SEO Question (Competitors)
 

I have a question for anyone that knows their SEO shit.

If I bought a hardlink on a site that is in the top 2 most competitive sites towards mine would that be a big benefit to my site or could that harm me or us both?

Thank you.

If it's too good to be true, it usually is.

In regards to SEO, it helps you.

In reality, you run a big risk of likely wasting your money and getting no SEO.

Does the competitor know you? Do you have great communication with them? Do you trust them not to sabotage the paid hardlink via noindex in robot.txt or nofollow ?

If you have a good working relationship with your competitor, and you trust them, then hopefully you'll get what you paid for and they won't sabotage your paid hardlink :thumbsup

He said "anyone that knows their SEO shit."

Yeah. That's me Horatio Cuck aka Escorpio. Stop derailing threads stay on topic out of respect for the OP.

In general, a link from a site in top 2 of your niche will massively boost your site's ranking.
It also depends on where the link is place and what anchor text is ;)

Initially yes but will it hold is what I'm thinking or will we both get penalised... It's not a link trade just my link on his so I feel like it should only do good things.

Link will be in the header of the home page only, google have been penalising some sites that link in the footer

I would rather buy that link on a page that will send me the best CTR traffic. You will get no ground shaking SEO from just one 'paid' link. That is 2003 thinking IMHO. You can ride on HIS SEO however -- think that through.

How many outgoing links, and internal links, are on the homepage currently?

Obviously, you should only pay for a do follow backlink.

Pay attention to where the backlink is placed

Also, make sure there aren't too many other backlinks on the page(s) your link is placed

While a simple naked link (URL backlink) helps your link, ask for an anchor text backlink that's in content and in context.

It's normal to trade/buy links between adult sites. You guys will not be penalized ;)
A link in header is better than in footer.
One-way link is better than reciprocal link.