Page 20 - The Dark Side of Back Link Building

THE DARK SIDE OF LINK BUILDING 20

Link building the right way is difficult. It costs time and money. Hours of research and

outreach can be wasted if someone eventually says “no.” PBNs remain a tempting
tactic because the network owner has ultimate control over the links.

That’s why many SEO service providers use PBNs to build links to clients, even with
their inherent risks and maintenance expenses.

Make no mistake; PBNs are a risky tactic that can negatively affect your SEO. But
anyone who says they’re strictly a thing of the past isn’t telling the whole story.

And that’s why you have to be extra careful.

In most cases, it’s unlikely that your website will be penalized by Google if it finds a
few links it doesn’t like pointing to your website. It will probably just discount those

specific links and move on. That’s not a penalty; it’s just the algorithms at work.

But if your website acquires many unnatural links, you could receive a manual penalty.

One great way to increase your risk of receiving a manual action is to build a
PBN yourself.

There’s a difference between acquiring a few links with a shady tactic and building

one. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Google comes down harder on the sources of
manipulative links.

So, it’s best to avoid participating in PBNs, and you should evaluate any SEO service
providers to ensure that they aren’t using PBNs to provide you with links. Those links

probably aren’t worth your money.