In its quest to deliver only relevant search results to users, Google has set the strictest algorithms to detect any instances of manipulative behavior. Unfortunately, link building tends to fall in this category, so if you’ve been hoping to increase your online presence by getting other websites to host your links, you’ll need to rethink your approach.

Does it mean that link building is completely, irrevocably dead? Not at all. You can still benefit from this SEO tactic; you just need to ally yourself with the best link building services that will help you avoid Google’s penalties.

Why Google Penalizes Sites for Link Building

What makes Google react so strongly in response to link-building efforts? When sites were getting real mentions because of the content they kept posting, no one saw a problem with it. However, businesses quickly understood that they could profit by paying a link building agency and generating outbound links artificially. 

In other words, to appear more popular, website owners started paying various random platforms to host their links. These links were put in the most irrelevant contexts and in a way that screamed “spam!”. People weren’t getting any value from seeing such content, so Google began to take measures to resolve this situation once and for all.

To kill off manipulative links, Google has launched a system of penalties. Now, if you become a suspect for any reason, you might get a lower ranking or lose your visibility entirely. 

Signs of a Risky Link Building Service

Determined to find a reliable link building company that’ll help you please Google? That’s a viable and potentially lucrative solution. However, with so many scammers and amateurs around, you need to know how to recognize the red flags. 

No transparency about their link sources

A company must share what kind of websites it’s working with. Ask to see a couple of samples. If the portfolio is locked or absent, that’s the reddest red flag you could encounter. Such companies aren’t worth dealing with — your links will end up on low-quality platforms that will only harm your reputation and visibility. 

They use link farms, PBNs, or irrelevant sites

There is a huge number of link farms out there, meaning websites created specifically to push a bunch of links down their unfortunate visitors’ throats and make Google believe that you have a very popular platform. Private Blog Networks, aka PBNs, fall into the same group.  

Stay away from companies that work with such sites if you value your current ranking. Google knows how to recognize these manipulative patterns; besides, the last thing you want is for your flower shop links to end up on irrelevant platforms dedicated to online gambling.  

“Bulk links” or suspiciously low pricing

The best link-building services have been growing their base of trusted websites for years. They have strict quality demands, while their partners set high-level editorial standards. You cannot buy a link on such a reputable site for $10. You most definitely cannot buy 50 links for $100 at a discount.

Low pricing might seem attractive, but nothing good will come out of a contract like this. You need to prioritize quality over quantity for your link-building efforts to be worthwhile.

What to Look for in a Safe, High-Quality Service

Now you know how to spot the walking red flag for a company. But how do you recognize the best link-building services? Here are a couple of tips.

Real websites with editorial standards and traffic

A solid link-building company will always partner with real, reputable websites. They should have the following features:

• Clear editorial standards for content;
• Organic traffic that you can verify;
• Quality across all their published articles.

Use relevant tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to do your own check. 

Niche-relevant placements and natural anchors

For your link to be seen as genuine, it has to have meaning, and meaning can be found only in a relevant context. Your host platform must post content in a niche similar to yours, with an anchor that sounds natural. If you specialize in the sale of clothes and your links are posted on a hamburger site, Google will strike you down. 

Check how authentic the anchor seems. It’s better to dedicate at least a paragraph to your link, leading up to the anchor smoothly and finishing with a logical transition to the next section.  

Clear reporting and live examples 

How to make sure that your chosen link-building agency will correspond to the standards we described above? This one is easy: just check what live examples it has to offer. Every worthy provider has a portfolio and case studies, and they demonstrate the metrics of the domains with which they cooperate.   

If there are no samples and no metrics, that’s a bad sign. You need to know what you’re paying for, so be vigilant and attentive.

Use Curated Lists to Vet Providers

It’s okay if you don’t know where to start looking for the best link-building services. Check reliable SEO blogs and other platforms and find their curated lists of providers. As an example:

• There are multiple recommendations from tool developers, including Ahrefs.
• You might find worthy suggestions in discussions on Reddit.
• SEO-focused discussions can take place on Quora and the like.

Still, you need to be careful. Even the most genuine-sounding blogs can recommend something they were paid for, so cross-reference all the names you see on any lists. Research the specific providers, and choose the ones you deem professional. 

Final Tips for Staying Penalty-Free

Every year brings a new number of policy changes at Google. However, as long as you focus on quality over quantity, you should not encounter any difficulties. Link building is still alive, and it can still deliver excellent results, boosting your traffic many times over. 

The secret to link-building success lies in the choice of partners. Select websites that specialize in an industry relevant to yours. If you’re dealing with a link building company, be thorough as you check their samples, and always vet their offered link placements on your own. 

Track your backlink profile to make certain every link performs the way it should, and try diversifying your SEO strategies. Keep your content and your links relevant, and you’ll be able to stay penalty-free.