Even if you are new to search engine optimization, you will know black hat SEO techniques should not be included in your strategy. There is no doubt that when you are a beginner with SEO, there are so many terms and new practices you have to learn about. This means that you know black hat SEO is bad but you might not know what practices this entails.
For example, are PBN backlinks classed as a black hat SEO technique? Well, we will answer this question for you and say yes. Let’s take a look at why they have no place in a successful beginner SEO strategy.
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Are PBN Backlinks Bad?
Google is going to punish any website that is trying to trick its algorithm. They want to ensure that their users are able to find the best sites and all the information they need online.
While link building is important to any beginner SEO strategy, you have to ensure that it is done legitimately in order for Google to reward you.
Essentially, PBN backlinks are viewed as spammy and unnatural by Google. You should make sure they stay far away from your new website if you want to rank well on SERPs.
In other words, your link building tactic should not include PBNs. Instead, it is recommended by SEO experts that you do your research and find high-quality websites related to your niche or industry. This is going to ensure you boost your traffic and rankings in a natural way.
You may be thinking, if PBN backlinks are so bad, why are people still using them? Well, the reality is, they can produce the results you are looking for. In fact, they might be able to help you boost your rankings.
However, in the long term, they are not something that is recommended and it is essential that you do not get sucked into the short-term gains you think they can deliver. Indeed, if Google finds that links are coming from unreliable sources, this is going to damage your rankings.
It can have the opposite effect of what you were wanting and Google can penalize you. It is simply not a risk you want to take when you are trying to get your website off the ground and running.
How Do You Spot a Private Blog Network?
Another reason why a lot of people end up with PBN backlinks is that they simply do not realize this is what it is. When you are a beginner at SEO, it can be difficult to get your head around all of this new information.
So, people end up making this mistake unknowingly. They only realize when it is too late. Here are some ways you can spot a private blog network and avoid them.
1. Low-Quality Content
One way to spot a PBN is by looking at the content on the website. For example, if you notice that a lot of blog posts are low-quality and not well written, this might indicate you have found a PBN.
Of course, you can always find one blog post that might not be to your taste. But, if you read through several of them and they are not what you would expect, this could be a red flag.
2. Topics That Are Not Related
Do you find that a lot of the content is random and not in any way connected? Sure, you can find websites that offer different categories when it comes to content.
But, if you find that a website covers so many topics that are so different, this could mean it is a PBN. Sometimes, you have to trust your gut and if you think that the website is too open when it comes to topics, it is best to stay away.
3. The Same Images and Videos
Often, PBNs will use the same images and videos with their content. In particular, this includes stock images. Take a look around the website and look at similar topics and see if they use the same multimedia.
4. Contact Information is Missing
Most websites are going to have contact information. So, if you come across a website and there is no obvious way to contact the owners, this can be a red flag. In particular, if there is no identity or obvious signs of who runs the website, this can indicate it is a PBN.
5. More Outgoing Links than Incoming Links
Think about it; using a PBN is going to be a way to link to your own website. So, if everybody is using a PBN, there are going to be more outgoing links than incoming links.
With SEO tools, this is something that you can check. If you see a largely disproportionate number, you may have stumbled across a private blog network.
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