Can't we just buy links?

As easy as buying links may seem, today's white-hat SEO practices don't allow for this, with Google harder than ever on spammy links. Google will likely punish you if you buy a lot of links, which signifies to Google that your website isn't a high-quality source as more irrelevant anchor text appears connected to your domain.

The Misconceptions About Link Buying

People tend to liken buying links to buying votes that help "elect" their pages to the top of Google search results. However, that's not how they actually work. Instead, you're likely to get on Google's bad side with this practice, as Google chooses not to trust a ton of links coming from sources that they don't trust.

At best, links on bad sources won't affect your website at all. At worst, Google will penalize your website and prevent you from ranking for certain terms entirely.

How Does Google Know When You Buy a Link?

Google uses several methods to determine if and how a link is bought. First, Google might take a look at emails from sources claiming that they can get links that Google can't detect, thus rendering that source useless to everyone else. Second, Google has an entire team dedicated to detecting and investigating spam, including link-buying.

People can also report link-selling schemes, which many might be inclined to do if they have been punished and want to get back on Google's good side.

In short, you have many elements working against you if you choose to buy links from untrusted sources. This is why it's best to avoid buying links altogether and working on other more Google-friendly strategies to earn links, such as guest posting and interlinking on your own website.