What is PBN?
TL;DR
Private Blog Network, a collection of websites owned by one entity used to artificially create Backlinks. Unlike Link Farms, PBNs try to appear legitimate with real content. Google actively detects and penalizes PBN links. If an SEO offers "quality links from our network of sites," that's a PBN red flag.
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Frequently Asked Questions About PBN
How are PBNs different from link farms?
PBNs try to look legitimate, they have real content, proper design, and appear to be independent websites. Link farms are obviously fake and spammy. PBNs are more sophisticated manipulation attempts, but Google still detects them.
How does Google detect PBNs?
Common footprints: same hosting, similar site structures, same plugins/themes, registration patterns, linking patterns, same IP addresses, low-quality or spun content. Google's algorithms are sophisticated at finding these connections.
What happens when Google finds a PBN linking to my site?
Your site could receive a manual penalty or algorithmic demotion. Even if the PBN owner faces consequences, sites receiving links are also punished. Ignorance isn't an excuse, you're responsible for your backlink profile.
How do I know if my SEO provider uses a PBN?
Ask where links come from and demand specifics. Check the linking sites, do they look like real businesses with real audiences? Search for the site owners. Multiple 'quality sites' controlled by one SEO company is a PBN.
Are expired domain networks the same as PBNs?
Often yes. Buying expired domains with existing authority and using them to build links is a common PBN tactic. The domain may have history, but if it's being used primarily for link manipulation, it's still a PBN.
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