What Auto Dealerships Need to Know About Backlinks—and Where to Get Them

For today’s auto dealerships, having a strong presence in local search results is more important than ever. Whether you’re selling new inventory, moving used vehicles, or promoting service specials, the majority of your customers begin their journey online. One of the key ways search engines determine where your site should rank is through backlinks—hyperlinks on other websites that point to yours.

But backlinks are often misunderstood. Some dealerships invest heavily in content and optimization, only to struggle with maintaining or improving their rankings. In many cases, the missing piece is not the content or the site structure—but a lack of trusted, local backlinks.

This guide explains what backlinks are, why they matter, what to avoid, where to earn them, and how to work with partners and agencies to secure them effectively.

What Are Backlinks and Why Do They Matter?

A backlink is a hyperlink from another website that points to your own. To search engines like Google, these are signals of trust. If reputable websites are linking to yours, it suggests that your dealership is a legitimate and valuable source of information.

For local SEO, backlinks play a crucial role in establishing relevance, proximity, and prominence—three factors Google uses to determine whether your site should show up for searches like “Chevy dealer near me” or “brake service in Indianapolis.”

Backlinks from authoritative and locally relevant sites can:

• Improve your chances of ranking in both the Map Pack and organic listings
• Help search engines discover new pages on your site more quickly
• Signal your dealership’s credibility and relevance to your geographic market

However, just as crucial as getting backlinks is getting the right backlinks.

Why You Should Avoid Buying Backlinks

Some dealerships are enticed by services or platforms promising hundreds of backlinks for a low price. These often come from link farms, irrelevant blogs, or low-quality directories that have no connection to your industry or region.

The problem with these backlinks is not that they get you penalized in the traditional sense. Instead, they don’t help you gain traction. No matter how well-optimized your website is, it may struggle to rank because your link profile doesn’t demonstrate local trust or relevance. In some cases, search engines may even suppress your visibility in competitive categories if they detect unnatural linking patterns.

Toxic or low-quality backlinks send the wrong signals—and drown out the few high-quality signals your site may have.

Be Wary of Agencies Buying Backlinks Without Telling You

Even more concerning is when your agency or SEO consultant buys backlinks on your behalf—often without your knowledge. They may do this to show quick improvements in backlink counts or domain authority metrics in monthly reports.

But what they’re often buying are irrelevant, non-local links from third-party networks or pay-to-play blog posts. While these might create a temporary blip in visibility, they rarely contribute to sustained performance—especially in local search, where relevance to geography and industry is paramount.

If your agency is developing content for your site or managing SEO campaigns, ask them directly:

• Where are backlinks coming from?
• Are they earned through relationships, sponsorships, or media coverage?
• Are the linking sites local, automotive-related, or industry-relevant?

A well-meaning agency can unknowingly undermine your efforts if it’s chasing volume over quality. If the backlinks don’t help search engines connect your dealership to your local area and services, they could weaken your authority in the region you’re trying to dominate.

Where Dealerships Should Get Backlinks

The good news is that auto dealerships have many natural opportunities to earn backlinks—often from existing relationships and community involvement. Here’s where to look:

• OEM and Manufacturer Sites: Ensure your dealership is listed and linked on your brand’s official website. Whether it’s Ford, Toyota, or Kia, dealer locators typically include backlinks that signal your official status and geographic relevance.
• Aggregator Sites: If your inventory is syndicated to automotive marketplaces like Autotrader, Cars.com, CarGurus, or TrueCar, verify that your dealership profile includes an active backlink. These aggregator domains are authoritative in the automotive space and can drive both referral traffic and SEO value. Some platforms may require a request to activate or correct your website link.
• Platform Provider Sites: If your dealership uses a CRM or website platform, check whether they offer client directories or partner showcases. Many of these providers, like Overfuel, feature case studies, success stories, or customer listings that include backlinks—especially if you’ve collaborated with them on content or platform customization.
• Auto Financing Partners and Banks: If you work with lenders or banks for customer financing, ask if they have a list of preferred dealership partners. Many banks even have directories where you can be added. Co-branded financing programs or referral programs may include your logo and a link.
• Local News Sites: News coverage from local TV, radio, or newspaper websites is one of the most authoritative backlinks you can get. Pitch stories about community events, charity drives, scholarship programs, or dealership expansions to generate coverage and earn links.
• Chambers of Commerce and Business Directories: Your dealership should have a complete listing—with a working link—on your local Chamber of Commerce website and any credible regional directories. These are trusted by search engines and help reinforce your local presence.
• Local Blogs and Influencers: Partner with lifestyle bloggers, regional influencers, or automotive reviewers who operate in your city or state. Invite them for a vehicle walkthrough or behind-the-scenes dealership tour. If they publish content about your business, they’ll usually include a backlink.
• Event and Sponsorship Sites: When sponsoring local events—like high school sports teams, seasonal festivals, or nonprofit fundraisers—ask to be listed on the event’s sponsor page with your website link.
• Educational Institutions: Partner with trade schools or community colleges offering automotive or technical programs. If you’re providing training opportunities, internships, or equipment donations, they’ll often list you as a partner with a backlink.
• Nonprofits and Charities: Many nonprofits maintain “supporter” or “partner” pages where they list local business sponsors. If you’re contributing time, resources, or donations, make a backlink part of the conversation.
• Automotive Industry Associations: If you’re a member of NADA, NIADA, or your state’s dealer association, make sure your member profile includes a link to your site. These are highly relevant and trusted sources in your field.
• Local Government and Tourism Sites: Economic development boards, visitor bureaus, and municipal websites often have local business directories. These government-affiliated domains carry significant authority and can help establish your dealership’s presence within the community.

How to Approach Partners for a Backlink

You don’t need technical knowledge to ask for a backlink—just a relationship and a bit of tact. When reaching out to sponsors, partners, or event organizers, keep your request simple:

“We’d love to be listed as a partner on your website if possible. Would you be open to including a link back to our dealership site?”

You can offer to provide:

• The text you’d like linked
• A short description of your dealership
• Your logo or a promotional image
• The exact page you’d like them to link to

Make it easy for them, and be gracious if they agree. These types of earned links, especially from real-world relationships, are the most impactful and safest backlinks you can get.

In Summary

Backlinks remain one of the most powerful tools in a dealership’s local SEO strategy—but only when they come from sources that reflect your real-world authority and community involvement. Buying backlinks or blindly trusting an agency to deliver “more links” can leave your site stagnant in the rankings, or worse, dilute your authority in the local market.

Instead, focus on securing backlinks from the trusted partners, institutions, and organizations you already work with. Your community connections aren’t just good for business—they’re also the key to building a search presence that grows with your dealership.

Note: If you’re concerned about your backlink profile and whether or not you need to disavow some toxic backlinks with Google, Overfuel clients can reach out to their customer service managers to discuss additional services.