05.31.2023

Should You Buy Backlinks for Your SEO Promotion?

If you are a marketer or running a B2B business, you already understand the powerful effect of backlinks on your website’s ranking. The first result on Google has 3.8x more backlinks than the other top 10 pages. We all know those are the sites that get the most traffic. No wonder hundreds of services have appeared almost overnight, offering to get links for websites. A scheme that Google quickly realized and clamped down on.

But does this mean that all paid links are unethical? Google’s policies are clear on this. Links that manipulate search results can be considered spam and duly penalized. But, the same guideline also acknowledges that purchasing or selling links isn’t an issue as long as they meet the given requirement. So how do you buy backlinks without getting spammy and violating Google’s policy? We will look into the best solutions and take a closer look at other important factors like:

  • Why backlinks are important and why you need them
  • Where to buy external links
  • How to purchase backlinks
  • How to know good ones
  • The pros and cons of buying backlinks

FAQ: Backlinks for SEO 

A good SEO strategy fostering link-building is essential for lead generation and sustainable success in every industry. But it is not as simple as just having any website link back to one of your pages. To simplify the process, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about buying backlinks for SEO.

Buying Backlinks

Are Backlinks Important for My Website?

The honest answer is yes. Search engines generally use several factors to decide which website gets ranked high on their result pages. Some factors they look out for are domain authority (DA), credibility/expertise, and relevance of a page’s content. Reports also show that backlinks are one of Google’s ranking factors that influence the traffic on your website.

When other domains link back to any of your pages, it signals to the search algorithm that your site has authority in your industry. This, in turn, raises your trust rank and credibility. Unsurprisingly, 46% of companies spend up to $10,000 for link building. But we will soon see – all backlinks are not created equal.

Where to Buy Backlinks?

The overall effectiveness of your links depends on their sources and relevance. Today, many services cater to businesses that want to purchase backlinks. Each of these agencies claims to be able to fetch you high-quality links from websites with high domain authority in any niche you can think of. Yet, some advertise backlinks at lower prices than a cup of Starbucks. Should you go for any of them? 

You want to steer clear of packages that promise thousands of backlinks for just a few bucks. There are plenty of them on freelance websites like Fiverr. Avoid sources that have gotten into trouble for dubious link-building practices in the past. When buying backlinks, it is best to stick to reputable services like Linksmanagement that focus on helping your site earn links through legitimate and thoughtful practices.

How to Buy Backlinks?

There are many blogs that provide details on how to buy backlinks for all kinds of sites. Avoid any agency that promises quick returns in a very short period. This includes all private blog networks and link farms. Such offers are common with sites that offer low-quality backlinks. If it appears too good to be true, it probably is. 

Getting tangled with them will only bring trouble to your doorstep. For one, your site can get swamped by spam links. Sami from UppercutSEO, a leading SEO company, stated that a high increase in traffic within a short time can alert the search engine and cause your site to be penalized. This does not mean you can’t buy good backlinks at an affordable price. You just need to understand how to distinguish between high- and low-quality links.

How to Know If the Backlinks Are Good?

To know if a backlink is good, you must understand what kind of backlinks are unethical. Google identifies these as links that manipulate search results. You should stay away from anything that looks spammy and brings no value whatsoever. Your link profile should be natural and have a healthy mix of nofollow and dofollow links. This is the rule. Yet sometimes, even what you think is safe can violate the policy.  

When using link-building services, first do your research. Be sure that the agency is not operating with black-hat or gray-hat practices, as this will only harm your domain score. Such sites exploit the loopholes in Google’s guidelines to boost a site’s traffic illegally. The only acceptable way to acquire paid backlinks is via white-hat link-building services. These focus on using best practices approved by search engines to boost your site’s organic traffic. 

Does Every Business Need Backlinks?

Backlinks are essential for businesses that want to improve their search rankings and attract traffic to their site. Yet, this varies from one industry to another. Marketers in competitive industries and niches may find that building good backlinks is costly. And if you’re a small business, it might not be affordable at all.

For example, those in the tech niche may need more external links before they can rank as high as other popular companies like Microsoft or Amazon. Similarly, those in the SEO industries looking to outrank Backlinko have plenty of work waiting for them. They will need over 590,000 backlinks from more than 51,000 sources to surpass them.

When Can You Expect  Results From Link Building?

The reality is that there is no definite timetable for results from link building. You can expect to see effects anywhere from three months to 12 months or even longer. Several factors can affect this time range. This includes the authority score of the sites linking to you, how competitive your niche is, your budget, and how good your brand awareness is. 

For instance, it will take longer to see an improvement in traffic from external links if you are in an industry such as traveling or beauty. On the other hand, if you’re working in a specific industry, like translating ancient Mayan texts, the backlinks might give faster results. But before you give up altogether, remember that raising your search rank without links takes even longer. Simply put, patience and consistency are the prerequisites for successful link-building.

Buy Backlinks for SEO: Pros and Cons

Choosing to buy backlinks for SEO can be tricky. One wrong move can jeopardize your entire marketing strategy. Understanding the pros and cons can empower you to make only informed decisions that benefit your business.

Pros of Buying Backlinks

Before you buy backlinks for SEO, invest some time to understand the updates of the Google search algorithm. Grasping how it works will enable you to take full advantage of this SEO tactic. Besides, you should always check the latest updates from Google to adjust your strategy accordingly. This approach will only bring you benefits from your backlinks, such as:

Boost domain authority. Getting links from relevant and reputable sites is one surefire way to increase your domain score. The higher your DA is, the more chance your website gets to appear on the first page of search results. So ensure that you get backlinks only from the white-hat sources to enjoy this advantage. Remember that for this to work, you also need to have content that is actually valuable. Otherwise, the link-building process is pointless.

Better rankings for targeted keywords. Consumers constantly search for particular words and phrases to find the best resources available. You could buy homepage backlinks enabling your website to appear in the search results for the keywords and phrases relevant to your industry. You can build up your search rank for these target phrases naturally, but paid links can get your site there faster.

Outrank your competitors. The greater the number of high-quality backlinks you have, the higher your search rankings. This is what can place you above your competitors in the search results pages. And most users only tend to open the first few links they get in search engines. So, your traffic might likely increase while also improving your brand visibility.

Buying Backlinks

Increase traffic. The boost in traffic can lead to better opportunities for lead generation and conversion, which affects your revenue as a result. This is one of the common reasons businesses go for paid backlinks. On-page SEO can help you appear in the top positions on SERPs. Yet, when you also add backlinks from various high-quality domains, you can even reach the number one spot. The more diverse the sources linking back to your pages, the greater the odds of a wider audience. But remember to choose relevant websites for your niche. Sometimes it’s hard to find the perfect balance for your strategy. So you might have to work with a professional SEO specialist to create an effective plan for your brand.

Save time and resources. A natural link-building strategy can be time-consuming. It also takes a good while to see the results trickle in. Plus, there are just so many variables that can cause things to go differently than planned. You must find relevant sites to collaborate with, plan, and write the appropriate content. But, with paid links from legit sources, you skip all that stressful process and go straight to the results.

Cons of Buying Backlinks

Link building might be a perfect way to boost traffic, increase engagement, generate leads, and do other great things businesses need. But this tactic can backfire if you don’t know what you’re doing. And, of course, it has its share of risks, which includes:  

The high price tags. Purchasing links can come with a hefty price tag. And worse, you could spend all that money for nothing if you deal with a shady site. The only practical thing to do is to invest in reputable companies that can help you build links naturally over time.

Less conversion longterm. Your paid links might lead to a lower conversion rate than natural backlinks would. If done improperly, Google can choose not to count those URLs at all. Besides, if you do nothing else except for buying backlinks, your results might disappear the moment you stop purchasing links. Ensure you have a compilation of SEO practices that can bring you long-term success. 

It can put your site rank at risk. This is especially true if you can’t differentiate between white-hat backlinks and black-hat links. Google is vocal about its stand on link manipulation practices, including link farms and private blog networks. A sudden increase in low-quality links to your site will tip off the search algorithm and put your page at risk.

Less opportunity for collaboration. Collaborating with other industry experts in your niche is one of the most resourceful ways to create inbound links for your page. But, if you focus solely on paid links, you might lose the chance to form beneficial lasting relationships with other leaders in your niche.

It can harm your brand’s trust and credibility. Having other websites link to you can increase your credibility. But the opposite can also happen if you use spammy platforms. Being known for solely buying backlinks to boost traffic and outrank your competition can harm your brand. Customers might feel less inclined to recommend your products and services, hurting your revenue. Don’t try to go all in with backlinks. There are other SEM methods that can bring you immediate results. To ensure you don’t hurt your brand, focus on an SEO strategy that merges free and paid options of your optimization techniques.

Conclusion

Many businesses that decide to buy backlinks face many difficulties that can seriously hurt their rankings. Marketers must understand how Google policies affect link building and what links can be harmful. Yet, using paid links from reputable sources can save you time and money while boosting traffic. So, do everything to build a natural backlink profile, avoid spammy sites as much as possible, and the results won’t keep you waiting. 

Vito Vishnepolsky
Vito Vishnepolsky
CEO and Founder at Martal Group