What is Unnatural Links?


What You Need to Know about Unnatural Links

Google Penalties and Algorithm Detection

Google’s algorithms automatically detect most unnatural link patterns, and manual reviewers can issue penalties that severely damage rankings. Sites with significant unnatural links risk losing search visibility entirely.

Common Unnatural Link Patterns

Paid links without nofollow attributes, excessive exact-match anchor text, sitewide footer links, and links from private blog networks are red flags. Links from irrelevant sites or pages with no editorial context also qualify.

Manual Actions vs. Algorithmic Devaluation

Google can issue manual actions requiring reconsideration requests, or algorithms can simply devalue suspicious links without notification. Algorithmic devaluation is more common and harder to diagnose since rankings gradually decline.

Link Audit and Cleanup Process

Identifying unnatural links requires analyzing your backlink profile for suspicious patterns and low-quality sources. Use Google Search Console and disavow tools to remove or nullify harmful links that can’t be manually removed.

Recovery Requires Documentation

Manual action recovery requires removing as many unnatural links as possible and submitting a detailed reconsideration request. Document every removal attempt and explain the link building mistakes that led to the penalty.

Prevention Through Editorial Standards

Focus on earning links through quality content, digital PR, and genuine relationships rather than shortcuts. Links should come from relevant sites where your content provides value to their audience.


Frequently Asked Questions about Unnatural Links

1. What’s the difference between unnatural links and low-quality links?

Unnatural links intentionally manipulate rankings and violate guidelines, while low-quality links may be naturally occurring but provide little value. Google penalizes unnatural links but typically ignores low-quality ones.

2. Can competitor negative SEO harm my site with unnatural links?

Google claims its algorithms account for negative SEO attempts, but building hundreds of spammy links to competitors rarely works. If you notice suspicious link patterns, monitor rankings and use the disavow tool if necessary.

3. How long does it take to recover from an unnatural links penalty?

Recovery from manual actions typically takes weeks to months after submitting a reconsideration request, depending on the severity and your cleanup efforts. Algorithmic recovery can take multiple algorithm updates to fully restore rankings.

4. Are all paid links considered unnatural?

Paid links without proper nofollow or sponsored attributes violate Google’s guidelines and are considered unnatural. However, paid links with appropriate attributes that disclose the commercial relationship are acceptable and won’t cause penalties.


Explore More EcommerCe SEO Topics

Related Terms

Link

A connection between two web pages, created by HTML code, that allows users and search engines to navigate from one page to another.

Link

Link Velocity

Link velocity measures how quickly a site acquires new backlinks, with unnatural spikes potentially triggering scrutiny.

Link Velocity

Backlinks

Incoming links from other websites that serve as votes of confidence and primary ranking factors for search engines.

Backlinks

Outbound Link

Links from your site to external domains that support content quality and establish topical authority when used strategically.

Outbound Link


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.