As an SEO professional, you know that link building is essential for improving your site‘s visibility and organic traffic. But let‘s be honest – it‘s also really freaking hard.
In fact, 52.3% of digital marketers say link building is the most challenging part of SEO. And with only 6% of online content getting backlinks (and only 2.2% getting links from multiple websites), it‘s clear that earning quality links is no easy feat.
So what‘s a marketer to do? Give up on link building altogether?
Heck no! Links are still a crucial ranking factor – and will be for years to come. Over 78% of SEOs report positive ROI from link building, and companies invest 28% of their SEO budgets on average into building links.
But to see results, you need a strategic approach backed by data. That‘s where these 35+ link building statistics and facts come in. Armed with these up-to-date insights, you can craft a more effective link strategy, prove the value of your work, and stay ahead of the curve.
Let‘s dive in!
10 Top Link Building Statistics You Need to Know
First, let‘s look at some of the most essential link building stats all SEOs should know:
- Only 6% of online content gets a backlink, and 2.2% gets links from multiple sites. (Source: Backlinko)
- Articles over 3,000 words get 3.5X more backlinks than shorter posts. (Source: uSERP)
- Experienced link builders generate 3.57X more links than beginners. 59.4% of agencies have over 5 years of link building experience. (Source: uSERP)
- On average, it takes 3.1 months to see the impact of backlinks on search rankings. (Source: AuthorityHacker)
- 90% of marketers say creating content is their main strategy for more backlinks. (Source: Moz)
- 60% of SEOs outsource their link building activities. (Source: uSERP)
- The top-ranking page on Google has an average of 3.8X more backlinks than pages ranking 2-10. (Source: Backlinko)
- 58.1% of SEOs believe backlinks have a major impact on search rankings. (Source: AuthorityHacker)
- Ahrefs is the most popular link building tool, used by 55.5% of link builders. (Source: AuthorityHacker)
- 80% of SEOs predict links will continue as a ranking factor 10 years from now. (Source: Aira)
Already, you can see some clear themes:
- Links are still hugely important for SEO but very hard to get
- Content, especially long-form, is key for link building
- Experience and strategy make a big difference in link acquisition
- Most view link building as important enough to invest significant time and resources in
Now let‘s unpack even more stats and facts to guide your link strategy.
Link Building Challenges & Opportunities
We‘ve established that link building isn‘t easy – but effective strategy and knowledge can help. Here‘s a closer look at both the challenges and opportunities modern link builders face:
Why is link building so dang difficult?
A few reasons why many companies struggle with link acquisition:
- 94% of online content has no external backlinks. Rising above the noise isn‘t easy.
- The majority of link builders (73.5%) generate fewer than 10 backlinks per month. Moving the needle takes time.
- Paying for links is expensive – over $1,000 per high-quality link on average – and yields diminishing returns, with only 2 extra links per month.
- Link building costs are going up for 60% of SEO pros due to increasing competition and noise.
How do successful link builders overcome these challenges?
While there‘s no magic bullet, certain tactics tend to yield better results:
- 90% leverage content creation as their primary link building strategy. Content is king for earning backlinks.
- Longer content (3,000+ words) gets exponentially more backlinks than shorter articles.
- Adding videos to content helps too – posts with 3+ videos earn 55% more backlinks.
- 61.7% incorporate social media into their outreach strategy. Link builders using social media gain 22% more links per month on average.
- 51.6% use link exchanges to get backlinks. Just be sure to prioritize relevance and quality.
Link Building & SEO Impact
Let‘s take a closer look at what the data says about how link building impacts search engine visibility and traffic:
- The top ranking page on Google has 3.8X more backlinks than pages ranking 2-10 on average. More (quality) backlinks = better rankings.
- Backlinks have a clear influence on organic traffic too. Pages with more backlinks get more search traffic, plain and simple.
- 58.1% of SEOs say backlinks have a major impact on rankings. Links aren‘t everything, but they‘re still a key piece of the ranking puzzle.
- That said, it takes time to see the impact of link building on SEO. Only 46.6% of link builders see results within 3 months. On average, it takes 3-6 months to move the needle.
- Links will likely continue as a key ranking factor for a long time. 80% of SEOs believe links will still matter for SEO 10 years from now.
Bottom line: While Google‘s algorithm continues to evolve, it‘s clear that backlinks remain highly influential for search visibility. As Google‘s John Mueller has said, "Links are really important for use to find content initially. So it‘s like if nobody links to your website ever then we‘re going to have a hard time recognizing that it even exists."
Link Quality Indicators & Metrics
When it comes to link building, quality beats quantity every time. But how can you tell the difference between a so-so link and a great one? Here are some of the top metrics and criteria link builders use:
- 93.8% of link builders prioritize link quality over quantity.
- Domain Rating (DR) is the most popular link quality metric. 67% of marketers say they‘d look at DR over other indicators if they had to choose just one.
- 51.39% of experienced link builders use domain authority metrics like DR and DA, vs only 28.99% of beginners.
- Relevance is another big factor. Contextual links from sites and pages related to your niche tend to carry more weight.
- Placement matters too. Editorial links within the main content are generally more valuable than links in the footer, sidebar, or comments.
- 65% also consider estimated organic traffic to the linking page when evaluating link quality.
One thing to keep in mind: While DA and DR can be useful at-a-glance metrics, they‘re ultimately third party indicators that don‘t reflect the nuances of how Google evaluates sites. As Google‘s John Mueller has cautioned, "I don‘t think it makes sense to focus on DA or DR or any of those metrics. We don‘t use them."
The Most Effective Link Building Strategies for 2024
Now for the million-dollar question: What are the best ways to build quality links at scale? Here are some of the most effective tactics based on recent research:
- Creating linkable assets: In-depth guides, original research, free tools, and other linkable content pieces are hugely effective for attracting backlinks. Strive to create the best resource on your topic.
- Guest posting: Guest blogging isn‘t dead. In fact, 41.6% of link builders actively use guest posts to land backlinks. Just be sure to vet the site for relevance and authority and actually bring some value with your posts.
- Digital PR: 28.4% leverage public relations approaches like newsjacking and data-backed story pitches to relevant media outlets and blogs to attract press links and buzz.
- Local link building: For local businesses, inclusion in high-quality local directories and seeking links from location-specific sites and blogs is especially effective.
- Strategic partnerships: Many brands have success with link building partnerships and campaigns with non-competitive companies with overlapping audiences. Think co-marketed content, joint sponsorships, affiliate links, and more.
- Community engagement: Regularly engaging in relevant online communities, forums, and social channels is a great way to build natural links over time. Just focus on adding value, not dropping links.
While there‘s no one-size-fits-all approach, diversifying your tactics and always prioritizing quality and relevance in your link building is a winning strategy. But avoid sleazy tactics like buying links, PBNs, and keyword-stuffed guest posts. While they may work in the short-term, you‘ll likely get penalized by Google eventually. Not worth it.
The Future of Link Building
So what does the future hold for link building? Here are a few predictions based on the data:
- Links will continue to be a key ranking factor. 80% of SEOs believe links will still be important in 10 years.
- Content will be more important than ever. To earn quality links, you need linkable content that brings unique value to readers.
- Link costs will keep going up as organic visibility gets more competitive. Successful link building will require more time, skill, and resources.
- Relevance will be increasingly crucial. As Google gets better at understanding context and intent, the topical relevance of linking pages will likely carry more weight.
- Creativity will be key to cut through the noise. With so much content out there, you‘ll need to think outside the box and leverage tactics like data-backed content, tools, and digital PR to attract links.
One thing‘s for certain: Link building may evolve, but it‘s not going anywhere anytime soon. By staying on top of the data and committing to a quality-focused approach, you can future-proof your link strategy and drive sustained organic success.
Closing Thoughts: Putting These Link Building Insights Into Action
We covered a ton of fascinating link building stats and facts. But at the end of the day, all the knowledge in the world won‘t move the needle unless you put it into action.
So use this data as fuel to supercharge your link building strategy:
- Double down on creating standout content tailored to your audience. Think ultimate guides, original research, videos, and more.
- Proactively pursue safe, relevant backlink opportunities like guest posting on authoritative sites in your niche.
- Cultivate genuine relationships with influencers and brands in your space for potential partnerships.
- Regularly evaluate your link profile and disavow any low-quality or spammy links that could hurt you.
- Track the right metrics (organic traffic, keyword rankings, DR) to monitor your progress and prove the ROI of your link building efforts.
Rome wasn‘t built in a day, and neither is a high-quality backlink profile. Stay the course, focus on earning links through great content, and the results will come.
Happy link building!
