My site is ranking # 1 locally and I want it too maintain its position. Though the competition is not tough but I was wondering if I could use some legitimate SEO method myself or pay for it just to make sure it doesn't lose the ranking. Is backlink still the most important offsite factor? I haven't done anything for my site lately and don't have any updates about SEO these days.
Well, there's nothing you can do but continue doing what made you number one. If you're willing to pay up, invest in PPC ads instead - it's not organic traffic, but it's guaranteed to show up in the first page (depending on your arrangement with Google). Yes, backlinks are still important, and are still Google's primary linking factor. Try to do a bit more reading to catch up with the SEO trends today It won't take that long.
Backlinks will always be important for ever You should be fine at number 1 unless someone tried hard to outrank you i guess
Yes, backlinks are still important ranking factor to Google. I would suggest to invest in quality website content and offsite promotions (organic/paid). This way you will ensure that your site has content for your readers and backlinks that would help to improve your rankings.