“How many backlinks do I need to rank?” This question lands in our inbox daily, and for good reason. Backlinks remain critical for SEO success, yet there’s widespread confusion about exactly how many you need.
At Search Royals, we’ve helped hundreds of websites climb search rankings through strategic link building. What we’ve learned is that backlink requirements vary dramatically based on your niche, competition, and site specifics.
In this guide, we’ll tackle the backlink quantity question head-on. We’ll show you how to calculate exactly how many backlinks you need for different scenarios, share practical acquisition strategies, and provide a framework that delivers measurable results. No fluff, no generic advice—just actionable insights to help you make real progress toward your SEO goals.
Do Backlinks Still Matter in 2025?
Before discussing how many backlinks you need, let’s address a common question: do backlinks still matter for SEO in 2025?
Based on our client results and industry observations, backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking factors. While Google’s algorithms continue evolving, we consistently see websites with strong, relevant backlink profiles outranking competitors with similar content but fewer quality links.
Here’s what we’ve observed about backlink impact:
- Pages with more referring domains consistently rank higher for competitive terms
- Websites that actively build quality backlinks see faster ranking improvements
- New websites struggle to rank without backlinks, regardless of content quality
- Established domains with strong backlink profiles can rank with less content
One of our clients in the finance sector jumped from page two to position #4 after implementing our backlink strategy, while their content remained unchanged. This real-world example shows why determining how many backlinks you need remains essential for SEO success.
Factors That Determine How Many Backlinks You Need
The number of backlinks you need isn’t one-size-fits-all. Several key factors influence your specific requirements:
Domain Authority
A new website typically needs more backlinks to rank than an established domain targeting the same keywords. We regularly see new sites requiring 2-3 times more backlinks to achieve similar rankings as domains with years of history and accumulated authority.
Relevance
When calculating how many backlinks you need, relevance often trumps quantity. Ten highly relevant links from industry websites frequently outperform 50 general links from unrelated sources. When you buy backlinks, prioritize those from sites closely related to your industry.
Keyword Difficulty and Competition
The more competitive your keyword, the more backlinks you’ll need. For example:
- Low competition keywords: Often rankable with 10-15 quality backlinks
- Medium competition keywords: Typically require 25-50 backlinks
- High competition keywords: Generally need 50-100+ backlinks
- Ultra-competitive keywords: May require 100-500+ backlinks
We helped a local service business rank for town-specific terms with just 15 strategic backlinks, while a national retailer needed over 200 backlinks to break into the top five results for a competitive product category.
Currently Ranking Pages
Your competitors provide the best benchmark for how many backlinks you need. If the average page one result has 40 referring domains, you’ll typically need a similar number—plus a small advantage—to overtake them.
Internal Linking Structure
Strong internal linking can significantly reduce how many external backlinks you need. We’ve seen well-structured internal linking decrease external backlink requirements by up to 30% for deep pages on client websites.
Step-by-Step Framework to Calculate How Many Backlinks You Need
Rather than guessing, follow this proven framework to determine exactly how many backlinks you need:
Step 1: Determine Which Pages Need Backlinks
Not every page requires the same number of backlinks. When deciding how many backlinks you need for each page, prioritize based on:
- Commercial value and conversion potential
- Search volume and traffic opportunity
- Current positioning (pages already on page two often need fewer new links to reach page one)
- Content quality compared to competitors
This targeted approach ensures you’re building links where they’ll create the biggest impact. When you outsource link building, make sure your provider understands this prioritization strategy.
Step 2: Calculate Your Backlink Gap
The most accurate way to determine how many backlinks you need is by analyzing the gap between your site and competitors:
- Identify the top 5 ranking pages for your target keyword
- Count the number of referring domains pointing to each page
- Calculate the average (removing any extreme outliers)
- Compare this number to your current referring domains
- The difference is how many backlinks you need to be competitive
For example, if top competitors average 60 referring domains and your page has 15, you need approximately 45 more quality backlinks to compete effectively.
Our link building marketplace offers verified, high-quality links to help close this gap efficiently.
Step 3: Analyze Competitor Backlink Quality
Raw numbers don’t tell the complete story when calculating how many backlinks you need. Analyze:
- Domain authority of linking sites
- Topical relevance of linking domains
- Link placement (contextual links within content vs. sidebar/footer links)
- Anchor text variation
- Link acquisition patterns
This qualitative assessment often reveals that competitors have numerous low-quality links, allowing you to outrank them with fewer but higher-quality backlinks.
How Many Backlinks You Need by Page Type
Different page types have distinct backlink requirements. Understanding these variations helps determine how many backlinks you need for each section of your site.
How Many Backlinks Do You Need for Homepage?
Your homepage typically needs the most backlinks, as it functions as your domain’s authority center. Based on our client experience, aim for:
- Small business (local focus): 50-100 referring domains
- Mid-market company: 100-250 referring domains
- Enterprise business: 250+ referring domains
Our link building packages can be customized based on your specific homepage requirements and competitive analysis.
How Many Backlinks You Need for Resource Pages
Educational content generally requires fewer backlinks to rank than commercial pages, provided the content delivers exceptional value. For guides, studies, or industry resources:
- Low competition niches: 10-25 quality backlinks often suffice
- Moderate competition: 25-60 backlinks typically needed
- High competition: 60-100+ backlinks usually required
These pages also benefit substantially from internal links from your authoritative pages.
How Many Backlinks Do You Need for Money Pages?
Product and service pages face the steepest competition and typically need the most aggressive link building strategy:
1. Small Businesses (Local SEO Focus): 30-70 Referring Domains
- Local service businesses can often dominate with fewer links when combined with strong local citations
- Focus on quality over quantity, with emphasis on local industry websites
- Example: A client’s local plumbing service page reached #1 for “[city] plumber” with just 40 relevant referring domains
2. Mid-Sized Businesses (National Focus): 70-200 Referring Domains
- National reach requires more substantial link profiles
- Diversify link sources across industry publications, business directories, and media features
- Natural anchor text distribution becomes increasingly important at this scale
3. Enterprise & eCommerce Brands: 200+ Referring Domains
- Highly competitive terms require extensive link profiles
- Enterprise-level strategies should integrate PR, content marketing, and dedicated link building
- Authority distribution through internal linking becomes crucial at this scale
Quality vs. Quantity: Finding the Right Balance
When determining how many backlinks you need, the quality versus quantity debate inevitably arises. Our experience shows the answer isn’t either/or—it’s strategically balancing both based on your specific situation.
When Quantity Matters More
Volume becomes important when:
- You’re in a highly competitive niche where all competitors have strong link profiles
- Your domain is new and needs to build baseline authority
- You’re competing against established brands with thousands of backlinks
In these scenarios, using a link building marketplace can help you scale acquisition efficiently while maintaining quality standards.
When Quality Matters More
Quality takes precedence when:
- You’re competing in a niche where expertise and trust are paramount (financial, health, legal sectors)
- Your site has previously experienced penalties or has a suspicious backlink profile
- You’re targeting highly specific, valuable keywords with clear commercial intent
- One high-authority link from a respected industry publication can outperform dozens of lower-quality links
- Contextual links within relevant content deliver substantially more ranking power
- Links from sites with engaged audiences provide both SEO and referral traffic benefits
Our approach blends both strategies—building a foundation of high-quality links complemented by a broader distribution of good-quality, relevant links at scale.
Safe Link Building Velocity
When calculating how many backlinks you need, you must also consider how quickly you can acquire them. Building links too rapidly can trigger algorithmic filters or manual reviews.
Daily Backlink Acquisition Limits
For most sites, acquiring more than 1-2 links per day consistently appears unnatural. However, context matters:
- News sites naturally attract links faster during trending topics
- Viral content can generate multiple links in short timeframes
- Product launches with PR support often create temporary link spikes
When you buy backlinks through our marketplace, we distribute acquisition naturally to avoid suspicious patterns.
Monthly Backlink Acquisition Guidelines
Based on our experience, these monthly acquisition rates maintain a natural profile:
- New domains: 5-10 new referring domains per month
- Established domains (1-3 years): 10-20 new referring domains monthly
- Authority domains (3+ years): 20-50+ new referring domains monthly
Remember: how many backlinks you need in total is different from how quickly you should acquire them. Patience and consistency deliver better long-term results than aggressive, unnatural link building.
Practical Methods to Acquire Your Target Backlinks
Once you’ve determined how many backlinks you need, the next challenge is acquiring them. Here are proven strategies that work in 2025:
Method #1: Replicate Your Competitors’ Best Backlinks
Why reinvent the wheel? Your competitors have already done the hard work finding link opportunities:
- Identify competitors ranking for your target keywords
- Analyze their backlink profiles to find high-quality sources
- Reach out to the same websites with your unique angle or better content
- Track success rates to refine your approach
This reverse-engineering approach is often the fastest way to close your backlink gap.
Method #2: Strategic Content Creation
Create content specifically designed to attract backlinks:
- Original research and industry surveys
- Comprehensive guides that become reference resources
- Visual assets like infographics and interactive tools
- Controversial or unique perspectives on industry topics
One client’s industry survey generated 35 natural backlinks in just 60 days—sometimes content that answers key industry questions can be more effective than dozens of outreach emails.
Method #3: Targeted Outreach Campaigns
Strategic outreach remains effective when done properly:
- Personalize each communication based on thorough research
- Offer genuine value before requesting links
- Focus on building relationships, not just acquiring links
- Follow up intelligently without becoming annoying
Here’s a real example from our outreach team that secured a valuable link:
“Hey [Name], I noticed your recent article about [topic] mentioned [concept]. We actually just published some new findings on this that contradict the conventional wisdom. Thought you might find it interesting: [link]. No obligation to share—just thought it would add to your perspective on this topic.”
This authentic, value-first approach consistently outperforms generic outreach templates.
Method #4: Use Our Link Building Marketplace
If you need to close your backlink gap quickly, our link building marketplace offers:
- Pre-vetted publishers across 50+ countries
- Quality assurance on every link
- Transparent reporting and tracking
- Natural link velocity planning
While we always recommend a diverse link building strategy, our marketplace provides a reliable foundation to reach your target backlink numbers efficiently.
Implementation Timeline: How Many Backlinks Do You Need Each Month?
Knowing how many backlinks you need in total is important, but understanding the implementation timeline is equally crucial:
Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-3)
- Focus on acquiring 5-15 high-quality, relevant links to core pages
- Prioritize authority sources over quantity
- Establish baseline monitoring to track impact
- Begin competitor backlink analysis to identify opportunities
Phase 2: Growth (Months 4-6)
- Increase monthly acquisition to 10-30 new referring domains
- Expand link targets to include secondary pages
- Implement content strategies designed to attract natural links
- Begin diversifying anchor text profile strategically
Phase 3: Scaling (Months 7-12)
- Maintain consistent acquisition of 15-50 new referring domains monthly
- Focus on closing specific competitive gaps identified through ranking analysis
- Leverage successful content for additional link opportunities
- Refine strategy based on ranking improvements and remaining gaps
This phased approach ensures you’re building toward your total backlink requirements at a natural pace that maximizes long-term ranking stability.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Building Backlinks
When pursuing your target number of backlinks, avoid these common mistakes:
Over-Optimization Red Flags
- Excessive exact-match anchor text
- Unnatural velocity spikes
- Over-reliance on a single link type
- Links predominantly from irrelevant websites
These patterns can trigger algorithmic filters that negate your link building efforts.
Recovery Strategies
If you’ve built too many low-quality links or acquired links too quickly:
- Disavow toxic links through Google Search Console
- Increase your proportion of branded and natural anchors
- Slow acquisition rate to more natural levels
- Focus on highest-quality opportunities only
Sometimes determining how many backlinks you need means also calculating how many toxic links you should remove.
Start Building the Right Number of Links Today
The question “how many backlinks do I need?” doesn’t have a universal answer—but now you have a framework to calculate your specific requirements.
Remember these key takeaways:
- The number of backlinks you need depends primarily on your competition
- Quality and relevance often outweigh raw quantities
- Different page types require different link building strategies
- Natural acquisition patterns matter as much as total numbers
- A combined approach of marketplace links and organic acquisition delivers the best results
Ready to start building the exact number of backlinks you need to rank? Explore our link building packages for a customized approach tailored to your specific goals, or use our link building marketplace to start closing your backlink gap immediately.
Whether you want to buy backlinks directly or need guidance on your overall strategy, our team is ready to help you reach the exact number of backlinks you need for ranking success.
