Even if you are new to search engine optimization, you will know that 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 that you need to know. This means that you know that black hat SEO is bad, but you may not know what practices it involves.
For example, are PBN backlinks classified as a black hat SEO technique? We will answer this for you, and the answer is yes. Let's take a look at why they have no place in a successful SEO strategy for beginners.
Are PBN Backlinks Bad?
While linking is important to any beginner SEO strategy, you need to make sure it's done legitimately so that Google will reward you.
In essence, PBN backlinks are viewed as spammy and unnatural by Google. You need to make sure they stay away from your new website if you want to rank well in the SERPs.
In other words, your link building tactic must not include PBN. Instead, SEO experts recommend researching and finding high-quality websites related to your niche or industry. This will ensure that you increase your traffic and rankings naturally.
You may be thinking, if PBN backlinks are so bad, why do people still use them? Well, the reality is that they can produce the results you are looking for. In fact, they may be able to help you improve your ranking.
However, in the long term, they are not something that is recommended and it is essential that you do not get caught up in the short-term gains that you think they can offer. In fact, if Google finds out that links are coming from untrustworthy sources, it will hurt your ranking.
It can have the opposite effect to what you wanted and Google can penalize you. It's just not a risk you want to take when you're trying to get your website off the ground and make it work.
How do you find a private blog network?
Another reason so many people end up with PBN backlinks is that they just don't realize this is what it is. When you're new to SEO, it can be difficult to understand all this new information.
Therefore, people end up making this mistake without knowing it. They don't understand until it's too late. Here are some ways you can spot a network of private blogs and avoid them.
1. Low-Quality Content
One way to locate a PBN is to look at website content. For example, if you notice that many blog posts are of low quality and poorly written, this could indicate that you have found a PBN.
Of course, you can always come across a blog post that you may not like. But if you read a lot of them and they are not what you expect, this could be a red flag.
2. Topics That Are Not Related
But if you find that a website covers so many different topics, that could mean it's a PBN. Sometimes you have to trust your instincts and if you think the website is too open when it comes to topics, you better stay away.
3. The Same Photos and Videos
PBNs frequently include the same photos and videos with their articles. Specifically, this includes stock images. Visit the website and look at similar themes and see if they use the same media content.
4. Missing Contact Information
Most websites will 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 are no obvious identities or signs of whoever manages the website, this may indicate that it is a PBN.
5. More Outgoing Links than Incoming Links
With SEO tools, this is something you can check. If you see a grossly disproportionate number, you may have stumbled upon a network of private blogs.
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