This is a very popular question and people are always trying to find out how long it takes for Google to index links after you build a link. With each new link built within an authority site, you have the potential to boost your rankings within the SERP’s so it’s no wonder people are always trying to push Google to index. However, over the past four months, I’ve been tracking the indexing process of different websites like Web 2.0’s, Link Directories, and general blogs, discovering a cool pattern starting to develop. We’ll be going through some important reasons that change the rate of indexing and what you can do going forward to increase the time it takes for your links to show up under your profile. Here’s what you’ll be learning today:
- What I learned from researching this question in Google
- My trial and results
- How to improve the rate of link indexing
My Research
I went online trying to find an answer to this question and learned something pretty interesting. Google doesn’t pay attention to links that have NOT been around for more than 3 months. I was a bit skeptical about this so I went out and put some case studies together. From my own research, this statement is true that links younger than “3” months won’t add any value and even show up under your profile. However, there are some exceptions to the rule that I’ll be discussing a bit later on. Links younger than “3” months NOT being indexed is something I read in different places so I decided to put together a quick case study, using some of my web 2.0 properties.
The Case Study
I have around 10 different Web 2.0 properties so knew this would be a great way to test indexing. On all 10 of them, I built links and started to track how long it takes for the external link to show up under the other websites’ link profile. I tracked the profile using Ahrefs.com, which is currently the best tool I’ve used for tracking links. However, I put a twist on the case study by dividing up all 10 Web 2.0’s into…
- 5 only building links without frequent content updating
- 5 with links and frequent updating
I wanted to know if the Google freshness update plays a significant role in NOT only indexing, but also being able to capture new links both internal and external. My entire testing period will be 3-4 months or until all links were indexed. Here’s something else…
I also built some links pointing to my page from popular link directories. These directories have been around for years and are constantly updated daily with new links. This means they are frequently being bombarded with fresh new link profiles.
The Results
Web 2.0 – Links (content 1/Month)
I was surprised to find that when I built links on Web 2.0 properties and published content once a month, it took EXACTLY 3 ½ months for the links to show up under my link profile. For example, I had published content on a legal property in November 2014 and the external link was indexed in March 2015. I was clearly able to see it within the link profile using Ahrefs.com.
Web 2.0 – Links (content 1/Week)
Here’s something interesting and it proves the freshness update can help your content and links get indexed more quickly. On 5 Web 2.0 properties where I added content 1/week, I was surprised to find my links being updated and showing up in my profile 1 month later. Keep in mind these are fresh new websites with “1” link built to an external source and content added each week.
When building links using “Link Directories”, the results were even more amazing and I believe the success has to do with the reputation of the website. Many of the link directories I use have been around for years and are very large websites constantly updated. Here are the results…
Link Directories – Updated daily
I built links on “3” popular link directories and from my research, I know they are updated with 10-20 new links daily. When I checked after “1” week, the link was indexed and showing under my profile. I was able to see EXACTLY what page it was pointing to and “First Seen” using Ahrefs.com. I attribute the success to their credibility and the fact that they are constantly being updated with new content or links. This triggers Google freshness algorithm, which, in turn, indexed all these pages more quickly.
This trigger applied to my Web 2.0 property in #2 when I was updating content each week compared to once a month.
Wrapping It Up
Here’s what you can learn from the quick lesson:
- A typical site with a ordinary posting schedule usually does take 3 month for links to show up
- A frequent posting schedule does improve rate of indexing for page and links
- A reputable site has a faster indexing process
- A reputable site with a frequent posting schedule will enhance rate of indexing