Backlink selling is a popular form of SEO adopted by the owners of websites to make money. However, though it may appear that it is easy and profitable, it can also bring grave dangers in case they are underdone. This paper covers all the details associated with selling backlinks, its advantages and disadvantages as well as how to safely sell backlinks.
What is meant by Selling Backlinks?
When selling backlinks, it involves having other sites place their links on your site at a fee. The links are useful in enhancing the SEO ranking of the buyer as Google sees the backlinks as trusting votes. Using the example of the blog, when it is associated with another site, it transfers to that site some form of authority.
A lot of website owners are selling the backlinks particularly those who are operating blogs with traffic and domain authority to generate income. They may include the connection within a sponsored post, article, or guest post. Nevertheless, Google provides good guidelines against paid links that attempt to falsify rankings.
Why Do People Sell Backlinks?
The primary reason why people sell backlinks is to get supplementary income on their websites. The other brands would be seeking to be linked to a site once it becomes popular to enhance their search. An example is that a site with high domain authority (DA 50 and above) can charge easily $85 to $1000 per placement of a link.
Bloggers, affiliate marketers and digital agencies are known to sell backlinks as a way of funding the hosting, content writing as well as marketing expenses. Others earn their full-time wage by selling backlinks, either by outreach or as a guest or sponsored post. It is, however, worth noting that selling backlinks can have a short run benefit in terms of revenue, but it can also result in long run SEO sanctions when poorly done.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sale of Backlinks Cons and Pros
Pros:
- Additional revenue: The owners of websites may get money in terms of link placements or sponsored articles.
- Networking opportunities: You establish networks with brands and other webmasters.
- Increase of traffic: When the audience of the buyer visits your site, new readers can be obtained.
Cons:
- Fraud of Google punishment: In case Google discovers that you are selling links in order to achieve rankings, your site can be gone.
- Loss of trust: It is not good enough to sell excessive backlinks, as it may cause your audience to question the authenticity of your content.
- Short-term profit: Paid backlinks may be profitable in the short-term, however, they may damage your SEO in the long-term.
How to Sell Backlinks Safely
Not that you should not sell backlinks, but do it in a clever and ethical manner. Here’s how:
- Include Sponsored or NoFollow tags: This informs Google that the link is sponsored and it will avoid fines.
- Be choosy: You should only associate with reliable and quality sites that are within your niche.
- Write good material: Do not necessarily add links to ensure the article is of value to the readers.
- Reduce paid links: An excessive number of backlinks will be considered spamming.
- Be forthcoming: You can state in your post that it is sponsored or it is a collaboration.
These steps will help you to retain the reputation of your site and still make money through the backlinks.
Alternatives to Selling Backlinks
In case you do not feel like selling links, you can also make some money on your site:
- Affiliate Marketing: Drive sales and get a commission of every sale.
- Sponsored Posts: Create brand-sponsored content that is disclosed.
- Ad Revenue: Google AdSense or any other ad network.
- Selling of Digital Products: Sell eBooks, guides, or online courses.
- SEO Services: Have a portfolio on your blog to get clients.
Such options would allow you to make money without taking the risk of being fined or demoted in search engines.
Conclusion
Sales of backlinks are lucrative, yet non-hazardous. You can make money without jeopardizing your site, as well, just by doing it intelligently and publicly. Always aim at quality, relevancy and honesty and that is the best way to keep the trust and success in the long run of SEO.
FAQs
Yes, it is not prohibited by Google and legal, but not all the manipulation of the ranking is legal. You have to add the or sponsored tags to paid links.
It will rely on your domain authority, traffic and niche on your website. High DA websites are able to pay hundreds of dollars per link.
Obviously, when it is done in bulk or without tags, it may result in Google penalties and a decline in search positions.
