Link building mistakes are costing you rankings, traffic, and money. I’ve seen businesses tank their entire SEO strategy because they thought they could game the system.
Here’s the thing – Google’s not stupid. They’ve been fighting link spam for decades, and if you’re still using outdated tactics from 2010, you’re setting yourself up for a penalty that’ll make your website disappear faster than free pizza at a conference.
The Link Building Mistakes That’ll Get You Penalised
1. Low-Quality and Spammy Link Building Practices
Buying backlinks from dodgy sources
You know those emails promising “1000 high-quality backlinks for £50”? Delete them. Those links come from websites that look like they were built in someone’s garage in 2005, and Google spots these a mile off.
Using private blog networks (PBNs)
PBNs are like fake ID cards for websites. They might fool a bouncer at 2am, but they won’t fool Google’s algorithm. When Google catches you (not if, when), they’ll nuke your entire site from orbit.
Spamming forums and comment sections
Dropping your link in random forum posts is like showing up to a wedding and talking about your business during the vows. Nobody wants it, it’s awkward, and it doesn’t work.
Submitting to rubbish directories
Most directories are digital graveyards filled with dead links, spam, and websites that haven’t been updated since the iPhone was invented. Submitting to these won’t help your SEO.
What to do instead:
Focus on earning editorial links from real websites with real audiences. Pitch journalists with newsworthy stories, create content so good that people want to link to it naturally, and build genuine relationships with other business owners in your space.
2. Your Anchor Text Strategy Is All Wrong
Over-optimised exact-match anchors
If every link to your site uses the exact same keyword, you look like a robot. Google knows real people don’t all use identical phrases when they link to something.
Repeating the same anchor text everywhere
Imagine if everyone introduced you the same way at every party. “This is John, the best plumber in Manchester.” That’s exactly how your link profile looks when you use the same anchor text repeatedly.
Using irrelevant or misleading anchors
Linking to your accounting software with anchor text like “best pizza recipes” confuses everyone, Google included. Your anchor text should give people a clear idea of what they’ll find when they click through.
What to do instead:
Mix up your anchor text like you’re making a playlist. Use your brand name, generic phrases like “click here,” partial match keywords, and the actual title of your page. Keep it natural and varied.
3. You’re Targeting the Wrong Pages for Link Building
Only building links to your homepage
Your homepage is like the front door of your house – it’s important, but people don’t spend all their time there. When you only build links to your homepage, you’re missing massive opportunities to boost your internal pages.
Ignoring internal pages and deep content
That amazing guide you spent weeks creating? The one buried on page 3 of your blog? It deserves links too. These internal pages often have the most valuable content, but they get ignored in favour of the homepage.
What to do instead:
Spread your link building efforts across your site strategically. Link to your best content, pages that drive conversions, and resources that actually help people. Think about what pages would benefit most from extra authority and traffic.
4. Ignoring Link Quality Signals (The Biggest Link Building Mistake)
Not checking if the linking site is indexed
If Google doesn’t even know the website exists, how’s that link going to help you? It’s like getting a recommendation from someone who doesn’t exist.
Getting links from irrelevant or weak content
A link from a pet grooming blog to your B2B software company makes about as much sense as a chocolate teapot. Relevance matters more than you think.
Ignoring the site’s authority and organic traffic
Would you rather have one customer who spends £10,000 or 100 customers who spend £1? Same logic applies to links. One link from a major publication beats 100 links from random blogs nobody reads.
What to do instead:
Vet every website before you waste time pitching them. Check their traffic in tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, make sure they’re indexed in Google, and look for relevance to your industry.
5. Your Link Building Strategy Has No Variety
Relying on just one tactic
If guest posting is your only link building strategy, you’re like a chef who only knows how to make toast. When guest posting stops working (and it will), you’re stuffed.
Not leveraging brand mentions
People talk about your brand online. Sometimes they forget to link to you. That’s free link building opportunity you’re missing right there.
Ignoring nofollow links
Nofollow links don’t pass SEO juice, but they drive traffic. Traffic turns into customers, and customers turn into money – that’s just one of the many benefits of strategic link building.
What to do instead:
Use a mix of link building tactics: guest posting, resource page outreach, broken link building, digital PR, podcast appearances, and brand mention recovery. Diversify like you’re building an investment portfolio.
6. Your Outreach Game Is Terrible
Sending mass, impersonal emails
“Dear webmaster” emails get deleted faster than spam about Nigerian princes. Everyone can smell a template from a mile away, and it makes you look lazy.
Offering nothing valuable in return
“Hi, can you link to my website because I asked nicely?” That’s not how relationships work. You wouldn’t ask a stranger to lend you money without offering something back.
Not tracking or following up
Sending one email and giving up is like asking someone on a date, getting nervous, and never texting again. Sometimes people are busy, and sometimes your email got buried.
What to do instead:
Research the person you’re contacting and read their recent articles. Mention something specific about their work, offer genuine value, and use a CRM to track your outreach. Follow up once or twice if you don’t hear back.
How to Avoid Google Penalties
Don’t chase “perfect” links
There’s no such thing as a perfect link. Chase relevance instead. A relevant link from a smaller site beats an irrelevant link from a massive site every single time.
Avoid sitewide links and same-IP networks
Getting your link in the footer of every page on a website looks manipulative because it is. Same with getting links from multiple sites hosted on the same server – Google’s not blind.
Monitor your backlink profile regularly
Check your links monthly using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMrush. Look for sudden spikes in low-quality links, links from spam sites, or links with suspicious anchor text.
The Bottom Line
Quality beats quantity every single time. Relevance trumps authority, and relationships matter more than tactics.
Here’s what I want you to do right now: audit your current link building strategy. Look at your last 50 backlinks and ask yourself how many came from relevant, high-quality sites. How many look like they came from link farms?
Stop looking for shortcuts and start building real relationships with real people who run real websites. Your future self (and your rankings) will thank you for avoiding these common link building mistakes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How long does it take to see results from link building?
Typically 3-6 months for new links to impact your rankings. Google needs time to crawl, index, and evaluate new links. Don’t expect overnight miracles – quality link building is a long-term strategy.
The timeline varies based on several factors including your website’s existing authority, the quality of the linking sites, and how competitive your industry is. New websites with low domain authority might see initial improvements within 2-3 months, while established sites in competitive niches could take 6-9 months to see significant movement.
2. How many backlinks do I need to rank well?
There’s no magic number. It depends on your competition, industry, and the quality of your links. I’d rather have 10 high-quality, relevant links than 100 low-quality ones. Focus on building links consistently over time rather than chasing arbitrary numbers.
3. Are nofollow links worth pursuing?
Absolutely. Nofollow links don’t pass SEO juice, but they drive traffic, build brand awareness, and create a natural link profile. Plus, some nofollow links carry more weight than random dofollow links. A balanced mix of both dofollow and nofollow links looks more natural to Google’s algorithms.
4. What’s the difference between white hat and black hat link building?
White hat link building focuses on earning links naturally through great content and relationships. Black hat involves manipulative tactics like buying links or using PBNs. Stick to white hat – black hat tactics might give you short-term gains, but they always lead to penalties eventually.
5. How do I know if a website is worth getting a link from?
Check these factors: relevant to your industry, gets organic traffic, has good domain authority, publishes quality content regularly, and doesn’t have excessive outgoing links. If the site passes these criteria and you’d genuinely recommend it to a friend, it’s probably worth pursuing.
6. Should I focus on getting links to my homepage or internal pages?
Both. Your homepage needs authority, but don’t neglect your internal pages. Link to your best content, product pages, and resources that provide value to users. A good rule of thumb is 30% homepage links and 70% internal page links for a natural distribution. This approach helps you rank for multiple keywords while building overall domain authority.