Is buying backlinks safe? Not if the links are meant to pass ranking credit. Google’s spam policies list “buying or selling links for ranking purposes” as link spam, its SpamBrain system is built to detect “both sites buying links, and sites used for the purpose of passing outgoing links,” and a bought link that gets caught is either ignored or can lead to a manual action. Paying for advertising is fine; paying for links that are designed to manipulate rankings is the problem.
This guide is for business owners who get emails offering “high-DA guest posts” or “PBN links,” or who are weighing a cheap backlink package. It explains, in Google’s own words, what counts as a link scheme, the real risks of PBNs and paid guest posts, whether bought links can still work, what happens if Google detects them and what to do instead.
| Type of paid link | Is it allowed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsored placement marked rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow” | Yes | Google says paid links are fine “as long as they are qualified” |
| Paid guest post with a followed link | No | “Advertorials or native advertising” passing ranking credit are link spam |
| PBN (private blog network) links | No | Sites built to pass links, which SpamBrain is designed to detect |
| Free product in exchange for a followed link | No | Named in Google’s spam policy examples |
| Editorial link you did not pay or trade for | Yes | That is the kind of link Google wants to count |
Our position: Optihole does not sell PBN links or paid followed links. We have an interest in this topic because we offer link building and SEO services, so every rule below is quoted from Google’s own documentation and linked, and you can check each one yourself.
What does Google consider a link scheme?
Google’s spam policies define it in one line: “Link spam is the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings.” The policy then lists examples. The first one is “Buying or selling links for ranking purposes,” which Google says includes:
- “Exchanging money for links, or posts that contain links”
- “Exchanging goods or services for links”
- “Sending someone a product in exchange for them writing about it and including a link”
The same Google link spam policy also names these link scheme examples:
- “Excessive link exchanges” or partner pages “exclusively for the sake of cross-linking”
- “Using automated programs or services to create links to your site”
- “Advertorials or native advertising where payment is received for articles that include links that pass ranking credit, or links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites”
- “Low-quality directory or bookmark site links”
- “Keyword-rich, hidden, or low-quality links embedded in widgets” and “widely distributed links in the footers or templates of various sites”
- “Creating low-value content primarily for the purposes of manipulating linking and ranking signals”
Paying for visibility is not banned. Google says buying and selling links “is a normal part of the economy of the web for advertising and sponsorship purposes,” and that such links are fine “as long as they are qualified” with rel=”nofollow” or rel=”sponsored.” Google’s link qualification guide says sponsored “is preferred” for paid placements. The line is simple: a paid link that tells Google “this is an ad” is fine; a paid link dressed up as an editorial vote is not.
What are the real risks of PBNs and paid guest posts?
A PBN (private blog network) is a group of websites, often built on expired domains, that exist mainly to link to the sites paying for them. Google’s policy does not use the word “PBN,” but the practice matches several of its examples: low-value content created “primarily for the purposes of manipulating linking,” and sites whose purpose is passing links. In its December 2022 announcement, Google said SpamBrain “can now detect both sites buying links, and sites used for the purpose of passing outgoing links” ({A(SB,”Google Search Central blog”)}).
The main PBN risks:
- Footprints: networks tend to share hosting, themes, thin content and outbound link patterns, which is what detection systems look for.
- No control: you can’t edit or remove links on sites you don’t own if the seller disappears.
- Paying for nothing: if Google neutralises the network, the links simply stop counting.
A paid guest post is a different product with the same problem when the link is followed. Google’s 2021 update note is specific: “When we detect sites engaging in either publishing or acquiring links with excessive sponsored and guest posting without proper link tags, algorithmic and manual actions may be applied” (Google Search Central blog, 2021). A paid guest post risk is lowest when the link is marked rel=”sponsored”; but then it passes no ranking credit, so it only makes sense for the traffic and audience it brings.
It’s always been a mystery to me how SEO works, but Mr. Ekram H explains his strategies so I can understand what he did and why it works. I appreciate his skill and willingness to be available whenever I have questions.
Verified Fiverr client, United States, 5 stars (review of Optihole founder Ekram Hossen)
Can bought links still work, and for how long?
Honestly: sometimes a bought link may help for a while, until it doesn’t. Nobody outside Google can tell you how long. There is no public data on how quickly any given link is detected, and anyone who promises a “safe” time window is guessing.
What Google does say is that it keeps getting better at this. In 2021 it wrote: “we have gotten significantly better at detecting and nullifying such link schemes” (Google). In 2022 it said rankings may change “as spammy links are neutralized and any credit passed by these unnatural links are lost” (Google).
The part most sellers leave out is in Google’s spam updates documentation: after a link spam update, “any ranking benefit the links may have previously generated for your site is lost. Any potential ranking benefits generated by those links cannot be regained.” In other words, the benefit is temporary at best, and cleaning up later does not bring it back.
What happens if Google detects them?
There are two routes, and they work differently.
1. Algorithmic: the links stop counting
Most of the time Google’s systems simply neutralise links they don’t trust. You get no message; you just lose whatever boost the links gave. Google’s documentation says sites that violate spam policies “may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all” (Google).
2. Manual action: a person at Google reviews your site
Google’s manual actions documentation describes “Unnatural links to your site”: “Buying links or participating in link schemes in order to manipulate ranking in Google Search results is a violation of our spam policies. This can result in some or all of your site getting a manual action” (Search Console Help). You see it in Search Console’s Manual actions report and get notified.
Recovery means removing the links you can, using the disavow tool for the rest, and filing a reconsideration request. Google notes that “most reconsideration reviews can take several days or weeks,” and that “link-related reconsideration requests” may take “longer than usual.”
One caution about disavow: Google calls it “an advanced feature” that “should only be used with caution,” and says “most sites will not need to use this tool” (Search Console Help). If you have not bought links or received a manual action, you probably don’t need it.
What safer ways are there to earn links?
Links that last are links someone would give you anyway. They take longer, but nothing about them needs hiding.
- Create something worth citing: original data, a free tool, a clear guide or useful photos.
- Use relationships you already have: suppliers, partners, associations, clients and local organisations.
- Pitch real stories: news, data or expert comment that a journalist can actually use.
- Reclaim unlinked mentions: sites that already mention your brand may add a link if it helps their readers.
- Label anything you pay for: sponsorships and ads with rel=”sponsored” are allowed, and can still bring real visitors.
- Strengthen your own site: Google says good anchor text on internal links “can help both people and Google make sense of your site” (link best practices).
If you run an online store, we cover store-specific tactics such as product roundups, supplier links and digital PR in our guide to ecommerce link building strategies. Technical problems can also hold back a site more than a lack of links; see signs you need technical SEO help.
And a final check from Google’s guide to hiring an SEO: “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google” (Do you need an SEO?). Treat any backlink offer that promises rankings as a red flag.
Frequently asked questions
Is buying backlinks illegal?
Generally no; it is a Google policy issue, not a legal one. The risk is to your search visibility: Google treats links bought to manipulate rankings as link spam.
Are paid guest posts against Google’s rules?
Paid guest posts with followed links that pass ranking credit are listed as link spam. A paid placement is fine if the link is marked rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow”.
Can Google really detect PBNs?
Google says its SpamBrain system can detect both sites buying links and sites used to pass outgoing links. No one can say how fast any single network is caught.
Will bought links get my whole site penalized?
It depends. Often Google just ignores the links. In other cases a manual action for unnatural links can affect some or all of a site.
I bought links in the past. What should I do?
Stop buying, list what you bought, and ask for removal where you can. If you have a manual action, disavow what you cannot remove and file a reconsideration request. Without a manual action, most sites do not need the disavow tool.
Is it ever safe to pay for a link?
Yes, as advertising. Sponsorships, ads and paid listings are fine when the link is qualified with rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow”. You pay for visibility and visitors, not for ranking credit.
Final thoughts
So, is buying backlinks safe? Paying for advertising is; buying links to pass ranking credit is not. Google names it as link spam, its systems are built to detect it, and any benefit lost to a link spam update “cannot be regained.” Put the same budget into content, relationships and PR that earn links you never have to hide.
Worried about links you already have? Get a free backlink profile review. Choose “SEO” in the form and add your website. We will check for risky links and tell you honestly whether you need to do anything at all.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Spam policies for Google web search (link spam)
- Google Search Central: Qualify your outbound links to Google
- Google Search Central: Link best practices for Google
- Google Search Central blog: December 2022 link spam update
- Google Search Central blog: A reminder on qualifying links and our link spam update (2021)
- Google Search Central: Google Search spam updates and your site
- Search Console Help: Manual actions report
- Search Console Help: Disavow links to your site
- Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO?
