Small business owner, learning SEO. Should I bother with cheap 'spammy' links?

"I have been studying SEO and am currently focusing on backlinking. I have come across some services that offer cheap backlinks from spammy pages. These pages have low traffic and domain scores according to Ahrefs. Is it worth it to purchase these backlinks for the sake of having a diverse link profile? I have noticed other companies listed on these pages which makes me curious.

Would it be beneficial to list my company on general company listing sites in my city, such as on a municipal page? Could this provide a high quality backlink? Any insights on this would be greatly appreciated."

It’s generally not recommended to purchase cheap backlinks from spammy websites. These links often come from low-quality websites with low traffic and domain authority, which can actually harm your website’s ranking in search engines. Google can penalize websites with unnatural link profiles, and buying links from spammy sites can be seen as an attempt to manipulate search rankings.

Instead of focusing on cheap backlinks, it’s better to invest your time and effort in building high-quality backlinks from reputable websites. This could involve creating valuable content that attracts natural backlinks, participating in online communities relevant to your industry, or reaching out to other websites for guest posting opportunities.

Registering your business with online directories and listing websites is a good practice, as it can help improve your website’s visibility and create natural backlinks. However, make sure to choose reputable directories and avoid those that seem spammy or low-quality.

Consider focusing on other SEO strategies like content creation and paid advertising. Creating high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience can attract natural backlinks and improve your website’s ranking. Paid advertising, such as Google Ads, can be a quick and effective way to drive traffic to your website.