A backlink is simply another site linking to yours. Google says links are one way its systems understand what content may be helpful. A raw link count does not describe how Google evaluates links.
For a local business, useful examples include a chamber profile, local news story, supplier page, partner page, or trade association. Manipulative links may be ignored or trigger spam actions, so buying bulk links is not a durable strategy.
"Domain Authority" is a third-party estimate created by SEO tool companies, not a Google metric. It can be used for rough comparison, but it should not be presented as a score Google assigns.
If a local news story about the business links to its site, that is a backlink with clear local and editorial context.
Go deeper: Milwaukee Web Designers for Small Businesses: A Shortlist (2026).
This is part of the AI visibility work.