Everybody can check every site's backlinks. Not all but the majority of backlinks to the top websites are paid. Why does Google continue using backlink numbers as a main ranking tool?
Backlinks are paid but is there any way to find that those backlinks are paid? People are getting backlinks through guest posting and in most cases they are paying for post with do follow links but posts are appearing as normal, how Google will detect that these are paid post without sponsor tag or section?
Google considers backlinks in site ranking because they view them as a measure of a website's authority and credibility. While it's true that some backlinks are paid for, Google still have to consider it as backlinks. They do have algorithms in place to detect paid links and undisclosed sponsorships. It's challenging for Google to catch every paid link, especially when they're cleverly disguised as regular guest posts. They may rely on user reports and other signals to identify such instances.
That is the contradiction. Backlinks should be a measure of the credibility and usefulness of the site content. The WEB was invented as a net of hyperlinks. It is not necessary to explain again the same thing if you can just insert a link. But today everybody must write the same to promote his own site. Top-ranked sites have tens of thousands of backlinks. Not all of them come from paid platforms, but most of them. They disguise them. Fine. But they won't be more useful because of it. So, we have at the top sites that pay more for their backlinks. Is that what Google wants?
Most top ranking sites have organic backlinks. They may have paid for some in the very beginning of launching their site though. It's a catch22 where you need to rank to start getting organic backlinks. No one is looking on page 5 or 10 of SERP's to reference and give a backlink. They normally use whatever sites are ranking well on the first or second page. Google continues to use backlinks as a ranking factor as it's cheap for them to track. They also have many filters for these in their algorithm- topical relevence, link velocity, anchor text, backlink profile makeup, etc.
Okay. Maybe we understand differently what are the top sites. I am on the local level. I do my site SEO myself, I am new in this field. But my site is already (after about one year) on the first page in many KW. So, I check only the sites of my competitors. There are around 20-30 companies for Home appliance repair for our 1,5M region (Capital region of Canada). So I don't mind about the world's top sites I checked "top" sites in Montreal too. A lot of paid backlinks. And they have bought it aggressively last 2-3 years. In Ottawa, there are 2-3 very strong players (ads companies) from Toronto, covering all of Canada, having a big budget and buying a lot of backlinks. And Google doesn't mind about it. They are on top and sell the job (repairs) to local technicians, who don't want to think about their own ads. They are on top because of their site's content? They spend a lot of money on backlinks because they know that it makes sense. I like this Google policy too. This is the easiest way to be on the first page. I am just not sure that it is good for customers.
The best way to approach this issue is with content. You'll need to establish Topical Authority as quickly as possible. Meaning you need to write content on every type of home appliance. Ex. if you repair Refrigerators, Stoves, Dishwashers, Washers & Dryers, etc, write content on every one of them. You will then be seen as a Topical Authority on the subject of Home Appliances over time, this is what most small businesses fail to do. Topical Authority gets updated during Google's Core Algorithm updates. This is why people see such drastic declines or increases in traffic/rankings after a Core Update. You'd want to get as much content completed before the next core update, so you would hopefully get an increase over these competitors. Other Local SEO things like NAP (name, address, phone number) and local citations (Yelp, Angie's list, Yellow Pages, etc). If you could explain what all you've done so far with your site, that would help us help you.
If these incoming links help Google to place high the good site, then why should Google bother, whether these links are paid or not? Now, may be till the next beast from the Google's zoo.
Google refer is logic, If anyone click with link but without google browsing this click count a referral click. So that is why backlink is positive to google eye.
Backlinks like this verslo paskola are not paid, these basically tell google that the site im linking to is something with quality content, cause someone is sharing it.
The point is that for Google, it's almost impossible to identify which link is genuinely paid and which is natural, so it cannot penalize or disregard a factor that, fundamentally, is a sign of content quality. Furthermore, even paid links contribute to circulating new web pages, allowing a generational turnover in the SERPs that would otherwise remain static. While other ranking factors are important, they never serve as confirmation of quality or appreciation by human users.
As long as the backlinks are on high quality website and blog having unique content, Google it consider it and will give value to your website.
That's just how search algorithm works the more backlink you have on a page it means that page is important. The problem with others is that they dont use backlinks systematically.