What is a sponsored link?
A sponsored link is a hyperlink that is paid for or placed for promotional purposes — ads, sponsored posts, affiliate links or paid placements. Google’s guidelines require these links to carry the rel=”sponsored” attribute.
Why sponsored links matter
Properly labeling paid links keeps you compliant and avoids link-spam penalties. Unlabeled paid links look like link buying — one of the riskiest practices in SEO. The sponsored attribute tells Google the link is commercial, not editorial.
When to use rel=”sponsored”
- Paid advertisements and placements.
- Affiliate and partner links.
- Sponsored posts and product reviews with incentives.
- Links exchanged for goods, services or money.
Related terms
How Social SEO Team can help
We audit and correctly label all paid links. See our link building services.