Myths Are Expensive
Bad advice in SEO doesn't just waste your time. It actively damages your rankings.
And link building has more myths floating around than any other SEO discipline.
Let's kill them.
Myth 1: "More Links Always = Better Rankings"
Wrong. One authoritative, relevant link outperforms 100 spammy ones. We've proven this across 500+ campaigns. Read our full breakdown of link quality vs. quantity if you want the data.
Quality is the multiplier. Volume without quality is a penalty waiting to happen.
Myth 2: "Nofollow Links Are Worthless"
Nope. Google treats nofollow as a hint now, meaning they may count it. Plus, nofollow links from high-traffic sites send real visitors. We cover this in depth in our dofollow vs. nofollow guide.
A natural profile has both. Chasing only dofollow looks suspicious.
Myth 3: "You Need Links From DA 90+ Sites"
Fantasy for most businesses. A DA 35 niche blog with an engaged audience is often MORE valuable than a random link from a mega-site.
Relevance beats raw authority.
Myth 4: "Link Building Is Just Sending Emails"
Outreach is ONE tactic. Content marketing, digital PR, broken link building, brand mentions, community participation — these all build links too.
If your entire strategy is "send cold emails," you're leaving massive opportunity on the table.
Myth 5: "Reciprocal Links Are Always Bad"
Natural link profiles include some reciprocal links. Two sites in the same niche linking to each other is normal.
What's NOT normal is large-scale link exchange schemes. There's a difference. Search Engine Journal's link building guide covers this well.
Myth 6: "Link Building Is a One-Time Thing"
rolls eyes
Link building is ongoing. Your competitors are building links right now. Stop for 6 months and watch your rankings slide.
It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Myth 7: "You Can Buy Your Way to Page 1"
You can buy links. You can also buy a one-way ticket to a Google penalty.
Bought links violate Google's guidelines. Full stop. The short-term gain isn't worth the long-term destruction.
The Antidote to Myths
Follow a proven framework instead of random advice from Reddit.
SEO Checkup gives you 113 tasks across 4 checklists — built from 20+ years of real-world experience. Free. 30 seconds. No credit card.
Kill the myths. Follow the data.