Is cheap backlink service really worth investing in?

Backlinks help increase search rankings quickly, but quality is the decisive long-term factor.

According to a survey by DPS.MEDIA, 62% cheap backlinks lack reliability and are prone to Google penalties. Therefore, smart investment in quality backlinks will bring more sustainable results than uncontrolled large quantities.

Overview of cheap backlink services and their role in SEO strategy

What are cheap backlinks and how are they provided?

Cheap backlinks are links from other websites pointing to your website but at a lower cost compared to premium backlink services. These services are often:

• Distributed on satellite website systems (PBNs), forums, blog comments
• Using automated tools to create a large number of backlinks in a short time
• Offering prices from only 10,000 VND to 100,000 VND per backlink

However, not all cheap backlinks guarantee quality and SEO safety. Sometimes, these links come from untrustworthy websites or those penalized by Google for spam content.

The role of backlinks in modern SEO

According to statistics from Ahrefs (2023), 91% of websites with no traffic from Google have no backlinks pointing to them. This shows the importance of link building in SEO.

• Increase Domain Authority score help improve website credibility
• Support faster crawling from Googlebot, increasing the frequency of article indexing
• Contribute to ranking signals if the backlink comes from quality domains

However, Google is becoming smarter and can detect unnatural or spam backlinks.

Real-life example: Benefits and risks

A business selling door locks in Ho Chi Minh City implemented a cheap backlink service from a local provider in the first 3 months of 2024. With a total cost of only 2,500,000 VND, they recorded a 38% increase in traffic in the first 2 months, but by the third month:

• The number of backlinks surges from spam blogs
• Website drops 24 positions in search results for main keyword
• Google Search Console warns about unnatural links

This is an example showing short-term gains but high risks if backlinks are not source-controlled.

Checklist when choosing cheap backlink services

• Check backlink sources: does the domain have age + relevant content?
• avoid services that promise thousands of backlinks in a few days
• Request detailed reports & the right to review links before posting
• Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to check DA / SPAM Score
• Choose reputable providers like DPS.MEDIA with experience in link detox

Table of pros and cons analysis

Brief takeaway

Backlinks are a vital factor in SEO, but “cheap” does not always mean “effective”. Choose backlink providers with a white-hat approach and prioritize long-term website safety.

Analysis of cheap backlink quality and potential risks

Where do cheap backlinks usually come from?

Most cheap backlink services often use:

– Low-quality satellite websites, duplicate content
– Blog comments, forum spam, or unmoderated directories
– PBN (Private Blog Network) of unknown origin, easily detected by Google

According to research from Ahrefs (2023), more than 56% of backlinks from blog comments do not last after 6 months.

Potential SEO risks from cheap backlinks

choosing cheap backlinks without thorough checking can lead to consequences:

– The site quickly loses DR/DA metrics
– Penalized by Google with sandbox or Penguin algorithm penalty
– Loss of credibility with users due to linking to low-quality sites

Real-life example: Consequences of unmoderated backlinks

A small furniture business in Ho Chi Minh City spent 1 million VND/month for 300 cheap forum backlinks. After 2 months, traffic dropped by 42% (according to Google Search Console), and most links were deindexed by Google after the March 2023 core update.

Checklist for evaluating cheap backlinks

• 🟢 Check the DR (Domain Rating) and UR (URL Rating) of the linking site
• 🟢 Ensure the anchor text content is relevant to the business field
• 🟢 Avoid backlinks from sites with duplicate IPs or spammy content
• 🟢 Prioritize links from articles with real traffic (use SimilarWeb, Ubersuggest)

Quick comparison: Quality backlinks vs. cheap backlinks

Takeaway

Don't let low costs blind you.Cheap backlinks can destroy SEO if lacking control. Prioritizing quality over quantity is the way to invest long-term and optimize your budget.

Comparing the effectiveness of cheap backlinks and high-quality backlinks

SEO effectiveness and the quality of traffic generated

– Cheap backlinks often come from classified ad sites, low-quality PBNs, so they bring little actual traffic, mainly fake metrics. - in contrast, high-quality backlinks from news sites, industry blogs, or sites with DR > 50 will help:
– Increase trust from Google
– Improve keyword rankings more sustainably
– Attract real traffic from real users

Potential risks when choosing cheap backlinks

– Easily detected as spam by Google if buying large quantities from poor sources:
– Violates Webmaster Guidelines (Google, 2022)
– May drop 10-15 positions after 1-2 months if Google core update
– Hard to control the content/context of the backlink placement
– Risk of being disavowed or deindexed without notice

Checklist for checking backlink quality

• Does the backlink site have DA, DR > 30?
• Does it have real traffic, more than 1,000 visits/month?
• Is the content related to the industry keyword?
• Is the link placed in the footer/sidebar?
• Is the anchor text naturally diverse?

Overview comparison table

Practical example from an SME client

A mid-range furniture business used 25 cheap backlinks (~15,000 VND/link) over 3 weeks. Afterwards, the website dropped 8 ranks on Google and GSC recorded over 60% of backlinks from domains with < DR 10. After switching to a high-quality selective backlink strategy (guest posts from furniture industry sites), they recovered their ranking and increased organic traffic by 22% after 2 months (source: anonymous client analysis from DPS.MEDIA, 2023).

Takeaway:

High-quality backlinks are more expensive, but a more reasonable investment. Meanwhile, cheap backlinks may be cheap at first – but costly later. If your budget is limited, prioritize carefully selecting sources over quantity.

DPS.MEDIA JSC – Digital Marketing Solutions for SMEs
📍 56 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Tan Dinh, HCM
📧 marketing@dps.media | ☎️ 0961545445

How to identify reputable backlink providers in the cheap market

Signs of a trustworthy partner

In the cheap backlink market, it's not hard to find services that “exaggerate,” but credibility lies in specific, practical factors. A trustworthy provider is usually transparent about link sources and link-building methods.

💡 Some factors to check immediately:

• Links from sites with DR > 50 (according to Ahrefs) and no outbound link spam
• Allowed to check the original domain before posting the article
• Clear contract, with refund terms if the link is removed
• Committed link duration at least 6 months

Pre-cooperation review checklist

This is the checklist you should review before deciding to buy cheap backlinks:

• Review at least 3 actual sample articles from the provider
• Request a list of domains in advance (even just 10 sample sites)
• Compare price → DR/traffic → only choose if reasonable compared to the market average
• Avoid providers using link farms or unclear source PBN networks
• Check real traffic from Similarweb or Semrush (if available)

Quick comparison table of criteria

Practical examples & data

An SME in the motorcycle accessories industry bought more than 200 cheap backlinks (~30,000 VND/link) from various anonymous suppliers through a Facebook group. After 6 months, 57% of the links were removed, 20% redirected to unrelated content, causing the total DR to drop from 21 to 17 (according to Ahrefs – 2023). Extracting these “spam” backlinks later cost over 2 million VND in repair expenses.

Source: Actual survey from VietnamSEO Report 2023 conducted by SEOSONA.

Brief takeaway

🔎 Investing in cheap backlinks is only truly “cheap” when you choose the right partner. Prioritize transparent metrics, clear link retention policies, and start small to verify quality.

Impact of cheap backlinks on brand reputation and search rankings

Potential risks from uncontrolled cheap backlinks

Cheap backlinks often come with poor quality, originating from unreliable or spam websites. These links not only lack long-term SEO value but can also get your website penalized by Google.

Below are common consequences:

– Sudden drop in SERP rankings
– Increased bounce rate due to links from irrelevant sites
– Negative impact on brand credibility in the eyes of users

In an anonymous case study conducted by DPS.MEDIA in 2023, a furniture brand dropped 15 positions in 2 weeks after using a cheap backlink package, mainly from spam blogs, even though the number of backlinks increased by 200%.

Long-term impact on brand reputation

Not only affecting Google's algorithm, low-quality backlinks also reduce user perception when encountering the brand through “dirty” sites. This makes future branding or PR campaigns more difficult.

Checklist for evaluating cheap backlinks before purchasing

• ✅ Does the backlink site have DA ≥ 30? (check with Moz)
• ✅ Does the website have real traffic? (use SimilarWeb/CrawIQ)
• ✅ Backlink uses natural anchor text?
• ✅ Placed on industry-relevant content?
• ⚠️ Should not use automated tools to create mass backlinks

Comparison table: Good backlinks vs cheap backlinks

Brief conclusion

Cheap backlinks may be attractive in terms of cost, but in return you are gambling with your own reputation and ranking. Consider carefully before investing, as the real price may not be “cheap” at all.

Strategies to leverage cheap backlinks smartly and safely

Selecting low-quality but effective backlink sources

Not all cheap backlinks are bad – many services share links from personal blogs, reputable forums, or expired websites that still have stable traffic. The important thing is you need to filter:

• Domain authority (DA) > 20
• Stable traffic (minimum 200 visits/month, according to SimilarWeb)
• Not penalized by Google or recorded as spam links

Create a “Backlink buffer” to reduce risks

Instead of pointing cheap backlinks directly to the main site, use a buffer strategy:

• Build 1-2 intermediary pages (e.g.: guest post, microsite)
• Cheap backlink → buffer page → main site
• Increase naturalness and safety against Google algorithms (like Core Update 2023)

A real example: An agency tried buying 50 forum profile backlinks (~3,000₫/link) and pointed them to a high-quality guest post. After 3 weeks, the main article received a 23% increase in organic traffic, according to Google Search Console.

Checklist: What to do before investing in cheap backlinks?

• ✅ Verify domain quality via Moz, Ahrefs
• ✅ Check traffic sources using SimilarWeb or Google Analytics (if available)
• ✅ Create a reasonable backlink structure diagram (direct vs via buffer)
• ✅ Set limits on the number of backlinks purchased per week/month
• ✅ Monitor performance from Search Console & update regularly

Sample backlink evaluation table

Key takeaways:

Cheap backlinks can be a cost-saving solution if you tightly control quality and build a solid buffer strategy. Highlight: Small investment, risk can be high if lacking analysis. Start with a small quantity and measure carefully.

Advice from DPS MEDIA when investing in backlink services for SMEs

Clearly understand the real benefits of backlinks

Not all backlinks provide equal value. Businesses need to focus on quality, not just quantity. According to a report from Ahrefs (2023), over 66% of websites receive no traffic from Google despite having backlinks – clearly showing that low-quality backlinks are almost useless.

Some benefits of proper investment:

– Increase website credibility on Google (improved DA, PA)
– Improve SEO rankings for target keywords within 1-3 months
– Drive real traffic from related-topic sites

Checklist: Before investing in backlinks

Make sure you have checked the following factors before buying backlinks:

• ✔ The website placing the backlink has real traffic (can be checked with SimilarWeb, Ahrefs)
• ✔ The topic of the page is related to your business field
• ✔ The link is dofollow & naturally embedded in the content
• ✔ No anchor text spam (diversity is best)
• ✔ Provider is transparent about traffic sources and DA/PA

Real-life example: An SME in the furniture industry in Ho Chi Minh City

A small client in the furniture industry once invested 4 million/month for over 50 “cheap” backlinks. After 5 months, the website was still outside the top 100 Google results for the main keyword. When switching to a selective backlink strategy as suggested by DPS MEDIA,only with 15 content-based backlinks from sites with DA > 40, traffic increased by 371% within 2 months (according to Google Search Console).

Cost – value comparison

Some notes from DPS MEDIA for SMEs

– Investing in backlinks should not be a short-term goal.
– Combine with content marketing & on-page SEO.
– Avoid repeating the same backlink source too many times.

Takeaway

Effective backlink investment = Selectivity + Patience + Transparency. With a limited budget, SMEs should prioritize links with real value – not just “cheap” ones.

Share from personal experience

Cheap backlink services can help save costs but carry many risks. For sustainable SEO, businesses need to invest in content strategy and a quality link system.

Review your current backlinks and ask yourself: “Is this a smart investment?” Don't be afraid to experiment, but always maintain control.

Interested in on-page SEO topics or backlink auditing? Explore more analytical articles from DPS.MEDIA for a more comprehensive perspective.

Which backlink service are you using? Leave a comment to share your experience with the DPS.MEDIA community!