How Many Backlinks Do Top-Ranking Pages Have: What 100,000 URLs Reveal About SEO in 2025

Key Takeaways

• Position #1 has 3.8x more backlinks than positions 2-10 combined
• Average top-ranking page needs 203 backlinks to reach page one
• 95% of all web pages have zero backlinks (yet 5% still get traffic)
• Top pages acquire new backlinks at 5-14.5% monthly growth rate
• Domain Rating matters more than individual page authority for rankings
• Average #1 ranking page is 5 years old (up from 2 years in 2017)
• Australian businesses need 40-60% .com.au links for optimal local rankings
• Quality decisively defeats quantity with 93.8% prioritising relevance over volume

Introduction

Want to know the uncomfortable truth about ranking on Google?

The gap between winners and everyone else isn’t just big… it’s massive.

Backlinko’s analysis of 11.8 million search results found that the #1 ranking page has 3.8 times more backlinks than positions 2-10 combined.

That’s not a typo.

But here’s what shocked me most when analysing multiple large-scale studies covering over 100,000 URLs…

95% of all web pages have zero backlinks. Yet some still manage to rank.

This comprehensive investigation combines data from Backlinko’s 11.8 million URL study, First Page Sage’s analysis of 170+ client websites, Ahrefs’ 1 million SERPs research, and multiple verified case studies.

The result? Exact benchmarks Australian businesses can actually use.

Let’s dig into what the data really shows.

The Core Numbers: What Major Studies Actually Found

Backlinko’s 11.8 Million URL Analysis

Backlinko’s study of 11.8 million Google search results represents one of the most comprehensive analyses ever completed, conducted with Ahrefs data and updated in April 2025.

The headline finding?

The #1 position holds an average of 3x more referring domains than all other top 10 positions combined.

But here’s what makes this research revolutionary for Australian businesses…

Domain Rating showed stronger correlation with rankings than individual page authority. Your site’s overall authority matters more than individual page metrics.

Ahrefs’ 1 Million SERPs Deep Dive

Ahrefs examined the top 20 positions for one million keywords using Spearman correlation analysis. They found the number of referring domains scored 0.255—the strongest backlink correlation factor.

Total backlinks scored 0.248, whilst Domain Rating came in at 0.131.

These correlation coefficients might seem modest… but when you consider Google uses over 200 ranking signals, a single factor explaining 25% of ranking variability represents massive predictive power.

First Page Sage’s Real-World Client Analysis

First Page Sage analysed 170+ client websites to determine real-world backlink requirements. They found that pages need an average of 203 backlinks to reach page one and 521 backlinks to crack the top three positions.

These numbers assume DR30-equivalent quality—meaning one DR60 link would count as multiple DR30 links in their weighted system.

Position-by-Position Breakdown: The Winner-Takes-All Dynamic

The #1 Position Dominance

The concentration of backlinks at the top is extreme. Position #1 doesn’t just have slightly more authority—it has 3.8 times more backlinks than positions 2-10 combined.

This creates a “winner-takes-all” dynamic where the top spot compounds its advantage over time.

The #1 result also acquires new followed backlinks at a pace of 5% to 14.5% per month, according to Ahrefs’ backlink growth study analysing 200,000 pages.

Top 10 Position Clustering

Breaking down the top 10 by individual position reveals interesting patterns…

Pages ranking #1-#6 have an average URL Rating of just 12, whilst pages ranking #7-#10 score an average URL Rating of 11.

This minimal difference suggests that domain authority matters far more than individual page authority once you’re on page one.

The overall domain’s strength provides a foundation that individual page links simply enhance.

Pages 2-3 (Positions 11-20)

For pages ranking in positions 11-20, the backlink profiles drop substantially.

These pages show minimal new link acquisition and often stagnate without active link building campaigns.

Ahrefs’ data confirms that link growth rate declines progressively as ranking position declines, creating a “vicious circle” where lower rankings lead to less exposure, which leads to fewer natural backlinks, which maintains lower rankings.

Competition-Based Requirements

Position-specific requirements vary dramatically by keyword difficulty…

For Australian businesses competing in local markets, these numbers drop significantly with geographic targeting—but the relative ratios remain consistent.

The Shocking Truth: 95% Have Zero Backlinks

The Staggering Scarcity of Links

Ahrefs’ analysis found that 66.31% of pages have zero backlinks and 26.29% have links from just 3 websites or fewer. Combined, this means 92% of all pages have 3 or fewer backlinks total.

Over 9 out of 10 web pages never earn a single link.

Traffic Implications Are Devastating

96.55% of all pages get zero traffic from Google according to Ahrefs’ analysis of 14 billion pages. Only 1 in 6,671 pages with no backlinks gets over 1,000 monthly visits.

Among the approximately 20 million pages with no referring domains in Ahrefs’ index, only 2,997 (0.015%) receive more than 1,000 monthly visits.

This demonstrates that whilst ranking without backlinks is technically possible, it remains extraordinarily rare.

The Exceptions That Prove the Rule

Counter-intuitive case studies reveal fascinating exceptions…

SearchLogistics.com ranked position #2 for “how many backlinks do I need to rank” with only 6 referring domains—outranking Ahrefs, Moz, and Backlinko pages with 1,000+ domains. Piktochart outranked Canva despite having just 45 backlinks from 30 referring domains versus Canva’s 1,521 backlinks from 479 domains—winning with 97% fewer backlinks.

These outliers succeed through perfect search intent matching, exceptional content quality, and strong domain authority.

Domain Authority Trumps Page Authority

The URL Rating vs Domain Rating Battle

The average URL Rating (page-level authority) for top 10 results registers just 11.2 according to Backlinko’s study—with minimal difference between position #1 (URL Rating 12) and position #10 (URL Rating 11).

This suggests that a site’s overall Domain Rating provides far more ranking power than individual page metrics.

High-authority sites can rank new pages with minimal external links through strategic internal linking.

Domain Rating Correlation Strength

Multiple studies confirm that Domain Authority and Page Authority prove better predictors of ranking than raw link counts.

Domain Authority (Moz’s metric on a 0-100 scale) provides useful benchmarking. Sites with DA 40-50 represent average authority, DA 50-60 is considered good, and DA 60+ signals excellent/strong authority.

For Australian businesses competing in local markets, achieving DA 30-40 provides a solid foundation, whilst DA 50+ positions you strongly against most competitors.

One High-Authority Link Equals Dozens of Low-Quality Links

Industry analysis suggests one DR 70+ editorial link outperforms 30-40 DR 10-20 links in most scenarios.

Context matters enormously—relevance, link placement, and page quality all influence actual value.

A DR 90 link from an irrelevant site may prove less valuable than a DR 40 link from a highly relevant industry publication.

For perspective on how these costs translate in real-world scenarios, our analysis of link building statistics in 2025 shows the average quality backlink now costs $508, reflecting this quality-over-quantity shift.

Industry-Specific Backlink Requirements

Legal, Finance, and YMYL Industries

Legal services require approximately 187 backlinks for page one ranking and 412 backlinks for top three positions. Medical sites need 156 for page one and 389 for top three. HVAC businesses require 143 and 367 respectively.

YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) sites covering health, finance, and legal topics face significantly higher requirements.

These sites need 2-3x MORE high-quality backlinks than non-YMYL competitors due to Google’s elevated E-E-A-T standards. Links must come from authoritative sources—government sites (.gov), educational institutions (.edu), medical associations, and peer-reviewed publications.

B2B and Tech Industries

B2B and tech industries generally demand higher backlink volumes.

B2B SaaS companies need approximately 198 backlinks for page one and 501 for top three. Cybersecurity firms require even more—234 and 587 respectively. Software development companies face the steepest requirements at 267 backlinks for page one and 634 for top three positions.

E-commerce Challenges

Product pages naturally attract fewer editorial links than informational content, making link building more difficult.

Typical e-commerce profiles show 100-200 backlinks from 20-50 referring domains, with key sources including product review sites, shopping comparison platforms, affiliate partnerships, and industry publications.

Creating linkable assets like buying guides, original research, and infographics helps support product pages indirectly.

Local Business Efficiency Advantage

Local businesses operate differently than national brands. Local SEO requires 20-50 local/relevant backlinks plus 20-50+ NAP (Name, Address, Phone) citations.

Key sources include local news sites, community organisations, chambers of commerce, local event sponsorships, and educational institutions.

Geographic relevance proves crucial—one quality link from a local news site can outweigh multiple links from irrelevant national sources.

This local advantage is explored in depth in our guide to link building for local Australian businesses.

How Quickly Top Pages Accumulate Backlinks

The Aging Trend in Rankings

The average #1 ranking page is 5 years old according to Ahrefs’ 2025 study—a dramatic increase from 2 years in their 2017 analysis. 72.9% of pages in Google’s top 10 are more than 3 years old, up from 59% in 2017.

This aging trend means breaking into top rankings has become progressively harder for new sites.

Only 1.74% of newly published pages reach top 10 within their first year, compared to 5.7% in 2017.

Initial Ranking Timeframes

The average page takes 3.39 months (approximately 100 days) to first reach page one. For competitive keywords, reaching page one typically requires 6-12 months of sustained effort, whilst capturing position #1 can take 1-2 years or longer.

After 6 months, ranking probability plateaus significantly if you haven’t reached the top 10.

Ahrefs’ data shows that 40.82% of pages that eventually rank in the top 10 do so within the first month—suggesting that pages either succeed quickly or struggle long-term without intervention.

Link Velocity: The Compounding Advantage

Top-ranking pages acquire new followed backlinks at +5% to +14.5% per month according to Ahrefs’ backlink growth study. This percentage-based growth means a page with 100 referring domains gains 5-14 new domains monthly, whilst a page with 1,000 domains gains 50-145 monthly.

This creates a compounding advantage where top results accelerate away from competitors.

Safe link velocity for newer sites starts much lower…

• New sites (0-6 months): 2-3 backlinks monthly initially, scaling to 5-15 monthly
• Growing sites (6-18 months): 10-30 backlinks monthly
• Established sites: 30-40+ monthly without triggering spam detection

The key is maintaining steady, natural growth patterns rather than sudden spikes that appear manipulative.

Google’s 2024-2025 Algorithm Updates Impact

The March 2024 Seismic Shift

Google’s March 2024 Core Update fundamentally changed how backlinks function as ranking signals. Running 45 days (from March 5 to April 19)—far longer than the planned 10 days—this represented the largest and longest update in Google’s history. The update made four specific changes to link signals.

Previous policy stated Google uses links as an “important” factor; updated documentation simply says Google uses links as “a factor.”

Quantitative Decline in Backlink Importance

Backlinks dropped from 15% of Google’s algorithm in 2023 to 13% in 2024-2025. This represents backlinks falling from historically being the #1 ranking factor to currently ranking 3rd, behind “consistent publication of satisfying content” (23%) and “keyword in meta title tag” (14%).

This represents a 74% reduction from backlinks’ peak importance when they comprised over 50% of the algorithm.

Official Google Statements vs Reality

Gary Illyes (Google Webmaster Trends Analyst) stated in September 2023: “I believe they [links] are important, but I think people overestimate their importance. I don’t agree they’re in the top three. They haven’t been for some time.” In April 2024, he added: “We need very few links to rank pages… Over the years, we’ve made links less important.”

Despite these statements, industry studies show backlinks still matter significantly.

Backlinko’s analysis found that sites with strong link authority still correlate with higher rankings, with #1 pages having 3.8x more backlinks than lower positions. Ahrefs data reveals 95% of pages without backlinks get zero organic traffic—only 1 in 20 pages without links receives any traffic.

Rising Factors That Complement Backlinks

Rising factors that complement or compete with backlinks include satisfying content (now 23% of algorithm), searcher engagement signals (12%, up from 11%), and content freshness (6%, vaulted from less than 1%). Pages updated at least annually gain an average of 4.6 positions versus non-updated pages.

Australian Market Realities: Geographic Factors

The .com.au Link Advantage

Australian businesses face unique challenges in the link building landscape.

.com.au backlinks carry significantly more weight for Australian search results because Google prioritises locally relevant results for Australian searchers.

One quality .com.au link typically outperforms multiple .com international links for Australian rankings.

Priority sources include government sites (.gov.au), Australian industry bodies, local news outlets, chambers of commerce, and Australian educational institutions (.edu.au).

Optimal Geographic Distribution

For Australian businesses, maintaining 40-60% .com.au links in your backlink profile proves optimal.

This geographic focus signals local relevance whilst allowing some international authority links.

Recommended metrics for Australian link campaigns include targeting domains with…

• DR 12+ minimum (Ahrefs metric)
• 500+ monthly organic visitors
• Clear Australian content focus or audience

Budget Realities for Australian Businesses

Australian businesses face unique challenges in the link building landscape. The Australian market is smaller than US or UK markets, resulting in a more limited pool of potential linking domains. Industry experts note that Australian webmasters prove more reluctant to link compared to other markets, and pricing generally runs higher due to limited supply.

Quality link packages in Australia run approximately $1,200 monthly for professional services.

Agencies emphasise manual outreach and ethical practices, with typical timelines of 3-6 months for ranking improvements.

Similar to patterns we’ve documented in web design costs in Western Australia, Australian businesses face 15-30% premium pricing compared to regional or international alternatives across all digital services.

Realistic Goals for Australian Businesses by Stage

New Websites (0-6 Months)

New Australian websites should target 40-100 total backlinks with a monthly acquisition rate of 8-15 links.

Focus on foundation building through…

• Directories and local citations
• Industry associations
• Easy wins from partners
• 5-10 quality .com.au links minimum

Budget allocation: $500-1,500 monthly (if outsourcing)

Growing Businesses (6-24 Months)

Target 120-180 backlinks for local operations or 200-400 for national businesses.

Monthly acquisition rates: 10-20 backlinks

Strategies…

• Content marketing and linkable assets
• Guest posting campaigns
• Strategic outreach
• Maintain 40-60% .com.au links

Budget: $1,500-3,000 monthly

Established Businesses (24+ Months)

Target 500-1,500+ backlinks acquired over 18-36 months for national competition.

Monthly acquisition rates: 20-40 backlinks

Focus areas…

• Digital PR campaigns
• Large-scale linkable assets
• Scaled outreach programs
• High-authority placements

Budget: $3,000-8,000+ monthly depending on competition level

Competition Levels by Keyword Type

Understanding what percentage of websites buy backlinks helps contextualise these benchmarks—74% of professional link builders admit to purchasing links in anonymous surveys, though only 30% confess publicly.

Quality Beats Quantity: The 2025 Reality

The Paradigm Shift is Complete

93.8% of link builders now prioritise quality over quantity, marking a total reversal from practices even five years ago. Pages ranking #1 on Google possess an average of 3.8x more backlinks than positions 2-10, but the critical insight lies in understanding these aren’t just any backlinks.

Domain Rating correlation strengthened considerably: 69% of SEO professionals now rely on Ahrefs DR as their primary authority metric, whilst 84.6% prioritise link relevance above all other factors.

Follow vs Nofollow Debate Settled

89.1% of link builders now believe nofollow links impact rankings despite their technical designation, whilst 78.8% believe even plain text brand mentions without hyperlinks influence search performance. Ahrefs research shows that 10.6% of all backlinks to top-ranking sites carry nofollow attributes.

80.9% of SEO specialists believe unlinked brand mentions influence organic search rankings—a critical insight as AI-powered search engines increasingly factor in brand signals beyond traditional backlinks.

Quality Standards for 2025

Every backlink should meet minimum criteria…

• DR 30+ (ideally 50+)
• 1,000+ monthly organic visitors
• Active regular content updates
• No Google penalties
• Topical relevance to your niche
• Natural anchor text
• Placement within main content (not footers or sidebars)

One link meeting these standards outperforms dozens of low-quality directory listings.

The Traffic Value Calculation

In personal finance, a NerdWallet link provides $380 monthly traffic value or $9,120 lifetime value (24-month calculation). A Bankrate link generates $274 monthly or $5,928 lifetime value.

In the link building industry itself, an Ahrefs link provides $38 monthly or $912 lifetime value, whilst a SEMrush link generates $78 monthly or $1,872 lifetime value.

This lifetime value calculation makes quality links worth premium prices—a $1,500 editorial placement generating $10,000+ in traffic value over two years represents exceptional ROI.

The Surprising Internal Linking Power

When Internal Links Substitute for External

Internal linking can sometimes substitute for external backlinks in specific scenarios. Multiple case studies document sites reaching Google’s top 10 using ONLY internal links with zero external backlinks.

One case achieved top 10 in just 1 month for a keyword with difficulty 25 (where Ahrefs estimated 29 referring domains needed). Another reached top 10 in 2.5 months for keyword difficulty 48 (77 domains estimated).

However, these success stories required established domain authority and extensive internal link networks.

The Strategic Internal Link Approach

Domain authority trumps page authority in surprising ways. High-authority sites can rank new pages with minimal external links through strategic internal linking.

The key elements…

• Hierarchical site structure
• Contextual anchor text
• Strategic homepage and pillar page links
• Topic cluster architecture
• Regular content updates maintaining freshness

For Australian businesses building topical authority in specific niches, this internal linking advantage compounds over time.

Multi-Platform Reality: Beyond Google SEO

ChatGPT Changes the Link Building Equation

Since ChatGPT launched its search feature in October 2024, the discovery landscape fractured significantly. Research analysing 10,000 queries found that backlinks show weak direct correlation with ChatGPT citations, despite strong indirect impact through improved Google/Bing rankings.

Only 12% of URLs overlap between Google’s top results and ChatGPT’s citations for the same query. For running shoes queries, the correlation hit -0.98 (negative correlation).

What Matters for AI Search Visibility

Five factors trump backlinks for ChatGPT citations…

1. Volume and quality of brand mentions (linked or unlinked)
2. Presence in top 3 Google/Bing positions
3. Review quantity and sentiment across platforms
4. Media coverage and press mentions
5. Directory listings (G2, Capterra, Crunchbase)

73.2% believe backlinks influence AI search results, whilst 80.9% believe unlinked brand mentions now impact rankings across both traditional and AI search platforms.

The Multi-Platform Strategy

Brian Dean (Backlinko founder) notes: “We’re no longer just optimising for Google PageRank. We’re optimising for something bigger… Brand building, topic associations, co-citations in trusted content.”

Rand Fishkin’s 2025 research shows Google still processes 210-373 times more searches than ChatGPT, but 58.5% of U.S. searches are zero-click, requiring presence across multiple platforms.

This convergence of traditional SEO and AI search around brand signals means investments in genuine brand building will deliver returns across all discovery platforms.

Real-World Case Study Performance

E-commerce Fashion Success

REPRESENT Clothing conducted a 35-month campaign from August 2022 to June 2025 through consistent monthly link building from DR 30-70 lifestyle, fashion, and culture websites.

Results…

• 499% organic traffic increase from 70,000 to 419,000 monthly visitors
• Domain Rating growth from 50 to 65
• Keyword rankings expanded from 3,500 to 5,888 keywords
• 1,654 keywords reached first three pages
• Estimated monthly traffic value: $69,800

The campaign demonstrates that sustained quality link building compounds over time, delivering geometric rather than linear returns.

SaaS Rapid Growth

Raven360, a corporate LMS platform, executed a focused six-month campaign using guest posts, niche edits, and SaaS authority backlinks…

• Domain Rating increased 14% from 42 to 48
• Organic traffic exploded 455% from 400 to 2,220 monthly visitors
• Organic keywords doubled from 1,038 to 2,101
• Traffic value surged 548% from $1,608 to $8,824

The rapid improvement within just six months in a competitive SaaS market validates that aggressive, quality-focused link building can accelerate growth even in mature industries.

Australian Local Business Example

A Perth accounting firm targeted “tax deductions for remote workers australia” (KD 15) with a comprehensive guide, 8 relevant backlinks from Australian business sites, and clear FAQ sections.

Result: #3 position in 82 days, generating 40+ qualified leads monthly.

This worked because they combined traditional SEO principles with modern AI optimisation in a winnable niche, focusing on quality over quantity and geographic relevance over international authority.

Your Actionable 90-Day Roadmap

Step 1: Analyse Your Specific Competition

Start by analysing your specific competition rather than chasing arbitrary numbers.

Identify your target keywords where you rank positions 11-30 (pages 2-3) and prioritise commercially valuable terms. Examine the top 3 competitors’ backlink profiles—specifically their ranking PAGES, not just overall domains.

Filter for dofollow backlinks from domains with DR 30+ and count high-authority referring domains.

Step 2: Calculate Your Link Gap

Average competitors’ backlink counts and target 10-20% above that average. If competitor #1 has 50 quality backlinks, competitor #2 has 40, and competitor #3 has 60, your target becomes 55-60 backlinks to compete effectively.

Divide this target by your monthly link building capacity to establish realistic timelines. At 10 quality links monthly, reaching 55-60 backlinks requires 5-6 months.

Step 3: Build Diverse Link Sources

For Australian businesses, prioritise local sources…

Local Sources

• Chambers of commerce
• Industry associations
• Local news publications
• Regional business directories
• Government-sponsored websites (.gov.au)
• State business programs
• Australian universities (.edu.au)

Industry-Specific Sources

• Trade publications
• Niche forums and communities
• Partner websites
• Supplier/vendor sites
• Customer testimonials

Step 4: Create Linkable Assets

Content marketing provides sustainable long-term link acquisition. Create linkable assets including…

• Original research and data studies
• Comprehensive industry guides
• Infographics and visual content
• Interactive tools and calculators
• Case studies with concrete results

These assets attract natural editorial links over time whilst establishing topical authority in your niche.

Step 5: Monitor Link Velocity

Aim for steady, gradually increasing acquisition rather than sudden spikes.

Maintain healthy ratios…

• Approximately 70% dofollow to 30% nofollow links
• No single anchor text exceeds 10% of your total profile
• Keep spam scores under 5%
• Build from diverse DR ranges (not exclusively from DR 80+ or DR 10-20)

12-Month Milestone Timeline

Months 1-3: Secure 30-50 foundational backlinks

• Focus: Local citations, industry directories, initial partnerships
• Budget: $500-1,500 monthly

Months 4-6: Build 40-60 additional backlinks

• Focus: Guest posting, content promotion, relationship development
• Budget: $1,500-3,000 monthly

Months 7-9: Acquire 50-70 backlinks

• Focus: Digital PR, linkable assets, scaled outreach
• Budget: $2,000-4,000 monthly

Months 10-12: Maintain 50-70 monthly acquisition

• Focus: Higher-authority domains, sustainable systems
• Budget: $3,000-5,000 monthly

Common Mistakes That Kill Link Building Campaigns

Chasing Arbitrary Volume Targets

The biggest mistake? Focusing on hitting specific numbers rather than building genuine authority. A campaign targeting “100 backlinks in 90 days” without quality standards will fail worse than a campaign earning 20 high-quality links.

Focus on metrics that matter: referring domain growth, organic traffic increases, keyword ranking improvements, and revenue impact.

Ignoring Geographic Relevance

Australian businesses that chase international links whilst ignoring local opportunities waste budget and time. One .com.au link from a relevant local publication outperforms five international directory links.

Maintain that 40-60% .com.au ratio in your profile for optimal Australian search performance.

Link Velocity Spikes

Acquiring 50 links in one month then nothing for three months triggers spam detection far more than steady acquisition of 10-15 links monthly.

Google’s algorithms detect unnatural patterns. Maintain consistent, sustainable growth.

Neglecting Link Maintenance

66.5% of links to websites since 2013 are dead/rotted according to Ahrefs analysis. Regular link audits identify broken links, removed links, and newly toxic domains.

Quarterly audits using Ahrefs or SEMrush protect your investment and identify opportunities for link recovery outreach.

Focusing Only on External Links

Sites with strong internal linking structures can rank new pages faster with fewer external links. Strategic internal linking distributes authority throughout your site.

Build topic clusters, create pillar content, and implement hierarchical site structure to maximise every external link’s impact.

Tools and Resources for Link Building Success

Essential Analysis Tools

Backlink Analysis

• Ahrefs (59.1% primary usage) - $129-$999/month
• SEMrush (24.8% primary usage) - $139.95-$499.95/month
• Moz Pro (legacy metrics) - $99-$599/month

Outreach Management

• BuzzStream for relationship tracking - $24-$999/month
• Pitchbox for automated sequences - $195-$999/month
• Hunter.io for contact discovery - Free-$499/month

Content Research

• BuzzSumo for content performance - $99-$299/month
• AnswerThePublic for question research - Free-$99/month
• SEMrush for keyword gap analysis

Australian-Specific Resources

Citation Management

• TrueLocal
• Localisto
• Hotfrog Australia
• Yellow Pages Australia
• Start Local

Industry Associations

• Chamber of Commerce directories by state
• Industry-specific trade associations
• Regional business networks

Over 80% of companies use paid SEO tools rather than relying on free alternatives, reflecting the sophistication required for competitive link building in 2025.

The Bottom Line: Quality, Patience, and Strategy Win

The data across millions of analysed URLs reveals clear patterns that Australian businesses can leverage.

Whilst the #1 position dominates with 3.8x more backlinks than lower positions, and 95% of pages have zero backlinks at all, the true differentiator isn’t sheer volume—it’s strategic quality.

Top-ranking pages in 2025 combine strong domain authority with steady link acquisition (+5-14.5% monthly), maintaining momentum that compounds over years. The average top result is now 5 years old with carefully cultivated backlink profiles featuring diverse, authoritative sources.

For Australian businesses, the path forward emphasises geographic relevance and realistic benchmarking.

Rather than chasing 500 backlinks blindly, analyse your specific competitors to determine exact requirements. Prioritise .com.au domains for 40-60% of your profile, target DR 30+ sources with real traffic and relevance, and maintain steady acquisition rates of 8-20 links monthly depending on your business stage.

Quality from locally relevant sources outperforms quantity from irrelevant international domains every time.

The Three-Tier Strategy That Works

Foundation (Months 1-6)

• 40-100 total backlinks
• Focus on citations, directories, easy wins
• 5-10 quality .com.au links minimum
• Budget: $500-1,500 monthly

Growth (Months 6-24)

• 120-400 additional backlinks
• Guest posting, content marketing, digital PR
• Maintain 40-60% geographic relevance
• Budget: $1,500-3,000 monthly

Dominance (24+ months)

• 500-1,500+ strategic placements
• High-authority editorial links
• Scaled sustainable systems
• Budget: $3,000-8,000+ monthly

Success Belongs to Patient Strategists

The future belongs to brands that earn authority through exceptional content rather than manipulate it through shortcuts.

Focus on creating genuinely helpful resources that naturally attract backlinks, build strategic relationships in your industry for quality placements, demonstrate E-E-A-T through expert authorship and citations, maintain consistent publishing schedules that establish topical authority, and update content regularly to maintain relevance.

Link building hasn’t died—it’s evolved into something more sophisticated requiring patience, strategy, and genuine value creation.

As search continues fracturing across Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, social platforms, and emerging AI tools, success belongs to businesses optimising for discoverability everywhere whilst maintaining core fundamentals.

Your Next Steps

Ready to build a link acquisition strategy that works for both Google and AI search?

Here’s what to do…

1. Book a strategy session – Get a comprehensive backlink audit and personalised roadmap for your business
2. Analyse your competition – Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify your exact backlink gap
3. Start with quick wins – Target low-competition keywords where you can realistically compete
4. Build for the long term – Develop sustainable content and relationships that compound over 12-24 months

We’ve helped 150+ Australian businesses navigate this landscape, including Perth-based companies achieving page 1 rankings in competitive niches through strategic, quality-focused link building.

Our approach combines traditional link building excellence with cutting-edge multi-platform optimisation… because ranking everywhere matters more than ranking anywhere.

Let’s build your sustainable link strategy →

Sources and References

1. Backlinko. (2024). “We Analyzed 11.8 Million Google Search Results. Here’s What We Learned About SEO.” Brian Dean research updated April 2025.

2. Ahrefs. (2024). “124 SEO Statistics for 2024.” Analysis of 35 trillion backlinks database and 1 million SERPs.

3. First Page Sage. (2024). “How Many Backlinks Does A Website Need to Rank on Google?” Analysis of 170+ client websites.

4. Editorial.Link. (2025). “Link Building Statistics 2025: Insights From 500+ Industry Experts.” Survey of 518 SEO professionals.

5. SEMrush. (2024). “Ranking Factors [Semrush Study].” Analysis of 300,000 search results across 16,298 keywords.

6. Perficient. (2024). “Links as a Ranking Factor.” Analysis of 32,000 queries using Quadratic Mean Spearman Correlation.

7. Ahrefs. (2024). “How Many New Backlinks Do Top-ranking Pages Get Over Time.” Analysis of 200,000 pages tracking monthly growth rates.

8. Ahrefs. (2025). “How Long Does It Take to Rank in Google? And How Old Are Top Ranking Pages?” Updated ranking timeline analysis.

9. Google Search Central. (2024). “What web creators should know about our March 2024 core update and new spam policies.”

10. Search Engine Journal. (2024). “Google March 2024 Core Update: 4 Changes To Link Signal.”

11. Search Engine Land. (2024). “How important are backlinks for SEO in 2026?” Industry expert analysis.

12. Profound. (2024). “The Surprising Gap Between ChatGPT and Google.” Analysis of 650+ queries showing URL overlap patterns.

13. SEO.AI. (2024). “Study Shows Google Search Rankings Link to ChatGPT Mentions.” Correlation analysis of 10,000 queries.

14. Outreach Monks. (2024). “8 Incredible Link Building Case Studies.” Real client results with measurable outcomes including REPRESENT Clothing and Raven360.

15. Red Search. (2025). “Local SEO Statistics & Facts Australia (2025).” Australian market analysis.

Note: All pricing and statistical data verified as of September-October 2025. Search algorithms and market conditions evolve continuously—regular monitoring and adaptation remain essential for sustained success.