Should You Avoid PBN Backlinks?

PBNs are a black hat SEO technique that violates Google's guidelines and can lead to penalties or even getting banned from search results. Instead, I will explain what PBNs are, why they are risky, and suggest some safe and effective ways to build backlinks to your website.

What are PBNs?

A Private Blog Network (PBN) is a network of low-quality websites that are created solely for the purpose of linking to other websites, usually for a fee. PBNs are built by buying expired domains that still have backlinks and creating new websites on them. These websites often have poor content, are hosted on the same IP address, and interlink with each other to pass on link juice to the target website. The idea is to manipulate Google's ranking algorithm by creating an artificial network of backlinks that appear to be natural but are actually manipulative.

Are PBNS Evil? 

No. PBNs are not evil. They are just against Google Guidelines. Some SEOs have gotten them to work. Some SEOS HAVE to use them for "money websites" and "payday loan" websites. See article from Search Engine Journal.

How Do PBNs Work? 

Here's the short story of how PBNs work: 

1. Acquire expired domains: The first step in creating a PBN is to acquire expired domains that still have backlinks. The backlinks are important because they provide the new website with an existing link profile that can help it rank higher in search engine results.

2. Build a new website: Once the expired domain is acquired, a new website is built on it. The website is designed to look like a legitimate and authoritative site in its niche. It may have a few pages of content and some images, but the content is often low-quality and spun to make it look unique.

3. Interlinking: The PBN owner then interlinks the new website with other websites in the network to pass link juice between them. This creates a web of interlinked sites that can manipulate search engine rankings.

4. Linking to the money site: Finally, the PBN owner links to their "money site" from the websites in the PBN. This money site is the website they want to rank higher in search engine results. By linking to the money site from a web of authoritative sites, the PBN owner can manipulate search engine rankings and increase traffic to their site.

PBNs can be effective in boosting search engine rankings in the short term, but they are not a sustainable or ethical SEO strategy. Google considers PBNs to be a black hat technique that violates their guidelines, and usi

Why are PBNs risky?

Google considers PBNs as a black hat SEO technique that violates its guidelines against link schemes. PBNs can also violate trademark laws if the domains used were previously owned by other companies or individuals. If Google detects a website using PBNs, it can penalize or even ban the site from its search results. This can be catastrophic for businesses that rely on organic traffic from search engines to generate leads and sales.

Safe and effective ways to build backlinks

Instead of buying PBN backlinks, there are many safe and effective ways to build backlinks to your website. Here are some examples:

1. Create high-quality content that is valuable, informative, and shareable. This can attract natural backlinks from other websites and social media.

2. Guest post on reputable and relevant websites in your industry. This allows you to reach a new audience and gain valuable backlinks from authoritative sources.

3. Participate in online communities and forums related to your niche. Share your knowledge and expertise, and link back to your website when it is relevant and helpful.

4. Use broken link building to find broken links on other websites and suggest your content as a replacement. This is a win-win strategy as you help the website owner fix their broken links and gain a backlink to your site.

5. Collaborate with influencers and other businesses in your industry. This can lead to mutual promotion and backlinking opportunities that can boost your online visibility and credibility.