How Many Backlinks Should I Buy to Boost My Website's SEO?
Summary:
Buying backlinks may give a short-term SEO boost, but it’s risky and against Google guidelines. The number of links you need depends on your competitors, not a fixed number. Focus on earning high-quality, relevant backlinks through PR, guest posting, partnerships, and strong content. A few trusted links can have more impact than hundreds of low-value ones. For long-term growth, prioritize sustainable link-building strategies over buying links.
How Many Links Do I Need to Buy to Boost My Website's SEO?
If you’ve asked yourself how many links you need to buy to boost your website’s SEO, you’re not alone. Backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking signals in Google’s algorithm. But before you pull out your wallet, you need to know the risks, the alternatives, and how link strategies actually impact rankings in 2025.
What is SEO?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of improving your website so it ranks higher in search engine results, bringing in more visibility, traffic, and potential customers.
The Problem With Buying Backlinks
Google has made it clear that buying links to manipulate rankings violates their guidelines. In fact, Google’s spam team regularly targets link-selling networks. This means that even if buying links provides a short-term boost, it often leads to penalties or ranking drops once detected.
Instead of asking “how many links do I need to buy,” the real question is “how many high-quality links do I need to earn or build?”
Quality Over Quantity
The truth is, one high-quality backlink from a trusted site can carry more weight than 50 low-quality ones. For example, a single link from a local news site in Richmond or an industry authority can do far more for your business than dozens of directory listings with no traffic.
When it comes to SEO, Google looks at:
- Relevance: Does the linking site relate to your business or industry?
- Authority: Is the linking site trusted by search engines?
- Traffic: Does the site have real readers and engagement?
- Placement: Is the link embedded naturally in content or hidden in a footer?
How Many Links Do You Actually Need?
There isn’t a magic number. The right amount depends on your competition. If your top competitors in Richmond have 100 referring domains, you won’t outrank them with 10. On the other hand, if you’re in a niche with less competition, even a handful of strong links could move the needle.
A smart way to determine this is to run a competitor backlink analysis. At FreshMove Media, we do this for clients to identify:
- How many referring domains competitors have
- The types of sites linking to them
- Opportunities for outreach and partnerships
This helps create a realistic link-building plan tailored to your market.
Alternatives to Buying Links
Here are more sustainable strategies:
- Local PR: Pitch stories to local Richmond publications.
- Guest Posting: Contribute articles to industry blogs.
- Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses and exchange links naturally.
- Content Assets: Publish guides, research, or tools that people want to cite.
- Directories and Associations: Submit your business to reputable local and industry directories.
These approaches not only bring links but also build brand trust and referral traffic.
The Role of Internal Linking
Don’t overlook the links you control: your own. Strategic internal linking across your website helps distribute authority, improves crawlability, and strengthens your SEO. For example, linking from your blog posts to your main service page signals to Google that it’s a core offering.
What Google’s AI Search Means for Links in 2025
With Google’s AI-driven search results, backlinks are still important, but context matters more than ever. Google evaluates not just the presence of a link, but why it exists, how relevant it is, and whether users engage with it. Link-building in 2025 is less about raw numbers and more about authentic connections.
Final Takeaway
Stop asking “how many links do I need to buy” and start asking “how can I earn links that actually matter?”
The answer is not about hitting a number, but about building a link profile that Google trusts. A handful of relevant, high-authority links can outperform hundreds of spammy ones.
Need SEO Help?
If you’re ready to grow your business with a strategy that works, our SEO services can help you build a plan tailored to your market and competition.