Should You Sell Backlinks in 2025? 

Google is against buying or selling links and classifies it as a “link scheme”. 

If they catch you doing it, you’ll get hit with a penalty, and your site will disappear from search results entirely.

However, it’s not really stopping anyone. 

In this article, we’ll break down:

• Why people still sell links despite the danger
• How to sell backlinks safely
• A better, more indirect approach to selling links

Let’s get started.

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If it’s Illegal, Why Do People Still Do it? 

Simple: profit. 

Once your website is off the ground and starts getting thousands of monthly visitors, it becomes incredibly tempting to turn it into an extra revenue stream.

Links are expensive: you rarely see them sold for under $100. 

And the more traffic you get, the more you can charge. 

But isn’t it called link spam?

Yes, it is – but there is a caveat. 

Google only restricts selling links that pass on PageRank. 

Meaning, you’re perfectly safe if you mark the links you sell as “nofollow” or “sponsored”.

Problem solved, right? 

Not quite – the whole point of link buying is to help improve search engine ranking, and nofollow links don’t do that. 

Because link buyers are usually looking for dofollow links, and there is no safe way to directly sell them, we recommend refraining from selling backlinks altogether. 

But if you’ve already made the decision and are just looking for ways to minimize the potential danger, use one of the following strategies. 

Mark Paid Links as Sponsored or Nofollow

We have already covered why sponsored links need to be marked appropriately. 

But how do you do that? 

Here’s how to do it in WordPress using both the block and code editors.

Method 1: Using the Gutenberg Editor (Block Editor)

This is the default WordPress editor and the easiest method for most users.

1. Navigate to the post or page where you want to add the link.
2. Select the anchor text you want to turn into a link.
3. Click the “Insert/edit link” button (it looks like a chain link).
4. Paste the destination URL into the link field.
5. Click the pencil icon or “Edit” icon next to the pasted URL. This will expand the link options.
6. Check the last box to add the sponsored content tag, or use a combination of both “nofollow” and “sponsored” attributes. 
7. Save. 

Method 2: Using the Classic Editor

If you’re still using the Classic Editor (though it’s less common now), the process is slightly different as you’ll need to edit code:

1. Go to the relevant post or page.
2. Select the text for the link.
3. Add the HTML code for your link. It will look something like this: <a href=”https://example.com”>Link Text</a>
4. Insert the rel attribute within the opening <a> tag.
5. For sponsored: <a href=”https://example.com” rel=”sponsored”>Link Text</a>
6. For nofollow: <a href=”https://example.com” rel=”nofollow”>Link Text</a>
7. For both: <a href=”https://example.com” rel=”nofollow sponsored”>Link Text</a>
8. You can switch back to the “Visual” tab to see the link as it will appear on the page.
9. Update/Publish to save your changes.

Sell Backlinks to Agencies (Or Start One)

The best link building agencies don’t just resell links- they sell a backlink service where they manage the link building outreach process for you. 

But that outreach doesn’t have to be cold – most agencies keep a network of blogs where they can quickly place sold backlinks without it devolving into link spam. 

Partnering with a link building agency is the safest and easiest way to sell backlinks because:

1. You’re not selling backlinks directly.
2. Agencies work with numerous clients which means more orders for you.
3. You don’t have to constantly find new clients – the agency will do that for you.

You can start looking for agencies to collaborate with by doing a simple Google search:

However, by manually prospecting and hunting for contact information, you can spend hours upon hours for little results. 

Our tool, Respona, streamlines the partner recruitment process from start to finish, and even personalizes your email pitches with AI. 

Here’s how you can use it to find agencies to sell high quality backlinks to. 

First, you’ll want to log in to Respona and head over to the “Campaigns” tab. 

We’ll pick the blogger outreach template, but we’re going to tweak it a bit to focus on link building agencies instead of individual bloggers. 

In the required fields, you’ll need to put in your target keywords. 

Instead of focusing on blog topics, think about what agencies looking for link placements would search for. 

Things like “link building services,” “SEO services,” “high-quality backlinks,” or “guest posting services” are good examples. 

Then, explain what you’re offering these agencies. This could be the high quality and traffic of your website, a variety of guest post topics, or even exclusive link placement opportunities. 

Using Respona’s AI keyword suggestions can also help you find even more potential opportunities.

Once you click “Use this template,” you’ll be in the link building campaign editor, where you’ll create your email outreach sequence. 

Respona gives you a template to start with, but it’s always a good idea to customize it to fit your specific needs. 

A typical sequence includes an initial pitch and a follow-up. 

In your initial pitch, make sure to clearly state what you’re offering and why an agency should partner with you. 

Explain how your backlinks can benefit their clients. 

It’s important to highlight the benefits of working with you, like high traffic numbers, or exclusive backlink package options. 

And don’t forget to use Respona’s AI-powered icebreakers to personalize each email. 

This can really grab attention and increase your response rates. 

For your follow-up, keep it short, sweet, and space it out by at least three business days. 

Just briefly remind the agency of your offer and encourage them to get in touch.

Next, Respona will help you find quality link selling opportunities. 

It automatically uses the inurl:blog search engine operator to focus on blogs within agencies’ websites, which helps you reach the right people. 

You can also add SEO filters to narrow down your search even further and target agencies with high Domain Authority (DA) or traffic. 

Respona is also set up to find relevant contacts within these agencies, like the website owner, content and SEO managers, and other digital marketing professionals. 

You can even give the AI additional instructions to fine-tune the personalization.

To keep finding new opportunities, turn on the recurring search option. 

This makes Respona periodically rerun the search and add new prospects to your campaign. 

When you’re ready, click “Run automation,” and Respona will automatically find opportunities, gather contact information, and personalize your emails, saving you a ton of time and effort.

In the last step, Respona will populate your email sequence with those personalized icebreakers and contact information. 

Here, you can make any last-minute manual edits. 

Before you launch, Respona does a final check to make sure everything is filled out and that you’re not contacting people you’ve recently been in touch with. 

Then, just hit launch and start building those agency relationships. 

By using these steps and Respona’s automation, you can efficiently find link-building agencies looking for quality backlinks and create partnerships that benefit everyone.

Don’t Turn Your Website Into a Link Farm

Link farms are everywhere – and the moment you start to sell backlinks, your website slowly becomes one as well. 

This isn’t just bad because Google will penalize your website (which you probably don’t care as much about if you’re already selling backlinks).

For backlink sales, this is bad because being an obvious link farm repels potential buyers. 

Would you want a link from a page that looks like this? 

SEO professionals can tell a reputable website from one created solely for link selling at a glance. 

Limit it to 2-3 external links mixed up with internal links for a natural outbound link profile. 

This will help you avoid search engines penalties for longer, and keep your website looking good for potential link buyers. 

Link building cheat sheet

Gain access to the 3-step strategy we use to earn over 86 high-quality backlinks each month.

Download for free

Now Over to You

In conclusion, we don’t recommend you to sell backlinks at all. 

But, if you’re dead-set on it, pick your buyers wisely and don’t ruin the reputation of your website for a quick buck. 

Work with white label link building agencies – it’s easier, quicker, and arguably safer than selling backlinks directly. 

Need help getting in touch with potential customers? 

Don’t hesitate to start your 14-day free trial with Respona to see how we can help. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is it safe to sell backlinks?

Selling backlinks directly goes against search engine guidelines and can hurt your website’s ranking. 

It’s best to avoid it altogether.  

However, partnering with link-building agencies can be a safer option, as they often have networks for buying backlinks without resorting to spammy tactics.

Can I sell backlinks by marking them “nofollow” or “sponsored?”

While these tags prevent backlinks from passing PageRank (a ranking factor), they don’t eliminate the risk entirely. 

Most link buyers seek dofollow backlinks to improve their ranking, and nofollow links won’t achieve that.

How can I find agencies to buy backlinks from my website?

You can use SEO tools and search operators to find agencies looking for guest posting opportunities or link insertion. 

Respona, an outreach automation tool, can also help streamline this process by finding relevant agencies and personalizing your outreach emails.   

What happens if I get caught link selling?

Google may penalize your website, causing it to disappear from search results. 

This can significantly impact your website traffic and revenue, and throw a wrench in your SEO strategy as a whole.

Are there any alternatives to selling backlinks?

Instead of selling valuable backlinks directly, you can start selling a link building service. 

Meaning, the process of finding and reaching out to relevant link opportunities as opposed to directly getting paid for adding links on your site.