How Long Do Backlinks Take to Work? Answer Revealed 

We get it—“How long do backlinks take to work?” is a question on a lot of minds.  

It totally makes sense, especially when you are just starting out. You want to know when to expect results.

Since this question is asked a lot, we’re here with our honest answer based on what we’ve learned from running different link building campaigns. 

Ready to reveal the truth? Let’s start!

How Long Do Backlinks Take to Work? Here’s the Truth

The short answer? It really depends.

If we’re talking about smaller changes, you might start seeing something within a week. For instance, if your website has a DR of 0 and you build 10 relevant backlinks from trusted sources, your domain rating may rise.

However, if you’re looking for bigger changes like higher rankings, more traffic, and an increase in DR, it’ll usually take about three months. So, hang tight and be patient.

But our advice is not to stress too much about link building metrics. While they can help you get give an idea of what’s working and what needs to be improved, they don’t always fully reflect your real SEO progress.

Want to get a better understanding of how this all works? Check out our link building case studies to see real-life timelines and results from actual campaigns.

Top 3 Factors That Affect Backlink Results

Even though we’ve given you an idea of how long do backlinks take to work, it’s highly important to understand the main factors that affect those results. Let’s break them down!

Backlink Quantity & Quality

When it comes to backlinks, both quality and quantity matter. 

If you focus only on the best and “golden” backlinks and build a few of them every month, your competitors will pass you by. 

On the other hand, if you build hundreds of backlinks but only two or three of them are valuable and come from trusted sources, it can actually hurt your SEO. Poor backlinks are a major red flag for search engines.

So, what’s the right approach? We recommend keeping a balance between quality and quantity if you want to rank higher on Google. It’s better to start with at least ten good backlinks each month, then gradually increase this number (if needed). 

We also recommend building as many backlinks as you can consistently, without sacrificing the quality. If building 40 backlinks per month feels like too much, it’s better to stick with a number you can manage while keeping the quality high.

Website Performance (aka the technical stuff)

Website performance refers to how well your website is functioning. 

Technical issues like slow-loading pages can negatively affect the overall performance. Even the best backlinks cannot help here if your website is not performing as it should. 

So before asking how long do backlinks take to work, make sure your website’s technical side isn’t holding them back.

To make sure your site is running smoothly, run a site speed test with PageSpeed Insights. It’ll show you any issues on both desktop and mobile, like in the example below.

Also, we suggest taking a look at our website audit checklist. It covers more than just page speed and helps you find other technical problems that could slow you down. 

Content

Content optimization also plays a big role in how well your backlinks work. 

If your content is poor, backlinks won’t do much for you. No one wants to link to an outdated blog or content that lacks originality. 

Whether you’re trying to get organic backlinks or build them through link exchanges or guest posting, your content should be compelling and link-worthy. 

The bottom line? Backlinks work best when your whole SEO strategy is in good shape—content included.

Do Some Backlinks Deliver Results Faster Than Others?

Yes, there are certain types of backlinks that are more powerful than others.

One example is SaaS (Software as a Service) backlinks. A link from a trusted SaaS company is much more valuable than one from a link-selling website. 

These businesses care about their website performance, SEO, and brand reputation, so they put effort into their online presence. As these companies grow, the value of your backlinks from these sites also grows. Cool, right?

Backlinks from edu and gov websites are also valuable. But here’s the thing. There are not many edu and gov sites, and even if you find some, reaching out to decision-makers can be extremely hard. Plus, scaling these backlinks is also difficult.

So, our advice is to focus on SaaS backlinks. If you’re unsure how to get them, our team at Saynine is always here to help. Check out our backlink packages or simply book a call to learn more about our services. 

How Long Does It Take Google to Index a Backlink?

Backlinks only help your SEO if Google can actually see them. If a backlink isn’t indexed, it’s invisible to search engines, which means it won’t impact your rankings. Makes sense, right?

But, how long does backlink indexing take? It depends. For smaller websites with a simple structure, it could take just a few days or a few weeks. For bigger websites, it might take longer. Google has a limited crawl budget, meaning it may not crawl every single page, especially if your site is large with a bunch of content.

So, how long it takes to index backlinks really depends on how big and complex your website is.

And since indexing is the first step, it naturally affects how long do backlinks take to work. Until a backlink is indexed, it can’t start affecting your rankings.

Backlinks Not Working? Here’s What to Do

You’ve got backlinks but aren’t seeing any results? What to do next?

No worries, we’ve got some tips to help you make the most of your backlinks.

Tip #1: Pay Attention to Keyword Difficulty

Before you start building backlinks, check how hard it is to rank for the keyword you chose. It’s best to target keywords with low difficulty and high global search volume. Why? These are easier to rank for than those with high competition. 

However, if the keyword has medium difficulty, that’s fine too. You’ll just need more backlinks to outrank competitors. 

But if the keyword is super hard, like in the example below, you might want to reconsider. Especially when you have a small budget, it’s best to stick with a keyword that has relatively good metrics and build as many backlinks as your budget allows. This way, you’ll be able to improve your backlink profile without breaking the bank.

Tip #2: Make Sure Your Target Pages are SEO-Optimized

When choosing target pages for link building, it’s important to check if they have been optimized. 

This includes optimizing meta tags, headings, and internal links. If basic elements are not optimized for SEO, don’t expect backlinks to do wonders for your website. 

Also, consider the authority of the page. For example, if it’s a landing page, does it clearly show your expertise in the topic? If not, it may need some content or some credibility boost first.

Tip #3: Check Your Website’s Technical Health

Finally, we highly recommend taking your website’s technical SEO seriously. What seems a minor issue at first can turn into a big problem. 

During your next website audit, pay close attention to page speed, indexability, sitemaps, and your robots.txt file.

With these steps, you can improve the effectiveness of your link building campaign and make the backlinks work for you faster!

Final Thoughts

When it comes to backlinks, being patient is helpful. 

Sometimes, things can take longer than expected because backlinks are just one piece of the puzzle. As we’ve already said, content and website performance are equally important. Once those are on point, your backlinks will start working—just give them some time.

So, how long do backlinks take to work? It varies, but in most cases, you’ll start seeing a real impact after a few months.

Our final piece of advice? Focus on improving your overall SEO, build relevant and valuable backlinks, and give it a few months before expecting great results.

P.S. After all, good things (like good rankings) come to those who wait!

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