What is Unnatural Link?
An unnatural link is any backlink that violates Google’s link scheme guidelines by being artificially created to manipulate search rankings rather than earned through genuine editorial merit.
Ecommerce SEO Glossary > Off-Page SEO > Unnatural Link
What You Need to Know about Unnatural Link
Violates Google’s Webmaster Guidelines
Unnatural links breach Google’s quality standards and can trigger manual penalties or algorithmic demotions when detected.
Common Patterns Include Paid Links
Purchased backlinks, sponsored content without proper disclosure, and link exchanges designed solely for SEO purposes typically qualify as unnatural.
Can Trigger Manual Penalties
Google’s spam team issues manual actions for unnatural link patterns, requiring disavowal and reconsideration requests to recover rankings.
Algorithmic Detection Is Improving
Google’s algorithms increasingly identify and devalue unnatural links automatically, making link schemes less effective and more risky over time.
Natural Links Show Editorial Intent
Genuine backlinks come from sites linking because they find your content valuable, not because of payment, reciprocal agreements, or automated schemes.
Disavow Tool Addresses Toxic Links
Google’s Disavow Links tool lets you distance your site from harmful backlinks you can’t remove, though removing links directly is preferred.
Frequently Asked Questions about Unnatural Link
1. What makes a link unnatural?
Links created primarily to manipulate rankings through payment, automation, link exchanges, or schemes that lack genuine editorial justification are considered unnatural.
2. How does Google detect unnatural links?
Google uses algorithmic signals analyzing link patterns, anchor text distribution, and site quality, plus manual review teams that investigate suspicious link profiles.
3. Should I use the disavow tool preventively?
Only disavow links if you have a manual penalty or clear evidence of harmful patterns. Disavowing quality links can hurt rankings unnecessarily.
4. Do nofollow links count as unnatural?
Nofollow links aren’t inherently unnatural, but using nofollow to hide paid or sponsored links while claiming they’re editorial still violates Google’s guidelines.
Explore More EcommerCe SEO Topics
Related Terms
Let’s Talk About Ecommerce SEO
If you’re ready to experience the power of strategic ecommerce seo and a flood of targeted organic traffic, take the next step to see if we’re a good fit.