When it comes to improving website performance, backlinks play a huge role. They can increase website visibility, attract more visitors, and improve ranking on search engines. However, not all backlinks are beneficial. Certain “black hat” backlinks, typically those gained through unethical methods, can end up harming a site’s SEO. This guide provides straightforward steps to identify and address harmful backlinks effectively, making sure your website stays on the good side of search engines.
Black hat backlinks refer to links created using shortcuts or methods that violate search engine guidelines. These links usually come from low-quality, spammy sites and are designed to manipulate search engine rankings. While they might temporarily boost a site’s rank, they can cause long-term damage once search engines detect them. Often, these links are part of schemes that involve buying links, excessive link exchanges, or creating links in irrelevant forums and blog comments.
A site weighed down by black hat backlinks might face penalties, see drops in ranking, or even disappear from search results. This can be disastrous for a business, especially if the website is crucial for attracting customers and generating sales. Fixing these backlinks is essential to restoring a website's credibility and visibility online.
Backlinks are meant to be votes of confidence from other websites. When a trustworthy site links to yours, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable. On the other hand, black hat backlinks are often from spammy sources, making them unreliable and even suspicious in the eyes of search engines.
Search engines like Google have advanced algorithms to detect unnatural backlinks. Websites that rely on black hat backlinks risk being penalized, which means their rankings can drop, and potential visitors may never find them. Google's Penguin algorithm, for instance, specifically targets sites with manipulative link practices, and once a site is penalized, it can be challenging to recover.
Identifying harmful backlinks is the first step in fixing them. Here’s how you can go about it:
Use SEO Tools
Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush provide a detailed analysis of all backlinks to a website. These tools categorize backlinks based on quality, relevance, and authority. Look for links from websites with low authority, irrelevant topics, or those flagged as spam. These links are most likely to be harmful.
Look for Patterns in Anchor Text
Sometimes, black hat backlinks use unnatural anchor text, often with exact-match keywords repeated across various sites. If you notice similar anchor texts used excessively, this could indicate that the links are part of a manipulative scheme.
Check the Site Relevance
If your website sells electronics, but you’re getting backlinks from unrelated niches, such as health or home décor, this is a red flag. Links from irrelevant sites may harm your ranking rather than help it.
Evaluate Site Authority
Sites with very low authority or those flagged as “spammy” are likely unreliable. SEO tools usually provide a “spam score” or “domain authority” to help identify these sites. A high spam score often suggests the site is known for manipulative practices, making its backlinks risky.
Once you have identified harmful backlinks, the next step is to take action. Here’s how to address them effectively:
After identifying the suspicious backlinks, contact the webmasters of those sites and ask them to remove the links. This can be done by finding their contact details, often available on their website’s contact page, or by using tools like Hunter.io. When reaching out, keep your message polite and professional, explaining why you want the link removed. Although this process can be time-consuming, it’s one of the best ways to ensure harmful links are no longer associated with your site.
Example Message:
“Hello, I recently found that your site links to ours on [URL], and I believe this link may harm our SEO efforts. Could you please remove it? Thank you for your understanding.”