Should you pay other websites to link to yours?
No. Google's spam policies treat buying or selling links for ranking purposes as link spam, including exchanging money, goods or services for links, and say sites that break those policies may rank lower or not appear in results at all. Google does accept paid links for advertising and sponsorship when they are marked so they pass no ranking credit. A package of links sold to lift your rankings is the kind of thing Google describes as spam, so it puts your site at risk.
What Google's policy says
Google's spam policies for web search define link spam as creating links to or from a site "primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings". The examples it lists include:
- Exchanging money for links, or for posts that contain links.
- Exchanging goods or services for links, or sending someone a product in exchange for writing about it with a link.
- Excessive link swaps ("Link to me and I'll link to you").
- Using automated programs or services to create links to your site.
- Advertorials, where payment is received for articles that include links passing ranking credit.
- Low-quality directory or bookmark site links.
What can happen to a site
Google says it detects policy-breaking practices through automated systems and, as needed, human review that can result in a manual action, and that sites that violate its policies "may rank lower in results or not appear in results at all". It also says it may act against any type of spam it detects, not only the practices it lists. As general advice, no one outside Google can say in advance how a particular site would be treated, which is itself a reason not to take the risk.
When paying for a link is fine
Google says buying and selling links is a normal part of the web's economy for advertising and sponsorship, and that such links do not break its policies when they are marked so they pass no ranking credit. As general advice, judge an ad or a local sponsorship by the customers it brings, not by the link that comes with it.
Reading a link-package pitch
Google's guide "Do you need an SEO?" tells owners to avoid SEOs that talk about "link popularity schemes", and says "you are responsible for the actions of any companies you hire". As general advice, that means a provider buying links on your behalf puts your site, not theirs, in the way of the policy.
Pitches often promise a number of links or a higher score from an SEO tool. The related answer on whether Domain Authority matters explains why a tool company's score is not a Google measure, and the related answer on how to spot an SEO scam covers unsolicited offers. If you already pay an agency, the related answer on how to tell if your SEO agency is working covers asking for a dated list of what it changed and published.
Where honest links usually come from
As general advice, honest links usually follow from the business itself: a supplier, a trade association, a local news story or a directory customers actually use may mention you because the relationship is real. The related answer on paid directory listings covers how to judge the directories.
Sources
- Google Search Central, "Spam policies for Google web search" (last updated August 28, 2026)
- Google Search Central, "Do you need an SEO?"
Related answers
- How do you spot an SEO scam?
- What is domain authority, and should you pay an agency to raise it?
- How can you tell whether your SEO agency is actually doing anything?
- Are paid directory listings worth it for a small business?
SEO for service businesses
Get found on Google by the people already looking for what you sell, in the places you serve, and see which searches turned into inquiries.