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How Many Backlinks Should A Website Have? Top Myths Dispelled

By the Rhino Rank team
22nd Aug 2023

The battle for visibility is fierce in the vast expanse of the digital realm, and backlinks stand as the unsung heroes of this epic saga. 

A smart backlink strategy that effectively aligns with your website’s goals can be the game-changer that propels you to the coveted zenith of search engine rankings. 

But, the plot thickens as SEO experts have debated whether the number of backlinks you have on a website can influence the performance of the page as well as the magic number of backlinks your website should amass.

This article will help you answer the age-old question “how many backlinks should a website have to rank well?”, while comparing quality over quantity to dispelling myths surrounding how many backlinks a website should have.

Short Summary

  • Backlink quantity alone doesn’t guarantee a website’s ranking; quality and relevance are equally important factors.
  • Aiming for a specific number of backlinks is impractical; focus on obtaining high-quality links from authoritative sites instead.
  • Prioritize creating valuable content and fostering natural link building to improve search engine rankings effectively.

How Many Backlinks Do I Need Per Month?

In the quest for digital supremacy, backlinks have emerged as the lifeblood of website ranking. However, one pressing question remains: How Many Backlinks Do You Need Per Month?

Let’s uncover the strategic approach to figuring out your monthly backlink needs by determining the pages that need linking, evaluating competition, and the journey to successful link-building.

Determine Which Pages Need Backlinks

Not all pages on your website are created equal. Identifying the key pages that require a boost in visibility through backlinks is essential. 

Conduct a thorough analysis of your content and prioritize those with high-value, informative, or revenue-generating potential. 

By focusing your efforts on specific pages, you can efficiently channel your backlink-building endeavors and maximize their impact on your overall SEO strategy.

Calculate The Backlink Gap Between You And Your Competitors

To outperform your competitors, you must first understand their strengths and weaknesses. It’s a strategic step to set realistic targets and stay ahead for online visibility.

Conduct a backlink audit of your closest competitors’ websites to evaluate their link profiles and identify the gap between their backlinks and yours. 

This gap analysis will reveal the number of backlinks you need to catch up or surpass them in rankings. 

Start Building Your Backlinks

With a clear understanding of which pages need bolstering and the backlink gap to bridge, it’s time to unleash your link building arsenal. 

Create high-quality, relatable, shareable content that naturally attracts backlinks from reputable sources. 

Engage in influencer outreach, do a guest blog post, and leverage your existing network to earn backlinks organically.

Remember, the key lies in consistent effort and a focus on building authoritative, relevant links over time.

 

Why Do I Need to Build Backlinks?

Building backlinks is an essential part of SEO and is crucial in improving the visibility and ranking of your website or web page on search engine result pages.

Here are several reasons why building backlinks is important:

Search Engine Rankings:

Backlinks play a pivotal role in determining your website’s authority and credibility in the eyes of browsers like Google. 

Search engines view backlinks as votes of confidence from other websites. The more high-quality, relevant backlinks your site has, the more likely it is to rank higher.

Backlinks are a fundamental factor in SEO; with them, your website may be able to compete for top positions.

Increased Organic Traffic:

As your website climbs the browser rankings due to the influence of backlinks, it will attract more organic traffic. 

When other websites link to your content, it exposes your site to a broader audience. 

If these links come from authoritative sources, it can lead to a substantial and continuous flow of targeted visitors to your website.

Enhanced Credibility and Authority: 

When you build backlinks from reputable and trustworthy websites, they endorse your content. 

They signal to users and search engines your site’s capacity to offer valuable and reliable information. 

This enhances your credibility and authority in your niche or industry, making it more likely for users to trust and engage with your content.

Faster Indexing and Crawling: 

Search engine bots use links to discover and index new web pages. 

When reputable websites link to your content, it helps search engine crawlers find your pages more quickly. 

By indexing your backlinks, your new content will have better visibility in the Search Engine Result Pages (SEPRs).

Relationship Building and Networking:

Contacting other website owners or bloggers is integral to the backlink-building process. 

This fosters relationships within your industry or niche, leading to potential collaboration, partnerships, and other opportunities to benefit your website and business further.

Why the Number of Backlinks Isn’t the Correct Way to View Link Building

The number of backlinks alone is not the correct or comprehensive way to evaluate the effectiveness of building links. 

While backlinks are essential to SEO, focusing solely on their quantity can lead to misguided strategies and missed opportunities. 

Here’s why the number of backlinks isn’t the correct way to view link building:

Quality Over Quantity: 

Backlinks are not all the same, and having many low-quality and spammy backlinks might harm your website’s SEO. Search engines like Google prioritize the quality and relevance of backlinks over their quantity. One high-quality backlink from a reputable and authoritative website can carry more weight than numerous low-quality links.

Relevance and Context: 

The context and relevance of the linking website to your content are crucial. If the backlinks come from websites unrelated to your niche or industry, they may not contribute much to your website’s authority. On the other hand, backlinks from websites with content related to yours can signal to browsers that your content is valuable to users interested in that particular topic.

Diversity of Referring Domain Authority: 

The number of high domain authority websites linking to your website is more important than the total backlink count. Having a diverse range of referring domains demonstrates that your content is valued by various sources, which can positively influence your SEO. On the other hand, if most of your backlinks come from just a few websites, it may indicate a lack of diversity and potentially raise red flags with search engines.

Natural vs. Manipulative Link Building: 

Browsers continuously evolve to detect manipulative link-building practices aimed at artificially inflating the number of backlinks. Engaging in such practices can lead to penalties and a significant drop in rankings. Instead, a successful link-building strategy focuses on earning natural backlinks by creating high-quality, shareable content that naturally attracts links from authoritative sources.

Quality vs. Quantity: What Matters 

When it comes to backlinks, the age-old debate of quality versus quantity reigns supreme. 

While both aspects play a role in building links, it’s crystal clear that quality trumps quantity in determining a website’s SEO success. 

Looking solely at the number of backlinks isn’t the correct way to view link building, as one link from an authoritative website holds more weight than an array of poor-quality links.

A single high-quality backlink from an industry influencer or a reputable publication can establish a website’s authority, boost its search rankings, and drive targeted traffic. 

Conversely, many low-quality or spammy links may raise red flags and lead to search engine penalties.

A strategic link-building approach emphasizes forging meaningful relationships, creating shareable content, and seeking links from authoritative sources. 

By prioritizing quality over quantity, websites can secure their position in search rankings and elevate their online presence, making every link a testament to successful link building.

Let’s Start With Quality Backlinks

Why High-Quality Backlinks Are Good

High quality links are an excellent addition to your website’s SEO and online presence. Here’s why they are so valuable:

Authority and Credibility

Backlinks from authoritative websites signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy and reliable. This can significantly boost your website’s credibility, leading to higher browser rankings and increased user trust.

Improved Search Rankings

Search engines consider high-quality links as a vote of confidence in your content. When reputable sites link to yours, it indicates that your content is valuable and relevant, which can result in higher rankings for targeted keywords.

Increased Organic Traffic

As your website climbs the search rankings due to quality backlinks, it attracts more natural traffic. Users are likelier to click on links from reputable sources, leading to a steady flow of targeted visitors.

Relevant Audience Reach

Backlinks from your niche or industry websites expose your content to a relevant audience. This targeted exposure can lead to more engaged users, higher conversion rates, and potential collaborations.

Resilience to Algorithm Changes

High-quality backlinks help future-proof your SEO efforts. Even if search engine algorithms evolve, the value of quality links remains steadfast, providing a stable foundation for your website’s visibility.

Why High-Quality Backlinks Are Bad

It’s important to note that high-quality backlinks can become problematic if they are acquired through manipulative or unethical practices. Here’s how they can be detrimental.

Penalties and Devaluation

Suppose search engines detect that you are trying to artificially inflate your backlink profile with paid links or link schemes. In that case, your website may face penalties, resulting in significant drops in search rankings or even removal from search results.

Unnatural Link Patterns

A sudden influx of high-quality backlinks without a natural link-building pattern may raise red flags with search engines. A healthy link profile should show gradual and organic growth over time.

Overemphasis on Specific Metrics

Focusing solely on high-quality backlinks might lead to neglecting other essential SEO aspects, such as on-page SEO, user experience, and content quality. A well-rounded SEO strategy considers multiple factors for sustainable success.

How to Get High-Quality Backlinks

Earning high-quality backlinks requires a strategic approach and a commitment to producing valuable content. Here are some effective methods to acquire them:

  • Create Exceptional Content: Develop content that offers unique insights, addresses specific pain points, or provides comprehensive solutions. High-quality content naturally attracts links from other websites.
  • Guest Posting and Outreach: Contribute guest posts to authoritative websites in your niche, showcasing your expertise and linking back to relevant content on your site. Build genuine relationships with other webmasters for potential link opportunities.
  • Content Promotion: Promote top-notch content on social media, industry forums, and email newsletters. The increased visibility can lead to natural link sharing.
  • Industry Partnerships and Collaborations: Collaborate with influencers, industry leaders, or complementary businesses to co-create content or resources, often resulting in high-quality backlinks.

Now Onto Quantity Backlinks 

Why Quantity of Backlinks Is Good

While quality should always be a priority, a higher quantity of backlinks can also offer certain advantages for your website:

  • Increased Visibility: More backlinks from various sources can expose your website to a broader audience, potentially attracting new visitors and customers.
  • Wider Reach: A diverse backlink profile may increase referral traffic from different websites, contributing to overall site growth.
  • Diversified Link Profile: Having a considerable number of backlinks from different domain authorities can create a well-rounded link profile, which can be beneficial for SEO.
  • Indirect SEO Benefits: While individual bad-quality links may not carry much weight, a larger volume of such links can still indirectly contribute to SEO efforts by signaling to search engines that your website is being mentioned and linked to by others.

Why Quantity of Backlinks Is Bad

The quantity of backlinks alone does not guarantee positive outcomes, and it can present certain challenges and risks:

  • Quality vs. Relevance: Focusing solely on quantity may lead to a collection of low-quality or irrelevant backlinks, harming your website’s credibility and SEO efforts.
  • Spam and Black Hat SEO: Pursuing a high quantity of backlinks at any cost may tempt some to engage in black hat SEO practices or spammy link-building tactics. This can result in search engine penalties and a damaged reputation.
  • Time-Consuming and Inefficient: Obtaining many backlinks can be time-consuming and may not yield substantial benefits if the links are not from authoritative and relevant sources.
  • Maintaining Link Quality: Managing many backlinks can be challenging, and monitoring and periodically reviewing the quality of these links to avoid potential issues is essential.

How to Get a High Quantity of Backlinks

If you want to increase the number of backlinks without compromising quality, consider the following SEO strategies:

  • Social Media Promotion: Leverage social media platforms to promote your content and encourage sharing, potentially leading to more backlinks.
  • Guest Blogging at Scale: Contribute guest posts to reputable websites to expand your reach and build relationships.
  • Directory Listings: Submit your website to relevant, reputable directories for additional backlinks.
  • Partnerships and Collaborations: Collaborate with other websites, organizations, or influencers to co-create content and share backlinks.

Worst Backlink Myths Exposed

Amid the clamor for link-building supremacy, several myths and misconceptions have taken root, leading unsuspecting digital marketers astray. 

Today, we embark on a myth-busting expedition to shed light on the worst backlink myths that have misled the SEO community.

More Backlinks Always Equal Better Rankings

Quantity does not always triumph over quality when it comes to backlinks. While having a healthy link profile is essential, an excessive focus on numbers can lead to low-quality links and even penalties from search engines.

All Backlinks Are Created Equal

Not all backlinks carry the same weight. Links from authoritative, relevant websites hold more value than spammy or unrelated sources.

Paid Backlinks Guarantee Success

Paying for backlinks is a risky tactic that can backfire. Search engines penalize websites engaged in paid link schemes, tarnishing their SEO efforts.

Link Building is Dead

Despite rumors of its demise, link building remains a vital SEO strategy. However, it must be approached with ethical and value-driven practices.

Reciprocal Links are Worthless

While excessive reciprocal linking can be problematic, legitimate and relevant reciprocal links can still provide value.

Only Homepage Backlinks Matter

Backlinks to internal pages can significantly impact your SEO. A diverse link profile that includes deep links is more valuable.

How Many Backlinks Do I Need: Quantity vs Quality Verdict

In the ever-evolving landscape of SEO, the debate between the quantity and quality of backlinks intrigues website owners and digital strategists alike. 

While a certain quantity of backlinks can contribute to a diverse link profile, relentlessly pursuing numbers without discerning their quality can have detrimental consequences. 

Low-quality and irrelevant links may harm a website’s reputation, resulting in penalties and diminished rankings.

Investing in a well-crafted link-building strategy is the path to long-term SEO success, propelling websites to reach new heights of online prominence.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Backlinks per Day Is Safe?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as the safety of acquiring backlinks depends on various factors, including the website’s age, authority, and link-building history. 

Instead of focusing on a specific number of backlinks per day, prioritize the quality of links over quantity. 

A natural and gradual link-building approach is generally safer, as excessive backlinks acquired too quickly may raise red flags with search engines and potentially lead to penalties.

Is Getting 100 Backlinks From 100 Different Websites Better?

Quantity alone doesn’t guarantee better SEO results. 

Obtaining 100 backlinks from 100 different websites might appear impressive, but if those links are from low-quality sources, their impact on rankings could be minimal.

A few high-quality backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites hold more value and can significantly boost browser rankings and organic traffic.

How Many Backlinks Does A Website Need To Rank?

The number of links you include in your content for SEO should be determined by relevance and value. 

Avoid excessive linking, as it may appear spammy to users and search engines. Instead, focus on incorporating links naturally and meaningfully. 

Quality is supreme over quantity; a few well-placed, authoritative links can significantly impact SEO more than many irrelevant ones.

How Can SEO Keywords Difficulty Impact Your Rankings?

SEO keyword difficulty refers to how challenging it is to rank for a target keyword in search engine results. 

Highly competitive keywords with high difficulty scores may require substantial effort and time to rank well. 

On the other hand, a target keyword with lower difficulty can lead to quicker and more achievable rankings.