{"id":626338,"date":"2024-07-02T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/"},"modified":"2024-07-02T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T13:00:00","slug":"how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/","title":{"rendered":"#How to spot and avoid shady link building vendors"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a276a92b152f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a276a92b152f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#Avoid_the_pitfalls_of_link_network_spam_Heres_how_to_spot_scammy_pitches_identify_toxic_sites_and_protect_your_brands_SEO\" >Avoid the pitfalls of link network spam. Here\u2019s how to spot scammy pitches, identify toxic sites and protect your brand\u2019s SEO.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#How_to_spot_a_spammy_link_network_pitch\" >How to spot a spammy link network pitch\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#The_most_common_strategies_of_shady_link_building_agencies\" >The most common strategies of shady link building agencies\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#1_Guest_post_solicitors_%E2%80%98Pay_a_nominal_fee_to_pen_a_column_on_my_site_that_gets_50K_monthly_visitors\" >1. Guest post solicitors: \u2018Pay a nominal fee to pen a column on my site that gets 50K monthly visitors\u2019<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#2_The_link_exchange_%E2%80%98If_you_link_to_my_resource_Ill_link_to_yours\" >2. The link exchange: \u2018If you link to my resource, I\u2019ll link to yours\u2019\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#3_Guest_post_requests_%E2%80%98I_see_you_cover_ABC_Id_like_to_submit_a_post_on_XYZ\" >3. Guest post requests: \u2018I see you cover ABC, I\u2019d like to submit a post on XYZ\u2019<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#4_Guaranteed_edu_links_AI-generated_stories_on_hacked_edu_domains\" >4. Guaranteed .edu links: AI-generated stories on hacked .edu domains<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#How_to_verify_a_quality_link_from_a_shady_one\" >How to verify a quality link from a shady one\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors\/#The_cost_of_buying_links\" >The cost of buying links<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Avoid_the_pitfalls_of_link_network_spam_Heres_how_to_spot_scammy_pitches_identify_toxic_sites_and_protect_your_brands_SEO\"><\/span>Avoid the pitfalls of link network spam. Here\u2019s how to spot scammy pitches, identify toxic sites and protect your brand\u2019s SEO.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\nHave you ever been tempted to pay for a really great link?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Between Google\u2019s algorithm leak and Danny Goodwin\u2019s subsequent expos\u00e9 of the importance of links for rankings, the broader marketing industry is having its \u201caha\u201d moment while scrambling to launch digital PR strategies that earn high-authority links at scale.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"337\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/SEL-story-Importance-of-links.png.webp\" alt=\"SEL story - Importance of links\" class=\"wp-image-443809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/SEL-story-Importance-of-links.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/SEL-story-Importance-of-links-600x126.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/SEL-story-Importance-of-links-800x169.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/SEL-story-Importance-of-links-200x42.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/SEL-story-Importance-of-links-768x162.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/SEL-story-Importance-of-links-1536x324.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sadly, many brands will look for shortcuts and they\u2019re about to experience the scourge of link network spam. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been at the receiving end of hundreds of scammy pitches promising high-authority links at seemingly legitimate sites for a fraction of the cost of most reputable content marketing agencies:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"492\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Scammy-link-building-pitch-example.png.webp\" alt=\"Scammy link building pitch example\" class=\"wp-image-443810\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Scammy-link-building-pitch-example.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Scammy-link-building-pitch-example-600x185.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Scammy-link-building-pitch-example-800x246.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Scammy-link-building-pitch-example-200x62.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Scammy-link-building-pitch-example-768x236.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Scammy-link-building-pitch-example-1536x472.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>What\u2019s even more terrifying is that some of these vendors have access to legitimate sites and these publishers could soon face penalties as a result.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1144\" height=\"656\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-network-websites.png.webp\" alt=\"Spammy link network websites\" class=\"wp-image-443811\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-network-websites.png.webp 1144w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-network-websites-589x338.png.webp 589w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-network-websites-800x459.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-network-websites-197x113.png.webp 197w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-network-websites-768x440.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>How do you protect your brand from the deluge of link network spam and how can you spot the most toxic sites?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To provide a more data-driven expos\u00e9, I curated hundreds of spammy link network pitches we have received over the last few years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I conducted an in-depth analysis of the commonalities between these pitches along with an audit of the common publishers associated with dozens of vendors, providing insights on how to identify and avoid them.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-spot-a-spammy-link-network-pitch-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_spot_a_spammy_link_network_pitch\"><\/span>How to spot a spammy link network pitch\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The first step in my analysis was consolidating hundreds of these pitches into a single repository, allowing for a thorough examination of their commonalities. <\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a brief snapshot of the pitches I analyzed for reference:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"1258\" alt=\"Sample spammy email pitch from link builder\" class=\"wp-image-443812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder.png.webp 900w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder-242x338.png.webp 242w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder-429x600.png.webp 429w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder-81x113.png.webp 81w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder-768x1073.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"1258\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder.png.webp\" alt=\"Sample spammy email pitch from link builder\" class=\"wp-image-443812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder.png.webp 900w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder-242x338.png.webp 242w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder-429x600.png.webp 429w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder-81x113.png.webp 81w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-spammy-email-pitch-from-link-builder-768x1073.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Quickly, patterns emerged in these often generic emails that lacked substance while simultaneously promising remarkable SEO results:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Overly generic introductions<\/strong>: Vague introductions without specific details about the sender or their credentials.\n<ul>\n<li><em>\u201cI hope this message finds you well.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>\u201cI hope you are keeping well and safe.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Random capitalization:<\/strong> Incorrect capitalization and grammar issues throughout the pitch.\n<ul>\n<li><em>\u201cWe provide Natural, relevant, in-content links, from 100% real bloggers.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>\u201cI have a good number of relevant Quality Sites, where I can help you to build Guest Post-Blog Post Links which help you to get good Domain Authority and Rank High in Google and other Search Engines.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Too-good-to-be-true offers<\/strong>: Promises of high-quality backlinks on sites with high Domain Authority (DA) for very low prices.\n<ul>\n<li><em>\u201cI can offer you access to a curated list of high-demand and premium websites with Domain Authority (DA) ranging from 50 \u2013 90.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>\u201cWe can tap into my extensive network to deliver exceptional results, improving your clients\u2019 search rankings and organic reach.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Urgency and no upfront costs<\/strong>: Claims of no upfront costs, which often indicate a pay-after-results scam.\n<ul>\n<li><em>\u201cPermanent Post Guaranteed. Do-Follow. Payment after link. The post will be Google Index.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>\u201cI have more than 10k sites with high traffic. Price starts from $10. Should I send you my site lists?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Guaranteed results<\/strong>: Assurance of guaranteed results or permanent links, which is not always realistic in SEO.\n<ul>\n<li><em>\u201cWe offer permanent links, guaranteed.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>\u201cChoose from 73k+ websites across 60+ niches for efficient link-building. Receive live links in 2-3 business days.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lack of trust signals<\/strong>: No reference to specific brands they\u2019ve worked with, nor the inclusion of any case studies or specific metrics demonstrating their results.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lack of personalization<\/strong>: Generic emails that do not address the specific needs or content of the recipient\u2019s website.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Suspicious contact information<\/strong>: Unbranded email addresses (@gmail.com); often lacking legitimate names and verifiable contact information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Understanding these patterns should be the first step in redirecting these pitches to your spam folder.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While I\u2019m hopeful that most CRMs will allow you to blacklist certain keywords from your contact forms (e.g., \u201cguest post service provider\u201d) one day soon, until then, it\u2019s important to teach your team to recognize these trends.<\/p>\n<p>This will help them better identify potentially harmful link building pitches that could jeopardize your website\u2019s standing with search engines.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-most-common-strategies-of-shady-link-building-agencies-nbsp-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_most_common_strategies_of_shady_link_building_agencies\"><\/span>The most common strategies of shady link building agencies\u00a0\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While there are dozens of effective link building strategies that could drive incredible results for your brand, scammy vendors commonly rely on low-value or black hat strategies instead.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-guest-post-solicitors-pay-a-nominal-fee-to-pen-a-column-on-my-site-that-gets-50k-monthly-visitors\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Guest_post_solicitors_%E2%80%98Pay_a_nominal_fee_to_pen_a_column_on_my_site_that_gets_50K_monthly_visitors\"><\/span>1. Guest post solicitors: \u2018Pay a nominal fee to pen a column on my site that gets 50K monthly visitors\u2019<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of the most common pitches we receive is from vendors soliciting guest posts as a way for our clients to \u201cquickly and easily earn high-value\u201d links. These pitches pose the most harm to SMBs, since they prey on their smaller budgets, limited capacity and eagerness to drive quick results.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"648\" alt=\"\u2018Guest post\u2019 solicitors example\" class=\"wp-image-443813\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example.png 1600w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-600x243.png 600w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-800x324.png 800w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-200x81.png 200w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-768x311.png 768w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-1536x622.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/%E2%80%98Guest-post-solicitors-example.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"648\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/%E2%80%98Guest-post-solicitors-example.png\" alt=\"\u2018Guest post\u2019 solicitors example\" class=\"wp-image-443813\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example.png 1600w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-600x243.png 600w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-800x324.png 800w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-200x81.png 200w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-768x311.png 768w, https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/\u2018Guest-post-solicitors-example-1536x622.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>But they come at a steep price: Your site being <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/webmasters\/answer\/40052?hl=en#:~:text=Google%20may%20temporarily%20or%20permanently,ability%20to%20locate%20relevant%20information.\">deindexed<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Oftentimes, these vendors claim to own sites that generate five figures in monthly organic traffic, which is your first opportunity for a quick spot check. <\/p>\n<p>More often than not, you\u2019ll see an exponential growth curve in referring domains, which is mirrored by an equally drastic decrease in organic traffic.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"791\" alt=\"Website overview - Deindexed website 1\" class=\"wp-image-443814\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-600x297.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-800x396.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-200x99.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-768x380.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-1536x759.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1.png.webp\" alt=\"Website overview - Deindexed website 1\" class=\"wp-image-443814\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-600x297.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-800x396.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-200x99.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-768x380.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-1-1536x759.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"871\" alt=\"Website overview - Deindexed website 2\" class=\"wp-image-443816\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-600x327.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-800x436.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-200x109.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-768x418.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-1536x836.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"871\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2.png.webp\" alt=\"Website overview - Deindexed website 2\" class=\"wp-image-443816\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-600x327.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-800x436.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-200x109.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-768x418.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Deindexed-website-2-1536x836.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-the-link-exchange-if-you-link-to-my-resource-i-ll-link-to-yours\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_The_link_exchange_%E2%80%98If_you_link_to_my_resource_Ill_link_to_yours\"><\/span>2. The link exchange: \u2018If you link to my resource, I\u2019ll link to yours\u2019\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Link exchanges are the second most common offer we receive, with pitches often highlighting seemingly legitimate publishers. <\/p>\n<p>While I\u2019ll often roll my eyes over Fortune 500 PR teams mass-blasting us with link exchanges around HR and design resources, I\u2019m more scrupulous when vetting pitches from seemingly legitimate domains owned by niche SMBs.<\/p>\n<p>Typically, these vendors will start with a somewhat personalized pitch about your brand\u2019s impressive content strategy, but the remainder of the pitch will prove they know little about the overarching <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">theme<\/a>s you cover:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"472\" alt=\"Content partnership offer\" class=\"wp-image-443817\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-600x177.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-800x236.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-200x59.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-768x227.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-1536x453.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"472\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer.png.webp\" alt=\"Content partnership offer\" class=\"wp-image-443817\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-600x177.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-800x236.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-200x59.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-768x227.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Content-partnership-offer-1536x453.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>While some site managers might be open to adding this \u201charmless link\u201d into a somewhat relevant blog post in consideration of a high-value link exchange, these links actually open you up to a toxic backlink portfolio. <\/p>\n<p>Over time, Google will catch up to these massive, unnatural link portfolios and both domains risk being penalized:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"870\" alt=\"Website overview - Unnatural link profile\" class=\"wp-image-443818\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-600x326.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-800x435.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-200x109.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-768x418.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-1536x835.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"870\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile.png.webp\" alt=\"Website overview - Unnatural link profile\" class=\"wp-image-443818\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-600x326.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-800x435.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-200x109.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-768x418.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Website-overview-Unnatural-link-profile-1536x835.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-guest-post-requests-i-see-you-cover-abc-i-d-like-to-submit-a-post-on-xyz\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Guest_post_requests_%E2%80%98I_see_you_cover_ABC_Id_like_to_submit_a_post_on_XYZ\"><\/span>3. Guest post requests: \u2018I see you cover ABC, I\u2019d like to submit a post on XYZ\u2019<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The worst part about link spammers is the volume of irrelevant garbage that floods your inbox. <\/p>\n<p>Writing guest posts for mainstream <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> sites or industry-relevant publishers is a great way to boost your thought leadership and earn reputable links. <\/p>\n<p>However, accepting guest posts that don\u2019t match your niche can severely damage your brand\u2019s content quality and reputation, no matter how well you try to hide it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"516\" height=\"358\" alt=\"Guest post pitch for irrelevant topic\" class=\"wp-image-443819\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Guest-post-pitch-for-irrelevant-topic.png.webp 516w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Guest-post-pitch-for-irrelevant-topic-487x338.png.webp 487w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Guest-post-pitch-for-irrelevant-topic-163x113.png.webp 163w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 516px) 100vw, 516px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Guest-post-pitch-for-irrelevant-topic.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"516\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Guest-post-pitch-for-irrelevant-topic.png.webp\" alt=\"Guest post pitch for irrelevant topic\" class=\"wp-image-443819\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Guest-post-pitch-for-irrelevant-topic.png.webp 516w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Guest-post-pitch-for-irrelevant-topic-487x338.png.webp 487w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Guest-post-pitch-for-irrelevant-topic-163x113.png.webp 163w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 516px) 100vw, 516px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-guaranteed-edu-links-ai-generated-stories-on-hacked-edu-domains\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Guaranteed_edu_links_AI-generated_stories_on_hacked_edu_domains\"><\/span>4. Guaranteed .edu links: AI-generated stories on hacked .edu domains<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>One of the most intriguing parts of this project was investigating vendors who promised coveted .edu links from Ivy League and other U.S.-based and international colleges. <\/p>\n<p>First, I requested examples of the links they had achieved on these sites.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1560\" height=\"1214\" alt=\"Sample hacked .edu domain\" class=\"wp-image-443820\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain.png.webp 1560w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-434x338.png.webp 434w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-771x600.png.webp 771w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-145x113.png.webp 145w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-768x598.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-1536x1195.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1560\" height=\"1214\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain.png.webp\" alt=\"Sample hacked .edu domain\" class=\"wp-image-443820\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain.png.webp 1560w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-434x338.png.webp 434w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-771x600.png.webp 771w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-145x113.png.webp 145w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-768x598.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sample-hacked-.edu-domain-1536x1195.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Although few vendors reluctantly complied with my request, I uncovered a trove of issues:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dozens of the examples were hacked pages on .edu sites, such as:\n<ul>\n<li>https:\/\/wordpress.cs.vt.edu\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/wordpress.ed.pacificu.edu<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Some leveraged PressBooks to gain access to .edu links:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"706\" alt=\"Hacked .edu domain used for link spam\" class=\"wp-image-443821\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-600x265.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-800x353.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-200x88.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-768x339.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-1536x678.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"706\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam.png.webp\" alt=\"Hacked .edu domain used for link spam\" class=\"wp-image-443821\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-600x265.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-800x353.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-200x88.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-768x339.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Hacked-.edu-domain-used-for-link-spam-1536x678.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Several pages were created as .pdf links and were hidden from the main site navigation instead of being nested as normal blog pages:\n<ul>\n<li>https:\/\/canvas.ubc.ca\/eportfolios\/46591\/Parker\/MCDLevel1_PDF_Dump_Easy_Technique_to_A_Success<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>A significant portion of the examples presented as client wins either redirected (301) or resulted in server errors (502):\n<ul>\n<li>https:\/\/gogs.as.arizona.edu\/emmadobie\/mblog\/issues\/6<\/li>\n<li>https:\/\/myweb.uiowa.edu\/dpipr\/\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>The majority of the articles were incredibly thin (&lt; 200 words), and many longer articles were flagged as AI content by basic detectors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"756\" alt=\"AI-generated thin content published on .edu domain\" class=\"wp-image-443822\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-600x284.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-800x378.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-200x95.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-768x363.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-1536x726.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"756\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain.png.webp\" alt=\"AI-generated thin content published on .edu domain\" class=\"wp-image-443822\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-600x284.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-800x378.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-200x95.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-768x363.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/AI-generated-thin-content-published-on-.edu-domain-1536x726.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ultimately, I identified dozens of SMBs that were the victims of these offers, with many sites receiving penalties.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-verify-a-quality-link-from-a-shady-one-nbsp-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_verify_a_quality_link_from_a_shady_one\"><\/span>How to verify a quality link from a shady one\u00a0\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the deluge of link network spam, it seems that these vendors are scaling B2B outreach teams that exclusively target domain owners, agency owners, digital PR directors and any other LinkedIn profile that mentions growth or links. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s incorrigible, and more brands need to be aware of this risky offer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"595\" alt=\"Spammy link building pitches on LinkedIn\" class=\"wp-image-443823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-600x223.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-800x298.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-200x74.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-768x286.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-1536x571.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"595\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn.png.webp\" alt=\"Spammy link building pitches on LinkedIn\" class=\"wp-image-443823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-600x223.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-800x298.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-200x74.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-768x286.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Spammy-link-building-pitches-on-LinkedIn-1536x571.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>As I hinted at above, the best ways to vet these vendors involves:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Verifying which countries they\u2019re getting the majority of their traffic from.<\/strong> These are the top 10 most common countries that appeared as a primary traffic source across the thousands .coms listed in the link vendor publications I analyzed:\n<ul>\n<li>India\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Pakistan<\/li>\n<li>Indonesia<\/li>\n<li>Sri Lanka<\/li>\n<li>Malaysia<\/li>\n<li>Ethiopia<\/li>\n<li>Russia\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Kenya<\/li>\n<li>Philippines<\/li>\n<li>Australia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Checking for an exponential growth curve in their referring domains.<\/strong> Whenever you see a site go from a couple hundred to a couple thousand referring domains overnight, something is fishy and likely will be followed shortly by a Google manual action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1060\" height=\"388\" alt=\"Checking for an exponential growth curve in their referring domains.\" class=\"wp-image-443824\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains.png.webp 1060w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains-600x220.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains-800x293.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains-200x73.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains-768x281.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1060px) 100vw, 1060px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1060\" height=\"388\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains.png.webp\" alt=\"Checking for an exponential growth curve in their referring domains.\" class=\"wp-image-443824\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains.png.webp 1060w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains-600x220.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains-800x293.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains-200x73.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Checking-for-an-exponential-growth-curve-in-their-referring-domains-768x281.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1060px) 100vw, 1060px\"><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Analyzing the volume of authoritative backlinks they\u2019ve earned. <\/strong>Since domain authority is on a logarithmic scale, it\u2019s normal for a site to have a significantly smaller percentage of authoritative links. However, when you see a site\u2019s total backlink volume clearing 20,000 and high-authority links under 100, the ratio is off and can be a clear signal for a toxic backlink portfolio you want to avoid.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"506\" height=\"250\" alt=\"Analyze the volume of authoritative backlinks they\u2019ve earned - All links\" class=\"wp-image-443825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-All-links.png.webp 506w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-All-links-200x99.png.webp 200w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 506px) 100vw, 506px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-All-links.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"506\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-All-links.png.webp\" alt=\"Analyze the volume of authoritative backlinks they\u2019ve earned - All links\" class=\"wp-image-443825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-All-links.png.webp 506w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-All-links-200x99.png.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 506px) 100vw, 506px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"272\" alt=\"Analyze the volume of authoritative backlinks they\u2019ve earned - Best links only\" class=\"wp-image-443826\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-Best-links-only.png.webp 576w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-Best-links-only-200x94.png.webp 200w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-Best-links-only.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"272\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-Best-links-only.png.webp\" alt=\"Analyze the volume of authoritative backlinks they\u2019ve earned - Best links only\" class=\"wp-image-443826\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-Best-links-only.png.webp 576w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Analyze-the-volume-of-authoritative-backlinks-theyve-earned-Best-links-only-200x94.png.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>While there are dozens of methods for checking a site\u2019s backlink portfolio and authority, these are the three quickest routes I\u2019ve found for identifying shell sites being built as link networks that will one day be penalized by Google.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-cost-of-buying-links\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_cost_of_buying_links\"><\/span>The cost of buying links<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The best link building strategies are designed to earn relevant top-tier backlinks by providing something of value to journalists. <\/p>\n<p>This typically involves quotes from subject matter experts (SMEs) or exclusive industry research your brand produced that journalists perceive as newsworthy and of value to their audience.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, too many brands still rely on quick-hitting strategies offered by paid link vendors, but in time, they\u2019ll feel the full wrath of Google. <\/p>\n<p>While SMBs with limited SEO knowledge are most at risk for falling prey to these offers, even reputable brands we work with have come to us for refuge after falling victim to these snake oil salesmen.<\/p>\n<p>Although link vendors may initially appear to offer trusted publisher links at an insignificant cost, my analysis of over 20,000 paid link opportunities reveals a different story. <\/p>\n<p>High-value links from these vendors often cost as much as those from reputable agencies, with the added risk of your site being deindexed.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>DA 30-39: $204.21<\/li>\n<li>DA 40-49: $229.58<\/li>\n<li>DA 50-59: $225.81<\/li>\n<li>DA 60-69: $277.74<\/li>\n<li>DA 70-79: $451.63<\/li>\n<li>DA 80-89: $549.03<\/li>\n<li>DA 90+: $597.76<\/li>\n<li>.edu links: $444.42<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What\u2019s even wilder is the seemingly reputable publishers that appear most frequently across these vendors:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>deadlinenews.co.uk\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>natureworldnews.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>latinpost.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>kpopstarz.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>kdramastars.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>philly.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>presstelegram.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>newsmax.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>timesunion.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>cbs19news.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>buffalonews.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>suntimes.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>psychcentral.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>orangecounty.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>valuewalk.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>thedailybeast.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>newsexaminer.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>chronicleonline.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>smmirror.com\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>ibtimes.co.uk\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1027\" alt=\"Distribution of domain authority\" class=\"wp-image-443828\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-527x338.png.webp 527w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-800x514.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-176x113.png.webp 176w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-768x493.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-1536x986.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1027\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1.png.webp\" alt=\"Distribution of domain authority\" class=\"wp-image-443828\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-527x338.png.webp 527w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-800x514.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-176x113.png.webp 176w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-768x493.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Distribution-of-domain-authority-1-1536x986.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>And their sharp traffic declines in recent years:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1106\" alt=\"Sharp traffic decline - Example\" class=\"wp-image-443829\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-489x338.png.webp 489w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-800x553.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-163x113.png.webp 163w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-768x531.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-1536x1062.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1106\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1.png.webp\" alt=\"Sharp traffic decline - Example\" class=\"wp-image-443829\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-489x338.png.webp 489w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-800x553.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-163x113.png.webp 163w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-768x531.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-1-1536x1062.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1072\" alt=\"Sharp traffic decline - Example\" class=\"wp-image-443830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-504x338.png.webp 504w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-800x536.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-169x113.png.webp 169w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-768x515.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-1536x1029.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1072\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2.png.webp\" alt=\"Sharp traffic decline - Example\" class=\"wp-image-443830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-504x338.png.webp 504w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-800x536.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-169x113.png.webp 169w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-768x515.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-2-1536x1029.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1088\" alt=\"Sharp traffic decline - Example\" class=\"wp-image-443831\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-497x338.png.webp 497w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-800x544.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-166x113.png.webp 166w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-768x522.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-1536x1044.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1088\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3.png.webp\" alt=\"Sharp traffic decline - Example\" class=\"wp-image-443831\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-497x338.png.webp 497w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-800x544.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-166x113.png.webp 166w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-768x522.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-3-1536x1044.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1172\" alt=\"Sharp traffic decline - Example 1\" class=\"wp-image-443832\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-461x338.png.webp 461w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-800x586.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-154x113.png.webp 154w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-768x563.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-1536x1125.png 1536w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1172\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4.png.webp\" alt=\"Sharp traffic decline - Example 1\" class=\"wp-image-443832\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4.png.webp 1600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-461x338.png.webp 461w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-800x586.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-154x113.png.webp 154w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-768x563.png.webp 768w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Sharp-traffic-decline-Example-4-1536x1125.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The moral of the story? Don\u2019t be lured by the \u201clow cost\u201d and perceived \u201chigh ROI\u201d of paid link vendors.<strong> <\/strong>In the world of SEO, quality will always trump quantity. <\/p>\n<p>By investing in high-quality, earned <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> strategies, you can secure valuable, sustainable links that enhance your brand\u2019s authority and drive meaningful results.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Remember, the cost of buying links extends beyond the financial; it impacts your site\u2019s integrity and your brand\u2019s trustworthiness. Choose wisely and prioritize quality over shortcuts to build a robust, penalty-free backlink profile that drives rankings and qualified search traffic.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Link building in 2024: 12 ways to win or fail<\/em><\/strong>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"about-author\">\n    About the author<\/p>\n<div class=\"information\">\n<div class=\"author-module\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 text-center\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" alt=\"Kelsey Libert\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Kelsey-Libert.jpeg.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/Kelsey-Libert.jpeg.webp\" alt=\"Kelsey Libert\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\">\n                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-9\">\n<div class=\"about\">\n<div class=\"name\">\n                            <strong>Kelsey Libert<\/strong>\n                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"row g-2 pt-2\">\n<div class=\"col-auto twitter\">\n                                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/follow?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearchengineland.com%2F&amp;region=follow_link&amp;screen_name=KelseyLibert&amp;tw_p=followbutton&amp;variant=2.0\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-x-twitter\"><\/i><\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n<div class=\"col-auto\">\n                                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kelseylibert\/\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\"><\/i><\/a>\n                                <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        Kelsey Libert is a co-founder of Fractl, a leading growth agency ranked in the top 3 of the &#8220;Clutch Leaders Matrix&#8221; for Content Marketing out of 26,000 global firms and recognized as BuzzStream\u2019s &#8220;Top 5%: Most Effective Accounts&#8221; for Digital PR. Kelsey has presented industry research and case studies at MozCon, Pubcon, and international conferences and has earned columns in Harvard Business Review, Inc., and Entrepreneur. Fractl is renowned for content strategies that drive high-authority earned media, qualified organic traffic, and a bottom-line impact for Fortune 500 brands, funded startups, and SMBs.                  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/avoid-shady-link-building-vendors-443805\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Avoid the pitfalls of link network spam. Here\u2019s how to spot scammy pitches, identify toxic sites and protect your brand\u2019s SEO. Have you ever been tempted to pay for a really great link?\u00a0 Between Google\u2019s algorithm leak and Danny Goodwin\u2019s subsequent expos\u00e9 of the importance of links for rankings, the broader marketing industry is having&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":626339,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/07\/How-to-spot-and-avoid-shady-link-building-vendors.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[129436,78070],"class_list":["post-626338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-link-building","tag-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=626338"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/626338\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/626339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=626338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=626338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=626338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}