When it comes to ranking your website on search engines, one of the most common questions is, “How many backlinks do I need to rank on page one?“
The short answer? It depends.
The number of backlinks required to rank a website is influenced by several factors, including your website’s domain authority (DA) or domain rating (DR), keyword difficulty (KD), and competition in your niche.
The better answer? Let’s walk you through what actually matters—we’ll break down these key factors and offer strategies to help you determine how many backlinks you might need to rank your website successfully, and back it up with real data from PressHERO campaigns that have driven results across industries.
Let’s Be Clear: It’s Not Just About Quantity
Yes, backlinks are a major Google ranking factor. But more doesn’t always mean better. We’ve helped clients rank—and even dominate their verticals—with surprisingly few backlinks. The catch? Those links were high-quality, niche-relevant, and strategically placed.
Just ask our lifestyle affiliate client who saw a 37,000% organic traffic increase from just 10 links. Not a typo. Strategic placement > mass quantity
Multiple Factors Affect Backlink Requirements
The number of backlinks you need isn’t a fixed figure—it varies depending on a combination of factors. Primarily, your domain authority or domain rating, the keyword difficulty, and the level of competition in your niche play a crucial role.
Your Own Website Existing Link Profile
If your site is brand new, your backlink threshold is higher. You’re building authority from scratch. Your site will have a lower DA or DR score, and you’ll likely need more backlinks than a more established site with a higher domain rating.
ℹ Domain Authority (DA) and Domain Rating (DR) are metrics that reflects the overall strength of your website’s backlink profile. The lower your DA or DR, the more high-quality backlinks you will need to compete with established websites.
💡 At PressHERO, we specialize in securing backlinks from high-DR websites (DR 50+), which helps even small businesses with lower authority websites compete effectively.
Keyword Competitiveness
The difficulty of the keywords you’re targeting significantly impacts how many backlinks you’ll need.
For high-competition keywords, such as “link building,” you may need hundreds of backlinks from authoritative domains to rank. In these cases, the competition for visibility is fierce, and websites with large backlink profiles dominate the top spots.
On the other hand, if you’re targeting low-competition or long-tail keywords, fewer backlinks may be sufficient. For example, ranking for a long-tail keyword like “best link-building services for small businesses” might require fewer than a dozen strong backlinks.
💡 That’s why our team starts every campaign with a Competitor Backlink Gap Analysis to figure out what you’re really up against.
Domain Authority and Backlink Quality
Not all backlinks are created equal.
The quality of backlinks is just as important—if not more so—than quantity. Backlinks from authoritative, contextually relevant sites carry much more weight than a large volume of low-quality links. For example, a backlink from a high-DR site like Forbes or Yahoo can have a greater impact on your ranking than dozens of links from low-DR sites.
💡 PressHERO focuses on delivering white-hat backlinks from top-tier, authoritative websites, giving you a competitive edge even if your site has a lower DA or DR.
Competitor Analysis
One of the best strategies for determining how many backlinks you need is to conduct a competitor analysis. By using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, you can examine the backlink profiles of top-ranking websites for the keywords you’re targeting.
This analysis allows you to identify the backlink gap between your site and your competitors. For example, if the top-ranking page for your target keyword has 500 backlinks and you only have 50, you’ll need to focus on closing that gap to stand a chance at ranking.
💡 At PressHERO, we help our clients build high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites, which can help close the backlink gap and improve your ranking potential.
Internal Linking and Content Quality
While external backlinks are essential, don’t underestimate the power of internal linking and content quality.
By strategically linking to other relevant pages within your site, you can distribute “link juice” more effectively, which can reduce the number of external backlinks you need to rank. Additionally, high-quality, relevant content will naturally attract backlinks over time, amplifying the effectiveness of your link-building efforts.
Ensuring your site has strong content paired with a robust internal linking structure can significantly enhance your ranking potential.
Real Campaign Results: What Does It Actually Take?
| Case Study | of Backlinks | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Home Goods E-Commerce | 20 | 1,531% traffic increase |
| B2B Law Firm | 50 | 4x traffic in 12 months |
| Digital Education Platform | 30 | 180% traffic increase in 6 months |
| AI Content SaaS | 30 | 420% traffic growth |
| B2B Marketplace | 35 | Traffic doubled to 1M+ |
| Lifestyle Affiliate Site | 10 | 37,000% traffic growth |
| DTC Manufacturer | 10 | 4x traffic in 6 months |
| Fashion eCommerce Brand | 30 | 4x traffic increase |
Want to see how these results were achieved? Explore our full case studies and discover what strategic backlinks can do for your brand.
So…How Many Backlinks Do You Need?
Here’s a quick cheat sheet based on what we’ve seen across hundreds of campaigns:
| Goal | Monthly Link Range | Time to Results |
|---|---|---|
| Local boost / early traction | 3–5 | ~3–4 months |
| Mid-size biz in competitive niche | 8–12 | 4–6 months |
| National SEO push or SaaS growth | 15–30+ | 6–12 months |
And no, we don’t do spammy PBNs or guest post farms. Every link is editorial and from a site with real traffic and relevance.
Summary
There’s no definitive number of backlinks needed to rank your website. The total amount will depend on a combination of your domain authority, the competitiveness of your keywords, and how many backlinks your competitors have.
A well-rounded strategy that includes:
- A focus on high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites,
- An analysis of your competitor’s backlink profiles,
- And optimization of your internal links and content,
Will help you determine the right number of backlinks for your specific situation.
For low-competition niches, a few dozen backlinks may be sufficient. However, for highly competitive keywords, you may need hundreds of high-quality backlinks from different domains to rank on the first page of search engines.
How PressHERO Can Help
At PressHERO, we specialize in securing top-tier backlinks from authoritative websites through journalist outreach. Our Done-For-You link-building service ensures you get white-hat backlinks that boost your website’s rankings, domain authority, and trust.
If you’re struggling to build backlinks or need help closing the gap with your competitors, reach out to PressHERO. Let us help you secure the backlinks you need to rank your website and achieve long-term SEO success.
TL;DR — It’s Not a Numbers Game, It’s a Strategy Game
You don’t need 500 backlinks. You need the right 20.
Want help figuring out your number? That’s what we do best.
Just ask the fashion eCommerce brand that reversed their traffic decline with 30 DR70+ links—and 4x’ed their traffic in under a year.
📞 Book a strategy call with PressHERO and get your free custom link-building plan.
