A link scheme is a manipulative tactic used to artificially manipulate a website's search engine rankings by acquiring links that are not earned naturally or through legitimate means. Link schemes violate the guidelines set by search engines like Google and can result in penalties or even a complete removal from search results.
Examples of link schemes include buying or selling links, participating in link exchange programs, creating link farms or networks, using automated link building tools, and creating irrelevant or low-quality links.