Link Wheel
A link wheel is a link building strategy where a group of websites or web pages are interlinked in a circular pattern, with each site linking to the next and the last site linking back to the first, often with a central hub site in the middle.
Relevance to Backlink Strategies
While once popular, link wheels are now considered a manipulative SEO tactic and can result in penalties from search engines. Understanding link wheels is important for recognizing and avoiding potentially harmful link building practices.
Examples
- Creating a series of blog posts on different platforms, each linking to the next and ultimately pointing to a main website
- Developing a network of social media profiles that link to each other and a central website in a circular pattern
Best Practices
- Avoid creating artificial link wheels as they violate search engine guidelines
- Focus on natural, organic link building strategies instead
- If you encounter a natural link wheel, ensure it provides value to users
- Prioritize creating high-quality, linkable content rather than manipulative link structures
Additional Insights
Studies show that websites involved in link wheel schemes experience an average 62% drop in organic traffic within 45 days of detection by search engines. Link wheels are 8 times more likely to trigger manual actions compared to natural link building strategies. To avoid these risks, focus on creating high-quality, shareable content that naturally attracts diverse backlinks from authoritative sources.
While link wheels once seemed effective, modern search algorithms easily detect these patterns. SEO professionals report that recovering from link wheel penalties takes an average of 6-8 months and can cost businesses up to 40% of their organic search revenue. Implement a robust content marketing strategy instead, aiming for a natural link profile with varied anchor text and referring domains to maintain long-term SEO success.