Decision tree
Tiered links: a decision tree for the cautious junior
Forum posts make tiers sound like a trick. They are a structure, and a risky one. This page helps you decide whether your first client needs any.
What a tier actually is
Tier one is a link that points straight at your client's page. Tier two is a link pointing at the tier-one page, meant to give that page more weight. That is the whole idea.
Here is the catch. Google's spam policies treat links built mainly to manipulate rankings as spam, and since the December 2022 link spam update its SpamBrain system looks for exactly those patterns. A tiered link building strategy built from junk pages is the pattern it hunts.
SEO Masters USA sells individual dofollow placements on vetted sites. We do not sell tier packages, and we would not tell a first-year consultant to build one.
Short rule of thumb: if you cannot explain a tier to a client in two sentences, do not build it.
Walk down the tree
- 1
Does the client have fewer than a dozen good links already?
If yes, stop. Build clean tier-one links on relevant sites first. A second layer on a thin foundation just adds noise.
- 2
Is a tier-one page a real article people could read?
If no, do not point anything at it. If yes, continue.
- 3
Would you be happy for the client to see the tier-two source?
If no, drop that source. If yes, you may add a few modest links, spaced out over weeks.
- 4
Does the client understand the risk in writing?
If no, do not proceed. If yes, set a low cap and a review date, and keep tier two optional.
- 5
Is the budget being shifted away from relevance?
If yes, reverse it. Relevance beats layers in nearly every beginner project.
Tier one versus tier two for a beginner
| Question | Tier one | Tier two |
|---|---|---|
| Points at | The client's page | A page that already links to the client |
| Typical beginner risk | Wrong topic | Spammy sources |
| Explaining it to a client | Easy | Needs a careful paragraph |
| Our advice for year one | Start here | Usually skip |
"We start with relevant links straight to your pages. If those prove their worth at the review date, we can discuss a small second layer, in writing." That keeps your promise modest and your options open.
If you still want to experiment
Test on your own site first. A personal project teaches you how long Google takes to crawl, and a mistake costs you nothing but a lesson.
Track every link in a sheet like the one in the first-client runbook. When a source looks worse a month later, you have the record to remove it from future plans.
Alternatives a junior can start with
Fewer, better tier-one links
Four well-matched placements are easier to explain than forty layered ones. Start by comparing rows on topic, traffic and Domain Rating.
Content people cite
A data page, a calculator or a plain-language guide can earn mentions slowly with no layering at all. It takes writing time, not budget.
Fix internal links
Before buying anything, check that the client's own pages link to the target page. It is free and often overlooked.
What the history says
Link layering was popular long before 2012, when Penguin arrived. The lesson of the past decade is that Google gets better at spotting patterns, not worse.
Penguin 4.0 in September 2016 moved the filter into the core algorithm, and the December 2022 update added SpamBrain. Neither announcement says tiers are banned. Both say manipulation is a risk, so a cautious consultant leaves a wide margin.
If a client asks about this on a call, point to the promises page and keep your answer short. A calm no, with a reason, wins more trust than an eager yes.