Like any strategy in the world of digital marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO) only provides results when done right, and this couldn’t be truer when undertaking one longstanding tactic in particular.
When carried out correctly and ethically link building can deliver some fantastic outcomes for those looking to build their brand and increase their visibility online. There is however a darker side to link building practices. Here we explore the dangers of link building and the true scale of the damage that can be done with bad practice.
For agencies or freelancers looking to turn a quick buck, a bit of black hat link building can be a real earner. Beware of the ‘SEO experts’ who will chase links from any source however. Not all sources are created equal, and while they might just provide a short-lived boost for your rankings and visibility, they can lead to a very negative reaction from the search engines.
Linking your website to a poor-quality resource can result in big penalties from search engines like Google, which ultimately results in a significant drop in your website ranking and an equally colossal loss of organic traffic. Google has even been known to remove websites from the search results completely for the worst offenders.
Investing in dodgy link building practices is a case of throwing good money after bad, with your cash and time certain to be wasted.
Bad links come in all shapes and sizes. Links that have been purchased and links from websites that are completely irrelevant are categorised as ‘link spam’ by Google. Linking to low-quality websites (such as spammy directories) or adding spam links to forums or comment sections are also not good practice. Hidden, hacked and automated links are other link types that are bad news.
Creating private blog networks (PBNs) is also a big no-no. This involves building and linking a series of websites you own for the sole purpose of influencing your SEO credentials.
When used correctly link building can be a great tool for optimisation. Here at NeSEO, we believe that link building should be as natural as your SEO.
Our SEO experts can build a healthy backlink profile on your behalf, using best practice to ensure high-quality links that are relevant to your business and valuable to your target audience. Ready to get started? Contact us today to discuss your next steps.