Arthur seo
BANNED
- Apr 11, 2026
- 31
- 15
In my experience relevance and the overall quality of the backlink matter far more than whether it's hidden.
Do Hidden Backlinks Still Help with SEO in 2026?
- Thread starter Altrawatch
- Start date
- Apr 27, 2016
- 6,375
- 2,526
It is not worth it. They are useless.
sheikhUsama
BANNED
- May 28, 2026
- 47
- 9
I haven't seen consistent results from hidden backlinks, and I wouldn't rely on them as part of a long-term strategy. In my experience, links that are placed naturally within relevant content tend to hold up much better over time.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone has run a proper side-by-side test, but personally I'd rather invest the effort in links that provide value to both users and search engines.
I'd be interested to hear if anyone has run a proper side-by-side test, but personally I'd rather invest the effort in links that provide value to both users and search engines.
- Oct 5, 2009
- 2,409
- 1,228
I tested hidden backlinks a while ago, and the results were inconsistent. They might give a short-term boost on low-competition keywords, but I haven't seen them produce sustainable rankings. better long-term results with relevant editorial backlinks, strong internal linking, and topical authority.
RankWithDominator
Newbie
- Jul 29, 2026
- 36
- 5
i haven't seen hidden backlinks provide consistent long-term gains lately If they work at all the results seem short lived while visible relevant links have been much more reliable in my own testing
- May 27, 2016
- 11,690
- 2,679
They're highly risky, if you get caught you get penalized by google, so I'd advise against using them.
EchoPandaX
BANNED
- Apr 29, 2026
- 51
- 27
I do not think hidden links are worth the risk anymore. Natural backlinks usually give better long-term results.
BuildMoreLinks
Elite Member
- Jun 7, 2012
- 4,422
- 1,415
does not work in 2026, as it used to some years back in SEO. Google now owns chrome, bots and AI based search and can detect all these techniques with ease.
growthcraft
Newbie
- May 2, 2026
- 9
- 3
Based on my experience, hidden backlinks would not be something I would count on nowadays. While I do understand that there could be certain instances when they can produce an effect, what I would rather be concerned about is how relevant it is for the website.
This change in approach to such techniques can be seen among other SEO specialists who discuss these issues on BacklinkSense.
This change in approach to such techniques can be seen among other SEO specialists who discuss these issues on BacklinkSense.
Antonio0758
Newbie
- Mar 29, 2026
- 25
- 3
From my experience, hidden backlinks don't carry much weight anymore. If they're genuinely hidden, Google is pretty good at ignoring or devaluing them. I've seen much better results from relevant, contextual links on indexed pages.
Nastrz
Newbie
- May 23, 2023
- 39
- 19
tested hidden links a while back, honestly not worth the trouble. google discounts most of them and you get nothing for the effort
if you want links that actually move something just do it properly.. contextual tier 1 with real content and a tier under it to push. costs almost nothing now with AI content anyway so theres no reason to mess with hidden link tricks. build visible links that pass juice and tier them
if you want links that actually move something just do it properly.. contextual tier 1 with real content and a tier under it to push. costs almost nothing now with AI content anyway so theres no reason to mess with hidden link tricks. build visible links that pass juice and tier them
SEOForger
Newbie
- Aug 18, 2026
- 21
- 4
I’ve tested hidden backlinks before, and now I don’t rely on them for ranking. If there was any change or boost, it was either inconsistent and mostly due to the other links/content changes being made.