Paid links are links obtained in exchange for payment or an in-kind benefit. Search engines do not prohibit them, but they require them to be marked with an attribute indicating that it is not an editorial recommendation. An unmarked paid link is a breach of the rules and can lead to the links being devalued or to a penalty against the entire website. In practice this is a widespread activity, mainly in the form of paid articles, where the seller offers placement of text with a link. The risk is twofold: breach of the rules and low real value, because such websites publish dozens of similar articles for anyone. If a company decides on paid placement, it only makes sense on websites with a genuine audience, where it brings traffic and awareness, not as a tool for manipulating rankings.
See also: PBN and risky practices, Guest post.
