Everyone is aware of the significance of backlinks in improving ranks in Google search results. Backlinks directly improve the authoritativeness of a website, improving the overall ranking. But in due course, several websites tend to develop unnatural spammy links to improve their ranking in search engines.

However, Google is clever enough to detect these spammy or manipulative links with its Penguin Update. Now it is capable of evaluating websites and links in real time. It reduces the number of sites appearing in SERPs using manipulative links.

In a Tweet, Google’s John Mueller said, “Of course — most of those links do nothing; we’ve spent many years ignoring that kind of thing.” This was when he was asked, “Most of the Seo practitioners make backlinks for just manipulating search results and gaining positions. If private tools like Semrush and Ahrefs can detect those IPs which are building backlinks, doesn’t Google track them?”

In this blog, we’ll Throw Light on Links SEO Ignores while Manipulating Search.

Data source: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-penguin-4-live-22737.html

What is a Manipulative Link?

Manipulative links refer to links that were created to influence PageRank in order to raise Google ranks. Several black hat SEO practitioners in digital marketing agencies use this kind of link to improve their search engine ranking.
Examples of manipulative links include paid links, press release links, online forum links, article directories, social bookmarking, etc.
After the release of Penguin 4.0 in 2016, Google started to detect these spammy links and now devalues those links, which might affect a site’s ability to rank.

Different Types of Manipulative Links

Here are some common types of manipulative links black-hat SEO practitioners use to rank a website.

Press release links

Ten years ago, press release links were popular, but now they are considered a manipulative link in front of Google. Google considers press release links as a link scheme because they are very easy to manage, especially any press release links that rely on over-optimized anchor text targeting main-meaning keywords. But if you must have a website link, you can use naked URLs or branded URLs as your anchor text and only use a link from the contact area of the press release.

Online forums

Not all links in online forums are harmful. You can trust a link if it comes from a reputable website or a seasoned user, and it isn’t manipulative or spammy; Some digital marketing agencies use this technique to increase page rank. However, if you have thousands of low-quality, spammy links coming in from foreign discussion forums, then you should disavow them immediately.

Guestbooks

Links from foreign guest books are also considered manipulative because these links can be placed manually or with the aid of an automatic program easily. So you must disavow them before they can cause ranking drops.

Private Blog Networks (PBNs)

A few years ago PBNs were considered a fantastic technique to build links and improve rankings. But with the continued use of these methods, it is now considered manipulation in front of Google. Although Google takes longer for some PBNs than others, it will eventually find PBNs. If PBNs are used extensively, they can destroy your site and cause it to lose organic visitors.

Article directories

You often hear from directory submission providers that your website will gain a lot of traffic from their links. They promise to “help boost your Google rankings!” However, nothing could be further from the truth. If you submit to low-quality directories, your rankings will suffer more than benefit. However, you can consider using relevant and targeted directories for natural link building – especially in local SEO.

Links Built by Automatic Link Building Programs

Several digital marketing agencies used automated link-building programs, such as Scrapbox, Xroomer, or GSA Search Engine Ranker, to build links. But in recent years, they have somehow lost their effectiveness. You should not use this type of tool in your SEO campaign, especially not on your money site, as it can affect your site very badly.

Social bookmarking

Google also grants social bookmarking links as manipulative. If you engage in this too frequently, you risk getting into problems. Social bookmarking links are all manually put in and are obscenely spammy. So it’s better if you do not use these types of strategies to increase your PageRank.

What are the best ways for good link building?

Now that you know which practices can lead to reducing your website ranking, there are some good practices you can go for. For example, you can use naked URLs and branded anchor text where possible. Get links from good authority sites in your niche, making sure those links are editorially vouched for by the site owners involved. By following these techniques, you can significantly impact your ranking position in Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

Final Words

Link building is one of the crucial aspects of Search Engine Optimization, but you should always make sure your site is protected from spammy or manipulative links, as it can significantly decrease your page ranking. Consider the genuine link-building techniques mentioned above to maximize your ranking potential. If you are still struggling, then consider Markethix, the one-stop digital marketing solution for you.