Struggling to get your website noticed in search engines?
Spending hours creating content, optimizing pages, and building links, yet your rankings barely move?
SEO keeps getting tougher, and backlinks continue to play a big role in ranking well. To cut corners, many marketers rely on PBNs (Private Blog Networks), expecting fast improvements.
While PBN backlinks can seem like a fast way to gain authority, they come with significant risks from search engine penalties to wasted investment and potential brand damage.
In this guide, we’ll break down what PBN backlinks are, how they work, the risks involved, and how to detect them, so you can make informed decisions for your SEO strategy.
In short: PBN backlinks can deliver quick wins but carry high risks – from Google penalties to wasted investment. For long-term SEO, natural link-building is the safer path.
What are PBN backlinks?
A PBN (Private Blog Network) is a group of websites owned by one person or company.
But here’s the twist: sites aren’t built for readers.
They’re built for links. Each site publishes articles that secretly point back to one target website, often called the “money site.”
The goal? To manipulate rankings in search engines.
Now, why does this matter?
Backlinks are the backbone of SEO. In fact, they influence more than 53% of all organic traffic.
Sounds clever, right? But here’s the catch…
PBN backlinks operate in the gray zone. They’re not exactly black-hat, but they’re far from natural. That’s why many see them as an unfair shortcut in SEO.
Looking for a safe and sustainable way to boost your SaaS website’s authority? Explore our SaaS link-building services and start driving real, long-term results.
The risks of using PBN backlinks
Using PBN backlinks is like walking a tightrope; one wrong step can lead to serious consequences. Here are the main risks to consider:
Risk 1: Violation of search engine guidelines
Search engines like Google have strict rules against manipulative techniques such as PBNs. If your site is caught, penalties can range from lower rankings to complete de-indexing.
For example, Google’s own Search Essentials clearly state that link schemes and manipulative linking practices violate their spam policies.
Risk 2: High maintenance costs
Managing a PBN is expensive. Costs include purchasing multiple domains, hosting each site separately, and creating unique content for every website in the network.
Many businesses find that investing in proper link-building techniques or hiring a link-building specialist offers a safer, long-term strategy compared to managing a PBN.
According to a study, Individual PBN links typically cost $25–$80 per year to maintain after the initial placement fees.
Risk 3: Unnatural link profiles
Search engines can detect irregularities in your backlink profile. A network of controlled links can appear unnatural and trigger a review, putting your site at risk.
Did you know? CognitiveSEO analysis revealed that 24.8% of penalized sites had over 50% “unnatural/suspect” links, and their tool triggers a penalization risk flag if more than 30% of a backlink profile consists of unnatural links.
Building genuine links through targeted email outreach and promotion often produces higher-quality links that last longer
Risk 4: Reputation damage
Being caught using PBNs can harm your brand’s credibility. Audience trust and relationships with other industry players may suffer if your tactics are exposed.
Risk 5: Unpredictable algorithm updates
Search engines frequently update their algorithms to target manipulative practices.
Worth knowing:
Research shows 13.7% of indexed pages are deindexed within 90 days (especially PBNs and thin-content sites), and the total deindexing risk rises to 21.29% after 90 days, demonstrating the regular impact of algorithm updates.
Links that seem safe today could be penalized tomorrow, making PBNs a risky long-term strategy.
How do PBN backlinks work?
A Private Blog Network (PBN) operates by establishing a network of websites designed to enhance the authority and rankings of a specific website, often referred to as the “money site.”
Here’s the step-by-step process of how PBN backlinks usually operate:
1. Acquiring expired domains
The foundation of any PBN starts with expired domains websites that once existed and have already built authority through backlinks.
These domains are purchased because they still retain “link juice,” which can strengthen search visibility.
You can find such domains using tools like Expired Domains.
Website lets you browse, filter, and purchase expired domains based on metrics like backlinks, age, and niche relevance.
2. Setting up the network
Each site in the PBN is set up to appear independent. This involves using separate hosting, unique IP addresses, and different designs or layouts. The aim is to make them look like standalone websites so that search engines can’t easily detect any connection.
To do this, many users rely on specialized PBN network services such as:
These platforms help manage multiple sites securely, reduce footprints, and simplify network setup.
3. Publishing content with links
The network websites are updated with fresh content, usually covering topics relevant to the target site. Within this content, links are inserted using specific anchor texts.
Instead of risking penalties with PBN links, creating and using media databases for outreach campaigns can generate authentic backlinks to your site.
4. Mimicking natural link building
To reduce suspicion, PBN operators try to imitate organic linking patterns by varying:
- Anchor texts: A mix of branded, generic, and keyword-based terms.
- Link placement: Backlinks appear across blog posts, resource pages, or articles.
- Link velocity: New links are added gradually to resemble steady, natural growth.
5. Tracking performance
Results are monitored by keeping an eye on keyword rankings, organic traffic, and overall domain authority.
If needed, adjustments are made, such as changing anchor texts or adding new backlinks.
Important:
While PBNs can produce quick results, they carry significant risks. Search engines regularly update their algorithms to detect and penalize such networks.
This means a site can lose its rankings overnight if flagged. Understanding how PBNs work highlights both their potential gains and the dangers they bring.
Should you build PBN links?
In most cases, the answer is no. While PBNs can deliver some short-term benefits, the risks often outweigh the rewards.
Here’s a breakdown:
| Pros of PBN links | Cons of PBN links |
| Easy way to create backlinks without outreach | High risk of severe Google penalties |
| Full control over which pages get links | Expensive setup (expired domains, hosting, and content) |
| Freedom to choose exact anchor texts | Purchased PBN links are often low-quality or worthless |
| Ability to scale link building quickly | Rankings gained can vanish once the PBN is detected |
| If self-owned, links don’t cost extra | Hard to sell websites that rely on PBN backlinks |
| May deliver short-term ranking or traffic boosts | Long-term sustainability is highly uncertain |
How to detect PBN backlinks
Spotting PBN backlinks is an essential skill for anyone working in SEO. Why does it matter?
Whether you’re auditing a client’s site, checking link prospects, analyzing competitors, or buying an established website, identifying PBN links can save you from wasted effort and potential search engine penalties.
Here are the main ways to detect them:
1. Use SEO tools for backlink analysis
Several SEO tools can help identify unusual link patterns. At the same time, maintaining a robust list of linkable assets helps identify unusual link patterns, though effectiveness depends on how well the PBN is hidden. Understanding the data is key.
Semrush backlinks network graph
Semrush’s Network Graph can reveal clusters of links pointing to the same site.
If you see a tight bundle of connections feeding into a single website, it may indicate a PBN.
Little-known fact:
Semrush’s Network Graph can visually display up to 960 websites (12 first-tier, 10 second-tier, 8 third-tier links) in a network, making it possible to instantly spot “bundles” or clusters typical of PBNs.
Note: Some PBN owners block crawlers in their robots.txt, making these links invisible.
IP check in Ahrefs site explorer
Many PBN sites share the same IP address or server.
Using Ahrefs’ Referring IP report, you can spot multiple domains hosted together, often created around the same time, with little to no traffic and many outbound links.
Again, this method only works if the site allows crawling.
2. Bing Webmaster Tools
By importing your Google Search Console profile, Bing Webmaster Tools can show backlinks even if other SEO tools are blocked.
It provides a list of domains linking to your site, which you can analyze for patterns. One way to narrow the list is by cross-referencing it with auctioned or expired domain lists.
3. PublicWWW
PublicWWW lets you search website source code for links, affiliate codes, or scripts repeated across multiple sites.
This can help detect networks of sites that share the same setups, a common PBN trait.
Limitation: It only provides a list of potential links; identifying PBNs still requires manual analysis.
4. Linxact
Linxact specializes in uncovering hidden or artificial links used to boost rankings.
You might be surprised: It maintains a database of over 1 billion known PBN URLs and returns results specifically for PBN links. While intuitive and effective, it is a paid tool.
Conclusion
PBN backlinks may promise quick ranking improvements, but the dangers often outweigh the benefits.
From violating search engine guidelines to high maintenance costs, unnatural link patterns, and potential harm to your brand’s reputation, using PBNs is a high-risk strategy.
For most websites, the safer and more sustainable approach is to focus on natural link-building methods, creating valuable content, building genuine relationships, and leveraging editorial or niche placements.
PBNs can work in the short term, but long-term success comes from strategies that are ethical, sustainable, and built to last.
Instead of risky PBNs, focus on building real authority. Our link-building services specialize in SaaS brands, securing editorial, niche, and high-authority backlinks that last.
FAQs about PBN Backlinks
What is WHOIS?
WHOIS is a public database that stores information about domain ownership, including the owner’s name, contact details, and registration dates. Many PBN owners use private WHOIS services to hide their identities, making it harder to trace their network.
What is the difference between a PBN and a link farm?
Both PBNs and link farms are methods used to manipulate search engine rankings, but they differ in approach.
Should I disavow PBN backlinks?
Generally, no. Search engines typically ignore links suspected to come from PBNs or link farms. In fact, Bing has removed its disavow tool for this reason.
Disavowing links unnecessarily can sometimes hurt your rankings, as shown by experiments conducted by SEO professionals.
Are all website networks PBNs?
No. Not every network of websites is a PBN. Many networks are legitimate and provide value to users.
