Do You Lose Rankings If a Backlink Is Removed? Exploring the Concept of Link Echoes ??

In 2014, Rand Fishkin introduced a concept called link echoes (or link ghosts) , which explored how backlinks affect rankings even after they’re removed. Although this concept hasn’t been widely discussed in recent years, we’ve recently observed similar patterns, suggesting that link echoes may still play a role in how Google ranks websites.

?? What Are Link Echoes?

Link echoes refer to the phenomenon where a webpage experiences a ranking boost from new backlinks, but even after those links are removed or unindexed, the rankings don’t immediately drop.

Rand Fishkin tested this theory in 2014 by building backlinks to various pages and then removing them. What did he find?

• Rankings went up when links were built.
• Even after the links were removed, rankings stayed in place.

?? Our Recent Experience with Link Echoes

We’ve noticed similar patterns with several of our clients recently. Even after some backlinks were unindexed or disappeared, the rankings remained unchanged. There was a site that several of our clients were listed on that got slaughtered with one of the recent algorithm updates.

When this happened, many of the pages that our clients were listed on got removed from Google’s index. Even though the pages were no longer in Google’s index, the ranking benefits they got from the link originally stuck.

Here are a few examples:

1. Orthodontist: We built a link for an orthodontist, which boosted their ranking from position 5 to position 3. Over 3 months, their traffic doubled on that keyword, and the ranking remained steady even after the link was unindexed.
2. Dentist: A dentist client saw their ranking rise from position 4 to position 2 after a link was built, and they managed to keep that ranking long after the link was no longer visible.
3. Divorce Lawyer: For a divorce lawyer, their ranking shot up from position 3 to position 1. Even when the link was removed, the top position was maintained.

?? Link Echos Are Not Always Consistent

While these examples show how link echoes can sustain rankings, it’s not a guaranteed outcome. For example, we didn’t see any rankings sustain when citations got unindexed. This suggests that the link echo effect may have limitations.

?Why Do Rankings Sometimes Stay?

My theory on this is if a webpage deserves to rank highly and has a good click-through rate (CTR), it may maintain its ranking even after a backlink disappears. Essentially, if users engage well with your content, and it provides value, Google might keep your page in a high position.

?? What Can We Learn from Link Echoes?

1. Temporary Link Boosts: Backlinks can offer an immediate boost to your rankings, but the effect may last even after the link is gone.
2. CTR and User Engagement Matter: If users find your content valuable, it helps sustain your rankings, even without certain backlinks. This is also why we tell clients that it’s hard to maintain a local pack ranking without a competitive number of reviews.
3. Algorithm Updates Play a Role: Sometimes, algorithm updates can disrupt backlink visibility, yet rankings stay intact.

Conclusion

Although the concept of link echoes isn’t widely discussed anymore, our recent observations show that it’s still relevant. While links remain crucial for ranking boosts, the phenomenon of maintaining rankings even after links are removed (or unindexed) is something to consider in your long-term SEO strategy.

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