How Many Links Do You Need to Rank?

One common question in the SEO world is, "How many backlinks do I need to rank for a particular keyword?"?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but you can get a realistic estimate with some research.?

You can watch the video here or read about the process below.

How Many Backlinks Do I Need?

It Depends

Let's explore this using "mesothelioma lawsuit" as our example.

Understanding the Domain Rating Range

First, looking at websites with a similar Domain Rating (DR) range is essential. For "mesothelioma lawsuit," the DR on the first page ranges from about 57 to 94.?

If your website is well below this range, you must first focus on building more sitewide authority before trying to target such a competitive keyword.

The Importance of Do-follow Links

The next step is to find other sites within the DR 70 range and examine their number of links.?

For example, starting with the website "asbestos.com," we observe it initially has 313 domains linking to it.?

However, this number reduces to around 75 when narrowing down to do-follow links.

Evaluating Link Value

Not all links contribute equally to SEO.

Links from domains with a DR below 20 are generally not very valuable.

In our example, although there are around 140 do-follow links, only a subset of about 80 are helpful in improving rankings.

Classifying Links by Authority

The links can be further divided into groups based on their DR, providing insight into where to focus your link-building efforts.

Here is how that breaks down in our example above:?

• 2 x DR 70+
• 19 X DR 60+
• 47 X DR 50+
• 3 X DR 40+
• 9 X DR 20-39

Beyond Link Quantity: The Quality Factor

The quality of links is as important as their quantity. High-authority, relevant links can significantly impact rankings, even if they are fewer in number.

Look for trends across the top-ranking sites.?

• Do they have a substantial number of media placements??
• Did they do a great job getting niche-relevant links?
• Have they secured a bunch of college resource page links?

While our focus here is to determine the numbers, a further analysis into the type and quality of their link profile is just as important, if not more, making it a necessary next step in the process.

Repeating the Process

This analysis process should be repeated for other sites within the appropriate DR range.?

Working through the top sites will help you establish a range of the total links needed and provide an understanding of how “strong” your link profile needs to be.

Excluding Outliers

When analyzing these links, it's important to exclude outliers.?

If one site has an unusually high number of links, you don't necessarily need to match this number.?

Instead, aim for a more realistic target based on the lower end of the spectrum.

Identifying the Number of Links Needed

Through this analysis, we can determine a range of links needed to rank.?

For "mesothelioma lawsuit," it might be between 25 to 75 high-quality, do-follow links.

Estimating the Campaign Cost and Duration

Based on the analysis, you can also estimate the cost and duration of a link-building campaign.

For instance, if you need to build $30,000 worth of links and your budget is $3,000 monthly, it would take about ten months to accumulate enough high-quality links to be competitive.

Determining the number of links needed to rank for a keyword like "mesothelioma lawsuit" requires a detailed analysis of existing rankings, domain ratings, and the quality of backlinks.

This approach helps to set realistic link-building goals and gives you a more concrete understanding of what to expect from your campaign.

Remember, It’s About More Than Links

Supporting content, on-page optimization, and internal link distribution are critical in enhancing SEO performance.

Check all the SEO boxes to make the most out of every link you build, earn, or buy.

So, now you know how many backlinks it takes to rank high in search results.

#seo #backlinks #linkbuilding #digitalmarketing