Google tell us completely Links help them evaluate a site’s reputation, and search rankings are “based in part on an analysis of sites linking to it.”
We know that links are a ranking factor.
And we know that organic links can be hard to come by.
Can you just buy links and enjoy the same ranking advantages you get through content quality, building reputation and authority, and sharing valuable expertise that people can’t get anywhere else?
Of course, you can buy them. There is no shortage of people willing to sell you links.
In this article, we’ll explore whether these paid links can actually help you rank higher.
Claim: Paid Links as Ranking Factor
Google’s Webmaster Guidelines It’s clear on paid links. They don’t want them affecting search rankings. Google says:
“Make reasonable efforts to ensure that advertising links on your pages do not affect search engine rankings. For example, using robot.txt, rel=”nofollow” or rel=”owned” to prevent ad links from being tracked by crawlers. “
That doesn’t mean paying for links is inherently bad. You just need to be honest and open.
But what if you could sneak a paid link (or more) through Google?
Of course, they can’t detect all paid links algorithmically, especially if you’re very careful. right?
In this case, if you don’t disclose that it’s a paid link and be careful not to have a footprint to speak of, the link will provide the same benefits as any organic link.
This is real.
It’s also a dangerous game.
This is why.
Evidence of Paid Links as a Ranking Factor
We know that links pass PageRank and affect search rankings. It’s not even a problem.
However, Google will ask you to disclose when there is a relationship other than “Hey, this is a very valuable/reputable/authoritative page that I really want to share with my audience!” behind the link.
The way you explain your relationship with Google is by linking rel attribute value in tag:
- rel=”sponsored” says, “This is an ad and paid placement.” It doesn’t pass PageRank, Google basically ignores it.
- rel=”ugc” says, “This is user-generated content and we make no endorsement of its quality or accuracy.”
- rel=”nofollow” says, “This is not the site we want to associate with, so please don’t follow this and crawl that page.”
(Nofollow was the predecessor to rel=”sponsored” and is still an acceptable markup for paid links. However, Google prefers You use the sponsored tag for all paid links. )
If you choose not to disclose paid relationships or transactions, you will most likely enjoy some ranking advantage.
until caught.
When that happens, you’re in luck if Google just ignores the link.
Paid links can also keep it from ranking
If Google finds out that you are using paid links to manipulate the algorithm, you may find that your site has been removed from its index.
Since the inception of the engine, people have been trying to manipulate links and profit from selling them — and Google has been fighting back.
A particularly hilarious lawsuit in 2002 made clear Google’s stance on the practice of selling links.
The situation is this Search King Inc. v. Google Technology Inc.
Search King is suing Google for “malicious” cancellation of PageRank in its link-selling program, PRAN.
Search King sells links on premium sites. He sought to argue that manual action against his linking scheme was anticompetitive because PageRank was described in Larry Page’s paper and Google materials as “honest, objective, and mechanical.”
In her view, District Judge Vicki Miles-Lagrange explained:
“Search King claims the devaluation happened after, because Google learned that PRAN was competing with Google and that it was making money by selling ad space on sites that rank high on Google’s PageRank system.”
Search King’s case was dismissed, and the lesson for the industry was clear: If you’re caught in a paid linking scheme, you’re going to be slapped.
If you try to sue Google for de-indexing or otherwise punish you, you lose.
In a 2005 blog post, Matt Katz explains While algorithms handle most paid linking issues, Google is not against manual intervention:
“Yes, Google has multiple algorithmic methods of detecting such links, and they work well. But these links make it harder for Google (and other search engines) to determine how trustworthy each link is. A lot of effort is spent that otherwise would have been Can be used to improve core quality (relevance, coverage, freshness, etc.).
“While people recommend ways to reduce the detectability of paid links (for example, by removing any tags or indications that the link is sold), if search engines start taking stronger action on recent link purchases, I wouldn’t Surprised the future.”
Even so, since around 2010, SEO professionals have basically assumed that if Google determines that a link has been paid, it will ignore it.
But recent human intervention shows that Google isn’t messing with paid linking schemes on a massive scale.
In 2019, Google’s Gary Illyes tweeted thanks to those who submitted spreadsheets Over 700 domains Selling Links Through PageRank:
Google also appears to have taken manual action against a law firm for its Scholarship Link Building Program December 2020.
In this case, the link is not bought or sold directly.
But as Search Engine Journal’s Roger Montti explained at the time,
“…these links are out of context and do not qualify as genuine citations or ‘link votes’ vouching for the law firm.”
Today, the search engine’s Paid link The resource says,
“Google works hard to ensure that it fully discounts links designed to manipulate search engine results, such as excessive link exchanges and purchased links through PageRank.”
But it’s clear that even outside of algorithmic detection, Google is looking for unnatural links. This includes links in exchange for some value – currency or otherwise.
Google has long question The SEO industry monitors itself by reporting paid links and other link schemes.
This means that what Google’s algorithm might choose isn’t your only concern.
If a competitor (or their agency) sniffs out your paid links, you may find yourself on the wrong end of one of those reports. and the resulting actions.
Paid Links: Proceed with Caution
SEO experts have long debated what a paid link is and whether Google has the right to require marketers to disclose the relationship behind a link.
Look This article by Loren Baker from 2006, For example.
Today, Google defines the following as link scheme This can negatively impact your site’s search rankings:
- Buy or sell links through PageRank. This includes:
- Exchange money for links or posts containing links.
- Exchange links for goods or services.
- Send someone a “free” product in exchange for them writing and including a link.
- Text ads via PageRank.
- Ads or native ads that receive payment for articles that contain links that pass PageRank.
google says Paid links don’t work.
However, this is not entirely true.
Paid links work the same way as any other link, unless they are:
- Mark as sponsored or nofollow using the rel attribute value.
- Algorithms determined to be manipulated in some way.
- Paid links that are manually reported or detected as undisclosed.
Two of those options — self-disclosure of their paid status and algorithm detection — would cause Google to simply ignore the link. You still get any relevant branding, advertising or other value from it.
The third may cause you to cancel the spam team and take manual action.
In this case, you lose not only the value of your link, but all your other SEO efforts.
Paid Links as a Ranking Factor: Our Verdict
Google uses links as a ranking signal. However, they explicitly don’t want paid links to count.
Yes, you can try to hide it from them.
But do so at your own risk — and the consequences could be devastating.
Using undisclosed paid links to boost your search rankings is the equivalent of planting a bomb on your website.
If you’re lucky, it’s wired wrong and nothing will happen.
But one day, you might find someone throwing a detonator at Gary Illyes.
He’ll gleefully flip the switch, make no mistake.
Featured image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Magazine
