A site needs backlinks to be found on Google. Everyone knows that. But, how many of them do you actually need? Is there an answer to the question of what is a good number of backlinks? That’s what you’re here to find out. And right from the start, we can tell you that the answer isn’t simple.
The number of backlinks you need depends on many things. Your current domain authority does matter. However, so does your SEO competition for the keywords you want to rank for. Therefore, no one can give you a uniform answer to how many backlinks you need to build. It could be 10, but it could be 2,000.
To help you find the ideal number for your scenario, we’ll talk about the things you need to know about link building if you want to get to page 1 of Google. There are many tactics you can utilize. But first, you need to learn how to avoid making mistakes. So, here are all the important questions you need to know the answer to.
How important is the quantity of backlinks?
We’re aware that this is SEO 101. But we feel that we need to talk about it. And to put it gently, putting quantity over quality in anything regarding SEO is a terrible idea. So, the thing you should be a lot more concerned with is the quality.
Google algorithms are already smart, but they’re becoming even smarter each day. Therefore, they know how to differentiate the good stuff from the junk. The situation is pretty similar to using cheap content mills as opposed to professional writers. Having bad links will bring you more harm than good. And that’s how things are.
So, don’t fall for getting cheap or even free links from spammy sites. It’s better to have ten great-quality links than a hundred bad ones.
Is it bad to buy links?
When people become concerned with how many backlinks they have, they usually feel the urge to increase that number as fast as they can. And one sure way to get new links is to pay for them. Yes, it does sound like we’re talking about something from yesteryear. But, it’s still a thing, and it can work.
On the other hand, not many marketers are willing to discuss this topic. They consider it to be their little dirty secret. So, it’s something everybody does, but they don’t admit it.
According to Google, paid links are the ones that you get in exchange for goods or services. So, here, we’re talking about paid product reviews and sponsored guest posts. Nothing is raising a red flag here. However, if most of your links are obviously paid for, Google might dock you for it. However, in the real world, the only backlinks you should worry about are the ones coming from link farms.
All in all, yes, you can pay for backlinks. Just make sure to pick a reputable company like Link Department is. Your links will come from authority sites, and they’ll be professionally made. So, you have nothing to worry about. However, don’t try to generate a thousand backlinks in a day. That’s something that will definitely hurt your rankings.
Can you have too many backlinks?
We’re trying to get to the bottom of what is a good number of backlinks. So, we should also talk about having too many backlinks. Does such a thing exist in the first place?
Google does have a long list of thins and link categories that violate their guidelines. And it covers everything from linking to spammy directories all the way to having poor-quality content. Anything that might make you look less credible is a big no-no.
The bottom line here is that you should stay away from having a sudden big influx of backlinks. When it’s done naturally, link building is a slow process. So, getting a couple of thousands of new links from other countries and shady sites does read as a violation of guidelines. Instead, learn how many backlinks per day is safe and stick to that number.
It’s enough that you trust us with this. If you get to the point when you get a manual penalty, your domain is pretty much done. You’ll be buried in the SERPs and comeback will be difficult. So, don’t be afraid to buy links, but make sure to be cautious about who you’re buying them from and about the quantity you’re making deals for.
What to focus on?
When trying to improve our websites, we’re always chasing different goals. However, it doesn’t matter if you want to improve your rank, gain authority, or convert more customers. You’ll need backlinks to achieve any of those. But, before you start, you need to set up some benchmarks and find the right approach from there.
Here are the things you need to find out:
- How many backlinks do you already have?
- What number of them are quality backlinks, and how many are negative.
- How many relevant backlinks you have?
- Do you have natural backlinks?
- What is the number of backlinks your competitors have?
Perform a backlink audit and see how your current backlink profile looks like. Learn what is Google’s definition of a natural backlink profile before diving into this. You want all of your backlinks to have something to do with your business. And at the end, you can use your competition’s backlink profiles to get yourself more quality links. It’s a process that takes time, but it’s well worth it.
So, what is a good number of backlinks?
As you probably figured out by now, there’s no real answer to the question of what is a good number of backlinks. These are a vital part of any SEO strategy, and you can’t do without them. However, there are also other ways to get eyeballs to your site. Create quality content, outreach, and write guest posts. This is the best way to establish yourself as the authority figure in your niche. And when you manage to do that, links will come naturally.