Have you ever looked and Google’s Penguin update, back in 2012?
Well, they’re continuing on with the updates, and one of the core changes is how they are now targeting what they call “unnatural links.”
But, if you’re unfamiliar with the nuances of natural link building, don’t worry about it. Keep on reading for our full breakdown of what are unnatural links, and what makes them tick.
What Are Unnatural Links?
For the most part, “unnatural” backlinks are those that specialists design to affect a page’s search engine rankings.
For example, your site may have links bought from a third party. Or scrapers and spammers made the links that connect to your site undetected. This can lead to another site in a terrible part of the internet.
Following Google’s Penguin update in mid-April 2012, unnatural links became a focus for the search engine. Sites with low-quality links, over-optimized anchor text, and keyword stuffing will be penalized. It’s a result of Google’s algorithm upgrade.
Google has been targeting negative SEO and dubious page ranking strategies.
Natural vs Unnatural Links: Highlighting the Differences
To be on the safe side, it’s important to understand the distinctions between natural and inorganic connections and why it’s better to focus on generating backlinks organically rather than relying on Google’s more sophisticated algorithms to discover them.
Here, we’ll go over a few things to keep in mind while you’re comparing your backlink profile. The “internet equivalent” of each of the following will be easier to locate this way.
Natural Link Building
Strictly speaking, what is a “natural” link?
The most accurate definition of natural connections is one that Google utilizes as the foundation for its algorithmic development.
To prove a point or to provide a resource, you can link a neutral third party to your domain.
On the other hand, “unnatural links” refers to hyperlinks that you have manually placed. You can’t get away with even the most meticulously crafted, intelligently constructed, authoritatively sourced connections if you’re trying to get a higher ranking.
Despite this, Google isn’t omniscient (though it gets a little closer every day). There are just a few factors that Google uses to determine if a connection is natural, and as long as your link passes those criteria, Google won’t “punish” you.
A better understanding of these indications will help you understand what kinds of connections Google regards as natural. And, how you can organize your own links so they look natural to Google throughout your link-building effort.
Natural Link Building Strategies: The Blueprint
For good reason, Google’s algo changes have made the process of backlinking more hard and demanding, but spamming links is now almost impossible.
Some company owners are still struggling to define precisely what constitutes a “natural” connection that is exempt from being penalized by search engines.
The Link’s Location
Posting links in the wrong locations may be detrimental. Beware of low-quality article directories, which gather links from all across the Internet. Any links you place on a site only for the goal of acquiring and exchanging links will have a negative impact on your SEO effort.
You may, however, leverage links from industry-specific directories. In order to guarantee Google sees your link as relevant to the thread, discussion, or subject where you posted it, ensure that the directory you choose seems high quality.
Type of Link
Make sure the link you’re posting is relevant to the discussion before you publish it.
Your “Solar Panel” page rather than your homepage should be linked to when you’re discussing solar panel installations in a public forum since that’s the sole service you provide. Diversifying your link profile by pointing to a variety of sites across your site will help you seem more “natural” to search engines.
The Link’s Relevance
For both Google and the proprietors of the website you’re using to submit, relevancy is critical.
You may be banned from the site or punished by Google if your links are identified as spam or unrelated to the debate. There are a number of ways in which a link to a restaurant’s website might seem to be an attempt to boost its page rank, such as by posting it on a movie development forum.
Make sure you are posting or commenting on a site that is related to your sector if you want to guarantee that your link is relevant. There are a plethora of industry-specific websites to choose from. There are a few things you should keep in mind while writing a blog article.
The Content Around the Link
Any time you include a link, make sure it’s in the context of the rest of the text.
In order to avoid being penalized by Google for creating fluff for the express purpose of sprucing up your link, you must use natural language. An effective guest post or remark should be informative and entertaining for those who will be reading it.
It needs to be clear on why you’re including the link. The link will look more natural to both people and search engines if this is done.
You can simply use this service to manage the guest posting for you.
Next, your links and the text around them should also not be repeated.
To save money, some businesses publish the same link or remark on many sites or use the same guest article on various websites.
You should avoid doing this since Google can tell if you’re spamming the same message over and over again. You should change the language you use every time you submit a link, no matter how little the change is.
Natural Backlink Tips: Simplified
You don’t have to worry about artificial connections hurting your website’s search engine results if you provide high-quality content that people want to read and share.
We hope that our guide has shed some light on unnatural links, and the differences between unnatural and natural links. Next, you should check out our marketing section for more tips on how to create the perfect backlinking strategy for your business.
