Link velocity and link diversity is today’s main topic. Before we at Link Department start talking details we have to cover the basics. Acquiring backlinks from a wide variety of content types is referred to as “link diversity” ( directories, articles, and news links are good examples). Gaining links from other domains, such as.edu,.com,.net, and so on, is also an important part of link diversity. In search engine optimization (SEO), link velocity refers to how quickly a page or website is accumulating new links. Monthly link count or referring domain count are common metrics. We understand that you already know all of this but it’s important to start with the basics and then we can continue our journey where we look at the impact of link velocity and link diversity on SEO.
The impact of link diversity on SEO
Without much of a second thought, the idea of link diversity is often overlooked. This in no way endorses the practice of repeatedly accessing the same link. The importance of link diversity in search engine rankings and whether or not it matters for SEO in the year 2023 is something to think about. Last but not least, link diversity refers to accumulating a mix of “do follow” links (links that transmit link equity-like Pagerank) and “nofollow links” (links that don’t pass link equity like Pagerank). The notion here is that if you can get a wide variety of links pointing to your site, your backlink profile will look more natural and less spammy.
An organic-looking set of backlinks is the result of a diverse set of links. Several individuals we’ve come across in Facebook groups have used the term “link diversity” to explain why it’s valuable to get no follow links. The idea is that having a mix of link types, including nofollow links, gives your backlink profile a more organic appearance. The theory is that if your site appears natural, statistical analysis engines won’t be able to discover any suspicious behavior.
The natural look and is it really important for links to look natural?
The concept of “links appearing natural” stems from the 2005 discovery. It says that Google does statistical analysis to determine if a link profile is typical or unusual. Spam sites can be identified by their unique statistical link profiles. The theory is that if the analytical link profile is similar to the typical link profile, then the modified links will be harder to detect. This means that if there were an abnormally high percentage of keyword-optimized anchor text, it would be balanced out by a higher percentage of trademark anchor text. We refer to this as “anchor text density” in the industry. The quantity of optimized anchor text minus the total number of links with no optimized anchor text.
The impact of link velocity on SEO
The SEO community has different views on this topic. Whether or not link velocity affects search engine rankings is always a hot topic. There are many who insist on its significance. Some are even going so far as to call it criteria for placement. Others don’t think it makes a difference in terms of rankings. There are some that think it can go either way. It’s interesting to note that when people talk about link velocity and show anxiety over the rate at which their sites acquire backlinks, they often do it from the perspective of black-hat SEO techniques.
But…
If an individual or business is concentrating on organic, white-hat link construction, they are unlikely to be concerned about the effects of link velocity. It’s important to remember that acquiring links isn’t a foolproof method of ensuring a high ranking on Google’s search engine results page (SERP). Regardless of your opinion on the matter (SERP). That is a topic for another day. Boosting the speed of your links is also not going to cut it. The importance of constructing high-quality links that are relevant to your content cannot be overstated.
Discussions on the value of link velocity
The belief that link velocity is an important ranking factor persists in the SEO community. That’s because of a passage from an old Google patent that makes reference to a “spike rate of expansion”. Also from the prospect of the search engine decreasing a website’s score if its own backlink profile increases at an unnatural rate. A higher link velocity seems like it would be beneficial for SEO. It also looks like it has a positive effect on search engine results page (SERP) ranks. Back when link building first began and the number was valued over quality, that may have been the case.
A faster link velocity is detrimental to a website. The site’s ranking can drop. It could possibly be penalized if it gained a large number of links in a short period of time. Google would perceive it as an effort to “manipulate” its algorithm. Another problem appears, though, when we consider Google’s Query Deserves Freshness upgrade from 2011. This change prioritizes recently published content on timely topics.
Link velocity and link diversity are important for SEO
Timeliness, relevant, and easily searchable content can quickly see an increase in traffic and link acquisition because of its timely and topical nature. Google would recognize and promote such a page, as an increase in inbound links indicates a rise in popularity. That has led some to conclude that a boost in the site’s link growth could have a beneficial effect on the site’s position in SEO. The higher the link velocity and link diversity, the less it matters as a ranking element. You should know that even if it were, it would not be sufficient to help you rank higher.