One area that often surprises me is the lack of appreciation of the pace in which links get picked up by Google etc. The traditional SEO mindset seems to be, OK I have some links to ‘place’ and bang 300 all at once. No checks no idea of take-up, nothing.

When placing links you have to understand that they will have an impact based not just on the authority and value the link itself passes but also in the pace at which they are found. If I was to have some options for the placement of links that looked like this: -

  • A network of blog links on WordPress powered sites
  • A directory splurg
  • Some social network links
  • Some direct paid placements

My thought process on each would be

If I do the links on anything that is ‘ping notified’ like the WordPress sites, the social and some of the direct paid, then the discovery of these links will be very quick from Google’s perspective and therefore I run some additional risk from the spike I create in my link profile.

If I do the non ‘ping notified’ then I have to be aware of the likelihood that a percentage of them may never get picked up (A big percentage at times) and that the discovery rate will be slow.

So what to do?

Placement of links in any SEO campaign is a more complicated issue than most SEO’s seem to appreciate. For me the thought process runs like this: -

  • What do we have to place for (and what’s the terms, target terms, noise and current volume?)
  • What’s the current ‘pace’ of the site and of those sites around it?
  • What mix do I need or can use for this client?
  • What should I aim to have discovered this period (Not placed, discovered)?
  • What can I do to obfuscate the link building I am doing?

Once the links are in place its also vital that you set metrics and systems to monitor and track if they still exist and are contributing, I cant tell you how many times I have seen a fall in ranking as a result of whats dropped out of the bottom of a link profile rather than whats not gone in at the top.

Finally it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have a bit of dodgy advice for you…

Ignore what people say, look at the SERPS, pull the link profiles of all in your niche and watch what’s working for them. Adjust your morals in accordance with what you find.

The analogy is, if the SERPS was a motorway and all the cars around you are driving at 60mph don’t fly along at 90 or the police will pull you. Drive at 65mph and get to the front.