Backlinks are a fundamental pillar of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). They are endorsements or votes of confidence from other websites, vouching for the credibility and relevance of your content.

These virtual nods of approval not only elevate your website's authority but also boost its visibility on search engines like Google, Bing, and others.

However, determining the "ideal" number of backlinks that a website needs is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Instead, it hinges on a variety of factors, ranging from the quality of the links to the level of competition in your niche.

For an effective SEO strategy, understanding the nuances of backlinks and how they contribute to your website’s ranking is crucial. But before we delve into specific numbers, let’s first unpack what backlinks are and why they’re critical in the first place.

How many backlinks should a website have article cover

What Are Backlinks?

A backlink is essentially a hyperlink on an external website that points to a page on your website, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and worth referencing.

When these links originate from authoritative and reputable domains, their impact is significantly amplified.

For example, if a well-established tech blog links to your article on software development, that backlink is not only a strong referral but also a signal to search engines that your content holds value in that niche.

This ties directly into Google’s ranking algorithm, where backlinks continue to play a pivotal role. However, the game isn’t just about numbers.

The Factors That Shape Your Backlink Strategy

When it comes to backlinks, context is everything. A site targeting general queries like “how to start a blog” will naturally face stiffer competition than one focused on a niche market, say “eco-friendly garden tools.”

Here are the key factors that will determine the number of backlinks your site needs:

1. The Competition in Your Niche

Certain industries are inherently more competitive than others. If you’re competing in high-stakes niches such as finance, health, or real estate, expect to face rivals sporting thousands of backlinks. To gain traction, you’ll need to analyze your competitors’ backlink profiles through SEO tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or Semrush.

Here’s a practical example: If your top competitor in the rental property niche has 10,000 backlinks leading to their homepage, you may need a comparable number—not just in quantity but also in quality—to outrank them. Conversely, a less saturated industry may require far fewer links to achieve similar results.

2. Domain Authority (DA) a.k.a Domain rating (DR)

Domain Authority, often abbreviated as DA, is a score that predicts how well a website is likely to rank on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Sites with higher domain authority need fewer backlinks to outperform competitors. For example, if your site has a DA of 85, and you're competing with sites in the 60–70 range, you’ll require fewer links to dominate the top positions in SERPs.

Website DR

3. The Quality of Backlinks

Google's algorithms prioritize backlinks from credible and authoritative sources over sheer volume, a principle outlined in Google's Webmaster Guidelines, which caution against obtaining spammy or manipulative links.

In a YouTube video, Google's John Mueller explicitly stated that the total number of backlinks "doesn't matter at all", emphasizing that relevance and quality are the key factors in determining a link's value.

While Google remains intentionally vague about the specifics of its algorithms, there is broad consensus among SEO professionals and link-building experts that earning backlinks from niche-relevant, high-authority websites is the most effective strategy for improving search rankings. These high-quality links signal to Google that your content is trustworthy and aligned with user intent, offering a significant advantage in competitive search landscapes.

4. Keyword Difficulty and Search Intent

The competitiveness of the keywords you’re targeting is another decisive factor. High-difficulty keywords, where many competitors are vying for the top spots, naturally demand a stronger backlink profile since you will be competing with high DR websites.

Backlink Quality vs Quantity

While Google’s algorithm updates, such as Penguin, have stressed the importance of quality over manipulative practices, recent data reveals that the sheer quantity of backlinks cannot be overlooked—particularly in competitive niches.

The Shift Toward Quality

In 2012, Google introduced the Penguin update to combat spammy link-building tactics like link farms and irrelevant backlinks. This marked a clear shift toward prioritizing backlinks from authoritative, trusted sources.

And research supports this approach. A Backlinko study analyzing 11 million search results found that websites with diverse, high-authority links consistently ranked higher. Backlink diversity, measured in unique referring domains, also emerged as a critical ranking factor.

So that's setled. There's a clear correlation between having an high DR, wich is a metric taimed at calculating relevancy and backlink authority and ranking high on Google.

DR correlation graphic

However, there is still evidence suggesting that quantity plays an important role in SEO performance...

Why Quantity Still Matters

While quality is a crucial aspect of backlink strategy, the importance of quantity cannot be dismissed.

A detailed analysis of 1,113 websites ranking in the top 10 for competitive commercial keywords revealed a striking pattern: 96.3% of these sites had more than 1,000 unique referring domains, and not a single one ranked with fewer than 50.

Analysis of websites in top 10 search rsults table

Even in less competitive niches, such as local searches, achieving visibility required a baseline of at least 100 backlinks. This data clearly demonstrates that a substantial volume of backlinks forms the foundation for search visibility, particularly in competitive or crowded markets.

It’s important to note that when it comes to backlink quantity, what matters most is the number of referring domains, not the total number of backlinks. As Backlinko highlights, it’s far better to get 10 links from 10 different domains than 10 links from the same domain. Keep that in mind!

Backlink Quality and Quantity Work Together

SEO strategies should not view quality and quantity as competing priorities. High-quality backlinks from trusted domains enhance authority and sustainability, while a sufficient volume of backlinks ensures the foundational strength needed to compete.

For high-competition keywords, large backlink profiles are essential, while niche or local queries benefit more from focused, high-quality links.

However, it seems that focusing on building a large quantity of low-quality backlinks doesn’t actually improve your rankings.

This seems to be supported by an experiment conducted by Ahrefs.

In this case, the company used a process called disavowing, where they asked Google to ignore certain toxic, low-quality backlinks pointing to their site. The goal was to improve rankings by focusing exclusively on high-quality links.

The results of the study were interesting, showing almost no significant impact from disavowing backlinks. Some pages saw a slight improvement, others experienced minor declines, and some maintained the same level of traffic.

This suggests that having a large number of low-quality links doesn’t necessarily harm your website’s performance, nor does it improve its rankings. In fact, Google has been reiterating for years that such links are generally ignored by its algorithms, to the extent that the disavow tool may eventually become obsolete.

Ultimately, a balanced approach—building a diverse, authoritative, and adequately scaled backlink profile—provides the best chance of achieving long-term success in search rankings.

How to Build Backlinks: Practical Steps

1. Conduct a Competitive Backlink Analysis

The best place to start is by studying your competitors. Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz allow you to dig into their backlink profiles to see how many links they have, which domains are linking to them, and what type of content is earning those links.

Take note of patterns—are their top backlinks coming from guest posts, collaborations, or resource pages? Use these insights to inform your backlink-building strategy.

2. Understand Your Link Gap

Once you’ve analyzed your competitors, calculate the gap between their backlink profile and your own. This step is critical for formulating actionable goals.

For example, if your competitor has 500 backlinks from domains with a DA above 40, and you only have 150, you’ll want to focus on closing that gap. Prioritize opportunities that align with your niche and audience.

3. Prioritize High-Quality Links

Rather than chasing a high volume of links indiscriminately, focus on acquiring links from authoritative sources. Look for opportunities with businesses, journalists, universities, or respected blogs within your niche. Outreach campaigns, guest posts, and even collaborations on content can help you build these premium links organically.

Remember that relevance and authority are the two pillars of any successful backlink. A link from an unrelated but authoritative site will hold far less value than one from a domain that aligns directly with your niche and audience.

Final Thoughts

The "right" number of backlinks for your website depends on a cocktail of variables: the competitiveness of your niche, where your domain authority stands, the keywords you’re targeting, and—most importantly—the quality of your backlinks. SEO is not about shortcuts. Instead, it’s about crafting a thoughtful, long-term strategy that aligns with search engine algorithms, user intent, and the content you’re offering.

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