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“Backlinks don’t work anymore.”
You’ve probably heard that before… maybe even believed it.
With all the new SEO trends popping up every year (AI content, EEAT, Core Web Vitals…), it’s easy to think link building is an old strategy.
But here’s the truth:
Backlinks still work… and they’re one of the strongest signals Google looks at when deciding if your website should rank or not.
Yes, the game has changed. You can’t just spam links or buy your way to the top anymore. But earning real, relevant backlinks?
That’s still GOLD.
In fact, studies show that websites with strong backlink profiles consistently rank higher, get more traffic, and build more trust… even in 2025.
So if you’ve been ignoring linking building because someone said “it doesn’t work anymore”, this post will change your mind.
We’re diving into 17 up-to-date link building statistics that prove why backlinks still matter and how they impact rankings.
Ready to stop guessing and see the data for yourself?
Let’s get into it.
1. Google looks at 3 things when ranking your website: good content, good user experience, and strong backlinks
Most people think content alone is enough.
Yes, content is king… but not a lonely king.
Google wants three things:
- Your content must be helpful and original.
- Your website should load fast, be easy to use, and look good on phones.
- And finally, other websites must link to yours… that’s the backlink part.
Think of backlinks like online votes. The more quality websites that “vote” for you, the more Google trusts your page.
2. Sharing your content on social media helps you get 22% more backlinks
Let’s say you write a blog post and keep it to yourself. It might get a few backlinks, but not much more.
Now imagine you share that same post on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or even Reddit.
More people will see it… and some of them might link to it from their own blogs or websites.
That’s exactly what this statistic means: people who promote their content on social media get 22% more backlinks than those who don’t.
So if you’re not sharing your posts, you’re missing out on easy backlinks.
3. 52% of marketers say link building is the hardest part of SEO
You’re not alone if you’ve tried link building and thought, “This is hard!”
More than half of marketers agree. Why?
Because it takes time. You have to:
- Create content that’s worth linking to.
- Find people who might want to link to it.
- Send emails or messages asking them to do so.
- Follow up (because most people don’t reply the first time).
It’s not a quick fix. But it works… and that’s why people still do it.
4. Long blog posts get 77.2% more backlinks than short ones
Not every post needs to be 2,000 words long, but here’s the truth:
Longer posts usually earn more links. Why?
Because long posts:
- Cover topics in more detail.
- Solve problems better.
- Are more likely to be shared and bookmarked.
- Attract links naturally over time.
So, if you’re writing 300-word posts and wondering why nobody is linking to them… now you know.
5. 94% of blog posts have no backlinks at all
Yes. Most content online is invisible.
That means 94 out of 100 blog posts don’t get even one backlink. Why?
Because they’re either:
- Too short
- Not helpful
- Not promoted
- Or just not interesting
This statistic is both scary and exciting.
Scary because the internet is noisy. Exciting because if you focus on quality and outreach, you’re already ahead of 94% of people.
6. 96% of pages in Google’s top 10 results have over 1,000 backlinks. Only 0.3% have under 100
This is huge.
Google rarely ranks websites that don’t have backlinks… especially on the first page.
If you look at the top 10 results for most keywords, almost all of them have over 1,000 backlinks from different websites.
That doesn’t mean you need 1,000 backlinks to rank, but it shows that backlinks matter a lot when competing for top spots.
Only 0.3% of those top pages have fewer than 100 backlinks… which is almost nothing.
7. 49% of marketers say it takes 1 to 3 months to see results from link building
This isn’t an overnight thing.
Almost half of marketers say it takes 1 to 3 months before they notice real results from their link building.
So if you’re building links and not seeing traffic right away, don’t panic. SEO is a slow game, but a powerful one.
Plant the seeds today, and they’ll grow in the weeks ahead.
8. SEO specialists use different metrics to measure backlink quality: 42% use domain authority, 67% use domain rating, 24% use private tools
Not all backlinks are equal.
Some are strong… others are weak or even harmful.
So how do people know if a backlink is good?
They look at metrics like domain authority (DA) and domain rating (DR).
These are scores (usually from 0 to 100) that show how trustworthy and powerful a website is.
DA is from Moz.
DR is from Ahrefs.
Both help SEO specialists judge whether a link is worth getting.
Some businesses also use their own tools to measure quality.
9. If they could only use one metric, 44% pick domain rating, and 18% pick domain authority
This just shows that domain rating (DR) is the most trusted metric by many SEO experts.
DR focuses more on backlinks… and people feel it gives a better picture of a website’s strength when it comes to link building.
So if you’re looking at whether a link is “good,” checking DR is a smart move.
10. 36% of businesses hire outside help (freelancers or agencies) to build backlinks
Building backlinks takes time, effort, and skill. And many businesses don’t have the time or know-how to do it themselves.
That’s why 36% of companies pay experts to help.
If you’re struggling with link building, you’re not alone… and getting help might be a smart investment, especially if SEO is a big part of your growth strategy.
11. Getting a good backlink can cost between $100 and $1,500 (or more)
Yes, backlinks can be expensive. Why?
Because getting a link from a high-quality, relevant website isn’t easy.
Whether you pay for content, outreach, or placement, you’re paying for value… and value isn’t cheap.
Some businesses spend thousands a month just on link building. Others focus on creating amazing content that naturally attracts links.
Either way, it takes work and/or money.
12. The #1 result on Google has 3.8x more backlinks than the next few results
This statistic is wild.
The top spot on Google doesn’t just edge out the competition; it dominates.
It usually has nearly 4 times more backlinks than the websites ranked below it.
That’s a clear sign that backlinks are a huge ranking factor… and that having more of them (from good websites) gives you a serious edge.
13. 73.6% of websites exchange links with others (reciprocal links)
You link to me, I’ll link to you.
That’s what reciprocal linking means… and most websites do it. In fact, over 73% of websites have some kind of link exchange going on.
It’s not a bad thing if done naturally and in moderation.
Just don’t overdo it… Google can tell if you’re only building links in this way.
14. Using the recipient’s first name in your backlink email outreach can boost backlink success by 50%
Outreach matters.
If you’re emailing someone to ask for a link, don’t just say “Hi there.”
Use their name. Why?
Because personalization works. It shows you’re not a robot. It shows respect. And people are more likely to respond.
A simple “Hi John” instead of “Hello” can double your chances of getting that backlink.
15. It takes 8 days on average to get a backlink after sending a backlink email outreach
Here’s what usually happens:
- Someone opens your email within 1 day.
- If they reply, it’s usually within 6 days.
- If they give you a backlink, it happens around day 8.
So don’t stress if you don’t hear back right away. Follow up politely. Give it time. It’s all part of the process.
16. Content that gets shared a lot gets 2 to 5 times more backlinks and organic traffic
This one makes a lot of sense.
When people share your content, more people see it.
And the more people see it, the more likely it is that someone will:
- Link to it
- Reference it
- Quote it
So if you want more backlinks, write content that people want to share… useful, interesting, helpful, or even funny content.
17. 73.2% of marketers believe backlinks help with AI search rankings
Search is changing.
With AI tools like Google’s SGE and ChatGPT, some people worry that backlinks won’t matter anymore.
But guess what?
73.2% of marketers believe backlinks still play a big role… even in AI-powered search.
And that makes sense.
Backlinks are a signal of trust, and AI still needs signals to decide which websites are worth showing.
Wrapping up
So, there you have it… backlinks still work, and these statistics prove it.
If you want to grow your traffic, show up on Google, and build trust online, link building should be part of your game plan.
But here’s the thing:
Even with great backlinks, your website needs to look and feel right for visitors.
That’s where Block Agency comes in.
We help agencies design websites that not only look good but help them grow… with clean design, fast loading, and SEO-ready structure.
Want a website that’ll help you scale your agency?
Talk to us: hey@blockagency.co
