Do you know for search engines that crawl the infinite metropolis of the web, links are the roads between pages? By using refined link analysis, the engines can determine how pages are connected to each other and in what ways. The majority of search optimizers are aware of the fundamental advantages of link building; it’s one of the foundation stones of a well-thought SEO strategy, as inbound links are one of the convincing determining factors for a website’s domain authority, which in turn powerfully influences your organic search rankings.
Associated studies from Searchmetrics and Moz says that a high number of links are the strongest factor that leads to higher search rankings, along with the benefits of increased brand visibility and referral traffic, while the latest survey indicates that only 62% of marketers are at present engaging in a link building campaign. So why aren’t more marketers following the strategy?
The chief reason is fear that the links they create will cause their site to be punished by Google, decreasing their visibility instead of increasing it. This is true, but a somewhat exaggerated likelihood. Thanks to Google’s Penguin update as well as other link-driven algorithm updates. As if you build links that show to be unnatural or those that infringe Google’s terms of service, you could get to see a drastic dip in your search rankings and visibility. If you are aware of the difference between “good” links – ones that validly increase your authority and “bad” links – ones that could possibly earn you a penalty, then you can consistently improve your SEO rankings.
What sorts of links earn penalties?
Links on Bad Sites
Firstly, there are links on identified spam sites or other low-authority sources. The value of a link is based on the authority of the site it comes from; in a positive sense, this means if your links on sites with have higher authority, then you will earn higher ensuing authority for your site. On the other hand, if you build links on sites that are considered to be spam or sources of poor repute, then it could cause your site to be considered similarly spammy. Actually, this is the biggest source of negative SEO—the practice of deliberately building links that harm a domain’s authority as a means of the wreckage.
Links Contextually Improper
Google’s algorithms are highly developed and efficient to identify the natural use of language, and a general sense of how suitable is the content to serve an audience. If a link is considered contextually inapt, it may be signalled as a “bad” link—moreover, the publisher hosting the link might tend to be removed it and/or avoid you from publishing on their website again in the future. Something contextually wrong would be an unsystematic aside, exclaiming a link that has no connection with the piece posted.
Links Stuffed With Keywords
The anchor text of a link contains words that the link is embedded in. Long ago there was a common practice of including target keywords in the anchor text of your links; as doing so you would help Google in associating those keywords with your website. However, this method became so badly implemented that Google started revolting back against it by penalizing links that excessively stuffed keywords into links where they actually didn’t belong or weren’t explanatory. It’s not a sin to optimize your anchor text—but only if it’s contextually apposite for the link.
Spammed Links
Any links that seem to be “spammed” which are a catch-all term may be related to a penalty. For instance, if you post a comment on a forum with a link taking to your site and no other useful content, then this would have a few spam-related red flags; with no extra content surrounding it, as the link’s main objective is to probably to magnetize cheap traffic. You can also be alleged of spamming if you post links to the same pages of your site again and again on outside sources. Thus, ensure that you branch out your campaign by linking to several different interior pages.
Links From Dodges
Any link which you build from a clear plot will almost certainly be subjected to a penalty. There are numerous different links schemes available out there; counting link exchanges that promote two sites to link closely to each other and link wheels that are intended to pass authority to websites within the wheel in a rounded pattern of exchange. Google has some clear standards describing what it terms to be a “link scheme,” so if you are perplexed, then you may anytime contact a reputed link building company for help. As a thumb rule, if the ploy sounds like a get-rich-overnight scheme with links, it is perhaps eligible for a penalty.
Any Other Comprehensible Trial to Manipulate Rank
Google’s primary goal in its link penalizing actions is to cut off the possibility for webmasters to unnaturally manipulate their site rankings through the use of links. On the condition that you are using links in ways that help readers and are perfect for their source websites, then you don’t have to be bothered about. However, if you are buying links, stuffing them in places they are not relevant, or otherwise being tricky or shady about it, you are inviting yourself up for a Google penalty. Believe in your perception on this; if it seems sly or to be regarded with suspicion in any way, shun that tactic.
To Conclude
Remember one more thing about links that earn penalties, and it stalks from a false impression about what penalties in reality are. An authorized Google penalty is a manual action, similar to blacklisting, and it’s what creates the mass amount of dread around the possibility. However, manual penalties like these are kept back for scandalous, deliberate offences. The conversational Google “penalty” is basically just a small decline in visibility and rankings and is generally fully recoverable with the help of SEO experts from a reputed firm. Hence, eliminate building these hazardous types of links, and so you won’t have to be anxious about any sort of Google penalty.
