An unnatural link is a backlink that is created in a way that violates search engine guidelines, especially Google’s. These links are often placed to manipulate a website’s ranking in search results rather than to provide real value to users.
Why Are Unnatural Links a Problem?
Google and other search engines want backlinks to happen naturally—when someone genuinely finds your content useful. If they detect unnatural links, they may:
- Lower your site’s rankings
- Remove your site from search results (manual penalty)
- Mark your backlinks as untrustworthy
Common Examples of Unnatural Links
Here are a few types of links that search engines may consider unnatural:
- Paid Links Without Disclosure
Links that are paid for but not marked with rel=”sponsored” or nofollow. - Link Exchanges or Link Schemes
“You link to me, I’ll link to you” strategies, often done in bulk. - Low-Quality Directories or Bookmarking Sites
Submitting your site to many poor-quality directories just to get links. - Links with Over-Optimized Anchor Text
Using exact match keywords (like “buy cheap laptops”) too often as the clickable text. - Spammy Guest Posts or Forum Comments
Posting low-value content just to insert a backlink.
How Do You Avoid Unnatural Links?
As a beginner, focus on earning links naturally by:
- Creating useful content
- Reaching out to relevant websites in your niche
- Guest posting with real value, not just for backlinks
- Avoiding any quick-win link schemes
Also, if you’ve already received a warning from Google (like through Search Console), consider performing a link audit and disavowing harmful links.
Summary
Unnatural links are backlinks created solely to boost SEO rankings, often by breaking search engine rules. They can hurt your website’s performance in search and even result in penalties. The safest approach is to build genuine, high-quality links through honest and helpful content.