Top Backlink Directories for NZ Businesses to Boost Google Rankings

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You've got your website up, invested time and money into writing blogs and pumped out a bunch of social media posts—but despite all that, still struggling to get high Google search result rankings?

It can be frustrating to write a stella blog which gets thousands of impressions but no clicks because you're not on the first page of Google. So much so that it can be tempting to rework your blog.

But before you do, try focusing on gaining quality backlinks first. High impressions + 'high' Google position can indicate a general site authority issue rather than there being something wrong with your blog.

Below is a list of quality backlinks and business directories for New Zealand businesses but just be aware that it can take a bit of time (up to a month) for backlinks to get indexed by search engines and to show up in your search console. It can also be a time consuming process—setting up accounts on platforms/reaching out to site owners, writing copy, optimising anchor texts, sourcing images and ensuring titles are consistent across directories. So if your curious to know how much it would cost your specific business then check out our seo cost calculator. If you're running a small business in New Zealand and want to step up your Google ranking, backlinks are where it’s at. Getting listed in the right directories and securing solid backlink opportunities can seriously boost your site’s authority, drive traffic, help you outshine the competition, and is widely considered to be the most effective seo technique.

I've done the legwork for you and rounded up the best free directories and backlinking opportunities for small NZ businesses. No matter if you’re in hospitality, retail, trades, marketing, or professional services, these backlinks can make a real difference for your SEO strategy.

Best General Directories for Any NZ Business

These high-authority directories are essential for any business, regardless of industry or location:

1. Google Business Profile (google.com/business) – The most crucial directory for local SEO.

2. Yellow NZ (yellow.co.nz) – One of NZ’s biggest online directories. Must-have.

3. White Pages NZ (whitepages.co.nz) – Trusted and widely used.

4. Finda NZ (finda.co.nz) – Great for local service-based businesses.

5. Neighbourly Business Listings (neighbourly.co.nz) – Excellent for hyperlocal exposure.

6. NoCowboys (nocowboys.co.nz) – Perfect for tradies and service-based businesses.

7. Localist (localist.co.nz) – Good for reaching local customers.

8. Hotfrog NZ (hotfrog.co.nz) – International directory with an NZ section.

9. Bing Places for Business (bingplaces.com) – A great alternative to Google Business Profile.

10. Nzsbdirectory (nzsbdirectory.co.nz) – Features a variety of NZ businesses.

11. Kompass (nz.kompass.com) – International B2B directory.

12. Sitejabber (sitejabber.com) – Customer review and directory platform.

13. Cylex New Zealand – cylex.co.nz A global business directory with a strong New Zealand section that can further bolster your local presence.

14. Bark NZ – bark.com/nz Connects local service providers with potential clients and provides a valuable, authoritative backlink.

Industry-Specific Directories & Backlinking Opportunities

Hospitality & Tourism

• TripAdvisor (tripadvisor.com) – Essential for hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

• Zomato (zomato.com) – Key for restaurants and cafes.

• Dinefind NZ (dinefind.co.nz) – Good for fine dining and casual eateries.

• New Zealand Tourism Guide (tourism.net.nz) – Great for accommodation and activity operators.

• Expedia (expedia.com) – Great for hotel bookings and exposure.

• Booking.com (booking.com) – Important for accommodation providers.

• Airbnb Experiences (airbnb.com) – Great for tour operators and unique experiences.

• Luxury Travel Guide (ltgawards.com) – Good for high-end travel businesses.

• NZ Venues (nzvenues.co.nz) – Perfect for event spaces and hospitality venues.

Trades & Services

• Builders Crack (builderscrack.co.nz) – A must for tradies.

• TopBuilders (topbuilders.nz) - essential for builders.

• TradeHQ (tradehq.co.nz) – Helps connect tradies with customers.

• Hipages NZ (hipages.co.nz) – Another useful platform for tradies.

• Houzz (houzz.com) – Great for builders, architects, and interior designers.

• Master Builders NZ (masterbuilder.org.nz) – Credibility booster for builders.

• Plumbers NZ (plumbers.co.nz) – Dedicated listing for plumbers.

• Electricians NZ (electricians.co.nz) – Directory for electricians.

Retail & E-Commerce

• Shopless NZ (shopless.co.nz) – Free e-commerce directory.

• List Sell Trade (listselltrade.co.nz) – Perfect for selling products online.

• Etsy (etsy.com) – If you sell handmade or vintage items.

• Amazon Handmade (amazon.com/handmade) – Great for artisans.

• eBay (ebay.com) – Another international marketplace for product visibility.

Professional Services

• LawFuel (lawfuel.com) – For lawyers and legal professionals.

• NZ Accountant Directory (nzaccountantdirectory.co.nz) – For accountants and tax professionals.

• Healthpages NZ (healthpages.co.nz) – For medical professionals.

• Clutch (clutch.co) – Great for B2B professional services like marketing and consultancy.

• GoodFirms (goodfirms.co) – Another solid B2B directory.

Marketing & Digital Services

• Agency Spotter (agencyspotter.com) – Helps businesses find marketing agencies.

• TopSEOs (topseos.com) – Good for SEO and digital marketing professionals.

• Sortlist (sortlist.com) – International agency directory.

• Marketing NZ Directory (marketing.org.nz) – Great for NZ marketers.

• DesignRush – designrush.com A curated listing of top creative, marketing, and digital agencies, ideal for showcasing your expertise. Check out our profile on DesignRush.

• AdForum – adforum.com/agencies Focuses on advertising and creative agencies, spotlighting award-winning campaigns and creative work.

• Crunchbase – crunchbase.com A business profile database that boosts visibility and provides a high-authority backlink.

• Creativepool – creativepool.com A global creative network that lists agencies and creative talent, perfect for building industry authority.

• Dribbble – dribbble.com A popular portfolio site for creative professionals that, when optimized with a company profile, adds brand credibility and backlinks.

• Behance – behance.net Showcases creative work and projects, serving both as a portfolio and a backlink source for creative agencies.

Top Media & PR Backlinks

Want to get featured in media? These sources offer excellent backlinks:

• Scoop NZ (scoop.co.nz) – Great for press releases.

• Newsroom NZ (newsroom.co.nz) – Focus on quality journalism.

• Stuff Business (stuff.co.nz) – Paid, but high authority.

• NZ Herald Submit News (nzherald.co.nz) – Harder to get, but valuable.

• Chatty Chums (chattychums.com) – Great for beauty, lifestyle.

• HARO (Help a Reporter Out) (helpareporter.com) – Get featured in major news outlets.

Ranking the Best Backlink Directories for NZ Businesses

1. Google Business Profile – No brainer. Get listed!

2. Yellow NZ – High domain authority, local relevance.

3. TripAdvisor – Essential for tourism and hospitality businesses.

4. NZ Herald / Stuff PR mentions – Hard to get, but valuable.

5. Finda NZ – Well-ranked in Google.

6. LinkedIn Articles – Control your narrative with self-published content.

7. Reddit / Quora Mentions – Great for niche businesses.

8. Builders Crack / TradeHQ – Must-have for tradies.

9. Instagram & Facebook Links – Social signals help ranking.

10. Neighbourly & Localist – Excellent for hyperlocal reach.

Final Thoughts: Build Backlinks, Boost Rankings

Building quality backlinks is one of the fastest ways to increase website authority and rank higher in Google. The key is consistency—sign up for directories, engage in industry forums, and contribute valuable content.

If you want expert help with SEO, backlink strategies, or ranking higher, reach out to us at TopTalent. Let’s get your business to the top.