In the SEO world, there are two types of backlinks that help boost SEO rankings – PBN links and Web 2.0 backlinks. The way you use them will influence how much visibility your content and website get. However, before using PBNs or Web 2.0 links, you should learn what they can do and what makes them different. This article will explain and compare these backlinking forms to you, so let’s get started!
What Are PBN Backlinks?
PBN stands for Private Blog Network and represents a group of sites owned by a company or entity. To be more specific, PBNs involve using backlinks from platforms that accept to include links back to your website. They have been around for a long time, so SEO experts are very familiar with them.
What’s great about PBN backlinks is that they can easily rank particular platforms no matter the field they are a part of. Because one will purchase high-quality expired or old domains and use their established history and good ranking, they rank you higher on search engines and bring more traffic to your platform.
What Are Web 2.0 Backlinks?
Now, Web 2.0 backlinks are newer than PBNs in the SEO landscape, and while they share a similar purpose, they work differently. With Web 2.0 backlinks, you are in total control. They let you get your content indexed by Google and other search engines. Web 2.0 links contain user-generated content, with backlinking becoming more natural and bringing organic traffic to a platform.
Web 2.0 links come from sites such as forums, social media accounts, WordPress blogs, and others. This helps boost the website’s rankings.
Main Differences Between PBN and Web 2.0 Backlinks
While both backlinking types are used by websites that want to boost their SEO rankings, they have some significant differences that you should consider before making your choice. Here are the various distinctions between PBN and Web 2.0 links that you should know about:
The Continuity of the Backlinks
PBNs and Web 2.0 links are different when it comes to their longevity. For instance, PBNs are a better, long-lasting option because once you purchase them, they will continue to aid your website throughout the entire duration of its life. This is especially true when you buy real, high-quality backlinks with a well-established influence. Meanwhile, purchasing sketchy links puts your website at risk because they do not last very long.
With Web 2.0 links, things get a bit more complicated as you are not exactly in charge of what happens. To be more specific, it is possible for a root domain owner to say that your blog or site isn’t qualified for hosting, so it will remove it. This happens quickly, and you may not even realize it initially. To prevent this from happening, you have to invest in your blog and make it look as legit as possible.
Installation and Control
When it comes to building PBNs, you have to be very careful. This means you have to take into consideration not only the content but also the link-building strategy and old domains that are relevant and influential in your field. The good news is that you can have more control over one when you own it.
Meanwhile, it is easier to set up Web 2.0 domain accounts, even if the process can be a bit frustrating in the beginning. They also come with strict rules that you must respect in order to avoid having your content removed.
Link Power
Another aspect that makes PBNs and Web 2.0 backlinks different is link power. When purchasing PBN links, these will come from reliable domains registered across various record-keepers. These are also filled with relevant and powerful anchors from old, well-established domains. If you buy PBNs that were previously used by experts who made a wide range of orders and saw favorable results, you will enjoy more link power as your purchase will bring you benefits in the long term.
Web 2.0 backlinks are a bit trickier and have less link power, especially considering Google’s changes. Many users tried to exploit this type of backlink, which is why the search engine ended up devaluing Web 2.0s. In order to build more value and relevancy for your Web 2.0 backlinks, you have to work with skilled and experienced copywriters. While this brings you the link power you seek, it can also be costly.
However, you don’t stop investing once the content gets through all the spam filters. You must also hire SEO experts who can fill these links with more strength and influence using tools like GSA. Because this content is hosted on their servers, you risk losing money if you remove it.
The Choice of Anchor Texts
With Private Blog Networks, you can choose from a wide range of anchor text options based on your strategy. Usually, they perform very well with targeted keywords, and you get the freedom to choose.
Conversely, Web 2.0s are more limited because they often force you to opt for naked anchor texts. These backlinks also work better with generic URL anchor texts because they are less powerful than PBNs.
Niche Restrictions
PBNs are great in terms of domain restrictions because they are not very limited. You can easily rank in any chosen niche, primarily because PBN owners possess certain domains that have an easy time adapting to any field. So, you can promote whatever domain you want.
Web 2.0s have more limitations because, in their case, the blog is hosted in the backlink owner’s subdomain. Plenty of sites limit the content that can be hosted and have more spam filters and guidelines.
The Bottom Line
There’s no doubt that PBNs and backlinks can help you boost your SEO rankings. However, it’s up to you which one you settle for, as they have their benefits and limitations. For example, PBNs give you more anchor text freedom than Web 2.0s. Compare their pros and cons and see which option suits your website best.