Can You Rank Without Backlinks? (SHORT VERSION) - Episode 144

4 cases where people say they can rank without backlinks. Is this correct?Do you actually need backlinks?Penalty episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElGAxpB8q1APlease help keep this podcast free: https://www.patreon.com/grumpyseoguy

Please help keep this podcast free: https://www.patreon.com/grumpyseoguyIt's not "what can I do to my website?" It's "how does my SEO compare to my competitors?"There is very little you can do to your new websites to improve your SEO. Because that's not how SEO works. Luckily for you, we explain what that is in this episode.

Learn how to identify linkfarms and why they are bad.Please help keep this podcast free: https://www.patreon.com/grumpyseoguy

We might do a part 2.PatreonWhat is negative SEO?What is the purpose of negative SEO?Referenced Episodes:The Difference Between Good Backlinks And Bad Backlinks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFHg6XwPha4The Difference Between Good Backlinks And Bad Backlinks Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dZSbWKJlJ0Spammy Marketing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFv70Um0gikSEO Penalties https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElGAxpB8q1ASERP Charts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01am10-OwDY

Questions:Do PBN sites need traffic?Topical authority?Local SEO clicks without links?Is YMYL different than regular?Have you seen Google penalize a site for paid links?How do you find good link sellers?How do you know which PBN sites are working better?Parked domains reset authority?New update to impression tracking?How do you deal with competitors who sell AIO and GEO?New local algorithmDo websites only have a limited amount of linkjuice to offer?AdultDo backlinks to a certain page affect the rest of the site?What is anchortext?Do I have to know how to code?What do you do to keep traffic from nonexistent traffic?Best backlink metricsBesides GMB what is the difference between local SEO and regular SEO?How many links do I need?Why can't we see a good example of a good PBN site?Can you give examples of how to make PBN sites?Do 301 reduce DR?Is reusing code a footprint?Should I use GSC on a private blog portfolio?Hacks to find expired domains.Ways to rank without using a PBN?Keyword research?Thoughts on a specific backlink method?How to evaluate SEO providers?Traffic drops vs. SEO problemsFavorite Wordpress Plugins?New rules for expired domains?How to build PBNs naturally?Many weaker domains vs less stronger ones?Recovering from content quality updates using new domains?Is a well-known SEO marketplace legit? And one time payments?Avoiding footprints via themes or builders?Backlink decay on expired domainsReferenced episodes.132 SEO Topical Authority, Content Structure, and Cannibalization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkFLjYto1wY30 What is the Difference Between Topical Authority (Relevancy) and Authority? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErBbW69GYYs128 Local SEO vs. Regular SEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_aTU1a62wo131 The Dangers of Public Blog Networks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1BNS-OQMNw35 If Your Not Tracking Your SERPs You're Not Doing SEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01am10-OwDY59 Traffic Is Not an SEO Metric (and What You Should Use Instead) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytNeZMCfXGU&pp=0gcJCZEKAYcqIYzv115 SEO, AI, and LLMS.txt Part 1 Probably https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WflCZyBnj8&pp=0gcJCZEKAYcqIYzv139 Why Are There No Good Examples Of PBN Sites? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5i8j4DSVRU3 How to Build a Private Blog Portfolio Part 1: Domain Acquisition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez24lr3G_McEpisode list too long, too much text.

Please help keep this podcast free: https://www.patreon.com/grumpyseoguyConcepts covered:Why I don't share our sitesWhy I don't share a generic siteHow to make your siteWhy number of words in the excerpt doesn't matter, etc.Referenced episodes:How to Build a PBN Part 1 Domain Acquisition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez24lr3G_McHow to Build a PBN Part 2 Hosting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stMe4nMrem4&pp=0gcJCZEKAYcqIYzvHow to Build a PBN Part 3 Website Management: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AguAeXhEBwI

Sorry the mic sounds weird. No idea what's transpiring.Please help keep this podcast free: https://www.patreon.com/grumpyseoguyPrinciples covered:Beginners don't understand that a big part of SEO has nothing to do with YOUR website.SEO is not something YOU do to YOUR website.SEO is not a checklist.The 4 things you need to rank.When two websites have perfect on page, who ranks? The one with greater authority.Website attributes are the MINIMUM to even be considered to rank.There are very few things you can do to your website to make you rank higher.PROBABLY the reason you are not ranking is because you do not have enough authority compared to your competition (assuming everything else on your site is correct).SEO is like a race.Just because you improve doesn't mean you're going to rank higher.Things that won't help you: dwell time, site loading speed, good content.Mentioned episodes:SEO Is a Competition, Not a Checklist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZo8Cdt3PnI4 Things You Need to Rank: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3L7tAil0BgIs This Lower Authority Website Actually Outranking This Higher Authority Website?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWgsq9UgYBY&pp=0gcJCXwKAYcqIYzv4 Reasons Backlinks You Built Didn't Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_6viPUeUW4EEAT, Content, Dwell Time - not ranking factors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9EzrCZ94NE

Please help keep this podcast free: https://www.patreon.com/grumpyseoguyThe 4 reasons you build backlinks and they do not help:You have too little authorityYou built bad backlinksYou have a problem with your siteYou are not relevantMentioned episodes:the 4 Ways to Get Backlinks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-r_Bi3FBt8the 4 Things You Need to Rank - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3L7tAil0BgYou MIGHT Get a Penalty. Maybe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thcGIEPiN6I

Please help keep this podcast free: https://www.patreon.com/grumpyseoguyThe 4 reasons you build backlinks and they do not help:You have too little authorityYou built bad backlinksYou have a problem with your siteYou are not relevantMentioned episodes:the 4 Ways to Get Backlinks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-r_Bi3FBt8the 4 Things You Need to Rank - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3L7tAil0BgYou MIGHT Get a Penalty. Maybe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thcGIEPiN6I

Please help keep this podcast free: https://www.patreon.com/grumpyseoguyYou might learn:Does the person understand SEO or do they just sound smart?Three types of SEO agenciesTheir goal is to impress you, your goal is not to impress themQuestions to askAre their answers logical or are they just using lines?Mentioned episode:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1BNS-OQMNw