Why Cheap Link Building on Fiverr and Upwork Can Undermine Your SEO
Cheap link-building services on Fiverr and Upwork might save you money upfront, but they can seriously harm your SEO in the long run.
Here’s why:
- Low-Quality Backlinks: These services often use spammy sites, unrelated domains, or private blog networks (PBNs) that can damage your website’s reputation.
- Google Penalties: Tactics that violate Google’s rules can lead to penalties, dropping your site from search results or lowering rankings.
- Costly Fixes: Cleaning up a bad backlink profile is expensive and time-consuming, often costing more than an ethical SEO strategy.
- Unreliable Providers: Many budget link sellers disappear, leaving you with low-quality links that hurt your site’s authority.
Instead of risking penalties, focus on building high-quality links by creating valuable content, connecting with reputable industry sites, and working with trustworthy SEO providers. Remember, effective link building takes time and effort, but it pays off in the long term.
The goal of this article isn’t to dismiss all sellers and SEO providers on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork—there are certainly skilled and reputable professionals out there. Instead, it’s to inform readers about the significant risks involved in purchasing random gigs without proper vetting.
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Major Issues with Budget Link Services
Using budget link-building services from freelance platforms can seriously harm your website’s search rankings.
Many of these providers—though not all—are inexperienced, lack a proven track record, and often rely on outdated, spam-driven, automated or ineffective strategies that can ultimately do more harm than good.
Let’s break down why these services pose risks for Australian businesses and how they can lead to long-term SEO problems that outweigh any upfront savings.
Why Most Budget Link Services Miss the Mark
Through years of experience auditing backlink profiles for Australian businesses, we’ve seen the same problems come up again and again:
- Profile links are often generated at scale using automated tools with duplicate, generic content. This makes them nearly invisible to Google unless they’re artificially boosted with more links. While profile links can help with entity recognition and support the Knowledge Graph, they must be created thoughtfully—using unique, structured content on well-moderated, high-authority platforms.
- Citations are frequently blasted out using spammy automated tools and low-cost infrastructure, often operating from regions with low-trust IP environement. These tools reuse the same content across all listings, reducing the chance of indexing. Worse, directories often detect the automation and remove the listings—or flag the associated business. Instead, aim for hand-built, high-quality citations submitted slowly and enriched with unique, conversion-focused content.
- Niche edits sold on Fiverr or Upwork often end up on outdated blog posts, buried deep in site hierarchies, with 10+ outbound links and no internal linking support. These are unlikely to pass meaningful authority. Instead, prioritise placements that are contextually relevant (when possible), near the homepage or key category pages, and ideally on content that still earns traffic or ranks for topical queries.
- PBN links are particularly risky. Many sellers use misleading metrics like Trust Flow, which are easily gamed. The domains themselves may have no topical relevance, strong links or real traffic. Look for well-maintained sites with genuine content, clear editorial guidelines, over 50 referring domains, and niche alignment with your business.
- Guest posts are another trap. Many guest post offers come from expired domains repurposed into link farms, inflated with fake traffic and manipulated domain metrics. These sites rarely offer long-term value and often put your site at risk. Prioritise placements on legitimate, live sites with real editorial processes, visible traffic, and active content strategies.
These are just a few examples we see every week—and why we strongly advise businesses to invest in quality over quantity when it comes to backlinks.
Low-Quality Links from Poor Websites
Cheap backlinks often come from sources that can damage your site’s reputation and performance. These links are typically from:
- Websites with little to no traffic or authority
- Spammy sites already penalised by Google
- Domains unrelated to your industry or niche
- Private Blog Networks (PBNs) set up solely for selling links
A study of 44,000 backlink sellers revealed that over 12,000 websites disappeared within a year, showing just how unreliable these sources are.
Search Engine Penalties
Google is quick to spot manipulative link-building strategies. If your site is flagged for using black-hat techniques, the consequences can be severe:
"A link scheme is anything that attempts to manipulate search results through backlinks." – Google
Penalties can include:
- Manual actions that remove your site from search results entirely
- Algorithmic penalties that lower your rankings and domain authority
- Long recovery periods, often requiring extensive effort to fix
These penalties can undo years of hard work, making cheap link-building a costly mistake in the long run.
Warning Signs of Poor Link Services
Spotting unreliable link providers early can save your SEO strategy from serious harm.
False Ranking Promises
Low-cost link providers often make bold claims that sound too good to be true. Be cautious if you see promises like:
- First-page rankings within days or weeks
- Millions of backlinks for just a few dollars
- Guaranteed top positions for highly competitive keywords
- Immediate boost in website authority
Experienced SEO experts know that search rankings depend on many factors, and no provider can guarantee such outcomes. Next, let’s look at how a lack of transparency about link sources can indicate potential problems.
Hidden Link Sources
Another red flag is when a provider is secretive about where your links will come from. Watch out for:
- Unwillingness to share specific linking domains
- Vague or unclear strategy explanations
- Mentions of "private networks" or "special relationships"
A study shows that over 20% of web traffic comes from bad bots, many of which are used to create hidden backlinks. If a provider’s approach seems unclear or overly secretive, it’s a strong warning sign.
Too-Good-To-Be-True Pricing
When unrealistic promises and hidden practices are paired with extremely low prices, it’s a recipe for low-quality results. Here’s a breakdown of typical SEO pricing in Australia:
| Service Level | Monthly Cost (AUD) | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Under $1,000 | Basic service |
| Mid-Range | $1,500 – $3,000 | Standard service |
| Premium | $3,000 – $5,000 | Premium service |
If a provider offers prices far below these ranges, it’s a sign they might rely on automated or outsourced work. Quality link building requires more than 10 hours of effort each month, with skilled SEO consultants charging between $50 and $150 per hour or even more depending on niche and competition.
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Building Quality Links That Last
To avoid the common pitfalls of low-budget link building, focus on strategies that deliver high-quality links with staying power.
Getting Links from Industry Sites
Build strong connections with respected industry websites. Studies reveal that 94% of online content doesn’t attract backlinks, so it’s crucial to make your content stand out.
One way to do this is by becoming a go-to expert for Australian journalists and bloggers. Link building services like HARO offered by the Authority Engine agency for example or digital PR, can connect you with reporters looking for expert input, helping you secure mentions and links.
The "Skyscraper" technique is another effective approach in Australia:
- Identify well-performing content in your niche.
- Create an improved version of that content.
- Reach out to websites linking to the original piece.
- Offer your enhanced content as a better resource.
"You may not have unique ingredients, but you’ve got a unique recipe. And that unique recipe is all that matters." – Derek Halpern
Once you’ve earned links from authoritative sources, it’s time to focus on managing anchor text effectively.
Link Text Best Practices
Using the right anchor text is essential for keeping a natural link profile and avoiding penalties from Google. Research suggests the following anchor text distribution:
| Anchor Text Type | Recommended % | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Branded | 70% | "Digital Masters Australia" |
| Naked Links | 20% | "www.example.com.au" |
| Generic | 5% | "click here", "learn more" |
| Partial Match | <5% | "Australian SEO services" |
| Exact Match | <1% | "link building services" |
Keep your anchor text varied. If your exact match or keyword-heavy anchors go over 25%, it’s time to diversify your anchor text profile.
Content That Earns Links
Great content is the backbone of any successful link-building strategy. Here are some content ideas that can naturally attract links:
- Data-Driven Industry Reports: Conduct original research tailored to your industry. For example, an eco-friendly e-commerce business boosted its rankings by publishing detailed sustainability reports specific to the Australian market.
- Interactive Resources: Create tools, calculators, or surveys that add value. Include Australian-specific data and metrics to make them more relevant for local users.
- Comprehensive Guides: Publish in-depth guides that cover industry topics thoroughly. Backlinko, for instance, has earned 2.4 million backlinks by producing guides that outperform existing content.
Make your content stand out by including:
- Original research and data
- Insights from industry experts
- Visual aids like infographics
- Regular updates to stay current
- Information tailored to the Australian market
Choosing Good Link Providers
Carefully evaluate link providers to ensure you’re getting quality service. Typically, reputable providers charge between $200 and $650 per link.
Provider Screening Questions
Before committing to a link-building service, ask these key questions to gauge their credibility:
| Question Category | What to Ask | Red Flags |
|---|---|---|
| Strategy & Methods | How do you acquire links? | Automated tools, shady tactics |
| Reporting | What metrics do you track? | Focus only on quantity, not quality |
| Pricing Structure | What’s included in your pricing? | Rates below $200 for high-DR links |
| Previous Work | Can you show recent examples? | No case studies or vague outcomes |
These questions can help ensure your provider uses ethical and transparent practices.
"You should watch out for the lack of case studies, refusal to provide domains and their metrics, and the lack of transparency around the link building agency’s processes of acquiring backlinks. If the agency values trust, they will have this information laid out." – Antonis Dimitriou, SEO Strategist at Minuttia
Spotting Fake Success Stories
Be cautious of flashy case studies that lack solid proof. After your initial screening, take it a step further:
- Contact past clients to confirm results.
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to verify sample links.
- Request detailed data on traffic, rankings, and conversions.
Local SEO Agency Advantages
Choosing a trusted provider is crucial, and local SEO agencies in Australia often stand out for their market expertise and alignment with local business practices. They bring insights into the Australian market, have established industry networks, and ensure smooth communication thanks to time zone compatibility.
When considering local providers, focus on those offering tailored strategies rather than generic solutions. A strong agency will assess your existing link profile thoroughly and develop a customised plan aligned with your goals.
Avoid providers who promise quick fixes. Building quality backlinks takes time and effort, involving content creation and outreach. As SEO experts highlight, effective white hat Perth SEO often requires a monthly budget in the four-to-five-figure range.
While this is more than what platforms like Fiverr or Upwork might charge, it reflects the real cost of building links that deliver lasting value.
Smart Link Building Pays Off
Investing in quality link building is a smart move for long-term SEO success. While platforms like Fiverr and Upwork may offer cheap options, the hidden costs of low-quality link building often outweigh any initial savings.
Key Takeaways
Effective link building focuses on strategies that align with Google’s guidelines and deliver long-term benefits. Johannes MĂĽller, Search Advocate at Google, highlights this point:
"I would tend not to focus on the total number of backlinks or the number of domain links because we [Google] look at links in a very different way. […]. The total number does not matter at all. You could go off and create millions of links across millions of websites and we could just ignore them."
Paddy Moogan, Co-founder of Aira, also underscores the importance of focusing on relevancy, diversity, and authority in link building. To achieve this, consider these practical steps:
- Develop content that resonates with the Australian audience
- Build relationships with leaders in your industry
- Target authoritative websites within your niche
- Regularly review and refine your link-building strategies
Quality links are a key pillar of a strong SEO strategy. With Google ranking links among its top three factors, focusing on high-quality link building now ensures you create lasting assets that keep delivering results over time.
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Dorian Menard
https://searchscope.com.auI’m Dorian, founder of Search Scope and an SEO obsessed with ROI and lead generation. After a decade in the trenches, I’ve built and ranked digital assets for businesses across the world. I cut through the noise with data, automation, and strategies that actually convert. When I’m not scaling rankings, you’ll find me on a motorbike or setting chess traps — always planning three moves ahead.