Every week someone offers you backlinks: a package of hundreds of links, "high DA guest posts", a quick push to page one. You know links matter for SEO, and you suspect competitors are buying them, so it is tempting.

Here is the honest position. Buying or selling links to influence rankings is against Google's spam policies. At best, Google learns to ignore those links and the money is wasted. At worst, your site receives a manual action and loses visibility it already had. The better news is that an ordinary business has more ways to earn real links than it thinks.

A good link comes from a real website that is relevant to your business or your area, sits on a page people actually read, and exists because someone chose to point to you. One link from your trade association or a respected local news site is worth more than any number of links from sites nobody visits.

A simple test: if search engines did not exist, would this link still send you the right visitors? If yes, it is probably a good one.

  1. People you already work with. Suppliers, manufacturers, brands you stock, distributors and dealers often have "where to buy" or "partners" pages. Ask to be listed with a link. This is the easiest win and the most often ignored.
  2. Associations and trade bodies. Chambers of commerce, sector associations and export bodies often publish member directories. A membership you already pay for may include a listing with a link.
  3. Local and trade media. News sites and industry portals need stories and sources. A new branch, local hiring, a community project, or a clear expert comment on something happening in your sector can earn a mention. Offer real information, not a press release full of adjectives.
  4. Useful resources, especially in Bangla. A clear guide, a checklist, a seasonal calendar for farmers, a size chart, a comparison of materials. On many practical topics a good Bangla resource is still hard to find, which makes one worth linking to. Write it from your own experience.
  5. Unlinked mentions. Search for your business name. Where a site mentions you without a link, politely ask whether they would add one.
  6. Events and sponsorships. Supporting a local event, university club or trade fair can bring a mention. If you paid for it, the link should be marked as sponsored; its value is in real visitors and recognition, not in ranking tricks.
  7. Guest articles, done properly. Writing for a respected site in your field is fine when the article is genuinely for its readers. Large-scale guest posting with keyword-stuffed links is exactly what Google's link spam policy describes.

Also keep the basics clean. Make sure your business listings show the same details everywhere, and that old URLs on your own site redirect properly, so links you already have keep working.

What to stay away from

  • Link packages, private blog networks and sites that exist only to sell links.
  • Comment, forum and profile spam.
  • Large link-exchange schemes with unrelated sites.
  • Exact-match keyword links placed in footers, widgets or templates across many sites.
  • Anyone who promises rankings from links alone.

If you have bought links in the past, stop, and ask the sellers to remove them where you can. Google's disavow tool exists, but most sites never need it, and using it wrongly can throw away the value of good links. Use it only with expert advice.

Who does what

Asking partners, joining associations, talking to local journalists and writing useful guides is work you and your team can do; you own those relationships. An SEO specialist helps by finding which of your pages deserve links, spotting risky links already pointing at you, and planning content people will want to cite. That is part of my SEO service.

A first step for this week

List every supplier, partner, association and organisation you already deal with. Check which of them have a website with a page of partners, stockists or members. Send each one a short, polite message asking to be included. Real relationships make the best links. If you want help planning the rest, get in touch.

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