Google has updated the Link Schemes page, which shows examples of backlinks that are considered spam by the search engine. New on the list is article marketing or guest blogging with links full of keywords, sponsored articles with paid links, and links in press releases.
11 Types of Links that Google Doesn’t Like
In general, there are many ways to create a problem for yourself. Here is a complete list of them:
- Google doesn’t like paid links
Buying or selling links that pass PageRank can negatively impact your site’s ranking in search results. This includes monetary payment for links or posts containing links; payment for links with goods or services; or offering a free product in exchange for a review of that product with a link.
Don’t buy or sell links if you don’t want to risk your rankings.
- Google doesn’t like active link exchanges.
Link exchange with other sites is quite normal. For example, dolphin research sites can link to other dolphin research sites without any problems or risks.
But if the link exchange looks unnatural (a dolphin research site will link to a shoe store and then back), Google might think you’re in the business of getting unnatural links.
Use common sense when exchanging links with other sites. As long as this exchange makes sense to site visitors, all will be well.
- Google doesn’t like large-scale article marketing or guest blogging.
Publishing articles, including guest articles, on other sites is a normal situation. As long as you don’t do it in masse. If the purpose of your guest blogging is only to get different links, then the site may be penalized. Publish articles on other sites only if you really want to provide good content.
- Google hates automation and backlink services
You’ve probably seen ads for tools and services that promise hundreds (if not thousands) of backlinks with little effort. Hoping for dominance in the search results, most likely your site will be banned by Google.
Beware of tools and services for automating external promotion. If you can find these services, Google’s anti-spam team is also aware of them.
- Google doesn’t like text ads that pass PageRank
If you buy ads on any site, make sure it uses the rel=nofollow attribute on the links. Otherwise, Google may think that this link was acquired for the purpose of manipulation.
- Google doesn’t like sponsored posts containing open links.
Follow the golden rule: always use rel=nofollow if you paid for an article or ad. Anything that is paid and passes PageRank leads to sanctions.
- Google doesn’t like articles or press releases that contain clearly optimized links.
If your article contains the paragraph below, then Google’s anti-spam algorithm will take a closer look at your site.
- Google hates low-quality links from directories and social bookmarking.
If you submit your site to hundreds of directories that won’t get you a single visitor in return, that’s wasted effort. Ignore such sites. These links will not help you rank better on Google. If the directories are getting you visitors, then getting the link was worth the effort.
- Google doesn’t like massive footer links.
Some sites link keywords to other sites in their footer. These links are always paid and should not be used to advertise your site.
This does not apply to footer links like “About us” or “Delivery”, but to links like “buy flowers” or “wedding rings”.
- Google doesn’t like links from widgets distributed across multiple sites.
Some widget developers offer free widgets with a link to other sites: “Visitors on this page: 1234 – buy wedding rings ”.
If the developers offer to advertise your site using such widgets,
make sure that the links contain the nofollow attribute or do not use such things at all.
- Google doesn’t like forum comments with links in posts or captions.
There are tools that automatically post comments to forums. Do not use this method to promote your site. Google doesn’t like it. Beware of tools that automatically send your links to forums.
