May 9th, 2010 by Nick

SEO link building is rarely a straightforward matter. Although the pursuit of links is central to a continuous campaign, the need to distinguish between quality and quantity can cause a few problems. These problems are exacerbated when there is pressure from a client to achieve swift results from search engine optimisation. In these particular circumstances, some individuals can succumb to temptation and adopt strategies which may get them into trouble with the search engines at a later date. These individuals may not be fully aware of the diversity of ways in which their misjudgement could come back to haunt them.

The major search engines, determined to protect the services they provide, are engaged in an unending conflict against dubious methods of link building. To that end, their algorithms are intelligently designed and regularly updated. Behaviour which is perceived as being against the interests of users is often detected by these technical means. A sudden increase in links for a site may attract attention. Google, for example, is open about most of the kinds of technique it is prepared to punish. Penalties are imposed against sites which have failed to respect the rules.

However, even if an unethical method of link building, such as mass link purchase, evades the technical safeguards for a while, a site is not in the clear. Even in the short term, such a site may incur a penalty because the search engines employ people to study them. The automated systems may detect many examples of excessive manipulation of the search engine results pages, but human observers sometimes spot sites which have slipped through the net for a while. This means that if a site is operating in a similar way to another site, if its methods are devious it will not necessarily share the same fate as the other.

It can be seen, therefore, that there are several ways in which misdemeanours can be detected by the search engines. Links which have no relevance or evidence of link selling can cause concern to be raised. The only way to be confident that a link building strategy will not lead to trouble is to avoid pursuing links in a way which contravenes the rules. If competing firms are obtaining undue prominence in the search engine results pages through means which pay no attention to the framework of rules, their success is likely to be a temporary matter. Patience pays in the sphere of SEO.

For those that remain unconvinced by the arguments against unethical link building strategies, it is worthy of note that it is not only the search engines who may detect any misbehaviour. Competitors may take an opportunity to get ahead by reporting a site to Google, for example. It is even possible that a resentful ex-employee may pull the trigger, seeking a form of justice for what they erroneously perceived as a bullying environment, for instance. In other words, adhering to the spirit and letter of the rules allows site owners or SEO firms to rest easily. Evading detection for malpractice is stressful and liable to end in failure.

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