your site with UK search intent. Having a complete Yell profile, including your website URL and service descriptions, increases visibility in UK search results and gives you another pathway to attract leads. Users often trust listings on Yell due to its recognisable brand history and UK focus, which means more qualified traffic compared with generic global directories.
7. Foursquare
DA: 92
Monthly Traffic: 20M+
Why it matters:
Foursquare is a location-based search and business directory platform that still drives substantial referral traffic and provides valuable backlinks. For businesses with a physical presence, adding a Foursquare listing with your website URL helps reinforce your online presence across multiple platforms, adding diversity to your backlink profile. Foursquare’s directory profile pages also show up in organic search results for local queries, increasing the chance that potential customers find your website via alternative discovery paths. While not as large as Google or LinkedIn, Foursquare’s backlinks help with visibility and trust signals in search engine algorithms.
8. 192.com
DA: 74
Monthly Traffic: 2M+ (UK-focused)
Why it matters:
192.com is an online UK directory that aggregates business listings and contact information across the country. While its Domain Authority is more modest compared with global giants, its UK focus and local relevance make it valuable for national businesses looking to strengthen their presence in local search. Listings on 192.com include your website URL and categories that match your industry, all crucial for local SEO. Because it targets UK users, the backlinks carry an important geo-relevance signal for Google when ranking businesses in searches with UK intent. In addition, directories like 192.com often show up in the local search result pages themselves for specific service queries, offering more visibility and potential traffic.
9. Scoot UK
DA: 70
Monthly Traffic: 1M+ (UK-focused)
Why it matters:
Scoot UK is another reliable UK business directory that offers free business listings and backlinks. Its strength lies in its UK-centric audience and focus on categories like trade professionals, services, and local businesses. Backlinks from Scoot give Google a clear signal that your business is relevant and visible within the UK market, which can help with industry-specific queries. Scoot listings also often rank well for local searches due to less saturation compared with global directories. Combined with other sources like Yelp, Google Business, and Yell, Scoot helps build out a diverse and locally focused backlink profile, which is very helpful for local ranking factors.
10. Bing Places for Business
DA: 98 (bing.com domain)
Monthly Traffic: Hundreds of millions
Why it matters:
While we already covered Trustpilot, it’s worth emphasising how review platforms collectively strengthen backlink portfolios for UK businesses. Often overlooked, Bing Places provides a strong authority backlink from Microsoft’s ecosystem. In the UK, Bing still accounts for a meaningful percentage of desktop searches. It also feeds data into Microsoft services and AI-powered search results. Great reviews not only help customers choose you but also improve your SERP appearance via trust implementations like stars or review snippets. Altogether, reviewing backlinks helps both SEO authority and real user engagement, making them a vital part of any UK link-building strategy.
What This Means for Your UK SEO Strategy
High-quality backlinks are essential, but not all backlinks are equal. For UK businesses:
- Focus on relevance and traffic potential first, not just DA.
- Prioritise platforms with local UK visibility and audience intent.
- Diversify across directories, social profiles, review sites, and niche UK directories.
A strong backlink profile that blends global authority sources (like LinkedIn or Google Business) with UK-targeted backlinks (like Yell and Scoot) will enhance search visibility, especially for local and industry queries.
