Backlink Audit, Toxicity Markers
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 3:19 am
Your link profile should contain a natural mix, with no apparent spike in links using optimized anchor text.
What link building tactics should you avoid?
We're all here to please Google's algorithm in order to claim the top spot in the SERPs. Unfortunately, some tactics that allow you to gain ground quickly, while they may seem nice at first, can have a negative impact on your site in the long run.
Here are some of the things you should avoid doing when building links.
Buying links can backfire
Although it is a clear violation of Google's Webmaster Guidelines and a tactic defined as a link scheme, paid link building is still relatively common because it guarantees results (at first).
Earning links is hard work, there’s no denying that. Even manual link building and the many quick-win tactics available require effort to get results.
These types of links are considered toxic backlinks , and it's best to avoid actively seeking them out.
Nowadays, you don't have to worry about having loan data unwanted backlinks pointing to your site, as long as you haven't participated in a link scheme.
However, you can use the Backlink Audit tool to keep tabs on all the toxic backlinks pointing to your site, and even look at the individual toxicity markers that are taken into account to assess the overall toxicity of a link.
Some points to remember:
In the opinion of many, using paid links is a lazy link building practice.
Paid link building manipulates Google's algorithm and is a low-effort but extremely risky tactic.
Most paid links come from sites that are not topically aligned, have a high number of outbound links, and are generally of low quality.
Besides this risk, remember that if you can buy links, so can your competitors.
There are, of course, some exceptions to these rules.
What link building tactics should you avoid?
We're all here to please Google's algorithm in order to claim the top spot in the SERPs. Unfortunately, some tactics that allow you to gain ground quickly, while they may seem nice at first, can have a negative impact on your site in the long run.
Here are some of the things you should avoid doing when building links.
Buying links can backfire
Although it is a clear violation of Google's Webmaster Guidelines and a tactic defined as a link scheme, paid link building is still relatively common because it guarantees results (at first).
Earning links is hard work, there’s no denying that. Even manual link building and the many quick-win tactics available require effort to get results.
These types of links are considered toxic backlinks , and it's best to avoid actively seeking them out.
Nowadays, you don't have to worry about having loan data unwanted backlinks pointing to your site, as long as you haven't participated in a link scheme.
However, you can use the Backlink Audit tool to keep tabs on all the toxic backlinks pointing to your site, and even look at the individual toxicity markers that are taken into account to assess the overall toxicity of a link.
Some points to remember:
In the opinion of many, using paid links is a lazy link building practice.
Paid link building manipulates Google's algorithm and is a low-effort but extremely risky tactic.
Most paid links come from sites that are not topically aligned, have a high number of outbound links, and are generally of low quality.
Besides this risk, remember that if you can buy links, so can your competitors.
There are, of course, some exceptions to these rules.