Can a link from a bad site hurt my own site's ranking?

kauzhik Level 1

October 20, 2018, 7:50 am

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Can a link from a bad site hurt my own site's ranking?

I recently found a site containing duplicate content which is linking to mine. Can this backlink hurt my site ranking? I didn't ask for the backlink and have no knowledge as to why they would be linking to me, other than as a 'source'. Will it be enough to disavow that backlink or will I be required to do more to distance myself from that bad site? And how much time it will take to recover if any damage caused?

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Cristian

Cristian

How exactly is this website bad? Check for their rankings and other content. If the site looks decent and it copied your content but gave out the source in the form of a dofollow backlink, I believe you have nothing to worry about.

There are a lot of automated scripts out there that will copy good content and reposted as their own, but some of the will link original source. I usually analyze the website I'm getting them backlink from and if I don't find anything alarming, I usually let it go and ignore it, especially if the link has the nofollow tag.

Google is pretty smart at figuring out spam backlinks that you didn't create, negative black hat SEO is a thing but not as it used to be. Google can ignore everything coming from bad sources and in most cases, you don't even need to disavow them.

6 years ago

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anwebservices

anwebservices

Exactly as you said. Depend from which source backlink is coming from. Some bad links could really hurt authority and ranking, same as good links boosting it, but in some cases you can't even find if someone linked to you, which means, it's most probably totally irrelevant for any SEO or SERP measurements.

6 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

What if the backlink of your site to a bad site is not spam and you were the one who created it, how will Google see it? I mean will your site be sanctioned for having a backlink from that bad site? Sometimes I am wondering why Google will penalize my site if I happen to have a link from small sites and even sites with no traffic. What is the issue behind that backlink to a bad site and what is the reason why my site will be harmed?

6 years ago

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Kakashi2020

Kakashi2020

I don't think that a good link to a bad site can hurt your rankings. But a bad link on a good site will definitely have a negative effect. It's best to study first the sites you're linking with to avoid such problems in the future. But no worries I think your rankings safe.

6 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

Well, from my understanding and experience with how Google ranking works and with the issue of using bad links, it might not have any immediate effect or impact on the site ranking especially on the short run but definitely will be of serious backdrop with the ranking on the long term basis.

6 years ago

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Youngshark

Youngshark

Okay, this is definitely some news to me but I think I would rather hear it here than experience on my site. I think that the damage which spreads over time without being noticed is like a cancer and ought to be avoided at all costs.

6 years ago

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overcast

overcast

In some context it does. And that happened for many people. They linked competitors from the bad sites and tried to get the site ranking down. Also some of the people also approached with the casino, vaping type of the links. And that was not a good thing at all. You can see that such practice is only going to harm the website in the long term.

6 years ago

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Barida

Barida

In the long-term, it is going to affect the website. This is the reason one should be careful on things like this to ensure that everything that happens on the platform is all about getting your website to get a higher rank in the future as well.

6 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I think google does understand the bad sites and it discounts any link that comes from there. So I don't think google punishes people. if it were to be damaging the site, i'd put the site link of my competitors there. and it would just work out as well.

6 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

It's just like used a low quality backlinks for your online website work in sought of traffic and ranking, it's definitely going to hurt your site in getting a better ranking.

Such bad links have the possibility of channeling spams to your site. So be very careful when it comes to the links used on your site.

6 years ago

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cmoneyspinner

cmoneyspinner

Thanks for asking this question. I have always wondered. And I have a vague recollection of a blogger friend of mine saying something about using a disavow link tool.

Anyway this article by Neil Patel is very informative. How to Use Google’s Disavow Tool Correctly

6 years ago

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theresajane

theresajane

Well, "one bad apple can spoil the whole bund" as they say. So better be careful in putting links from different websites, especially if it's not that familiar. We have to be careful with every detail that we put in our website because it might affect it's totality.

6 years ago

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Judas2018

Judas2018

I think sometimes it can but not too much. A build up of bad links isn't good though. For example? A link from a bad site appearing on your website? Google will hardly notice. But multiple links? Like 10 or more? It will slowly but surely become a problem. But also remember, bad sites are mostly described as sites spreading malicious software, code, illegal downloads, theft, etc. Don't confuse 'bad' sites with sites that are not as popular or well-established as yours.

6 years ago

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rlpzbeermoney

rlpzbeermoney

How do you control such bad sites from using your site's link then? I feel like anyone could just post your website's link and hurt your rankings this way. I'm interested in knowing how.

6 years ago

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Jeane

Jeane

A number of web owners actually try to outrank their competitors using this strategy. Since search engines care about the quality of your backlinks if they (said web owners) can get your site linked to from a "bad neighborhood" then you'll probably be penalized.

To ensure that bad links don't hurt your rankings you have to regularly take a look at your backlinks, disavow the ones that are bad for your site and everything will be fine.

6 years ago

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rlpzbeermoney

rlpzbeermoney

Oh so you can actually see where links to your site is coming from. I didn't know that. I've always thought that you can see the sources where your site was linked.

6 years ago

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Jeane

Jeane

There are many seo tools which can be used for monitoring backlinks. Some you have to spend some money on monthly but there are others which are free to use.

The free to use tools, the ones I have tested, aren't that good but maybe there's one that I don't know about which is almost as good as the paid options.

6 years ago

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rlpzbeermoney

rlpzbeermoney

I imagine it'd be hectic to look at those records, specially if you're site is very well known. I don't know if you can still monitor backlinks if you have a big site. Though it's nice that there are free tools available.

6 years ago

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Jeane

Jeane

You'll need to monitor backlinks even if you have a big site because if you don't, the bad links will hurt your rankings. A drop in rankings will negatively impact your business and what is even worse it might take a while before you regain what you lost. Certainly not a risk anyone should be willing to take.

Nonetheless, I suppose such sites make the owners enough money so they can afford to outsource some of the more tedious jobs like this one.

6 years ago

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jpk0007

jpk0007

I don't think that there is much to worry about if the backlink is not from a bad site. if however, the backlink is from a site promoting pornography or some other banned activity then it is always better to remove such a backlink immediately. if you allow such bad backlinks then eventually it will affect the rating of your site.

6 years ago

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Youngshark

Youngshark

I do not have a lot of information regarding such nut and I actually only rely on results brought by sites which are no after making a huge number that of soles.

6 years ago

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jaymish2

jaymish2

I think that if that site is bad as you are saying because the content is not original I think that it will hurt your sites ranking in the sense that it won't improve your rankings. As someone has asked what is the ranking on that site? If the ranking is high it will help your site, if it is not I don't think that it will make a material difference to your site. In the sense that it won't decrease your rank but it won't increase it either.

6 years ago

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anyone01

anyone01

The simple answer in your query is no, however with a couple of codicils. the first is how you obtain those links. If they're obviously occurring that is great. But, in case you obtained them from some sort of link constructing scheme which you paid for it is not. The second thing is are those hyperlinks associated with or complimentary area of interest sites. If they're awesome they will not extensively improve your site rating at once however any hyperlink lower back to your website from any other internet site that could produce extra sit down site visitors is to be welcomed.

6 years ago

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stbrians

stbrians

I do think more information should have been given with this question. Did you check out the site that linked to yours and find out it is bad? If so then how bad?

If you find out it is good then there is nothing to worry about. If it was bad then google will not have allowed it.

6 years ago

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HappyLady

HappyLady

I do not know the answer, but others here will. However, I do know that a lot of writing sites - the sort where you post what you author are very fussy when it comes to duplicate content, even where it is your own. There is usually something in the TOC about it. I would imagine if google made a connection to somewhere that allowed this it could be hurtful if it read it as linked pages to your site?

6 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

When someone is giving you organic backlink (the backlink that you did not ask for and the person backlink voluntarily), you should not worry much. If the site in question is illegal or a harmful site, this might create an adverse effect though. However, in the recent times Google has said that it no longer give importance to backlink for search index purpose. This does not come as a surprise because we all know webmasters are creating backlinks by paying.

6 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

I think you are right that you have nothing to do with that bad site because it is not you who created the link but that bad site was the one who connected to your site with its link. Anyone can do that to your site and you cannot guard against it. What if bots are doing that and you get a million backlinks from a bad site? It may be absurd but my point is the intention of connecting is not yours.

6 years ago

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Jeane

Jeane

However, in the recent times Google has said that it no longer give importance to backlink for search index purpose.

They could be down-playing the importance of backlinks in ranking websites but I do believe backlinks still are the backbone of SEO.

I'm thinking if you are getting numerous quality links (from websites in your niche) and having your articles shared numerous times on social media then the search engines most certainly will reward you with better rankings. Even if they don't, those backlinks will drive a lot of traffic to your site.

6 years ago

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Bravosi

Bravosi

Of course, as there are several factors to it. Especially your reputation, which as a key role to play in it, as well as if you're planning to build a stable trustworthy community. My disaster with trusting someone's link was me getting a trojan on my PC, so yeah, I'm never communicated with my "ex-mentor" anymore.

6 years ago

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blindwitness90

blindwitness90

No one knows for sure how Google's algorithm works and how it ranks websites, but it being pretty sophisticated, it surely doesn't help if your site is featured on 'black listed' sites...

6 years ago

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