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black-hat-seo

Black Hat SEO – Private Blog Networks

16th March 2017/in SEO/by Chris Giles

Many SEO Consultants use less than ethical tactics to increase search engine rankings for a client website. One such tactic is the use of PBN’s or ‘Private Blog Networks’.

About Private Blog Networks

A Private Blog Network scheme involves setting up a large number of low-quality websites, on which are placed links to target websites in the hope of them climbing the search engine rankings.

An example UK-based PBN is here… http://public-insuranceadjuster.info/ | http://www.mesg.co.uk/ | http://www.interactive-school-apps.co.uk/ | http://www.blossombouquets.co.uk/ | http://www.visphoto.co.uk/ | http://www.articlesforfree.co.uk/ | http://www.cassilis.co.uk/ | http://www.cappedinsurance.com/ | http://www.fighting-spirit.co.uk/ | http://www.icoplastic.co.uk/ | http://www.fetcher.co.uk/ | http://www.2046.co.uk/ | http://www.anonstudio.co.uk/ | http://ukwebcomixthing.co.uk/ | http://planbbooks.co.uk/ | http://green-dream.co.uk/ | http://thecomicsbureau.co.uk/

When these sites load, they look like real websites. On closer inspection however, they are clearly part of a PBN. These are low-quality sites with the sole intention of helping the target websites cheat Google search rankings. Each page has 4 or 5 articles on it, each linking to common target websites.

Typically, a black-hat SEO will purchase expired domains which have had some value in the past. Unsurprisingly, these particular websites have low ‘trust scores’ – despite each having thousands of incoming links from other websites. They have almost zero incoming traffic and rank low down in the top 100 search results for relevant keywords.

What Google Says About PBN’s

Google is dead-set against Private Blog Networks being used to influence search engine results. Google has recently started taking action against low-value websites and in particular against websites deemed to be unfairly benefitting from links from PBN websites.

Recent updates to Google’s ranking algorithm have begun to target PBN’s. In the Black Hat SEO community this month many webmasters using this tactic have been crying over sudden drops in ranking positions!

If your SEO is using Private Blog Networks, you need to sack them off – and quickly – before Google makes your website disappear completely from the rankings by penalising it.

Request An Audit

If you are unsure if your SEO is using PBN’s or other damaging black-hat SEO techniques, contact us a for a free SEO audit of your website. We don’t pull punches and will tell you exactly how it is.

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14 replies
  1. Nancy says:
    6th April 2018 at 2:18 am

    Agreed, we are just trying to rid ourselves of PBN links.

    Log in to Reply
  2. Manuel Sobria says:
    15th April 2018 at 10:41 pm

    I have some PBN links from Spain if you are interested?

    Log in to Reply
    • Chris Giles says:
      25th April 2018 at 9:06 pm

      Errr… No thanks!

      Log in to Reply
  3. Barbara says:
    20th April 2018 at 1:35 am

    Some PBN links are OK do you not think? My site is doing well through them?

    Log in to Reply
    • Chris Giles says:
      25th April 2018 at 9:04 pm

      For now maybe, barbara, but as Google reaches out, you will lose.

      Log in to Reply
  4. Jai says:
    21st April 2018 at 3:20 pm

    I ahve lots of links to my site from PBN – how can I best remove them?

    Log in to Reply
    • Chris Giles says:
      25th April 2018 at 9:05 pm

      Best to create a disavow file for Google Search Console

      Log in to Reply
  5. Cameron says:
    25th April 2018 at 11:36 am

    I hate PBN’s too!

    Log in to Reply
  6. Juno says:
    25th April 2018 at 8:40 pm

    Great article, have sent you an email for some help.

    Log in to Reply
  7. Robertslicy says:
    22nd January 2019 at 9:14 pm

    Superb post, thanks

    Log in to Reply
  8. jilluy1 says:
    9th May 2019 at 9:36 am

    Superb, will be in touch for some advice

    Log in to Reply
  9. danwm1 says:
    9th May 2019 at 10:14 am

    Great article

    Log in to Reply
  10. Jack Hornsby says:
    22nd August 2019 at 10:04 am

    Agreed, will never use PBN’s!

    Log in to Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. How SEO Works (or should work) and what it costs | CGain says:
    29th March 2017 at 11:16 pm

    […] Many UK-based ‘SEO Consultants’ depend on using ‘PBN’ (Private Blog Networks) to improve website rankings. A PBN is typically a group of websites existing solely to provide links to client sites. A PBN site is often of very low value and is usually a single page with 4 or 5 articles, with each article linking to a different target website. In the past this ‘black-hat’ method did work, but increasingly Google is getting wise to it. More info on PBN’s here… […]

    Log in to Reply

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