Can you rank in the top 10 of Google with very few links? Not according to new analysis published today by Internet Marketing Ninjas. He found that:
More than 96% of websites ranking in the top 10 of Google had more than 1,000 backlinks from unique domains. Only 0.3% had less than 100 backlinks.
Why we care Google has said that links are no longer one of the top three ranking signals and needs “Very few links to ranking pages.” However, it is clear that websites that rank well tend to have more backlinks. But it’s also true that web pages that rank well tend to attract a lot more backlinks, because they rank so well.
the results Here is a table showing the overall findings:
Some other interesting findings from the backlink analysis:
Amazon ranked in the top 10 for 164 of the 200 keywords; the next closest brand was Walmart (57). The “weakest” site had 54 referring domains and ranked at position 6. An average of 164 unique domain links appeared to be the “minimum needed to rank in the top 10” for local search terms, for in the lowest 10 places.
But. As the study points out, not all links are equal. Variables that could influence the value of a link include the authority of the linking site, the anchor text, and whether people actually click on the links.
About the data. The results are based on an analysis of the top 10 Google search results, consisting of 1,113 unique websites, for 200 random commercial intent keyword phrases.
The study. You can read it here: Google study of backlinks
You deeper Search Engine Land contributor and SMX speaker Eric Enge has done several studies over the past few years showing that links have value:
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About the author
Danny Goodwin has been the editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land & Search Marketing Expo – SMX since 2022. He joined Search Engine Land in 2022 as a senior editor. In addition to reporting on the latest search marketing news, he manages Search Engine Land’s Subject Matter Expert (SME) program. Also helps schedule US SMX events.
Goodwin has been editing and writing about the latest developments and trends in search and digital marketing since 2007. He was previously executive editor of Search Engine Journal (2017-2022), editor-in-chief of Momentology (2014-2016), and editor from Search. Engine Watch (from 2007 to 2014). He has spoken at numerous major search conferences and virtual events, and has brought his expertise to bear in a wide range of publications and podcasts.
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