SEO as Solidarity: How Queer Businesses Can Rise Together—Without Cannibalizing One Another
- Heather O'Banion
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
If you already have a solid website, some SEO traction, and a loyal audience, you’ve built something powerful. In today’s climate, especially for LGBTQ+ business owners, that’s no small feat.
But what if we treated SEO not just as a visibility tool, but as a form of mutual aid?
Because the truth is, while some queer businesses are growing, many others are struggling just to be seen--and it doesn’t have to be that way.
We Don’t Have to Compete to Thrive
The capitalist model often encourages us to think in terms of market share: compete, outperform, protect your turf. But that model doesn’t always serve us, especially when we’re trying to build resilient, inclusive, community-rooted economies.
Instead of cannibalizing one another’s audiences or gatekeeping knowledge, queer businesses can build ecosystems—where different offerings, skills, and services feed one another.
Just like SEO thrives on cross-linking, relevance, and trust, so can we.
A Call to Established Queer Business Owners:
If your site ranks well in Google, your Instagram following is solid, or your name carries weight locally, consider:
Mentoring or sponsoring a newer queer-owned business in your field
Linking to them in your blog posts, resource pages, or newsletters
Hosting joint events or co-branded giveaways that boost both your visibility
Shouting them out in your Stories or recommending them to overflow clients
Even one backlink from an established site can meaningfully impact a smaller business’s ranking. And search engines notice when websites in related industries reference one another—that’s how domain authority works.
In short? Visibility is a resource. Let’s redistribute it.
A Call to Aspiring Queer Entrepreneurs:
If you’ve been dreaming of launching something—whether it’s a mobile coffee cart, a digital zine, a queer-led gym space, or a radically affirming therapy practice—this is your sign.
But instead of entering the scene and competing directly with the businesses already serving our community, consider asking:
What gaps still exist in our queer business landscape?
Who do I want to serve that’s currently being overlooked?
What can I offer that would support, not replace, another business?
This isn’t about thinking small. It’s about thinking interdependently.
Why Backlinks and Link Sharing Matter: Share Your Power
By linking to each other—through blog posts, newsletters, or partner features—we’re not just showing solidarity, we’re helping each other rise in search rankings and visibility.
But for queer businesses? Embracing AI isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about retaining authenticity, ethics, and cultural nuance.
Quality Over Quantity in SEO
“Better content is outweighing more content.” —Rand Fishkin, co-founder of Moz Rather than flooding the web, focus on thoughtful, relevant content that reflects each business's values, and support each other by linking together to that quality.
Relationship-Building Beats Link-Building
“Build relationships, not links.” —Scott Wyden Kivowitz, SEO Specialist
This reinforces the idea: real connection and shared intent—not marketing tactics—are what make queer-led ecosystems thrive.
Local SEO Pays Off for Collaborative Efforts
Local SEO research shows that backlinks and reviews from community partners are more important than ever in driving local visibility.
In practical terms:
When your business mentions a complementary queer brand—say, a coffee shop linking to a queer florist—it boosts both sites’ credibility and visibility in NoCo searches.
Summary Table: SEO Solidarity in Action
Action | Benefit |
Established queer businesses mentor or link to newer ones | Builds trust, boosts visibility |
Aspiring queer entrepreneurs build complementary services | Strengthens the local ecosystem |
Shared backlinks and referrals | Improve all participants’ SEO rankings |
In the Words of Experts:
Neil Patel: “SEO ... is the art and science of pleasing search engines.” —meaning our community-driven SEO must still honor user experience and algorithm expectations.
Jes Scholz: “Impactful SEO is rarely executed by a lone wolf.” —Solidarity and collaboration yield better SEO over competition.
Final Thoughts
SEO—like community care—isn’t a solo sport. When queer businesses in NoCo share authority, visibility, and values, everyone gains. We don’t just support each other personally—we lift up each other’s digital visibility, too.
Want to Build Solidarity-Based SEO Strategies?
I help queer-owned businesses in Fort Collins and beyond:
Share authority through mutual link-building
Develop content that reflects both heart and SEO best practices
Use AI and accessible tools responsibly, without losing our voice
Reach out for a free discovery call—and let’s co-create a web where queer businesses grow together, not compete.
Because when we help each other rise, we move culture forward beyond algorithms.
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