Understanding Link Velocity
Link building is an SEO ranking factor as quality backlinks show Google that your site is authoritative and popular. As a result you can achieve a higher PageRank which in turn can drive better search positions and increased traffic. Many SEOs struggle to know how fast they should build their link profile, however, so let’s take a look at link velocity as a concept and check out various link velocity trends to help you out.
What is Link Velocity?
Link velocity might sound complicated, but it’s simply the rate at which others are linking to your site. Or how fast your backlink profile is growing over time. Some people believe that getting multiple links in a short amount of time is the right way to achieve better results in search – but this is not necessarily the case. The focus should be on getting the best quality backlinks possible. Remember, when it comes to ranking factors like PageRank, Google looks at the PageRank of linking sites and therefore you don’t want just anyone giving you a shoutout, but should spend time building relationships with sites of authority within your specific industry. That said, link velocity is a good SEO metric to track as building links is a great way to improve your overall SEO strategy.
One important thing to note is that link velocity is a metric that monitors the speed at which links are added to your site. If backlinks add value to your site, come from a place of authority and are being added consistently, your website value will skyrocket.
Ways to Build Better Backlinks
Link velocity should be consistent and is often inline with the quantity of content you produce. For example, if you rarely produce articles and expect sites with a high PageRank to link to out-of-date and boring content, you’re in dreamland and your backlinking strategy will stall. If, on the other hand, you’re always coming up with new ideas and producing cutting-edge, industry-related content that’s easy to link to, your link velocity metrics should also improve. Ways to build backlinks properly include:
- Writing news articles
- Guest blogging and posting
- Creating sharable images, GIFs and infographics
- Including local citations
- Writing thought-leading content
To avoid being penalised for spammy links, you should aim for a natural approach and work with sites with similar interests where your content is an organic fit. There’s no rule to say that you must add links at a certain speed in order to achieve better rankings. Quality is always better than quantity in the eyes of Google. But do make sure your link building strategy is consistent and growing in the right direction.
Link Velocity Trends
There are several link velocity trends to be aware of. These include:
- Positive. This signifies an upsurge in link growth and shows that a company is working hard on their link building strategy.
- Optimal. This is the term used to describe consistent link growth. Basically, you should try to avoid getting loads of links one month and none the next.
- Negative. This is another trend used to describe a downfall in links to your website. This can serve as a negative signal to search engines.
For help with your SEO and link building strategies contact Kent SEO agency, Whitefish Marketing, today and enjoy an approach tailored to your specific business needs.
