Backlink creation is a crucial part of SEO. You're pretty aware of that; thus, you have undoubtedly devoted numerous hours researching the latest link-building strategy, statistics & trends to boost ranking. You must have also tried your best to implement effective techniques to acquire high-quality external links.
But let's face it – the reality appears to be very hard as you discovered that obtaining natural links takes a lot of work and consumes a significant amount of your valuable time. And even if you somehow manage to get a backlink or two, you don't have control over them! When your link-building strategy doesn't pay off immediately, it is enticing to daydream of owning a backlink creation website where you can post ads and links. Indeed, this would greatly simplify life, isn't that right?
Unfortunately, this is not a new strategy. Such website networks provide links called PBN backlinks and using them for SEO is against Google Webmaster's Quality Guidelines, resulting in harsh penalties. Let's discuss this topic in detail!
What are PBN Backlinks?
Private Blog Networks (or PBNs) backlinks are essentially links from a network of websites controlled and owned by the same person or company. These links are used to promote their websites and are typically done to mimic "natural" backlinks. PBNs can consist of several sites with unique content that link to a central website to improve its search engine ranking.
PBN backlinks are popular because they give website owners complete control over the links that point to their site. This control allows them to choose the anchor text, where the link comes from, and the context in which it is added. Additionally, PBNs empower website owners to go for backlink creation without the approval of third parties like guest post hosts or blog owners.
How to Implement PBN Backlinks for Your Website?
Implementing PBN backlinks involves a strategic approach to guarantee their effectiveness and longevity. That's why it is a pretty challenging task to implement a PBN backlink that is safe and effective. Follow the steps below to implement PBN backlinks for your website:
1. Identify Relevant Domains
To ensure the effectiveness of PBN backlinks, start by identifying domains that align well with your website niche. This is important because the backlinks from these domains must be relevant to your website to offer genuine value.
2. Acquire Expired Domains
You can search for expired domains that have expired due to their owners' negligence or lack of maintenance. Once you've found suitable domains, purchase them through domain marketplaces or auctions. Diligently verify the domain's background, backlink profile, and any possible red flags. This way, you can repurpose the domain by adding great content and links to your site.
3. Set-Up Hosting & IPs
Hosting your PBN on different servers and IPs will make your sites appear unrelated to each other. Additionally, this will make it more difficult for search engines to detect your link-building strategy.
4. Create Genuine Looking Website
When creating your PBN sites, remember that Google always looks for web admins who rank higher with manipulative tactics. To avoid detection, ensure your PBN sites look and feel genuine and contain high-quality content.
5. Link to Your Target Website
The ultimate goal of creating the PBN backlinks is to link to your target website to improve its search engine rankings. However, it's essential to do this in a natural and not spammy way. Only include relevant keywords as anchor text and avoid using the same anchors repeatedly.
6. Maintain & Update
To keep your PBN sites relevant and genuine, it's essential to regularly update the content, build authority, and maintain them over time. Frequently posting quality content will allow the sites to grow their traffic and influence, adding more value to your PBN backlinking strategy.
What are the Risks Involved with PBN Backlinks?
In most cases, it is generally not a good idea to implement PNB backlinks. Doing so can cause harsh penalties and rank drops. If you're okay with taking a high-risk, high-reward approach, you may benefit from these links in the short run. The risks associated with PBN backlinks include:
The possibility of a Google penalty
Malware or hacking attacks
De-indexing
Google has strict guidelines for link builders to avoid manipulative tactics to rank the website higher. Therefore, if caught, website owners can face penalties like a loss of ranking or removal of the website from search engines.
How Do You Mitigate the Risks Involved with PBN Backlinks?
To mitigate the risks of using PBN backlinks, it is recommended that you create high-quality content on your PBN sites to mimic genuine backlinks. Additionally, you should ensure that your PBN sites are hosted on different servers, using separate IP addresses to avoid detection by search engines. Lastly, the link placements should be in the right place, and it is essential to use unique Anchor Text for your PBN backlinks.