Definition: Link Scheme

A link scheme refers to any systematic or organized effort to manipulate a website’s search engine rankings by artificially increasing the number or quality of links pointing to the site. Link schemes violate the quality guidelines set by search engines and can result in penalties or a decrease in search engine rankings. Examples of link schemes include link farms, link exchanges, and other types of manipulative link building practices. Search engines consider link schemes to be unethical and manipulative, and they actively work to detect and penalize sites that participate in these practices. Instead of engaging in link schemes, websites should focus on acquiring high-quality, relevant links through legitimate means such as creating valuable content, participating in online communities, and reaching out to other sites for links.