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, and a better, more indirect approach to selling links.
Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways:
- Selling backlinks directly still violates Google’s guidelines and can hurt your search engine ranking if done aggressively.
- Most link buyers are looking for dofollow backlinks and contextual link placements that pass authority signals.
- Selling links becomes much riskier when websites turn into obvious link farms packed with sponsored posts and low-quality backlinks.
- Many website owners now work with SEO agencies and link building agencies instead of handling backlink sales manually.
- The safest approach is usually treating it like a publishing partnership instead of openly selling backlinks directly.
Link building cheat sheet
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.
- Navigate to the post or page where you want to add the link.
- Select the anchor text you want to turn into a link.
- Click the “Insert/edit link” button (it looks like a chain link).
- Paste the destination URL into the link field.
- Click the pencil icon or “Edit” icon next to the pasted URL. This will expand the link options.
- Check the last box to add the sponsored content tag, or use a combination of both “nofollow” and “sponsored” attributes.
- 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:
- Go to the relevant post or page.
- Select the text for the link.
- Add the HTML code for your link. It will look something like this: <a href=”https://example.com”>Link Text</a>
- Insert the rel attribute within the opening <a> tag.
- For sponsored: <a href=”https://example.com” rel=”sponsored”>Link Text</a>
- For nofollow: <a href=”https://example.com” rel=”nofollow”>Link Text</a>
- For both: <a href=”https://example.com” rel=”nofollow sponsored”>Link Text</a>
- You can switch back to the “Visual” tab to see the link as it will appear on the page.
- 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:
- You’re not selling backlinks directly.
- Agencies work with numerous clients which means more orders for you.
- 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.
At Respona, we actually have a publisher portal you can sign up for and list your websites. Once you verify them and set your price, you’ll start receiving orders through the platform automatically.
No need to juggle hundreds of email threads.
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
Now Over to You
In conclusion, we still do not recommend directly selling backlinks at scale.
Once a website starts looking like a backlink marketplace full of paid links, sponsored posts, and obvious link selling, it becomes much harder to maintain trust with both search engines and potential buyers.
But if you already have a strong website with real traffic, quality content, and a clean backlink profile, working with trusted link building agencies is a much safer approach than handling backlink sales manually.
And if you want a simpler way to do that, you can apply to Respona’s Publisher Portal, verify your website, set your pricing, and start receiving placement opportunities directly through the platform without juggling endless outreach emails yourself.
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.
What are backlink placements?
Backlink placements are paid or negotiated placements where a link gets added to existing content or newly published articles on another website.
What is the difference between niche edits and guest posts?
Niche edits involve adding a link insertion into existing content, while guest posts involve publishing entirely new sponsored content on another website.
Do paid links still work for SEO?
Yes, paid links can still influence rankings and SEO performance, which is why they remain common despite violating Google guidelines.
Why do buyers care about domain authority and domain rating?
Link buyers usually look at domain authority, domain rating, organic traffic, backlink profile quality, and search visibility before purchasing placements.
What makes a backlink high quality?
High quality backlinks usually come from authoritative websites with real traffic, relevant content, natural anchor text usage, and strong search engine visibility.
What is a nofollow link?
A nofollow link includes a tag telling search engines not to pass ranking signals or link juice through the backlink.
Why do SEO agencies buy backlinks?
Many SEO agencies and SEO professionals buy placements to help clients improve rankings, referral traffic, backlink profiles, and overall search visibility.
Can selling links hurt my website?
Yes.
Aggressive selling links practices can damage SEO performance, weaken your backlink profile, and increase the chances of manual penalties from search engines.
What is a link farm?
A link farm is a website built primarily for selling links and backlink placements rather than providing useful content for actual users.
How do website owners avoid looking like a link farm?
Most site owners avoid excessive outbound links, maintain high-quality content, limit sponsored posts, and keep a more natural mix of internal and external links.
Why do backlink buyers prefer contextual placements?
Contextual placements usually look more natural inside content and tend to pass stronger relevance signals than random sidebar or footer links.
Can sponsored posts drive referral traffic too?
Yes.
Besides SEO value, sponsored posts can also generate referral traffic, brand visibility, and potential customers when placed on relevant websites.
