Local SEO for UK schools
Building Local Citations & Backlinks for UK Schools: Trust Signals, Outreach & Governance
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Two signals decide whether parents find you locally: citations (accurate mentions of your name, address and phone) and backlinks (relevant sites that link to you). This practical guide shows UK schools and trusts how to fix NAP consistency, secure easy wins on official directories, and earn high-quality links from partners and the community—without breaking Google’s policies. You’ll get printable checklists, outreach scripts, and measurement steps in Search Console.
Outcomes & success measures
| Outcome | Why it matters | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Unified NAP across major listings | Eliminates confusion; supports local pack rankings | Audit sheet; zero mismatches |
| Verified profiles (Google, Apple, Bing) | Visibility on the maps used by parents | Profile status complete |
| 10–25 relevant backlinks in 12 months | Steady authority growth from genuine partners | Search Console → Links (Top linking sites) |
| Review response within 5 working days | Trust & reputation reflected in SERPs | Response SLA log |
| Attribution working | Proves value for leadership | UTM clicks from listings; referral conversions |
Citations vs backlinks (plain English)
Citations (mentions of your details)
A citation is a mention of your school name, address and phone (NAP). A link is helpful but not required. The value is accuracy and consistency across the web—especially on maps and official directories.
Backlinks (clickable links to your site)
A backlink is a clickable link from another site to yours. Quality matters more than quantity—relevance, trust and context beat raw numbers. Google has policies on what’s acceptable (see below).
NAP governance & source of truth
Create a single “source of truth” for your NAP and identifiers—exact school name as on signage, address in Royal Mail format, main office phone, canonical website URL (HTTPS), URN, and trust name (if applicable). Use this consistently on your website and in listings. References: DfE — Get Information about Schools (GIAS) • Royal Mail — Address/Postcode formats.
Where to get authoritative UK citations
Start with official and high-trust sources. Some will already list your school—your job is to check accuracy and add your website where appropriate.
| Platform / directory | Action | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Claim/verify; add website, hours, photos | Primary local pack data source. Guidelines |
| Apple Business Connect | Claim; add website & attributes | iPhone default maps. Business Connect |
| Bing Places | Import from GBP; check details | Windows ecosystem. Bing Places |
| GIAS (DfE) | Ensure records are current | Official register; data consistency. GIAS |
| Ofsted Reports | Check school name and URN | Parents research here; authority signal. Ofsted |
| Local council school directory | Request corrections + website link | Highly relevant .gov.uk citation. Find council |
| NHS / community services (where applicable) | Ensure nursery/clinic info references school correctly | Trust signal for on-site services |
| MAT website (if applicable) | List each school with consistent NAP and a descriptive link | Authoritative, relevant parent site |
| Awarding bodies / exam boards / sports leagues | Update profiles; ensure website is listed | Topical authority (Sixth Form, sports) |
Use the same NAP block in your website footer to reinforce consistency (microcopy: school name, address, phone, URN).
Ethical link earning for schools
Partner & community links (easy wins)
| Source | What to ask for |
|---|---|
| Feeder primaries / local colleges | A “transition” page linking to your Admissions or Sixth Form hub |
| PTA / Friends association | Link from their “About/Donate/Events” page to your Uniform, Term dates and Contact hubs |
| Local council / community hub | Update your listing with a website link; request “Report an absence” or “Term dates” deep link if allowed |
| Sports clubs & competitions | Match reports or fixture pages linking to your News or Sports hub |
| Charity & volunteering partners | Case study linking to your community page; include logos and reciprocal acknowledgements (no payment) |
| Vendors working with the school (photography, music services) | “Client stories” page linking to a relevant hub (ensure it’s natural, not paid) |
Digital PR ideas (safe for schools)
- Publish annual outcomes (destinations, awards) as a web article; pitch to local media—link back to the News hub.
- Create a local parents’ guide (e.g., “Applying for Year 7 in [Town]”) with accurate official citations; share with feeder schools and council family hubs.
- Host public events (STEM fair, careers evening) and invite local groups—event listings often include a link.
- Offer expert commentary from SLT on education topics for local press; include a byline linking to the About or Admissions hub.
Follow Google’s guidance on link quality; avoid paying for links or exchanging goods for links.
Link policies you must follow
Google’s spam policies prohibit buying or manipulating links. If you sponsor an event and receive a link, label it correctly.
- Qualify paid/sponsored links with
rel="sponsored"and user-generated forum links withrel="ugc". Reference: Google — Qualify outbound links. - Avoid link schemes (buying links, excessive exchanges, automated link creation). Reference: Google — Link spam policies.
- Disavow only if necessary (rare). If you have a history of spammy links that you can’t get removed, use Search Console’s disavow tool carefully. Reference: Google — Disavow links.
Scaling across a MAT
| Area | Policy | Owner | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAP library | Central spreadsheet with the exact NAP + URN for every school | Comms/SEO | Termly |
| Approved citation list | GBP, Apple, Bing, Council directory, GIAS, Ofsted | SEO | Annual audit |
| Outreach pack | Standard email templates and media notes for partners | Comms | Per campaign |
| Quality control | All sponsorship links use rel="sponsored"; press links are natural | SEO | Ongoing |
| Measurement | Trust-level dashboard: new referring domains, top linking sites, referral traffic | Data/SEO | Quarterly |
Tracking & measurement
Search Console
Use Links → Top linking sites to monitor new referring domains. In Performance, track impressions and CTR for branded queries after major PR/citation work. Reference: Performance report.
Analytics
Tag listing links with UTM parameters (utm_source=google&utm_medium=gbp etc.). Track referral traffic from partner sites. Set goals (contact page views, prospectus downloads) to demonstrate impact.
https://www.example.sch.uk/admissions/?utm_source=council&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=directoryPrint-screen cards & outreach scripts
Citation Audit – 12 Checks
Screenshot or print this card| 1. | GIAS record matches website NAP. |
| 2. | Google/Apple/Bing profiles verified. |
| 3. | Map pin at visitor entrance. |
| 4. | Royal Mail address format used everywhere. |
| 5. | Main office phone consistent. |
| 6. | Canonical HTTPS domain used (no params). |
| 7. | Council directory lists website link. |
| 8. | Ofsted listing name/URN correct. |
| 9. | Logo/cover images up to date. |
| 10. | UTM tracking on listing links. |
| 11. | Review rota active; responses within 5 days. |
| 12. | Change log kept for all edits. |
Partner Outreach – Email Script
Screenshot or print this cardSubject: Quick website update to help parents in [Town]Hello [Name],[School] works closely with [Organisation] on [activity/transition/sports].Parents often visit your page when planning [secondary entry / events].Would you be happy to add a short line linking to our [Admissions / Term dates] pageso families can find accurate information quickly?Suggested text:Admissions for 2025: https://www.example.sch.uk/admissions/If you’d like, we can also list [Organisation] on our community page.Thanks so much,[Your name], [Role]Link Policy – Safe Practices
Screenshot or print this card| Avoid paying for links or offering gifts for links. |
Use rel="sponsored" on sponsorship links. |
| Use natural, descriptive anchor text (plain English). |
| Don’t automate link creation or mass exchanges. |
| Keep a record of outreach and resulting links. |
FAQs
Do we need hundreds of citations?
No. Focus on accuracy on major platforms (Google, Apple, Bing), official registers (GIAS, Ofsted) and your council directory. Quality beats volume.
Can we ask parents to leave Google reviews?
You may invite feedback but must not offer incentives. Never solicit reviews from pupils. Follow safeguarding and platform policies.
Is it OK to swap links with partner organisations?
Reasonable acknowledgements are fine when relevant and natural. Avoid excessive link exchanges and never make links a condition of sponsorship.
What if a third-party lists the wrong address?
Request a correction and keep a log. For Google/Apple/Bing, use the official dashboards; for council pages, email the web team with your Royal Mail-formatted address.
Need practical SEO support?
Speak With Paul Delaney
Paul Delaney helps schools turn complex SEO into simple, effective actions. As a guest writer for SEO for Schools, Paul shares step-by-step playbooks and evidence-based guidance that busy teams can apply immediately. With three decades’ experience working with UK and international institutions, he understands the challenges school teams face and is well positioned to offer support and guidance.
For our readers, Paul offers free 30-minute sessions for institutions exploring how to raise visibility, strengthen brand trust and streamline admissions. Sessions are practical, jargon-free and free from sales pressure. You can contact him using the buttons below—please mention SEOforSchools.co.uk.
