107 Link-Building Statistics, Explained Simply
107 sourced findings about backlinks, outreach, digital PR costs, linkable content and AI citations, with simple explanations and 214 practical actions.
66.5%
Historical links that had decayed
- Population
- Links to 2,062,173 websites
- Window
- Tracked from January 2013; exact endpoint undisclosed
- Read as
- Cumulative decay, not annual loss
Good link building starts with useful questions. Which page deserves attention? Why would this publication reference it? What does the fee cover? Will the link still be useful after the campaign ends?
This collection brings together 107 distinct findings from 33 studies and research releases, with original sources checked on 9 September 2026. The focus is link building: backlinks, placement selection, budgets, outreach, digital PR, content that earns references, link maintenance and internal links. A smaller section covers AI citations where they affect how we plan and measure coverage.
Every finding has an “In plain English” explanation, two concrete actions, a direct source and a note about what the number cannot prove. Use the searchable reference to find a number for a brief, or start with the decisions below. The explanations and actions are SEOlutions’ interpretation of the research.
Five things to take into your next campaign
- Review the page as well as the domain. A large marketplace analysis found that 39.6% of listed sites had zero estimated organic traffic. Being available to buy does not establish audience value. See the finding and its scope.
- Give a writer something reportable. In Muck Rack’s 2026 survey, 40% wanted original data or research with a pitch. Include the source, methods and someone who can explain the result. See the journalist survey.
- Define what the price includes. A digital PR provider survey found that 64% charged for unlinked mentions. That can be a valid PR output, but it needs its own line in a link-building brief. See the coverage comparison.
- Keep a maintenance owner. Ahrefs’ historical link study found 66.5% cumulative decay across a roughly nine-year window. That is a reason to check acquired links, not an annual loss forecast. See the historical study.
- Separate citations from visits. In Pew’s US browsing study, a summary citation was clicked on 1% of Google visits with an AI summary. An appearance and a referral answer different questions. See the browsing evidence.
Explore all 107 link-building statistics
Choose a topic or type a word into the search box. You can also filter by how the number was collected. A survey shows what people said. A website study looks at pages, links or traffic. An SEO test shows what happened on one site. Older numbers keep their original dates.
Topic 01 5 findings
Links and rankings
See how links relate to Google rankings, and why links are only one part of the picture.
Links and rankings have a modest relationship
0.255 / 0.248 correlation
In plain English
Pages with more links tended to rank a little higher, but the connection was weak. Other factors clearly matter too.
What you can do
- Compare your page with the pages that already rank for one important search.
- Check the content and internal links before deciding that more backlinks are needed.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ January 2025 US keyword analysis, referring-domain count had a 0.255 rank correlation and backlink count 0.248.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 1
- Research
- Google Says “Links Matter Less”—We Looked at 1,000,000 SERPs to See if It’s True
- How much was studied
- 1,000,000 keywords
- Who or what was studied
- Top 20 Google results for the one million highest-volume US keywords
- When the data came from
- not reported; published January 2025
- Where the number appears
- Correlation table; introduction and methodology
- Keep in mind
- Observational Spearman correlations; high-volume US queries are not representative of all searches. Correlation cannot establish ranking causation.
Reference S001 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Most indexed pages had no estimated traffic
96.55% of pages
In plain English
Most pages in the study received no estimated Google visits. Publishing a page alone does not bring it an audience.
What you can do
- Use Search Console to find pages that receive no views or clicks.
- Improve or remove pages with no clear audience or purpose before promoting them.
The exact finding
Ahrefs’ 2023 analysis estimated zero Google organic traffic for 96.55% of roughly 14 billion indexed pages.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 2
- Research
- 96.55% of Content Gets No Traffic From Google. Here’s How to Be in the Other 3.45%
- How much was studied
- approximately 14 billion pages; separate subset of about 20 million pages with no referring domains
- Who or what was studied
- Pages in the Ahrefs index, with estimated Google organic traffic
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2023 report
- Where the number appears
- Opening findings; study limitations
- Keep in mind
- Traffic is estimated from Ahrefs keyword coverage, not measured analytics. Indexed sample is quality-biased and does not represent every page on the web.
Reference S002 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Some unlinked pages still attracted search visits
2,997 of about 20 million
In plain English
A small number of pages got search visits even though Ahrefs found no links from other sites. Links are not always required.
What you can do
- Find pages that get search visits despite having few links from other websites.
- Learn from their content and internal links before seeking more backlinks.
The exact finding
In a separate subset in Ahrefs’ 2023 traffic study, 2,997 of about 20 million pages with no referring domains exceeded 1,000 estimated monthly Google visits.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 3
- Research
- 96.55% of Content Gets No Traffic From Google. Here’s How to Be in the Other 3.45%
- How much was studied
- approximately 14 billion pages; separate subset of about 20 million pages with no referring domains
- Who or what was studied
- Pages in the Ahrefs index, with estimated Google organic traffic
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2023 report
- Where the number appears
- Section discussing pages without backlinks
- Keep in mind
- Traffic is estimated from Ahrefs keyword coverage, not measured analytics. Indexed sample is quality-biased and does not represent every page on the web.
Reference S003 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Domain authority is only one clue
0.131 correlation
In plain English
A strong website score did not closely match higher rankings. It is one clue, not a final verdict.
What you can do
- Check topic fit, real traffic, article quality and outgoing links as well as DR.
- Read five recent articles before approving the website.
The exact finding
Domain Rating had a 0.131 ranking correlation in Ahrefs’ 2025 high-volume US keyword sample.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 4
- Research
- Google Says “Links Matter Less”—We Looked at 1,000,000 SERPs to See if It’s True
- How much was studied
- 1,000,000 keywords
- Who or what was studied
- Top 20 Google results for the one million highest-volume US keywords
- When the data came from
- not reported; published January 2025
- Where the number appears
- Correlation table: DR
- Keep in mind
- Observational Spearman correlations; high-volume US queries are not representative of all searches. Correlation cannot establish ranking causation.
Reference S083 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Local queries had a stronger link relationship
0.33 correlation
In plain English
Links and local rankings moved together more closely than in the full sample. Local search markets may behave differently.
What you can do
- Compare linking websites for each important local search and location.
- Repeat the check when local competitors or search results change.
The exact finding
For local queries in Ahrefs’ 2025 analysis, backlinks and referring domains each had a 0.33 ranking correlation.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 5
- Research
- Google Says “Links Matter Less”—We Looked at 1,000,000 SERPs to See if It’s True
- How much was studied
- Local-query subset of one million keywords; subset size undisclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Top-20 results for the local queries in the parent US keyword sample
- When the data came from
- not reported; published January 2025
- Where the number appears
- Local and non-local query comparison
- Keep in mind
- Observational Spearman correlations; high-volume US queries are not representative of all searches. Correlation cannot establish ranking causation. The local-query subset size is not disclosed.
Reference S085 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 02 9 findings
Choosing worthwhile placements
Learn how to judge a website and the exact page where your link would appear.
Reciprocal linking was common in the sample
73.6% of domains
In plain English
Many websites linked to sites that also linked back. This can happen naturally between related publishers.
What you can do
- Check whether each two-way link is genuinely helpful to readers.
- Review repeated link swaps between the same small group of websites.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ historical study of 140,592 domains with search traffic, 73.6% had at least one reciprocal linking relationship.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 6
- Research
- Reciprocal Links: Do They Help or Hurt Your SEO?
- How much was studied
- 140,592 domains
- Who or what was studied
- Domains with search traffic; followed incoming and outgoing links only
- When the data came from
- not reported
- Where the number appears
- How common are reciprocal links on the web?
- Keep in mind
- Historical study; page updated March 11, 2020, but original publication and fieldwork dates are not established. Traffic-selected sample has survivor bias. Reciprocity is not proof of an exchange scheme or its safety.
Reference S007 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Substantial two-way overlap also appeared
27.4% of domains
In plain English
More than a quarter of the sites had a lot of two-way links. The number describes what existed, not what you should copy.
What you can do
- Find which websites exchange the most links with your site.
- Keep natural partnerships, but do not aim for this study’s percentage.
The exact finding
In the same undated Ahrefs sample, 27.4% of domains had at least 15% overlap between the domains they linked to and those linking back.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 7
- Research
- Reciprocal Links: Do They Help or Hurt Your SEO?
- How much was studied
- 140,592 domains
- Who or what was studied
- Domains with search traffic; followed incoming and outgoing links only
- When the data came from
- not reported
- Where the number appears
- Distribution of reciprocal-link overlap
- Keep in mind
- Historical study; page updated March 11, 2020, but original publication and fieldwork dates are not established. Traffic-selected sample has survivor bias. Reciprocity is not proof of an exchange scheme or its safety.
Reference S008 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Reciprocal links appear on ranking pages
43.7% of pages
In plain English
Two-way links also appeared on high-ranking pages. That does not prove that planned link swaps are helpful or safe.
What you can do
- Record why each site links to the other and how it helps readers.
- Review repeated swaps, copied link text or links to unrelated pages.
The exact finding
Ahrefs found reciprocal links on 43.7% of 112,440 top-ranking pages in a separate historical sample.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 8
- Research
- Reciprocal Links: Do They Help or Hurt Your SEO?
- How much was studied
- 112,440 top-ranking pages from about 10,000 selected queries
- Who or what was studied
- Top-ranking pages for non-branded queries with keyword difficulty 40–60
- When the data came from
- not reported
- Where the number appears
- How much reciprocal linking happens in the top 10?
- Keep in mind
- Historical study; page updated March 11, 2020, but original publication and fieldwork dates are not established. Traffic-selected sample has survivor bias. Reciprocity is not proof of an exchange scheme or its safety. This subset used about 10,000 non-branded queries with keyword difficulty 40–60; it does not establish that exchange schemes are safe.
Reference S086 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Many listings had little estimated traffic
39.6% zero; 78% below 1,000
In plain English
Many sites offered for paid placement had little or no estimated Google traffic. A large marketplace does not guarantee a real audience.
What you can do
- Remove marketplace sites with little estimated traffic, then check the rest by hand.
- Record the tool and date because traffic estimates can be wrong.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 marketplace sample, 39.6% of sites had zero estimated organic traffic; 78% had fewer than 1,000 monthly visits.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 9
- Research
- Cost of Guest Posts, Based on 500k Sites [Updated 2026 Data]
- How much was studied
- 257,267 sites with price, Domain Rating and estimated traffic data
- Who or what was studied
- Complete listings in one unnamed link marketplace
- When the data came from
- June 2026 release; collection dates undisclosed
- Where the number appears
- Key takeaways: traffic distribution
- Keep in mind
- One marketplace, not the whole web. Listed quotes are not completed transactions. Traffic is an SEO-tool estimate; incomplete listings were excluded. Both traffic bands describe the same sample and count as one distribution finding.
Reference S104 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Few listings passed the study’s top tiers
1.37% of listed sites
In plain English
Very few listings met this study’s strictest quality rules. Always ask what a seller’s quality label actually means.
What you can do
- Ask sellers exactly what labels such as “premium” mean.
- Judge every site using your own relevance, quality and audience checks.
The exact finding
Only 1.37% of sites in BuzzStream’s 2026 sample met its “High Quality” or “Top Tier” metric thresholds.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 10
- Research
- Cost of Guest Posts, Based on 500k Sites [Updated 2026 Data]
- How much was studied
- 257,267 sites with price, Domain Rating and estimated traffic data
- Who or what was studied
- Complete listings in one unnamed link marketplace
- When the data came from
- June 2026 release; collection dates undisclosed
- Where the number appears
- Quality tier distribution; threshold definitions
- Keep in mind
- One marketplace, not the whole web. Listed quotes are not completed transactions. Traffic is an SEO-tool estimate; incomplete listings were excluded. These are the author’s DR/traffic tiers, not an editorial audit: DR 71–80 with 50,000+ traffic, or DR 81+ with 100,000+ traffic.
Reference S105 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Niche labels do not establish an audience
70% of gambling listings
In plain English
Most gambling-category sites in this marketplace had no estimated search traffic. A niche label can be misleading.
What you can do
- Read recent articles and check search visibility before trusting a niche label.
- Remove sites whose real content or audience does not match your campaign.
The exact finding
About 70% of roughly 10,000 gambling sites in BuzzStream’s 2026 marketplace subset had zero estimated organic traffic.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 11
- Research
- Cost of Guest Posts, Based on 500k Sites [Updated 2026 Data]
- How much was studied
- Roughly 10,000 gambling-site listings
- Who or what was studied
- Gambling-category subset of one marketplace’s complete listings
- When the data came from
- June 2026 release; collection dates undisclosed
- Where the number appears
- Gambling deep dive
- Keep in mind
- One marketplace, not the whole web. Listed quotes are not completed transactions. Traffic is an SEO-tool estimate; incomplete listings were excluded. A subset of one marketplace; not a statement about all gambling publishers.
Reference S106 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
DR was a popular screening metric
67% DR; 42% DA
In plain English
DR was a popular first check, but it cannot show whether a specific article or audience is a good fit.
What you can do
- Use DR only to create a first list, then inspect each page.
- Write down why you accepted or rejected each website.
The exact finding
In Aira’s 2022 survey, 67% used Domain Rating and 42% used Domain Authority to assess link quality.
Read the original study: Aira (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 12
- Research
- 11 Takeaways from the 2022 State of Link Building Report
- How much was studied
- 270 respondents; branching questions have different denominators
- Who or what was studied
- Self-selected SEO professionals answering the annual link-building survey
- When the data came from
- 16 March–2 May 2022
- Where the number appears
- Takeaway 2; report metric question
- Keep in mind
- Historical self-reported practice and opinions. Multiple-choice questions may allow several answers; responses are not measured ranking effects.
Reference S115 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Page relevance and domain relevance differ
62% vs 52%
In plain English
A website can cover your topic while the actual placement page does not. You need to check both.
What you can do
- Check whether both the website and the planned article fit your topic.
- Choose the page that helps readers most, even on a broader website.
The exact finding
Aira’s 2022 respondents assessed relevance using the linking page’s topic (62%) and the domain’s topic (52%).
Read the original study: Aira (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 13
- Research
- 11 Takeaways from the 2022 State of Link Building Report
- How much was studied
- 270 respondents; branching questions have different denominators
- Who or what was studied
- Self-selected SEO professionals answering the annual link-building survey
- When the data came from
- 16 March–2 May 2022
- Where the number appears
- Takeaway 7; relevance criteria
- Keep in mind
- Historical self-reported practice and opinions. Multiple-choice questions may allow several answers; responses are not measured ranking effects.
Reference S117 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A strong domain score can hide a weak page score
Average DR 61; UR 11
In plain English
A high domain score can hide a weak page. The page matters because that is where people will see the link.
What you can do
- Check the exact page’s traffic, internal links and surrounding content.
- Reject a weak page even when the website has a strong score.
The exact finding
Reboot reported an average DR of 61 and UR of 11 for its 2024 digital PR coverage.
Read the original study: Reboot Online (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 14
- Research
- Digital PR Statistics
- How much was studied
- More than 6,200 links acquired; exact metric-specific denominator undisclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Reboot’s own digital PR coverage
- When the data came from
- Agency coverage acquired during 2024
- Where the number appears
- Quality of backlinks: 2024 DR and UR
- Keep in mind
- One agency’s selected campaign mix. DR and UR are third-party metrics, not Google scores. The source page also contains unrelated secondary statistics.
Reference S120 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 03 8 findings
Costs and budgets
Understand what a price includes before you compare providers.
Budget approval was not easy for most
29% of respondents
In plain English
Only a minority said budget approval was easy. Clear goals and costs make the request easier to judge.
What you can do
- Explain which pages, audience and campaign idea the budget will support.
- Start with a small test budget, then agree when to stop or spend more.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, 29% said securing a link-building budget was very or somewhat easy.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 15
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Link Building Budgeting; ease of securing budget
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only.
Reference S021 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Many teams did not know cost per link
19.6% at $300–$500; 39.2% unsure
In plain English
Many respondents did not know their cost per link. The number is unreliable unless everyone counts cost in the same way.
What you can do
- Count agency fees, tools, production and staff time in the total cost.
- Check the cost again after removed or rejected links are excluded.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 digital PR survey, 19.6% reported average link costs of $300–$500, while 39.2% did not know their cost per link.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 16
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Digital PR Budgeting, question 3
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed.
Reference S024 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A retainer includes more than a link
US$5,458 per month
In plain English
The average monthly fee covered a complete digital PR service, not just one link.
What you can do
- Ask what research, content, outreach and reporting the monthly fee includes.
- Compare providers by the work included, not only the price.
The exact finding
BuzzStream’s 2025 survey of PR providers reported a mean monthly digital PR contract of $5,458.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 17
- Research
- How Much Does Digital PR Cost?
- How much was studied
- About 70 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Agency and freelance digital PR leaders, predominantly UK and US
- When the data came from
- 2025 survey; fieldwork dates not disclosed; page updated June 2026
- Where the number appears
- Average monthly contract
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported service costs, not invoices. UK/US-heavy convenience sample; item-level response counts are undisclosed. Scope varies between retainers.
Reference S098 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Cost per link needs a definition
US$597 per link
In plain English
The average price per link depends on what the provider included. Different definitions can produce very different totals.
What you can do
- Agree what counts as a successful link before calculating cost per link.
- Show total spend, accepted links and links that remain live together.
The exact finding
BuzzStream’s 2025 provider survey reported a $597 mean cost per link; roughly one-third did not know their figure.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 18
- Research
- How Much Does Digital PR Cost?
- How much was studied
- About 70 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Agency and freelance digital PR leaders, predominantly UK and US
- When the data came from
- 2025 survey; fieldwork dates not disclosed; page updated June 2026
- Where the number appears
- Average cost per link
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported service costs, not invoices. UK/US-heavy convenience sample; item-level response counts are undisclosed. Scope varies between retainers. The mean reflects respondents able to give a cost; the exact denominator is not reported.
Reference S099 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Provider type changes the quoted scope
US$6,357 vs US$4,200
In plain English
Agencies charged more on average than freelancers, but the work and capacity may not have been the same.
What you can do
- Give agencies and freelancers the same brief and ask what each includes.
- Compare the people, work and expected results beside the price.
The exact finding
In that 2025 survey, mean monthly retainers were $6,357 for agencies and $4,200 for freelancers.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 19
- Research
- How Much Does Digital PR Cost?
- How much was studied
- About 70 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Agency and freelance digital PR leaders, predominantly UK and US
- When the data came from
- 2025 survey; fieldwork dates not disclosed; page updated June 2026
- Where the number appears
- Agency and freelancer comparison
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported service costs, not invoices. UK/US-heavy convenience sample; item-level response counts are undisclosed. Scope varies between retainers.
Reference S100 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Longer commitments were common
About 75% of contracts
In plain English
Most contracts lasted longer than six months. Buyers need review points before the full term is over.
What you can do
- Add review dates after 30, 60 and 90 days to longer contracts.
- Agree when you can change the story, audience or budget.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2025 provider survey, about 75% of contracts lasted longer than six months.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 20
- Research
- How Much Does Digital PR Cost?
- How much was studied
- About 70 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Agency and freelance digital PR leaders, predominantly UK and US
- When the data came from
- 2025 survey; fieldwork dates not disclosed; page updated June 2026
- Where the number appears
- Contract length
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported service costs, not invoices. UK/US-heavy convenience sample; item-level response counts are undisclosed. Scope varies between retainers.
Reference S101 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Billable coverage can include unlinked mentions
74% / 68% / 64%
In plain English
Many providers charged for mentions and copied coverage as well as standard links. Agree what counts before work starts.
What you can do
- Count standard links, nofollow links, copied stories and unlinked mentions separately.
- Agree what each result is worth before the campaign begins.
The exact finding
Surveyed PR providers charged for nofollow links (74%), syndicated coverage (68%) and unlinked mentions (64%).
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 21
- Research
- How Much Does Digital PR Cost?
- How much was studied
- About 70 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Agency and freelance digital PR leaders, predominantly UK and US
- When the data came from
- 2025 survey; fieldwork dates not disclosed; page updated June 2026
- Where the number appears
- Charging for types of coverage
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported service costs, not invoices. UK/US-heavy convenience sample; item-level response counts are undisclosed. Scope varies between retainers.
Reference S102 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Vendor quotes differed from the lowest quote
US$461 vs US$295
In plain English
Different sellers quoted different prices for the same publication. The cheapest number may not include the same service.
What you can do
- Group duplicate publication quotes and record who offered each price.
- Compare service, review and replacement terms before choosing the cheapest option.
The exact finding
BuzzStream’s June 2026 marketplace analysis found a $461 average vendor quote versus a $295 lowest-vendor-price proxy.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 22
- Research
- Cost of Guest Posts, Based on 500k Sites [Updated 2026 Data]
- How much was studied
- 257,267 sites with price, Domain Rating and estimated traffic data
- Who or what was studied
- Complete listings in one unnamed link marketplace
- When the data came from
- June 2026 release; collection dates undisclosed
- Where the number appears
- Key takeaways; Vendor vs direct pricing
- Keep in mind
- One marketplace, not the whole web. Listed quotes are not completed transactions. Traffic is an SEO-tool estimate; incomplete listings were excluded. The source calls its lowest-quote proxy “direct price”; it is not independently verified publisher-direct pricing.
Reference S103 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 04 12 findings
Process and measurement
Plan the work, decide what success means and measure the same things each time.
Documented processes were uncommon
32% of respondents
In plain English
Only about one in three respondents had a written process. Without one, it is harder to find where a campaign went wrong.
What you can do
- Write down every step from finding websites to checking published links.
- Give each step a simple pass or fail rule.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, 32% of respondents followed a documented, repeatable link-building process.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 23
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Link Building Strategy, question 3
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only.
Reference S016 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Benchmarking had limited adoption
About one quarter
In plain English
Few teams compared results with a consistent starting point. Your own past results are often the fairest comparison.
What you can do
- Record your usual contact, reply, coverage, link and retention rates.
- Compare new campaigns with your own past campaigns using the same rules.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, about one quarter used benchmarks for their link-building results.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 24
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Link Building Reporting, question 12
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only.
Reference S017 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Reports often failed to explain value
40% of respondents
In plain English
Many reports listed activity without explaining business value. A live link is an output, not the final result.
What you can do
- Explain which decision each number in the report should help someone make.
- Show delivery, link quality, visits and business results separately.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, 40% felt their reporting effectively communicated the value of link building.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 25
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Link Building Reporting, question 11
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only.
Reference S018 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
More investment was planned
56% of respondents
In plain English
More than half planned to spend more. Extra money helps only when the process can keep quality high.
What you can do
- Check whether the team can keep quality high before increasing the budget.
- Increase spending in stages and stop if quality falls.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, 56% planned to increase link-building investment over the following year.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 26
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Link Building Budgeting; next-12-month investment question
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only.
Reference S019 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Success was far from universal
29% of respondents
In plain English
Fewer than one in three called their work successful. Teams may also mean different things when they say “success.”
What you can do
- Define an acceptable, good and excellent result before the campaign begins.
- Afterward, decide whether to stop, change the plan or do more.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, 29% described their link-building efforts as successful.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 27
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Measuring Impact, question 8
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only.
Reference S020 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Quality-link count was a common KPI
85.1% of respondents
In plain English
Most respondents counted high-quality links. The measure works only when quality is clearly defined.
What you can do
- Write simple rules for relevance, article quality, audience, link type and retention.
- Count only links that meet those rules and explain any rejections.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 digital PR survey, 85.1% measured campaign success using the number of quality links.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 28
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Measuring Digital PR; ways to measure success
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed.
Reference S023 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Results often required several months
85.2% said within 6 months
In plain English
Most respondents said results appeared within six months. This was their experience, not a promise for every site.
What you can do
- Set dates for creating the asset, outreach, first coverage and final review.
- Tell everyone what can reasonably be judged at each date.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 digital PR survey, 85.2% said measurable campaign results took no more than six months.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 29
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Measuring Digital PR; time to measurable results
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed.
Reference S025 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Digital PR felt harder
75% of respondents
In plain English
Three quarters said digital PR had become harder. Sending more emails does not fix a weak story.
What you can do
- After the first emails, review the story, recipients and message separately.
- Change one weak part, test again, then decide whether to contact more people.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 digital PR survey, 75% found the work more challenging than a year earlier.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 30
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Digital PR Challenges; change in difficulty
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed.
Reference S026 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Teams want better tactic selection
66% of respondents
In plain English
Many teams wanted better ways to choose tactics. The right tactic depends on the page, audience and story.
What you can do
- Choose tactics by audience, target page and the proof you can offer.
- Stop using tactics that repeatedly fail to produce useful results.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, 66% wanted to improve their choice of backlink tactics.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 31
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Areas for improvement: effective strategies
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only.
Reference S092 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Many teams align goals with KPIs
61% of respondents
In plain English
Many teams said their goals and measurements matched. Writing both down makes performance easier to judge.
What you can do
- Give each campaign goal one main success measure.
- Do not claim success using a number that was never part of the goal.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, 61% said their link-building goals aligned with KPIs.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 32
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Setting goals and KPIs
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only.
Reference S094 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Targets often included more than followed links
62% of respondents
In plain English
Campaign targets often included nofollow links and brand mentions. These results should not be counted as the same thing.
What you can do
- Set separate targets for standard links, nofollow links, mentions and copied stories.
- Tell providers which results are required and which are optional.
The exact finding
In Aira’s 2022 survey, 62% counted nofollow links, including sponsored and UGC attributes, toward overall link targets.
Read the original study: Aira (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 33
- Research
- 11 Takeaways from the 2022 State of Link Building Report
- How much was studied
- 270 respondents; branching questions have different denominators
- Who or what was studied
- Self-selected SEO professionals answering the annual link-building survey
- When the data came from
- 16 March–2 May 2022
- Where the number appears
- Takeaway 4; PDF page 17, exact survey question
- Keep in mind
- Historical self-reported practice and opinions. Multiple-choice questions may allow several answers; responses are not measured ranking effects. The summary also mentions brand mentions, but the PDF question specifically asks about link attributes. The selected claim follows that narrower wording.
Reference S116 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Weak campaigns were part of the experience
53% low-link; 29% zero-link
In plain English
Many people had worked on campaigns that performed poorly. A useful review should explain why.
What you can do
- Review weak campaigns and name the main problem: story, timing, audience or delivery.
- Test one clear change in the next campaign.
The exact finding
In Aira’s 2022 survey, 53% had run a content campaign earning only 1–9 links, and 29% had run one earning none in the preceding year.
Read the original study: Aira (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 34
- Research
- 11 Takeaways from the 2022 State of Link Building Report
- How much was studied
- 270 respondents; branching questions have different denominators
- Who or what was studied
- Self-selected SEO professionals answering the annual link-building survey
- When the data came from
- 16 March–2 May 2022
- Where the number appears
- Takeaway 10; content campaign results
- Keep in mind
- Historical self-reported practice and opinions. Multiple-choice questions may allow several answers; responses are not measured ranking effects. Respondents could have experienced both outcomes.
Reference S118 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 05 12 findings
Outreach and follow-up
Reach the right people with a clear message, then track replies and coverage.
Media-list data often needed correction
62.8% of respondents
In plain English
Contact databases often contained wrong or old information. Check the person before you send.
What you can do
- Check each important contact’s latest articles and current employer before emailing.
- Remove or update contacts you cannot verify.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 survey, 62.8% named outdated or incorrect journalist information as their main challenge with media-list tools.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 35
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Media List Building, question 8
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed.
Reference S027 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Most outreach emails received no reply
8.5% reply rate
In plain English
Only a small share of emails received a reply. Silence is common even in a large outreach campaign.
What you can do
- Count delivered emails, helpful replies, coverage and accepted links separately.
- Test the story with a small relevant group before sending it widely.
The exact finding
Backlinko and Pitchbox’s 2019 analysis of 12 million outreach emails found an 8.5% reply rate.
Read the original study: Backlinko and Pitchbox (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 36
- Research
- We Analyzed 12 Million Outreach Emails. Here’s What We Learned
- How much was studied
- 12 million outreach emails
- Who or what was studied
- Outreach emails supplied through Pitchbox
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2019 study
- Where the number appears
- Summary and most outreach emails are ignored
- Keep in mind
- Historical, platform-specific observational dataset. Reply is not equivalent to a positive reply, earned link or sale. Personalization findings are associations and relative changes.
Reference S035 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Personalized subjects correlated with replies
30.5% higher response rate
In plain English
Emails with personalised subjects received more replies in this study. The study cannot prove that the subject alone caused it.
What you can do
- Send two clear subject lines to similar groups and compare the replies.
- Judge useful replies and coverage, not only email opens.
The exact finding
In Backlinko and Pitchbox’s 2019 dataset, personalized subject lines were associated with a 30.5% higher response rate.
Read the original study: Backlinko and Pitchbox (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 37
- Research
- We Analyzed 12 Million Outreach Emails. Here’s What We Learned
- How much was studied
- 12 million outreach emails
- Who or what was studied
- Outreach emails supplied through Pitchbox
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2019 study
- Where the number appears
- Personalized subject lines section
- Keep in mind
- Historical, platform-specific observational dataset. Reply is not equivalent to a positive reply, earned link or sale. Personalization findings are associations and relative changes.
Reference S036 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Personalized bodies also correlated with replies
32.7% higher response rate
In plain English
Personalised messages also received more replies. Useful relevance matters more than adding someone’s name.
What you can do
- Explain in one sentence why the story suits that person’s recent work.
- Compare similar email groups to see whether better relevance improves replies.
The exact finding
In Backlinko and Pitchbox’s 2019 dataset, personalized email bodies were associated with a 32.7% higher response rate.
Read the original study: Backlinko and Pitchbox (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 38
- Research
- We Analyzed 12 Million Outreach Emails. Here’s What We Learned
- How much was studied
- 12 million outreach emails
- Who or what was studied
- Outreach emails supplied through Pitchbox
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2019 study
- Where the number appears
- Personalized email body section
- Keep in mind
- Historical, platform-specific observational dataset. Reply is not equivalent to a positive reply, earned link or sale. Personalization findings are associations and relative changes.
Reference S037 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
First coverage can arrive quickly
81% of respondents
In plain English
Most surveyed teams saw their first coverage within a week. Search and business results usually take longer.
What you can do
- Record how long each campaign takes to earn its first coverage.
- Treat early coverage as feedback, not proof of final SEO or business impact.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 digital PR survey, 81% typically saw their first coverage within a week of pitching.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 39
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Time to first coverage
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed. Self-reported typical timing; not a campaign guarantee.
Reference S095 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Personalization is not universal
48% of respondents
In plain English
Fewer than half always personalised pitches. A copied message is easy for a journalist to ignore.
What you can do
- Add one real, person-specific reason to every pitch.
- Review sent emails and ignore simple name changes as personalisation.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 digital PR survey, 48% said they always personalized pitches.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 40
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Pitch personalization
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed.
Reference S096 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Contact checks are easy to skip
53.4% of respondents
In plain English
Only about half always checked whether the journalist still worked there. A correct email can still reach the wrong person.
What you can do
- Check the person’s employer, topic area and latest article before sending.
- Save the check date and remove old contacts.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 digital PR survey, 53.4% always checked that a journalist still worked at the publication.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 41
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Research before pitching
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed.
Reference S097 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
One follow-up was associated with more replies
65.8% more replies
In plain English
One follow-up was linked with more replies. A helpful reminder can work, while repeated pressure can backfire.
What you can do
- Follow up once only when you can add useful new information.
- Stop after a rejection, and track complaints and unsubscribe requests.
The exact finding
Backlinko and Pitchbox’s 2019 analysis associated one additional follow-up with 65.8% more replies.
Read the original study: Backlinko and Pitchbox (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 42
- Research
- We Analyzed 12 Million Outreach Emails. Here’s What We Learned
- How much was studied
- 12 million outreach emails
- Who or what was studied
- Outreach emails supplied through Pitchbox
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2019 study
- Where the number appears
- Following up significantly boosts response rates
- Keep in mind
- Historical, platform-specific observational dataset. Reply is not equivalent to a positive reply, earned link or sale. Personalization findings are associations and relative changes. Relative increase, not percentage points; observational comparison.
Reference S107 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Finding the right contact can matter
93% higher reply rate
In plain English
Contacting more than one relevant person was linked with more replies. It should still be done carefully.
What you can do
- Choose the writer or editor whose recent work best fits the story.
- Keep one backup and contact them only if needed.
The exact finding
In the 2019 outreach dataset, contacting multiple people at an organization was associated with a 93% higher reply rate.
Read the original study: Backlinko and Pitchbox (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 43
- Research
- We Analyzed 12 Million Outreach Emails. Here’s What We Learned
- How much was studied
- 12 million outreach emails
- Who or what was studied
- Outreach emails supplied through Pitchbox
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2019 study
- Where the number appears
- Multiple contacts at the same organization
- Keep in mind
- Historical, platform-specific observational dataset. Reply is not equivalent to a positive reply, earned link or sale. Personalization findings are associations and relative changes. Relative increase; contact choice and campaign quality may confound the comparison.
Reference S108 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
An identifiable sender may help
8.2% / 11.5% / 23.4%
In plain English
Emails from a named person received more replies than anonymous-looking messages. Trust starts with a clear sender.
What you can do
- Send from a named person with a clear signature and working reply address.
- Test sender names while keeping the story and audience similar.
The exact finding
In the 2019 dataset, linked Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram profiles were associated with 8.2%, 11.5% and 23.4% higher reply rates respectively.
Read the original study: Backlinko and Pitchbox (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 44
- Research
- We Analyzed 12 Million Outreach Emails. Here’s What We Learned
- How much was studied
- 12 million outreach emails
- Who or what was studied
- Outreach emails supplied through Pitchbox
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2019 study
- Where the number appears
- Social profile links in email signatures
- Keep in mind
- Historical, platform-specific observational dataset. Reply is not equivalent to a positive reply, earned link or sale. Personalization findings are associations and relative changes. Relative associations, not percentage-point increases or controlled effects.
Reference S109 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Question-style subjects had fewer opens
13% lower open rate
In plain English
Question-style subject lines were opened less often in this sample. A direct subject may be easier to understand.
What you can do
- Replace vague questions with a direct description of the news or finding.
- Compare similar groups and judge useful replies, not only opens.
The exact finding
Reboot’s undated analysis associated question-style subject lines with a 13% lower open rate.
Read the original study: Reboot Online (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 45
- Research
- Digital PR Statistics: email subject-line analysis
- How much was studied
- More than 1,000 subject lines
- Who or what was studied
- Subject lines from Reboot’s own outreach analysis
- When the data came from
- Collection period not reported
- Where the number appears
- Email subject-line analysis
- Keep in mind
- Observational agency data with limited method disclosure. Opens are not replies or placements and can be distorted by mail-client privacy features. Relative difference; campaign assignment was not randomized.
Reference S121 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Timely references correlated with more opens
12% higher open rate
In plain English
Subjects tied to a recent event or article were opened more often. The reference still needs to be real and relevant.
What you can do
- Mention a recent article only when it truly connects to your story.
- Explain that connection in one short sentence.
The exact finding
Reboot associated subjects containing buzzwords, such as celebrity names, events or special dates, with a 12% higher open rate.
Read the original study: Reboot Online (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 46
- Research
- Digital PR Statistics: email subject-line analysis
- How much was studied
- More than 1,000 subject lines
- Who or what was studied
- Subject lines from Reboot’s own outreach analysis
- When the data came from
- Collection period not reported
- Where the number appears
- Email subject-line analysis: buzzwords
- Keep in mind
- Observational agency data with limited method disclosure. Opens are not replies or placements and can be distorted by mail-client privacy features. Relative difference; the term grouping and agency sample limit generalization.
Reference S122 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 06 14 findings
What journalists need
Give journalists a relevant story, clear evidence and someone who can answer questions.
Some inboxes receive heavy daily volume
14% received over 20 pitches
In plain English
Some journalists receive more than 20 pitches every day. They need to understand the story quickly.
What you can do
- State the finding, affected audience and why it matters in the first two sentences.
- Make the story clear without requiring an attachment.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s January–March 2026 journalist survey, 14% said they received more than 20 PR pitches on a typical day.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 47
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 28, daily pitch volume
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S028 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Relevant pitches were scarce for many writers
43% seldom; 4% never
In plain English
Many journalists said most pitches did not fit their work. A shorter, better-targeted list can beat a larger one.
What you can do
- Read three recent articles to understand the journalist’s topics and audience.
- Send only when your evidence clearly fits their work.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s January–March 2026 survey, 43% of journalists seldom received relevant pitches, and 4% said they never did.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 48
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 29, pitch relevance frequency
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S029 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Pitches still contributed to published stories
86% of journalists
In plain English
Most journalists had used at least one pitch in a story. Good outreach can help when it provides useful information.
What you can do
- Send a checkable finding, a short expert quote and the supporting source.
- Record which parts journalists actually use in their coverage.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s January–March 2026 survey, 86% of journalists said at least some of their stories began with a PR pitch.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 49
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 30, stories originating from pitches
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S030 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Original evidence was welcome
40% of journalists
In plain English
Many journalists wanted original research. They also need enough detail to check it.
What you can do
- Publish who was studied, when, how and what the limits were.
- Offer a simple table or methods page so journalists can check the result.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s January–March 2026 survey, 40% of journalists wanted original data or research included with a story pitch.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 50
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 31, ideal pitch assets
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S031 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Audience impact made a story relevant
78% of journalists
In plain English
Journalists cared most about how a story affects their audience. Relevance should be obvious in the pitch.
What you can do
- State who is affected, what changes and how large the change is.
- Pitch only publications whose readers have a clear reason to care.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s January–March 2026 survey, 78% said direct effects on their audience’s community made a pitch relevant.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 51
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 33, audience relevance
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S032 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
An irrelevant pitch was easily rejected
82% of journalists
In plain English
Irrelevant pitches were the most common reason for rejection. Sending to the wrong person wastes both sides’ time.
What you can do
- Check topic fit, reader value and story format before approving a pitch.
- Do not send when you cannot point to a relevant recent article.
The exact finding
In Cision’s 2026 survey of more than 1,800 journalists, 82% identified irrelevance to their audience or beat as a reason to reject a pitch.
Read the original study: Cision (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 52
- Research
- Why Do Journalists Ignore Your PR Pitch?
- How much was studied
- more than 1,800 journalists across 19 markets
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists across industries in the global State of the Media survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 survey release
- Where the number appears
- 1. Make your pitch relevant
- Keep in mind
- Original publisher’s public explanation of its own survey. Fieldwork dates and exact question-specific denominator not disclosed on this page; self-reported rejection reasons, not observed delivery outcomes. Full report landing page requires a form, so selected findings use accessible original-publisher reporting.
Reference S081 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A pitch still needs a news angle
34% of journalists
In plain English
A third rejected pitches with no clear news. Data still needs a reason to matter now.
What you can do
- Answer three questions: What is new? Why now? Why does it matter?
- Improve the story before adding more contacts if the answers are weak.
The exact finding
In Cision’s 2026 journalist survey, 34% said they would reject a pitch without a clear news angle or point of view.
Read the original study: Cision (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 53
- Research
- Why Do Journalists Ignore Your PR Pitch?
- How much was studied
- more than 1,800 journalists across 19 markets
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists across industries in the global State of the Media survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 survey release
- Where the number appears
- 6. Bring a clear news angle or point of view
- Keep in mind
- Original publisher’s public explanation of its own survey. Fieldwork dates and exact question-specific denominator not disclosed on this page; self-reported rejection reasons, not observed delivery outcomes. Full report landing page requires a form, so selected findings use accessible original-publisher reporting.
Reference S082 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Some journalists face a large weekly queue
29% received over 50 pitches
In plain English
Some journalists receive hundreds of pitches a week. Your message must be easy to scan.
What you can do
- Start with the small group of journalists who fit the story best.
- Use their questions to improve the pitch before sending it more widely.
The exact finding
In Cision’s 2026 survey, 29% of journalists received more than 50 pitches per week.
Read the original study: Cision (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 54
- Research
- Why Do Journalists Ignore Your PR Pitch?
- How much was studied
- more than 1,800 journalists across 19 markets
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists across industries in the global State of the Media survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 survey release
- Where the number appears
- Pitch volume
- Keep in mind
- Original publisher’s public explanation of its own survey. Fieldwork dates and exact question-specific denominator not disclosed on this page; self-reported rejection reasons, not observed delivery outcomes. Full report landing page requires a form, so selected findings use accessible original-publisher reporting.
Reference S129 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Most pitches missed the mark for many recipients
72% of journalists
In plain English
Many said most pitches missed the mark. Better targeting matters more than sending more.
What you can do
- Sort missed pitches by wrong topic, audience, timing, format or evidence.
- Fix repeated targeting mistakes before adding more contacts.
The exact finding
In Cision’s 2026 survey, 72% said fewer than a quarter of the pitches they received were relevant.
Read the original study: Cision (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 55
- Research
- Why Do Journalists Ignore Your PR Pitch?
- How much was studied
- more than 1,800 journalists across 19 markets
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists across industries in the global State of the Media survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 survey release
- Where the number appears
- Pitch relevance
- Keep in mind
- Original publisher’s public explanation of its own survey. Fieldwork dates and exact question-specific denominator not disclosed on this page; self-reported rejection reasons, not observed delivery outcomes. Full report landing page requires a form, so selected findings use accessible original-publisher reporting.
Reference S130 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A promotional angle can lose the story
53% of journalists
In plain English
A sales message is not automatically a news story. Lead with the useful finding.
What you can do
- Lead with the useful finding or event, then explain the company’s role.
- Remove sales claims that do not help a journalist report the story.
The exact finding
In Cision’s 2026 survey, 53% would reject a pitch for being overly promotional.
Read the original study: Cision (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 56
- Research
- Why Do Journalists Ignore Your PR Pitch?
- How much was studied
- more than 1,800 journalists across 19 markets
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists across industries in the global State of the Media survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 survey release
- Where the number appears
- Reasons to reject a pitch
- Keep in mind
- Original publisher’s public explanation of its own survey. Fieldwork dates and exact question-specific denominator not disclosed on this page; self-reported rejection reasons, not observed delivery outcomes. Full report landing page requires a form, so selected findings use accessible original-publisher reporting.
Reference S131 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
PR relationships still have value
53% of journalists
In plain English
More than half valued relationships with PR people. Reliable help over time can make future contact easier.
What you can do
- Keep short notes on each contact’s topics, preferences and past conversations.
- Answer requests quickly and accurately, including between campaigns.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s 2026 survey, 53% rated relationships with PR professionals important or very important.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 57
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 27, printed page 26: PR relationships
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S132 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A non-response is common
54% of journalists
In plain English
More than half rarely or never reply. No answer does not always mean the email failed to arrive.
What you can do
- Expect some silence and limit the number of follow-ups.
- Check the story and audience fit before sending more emails.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s 2026 survey, 54% said they seldom or never replied to pitches.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 58
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 28: replies to pitches
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S133 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Access to a person helps the reporting
58% of journalists
In plain English
Many wanted access to someone they could interview. A real expert can make the evidence easier to use.
What you can do
- Offer a real expert and explain what they can add.
- Prepare them to answer questions about the method and limits.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s 2026 survey, 58% wanted access to relevant interviewees with a pitch.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 59
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 32, printed page 31: what to include
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S134 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Repeated pitches can get deleted
46% of journalists
In plain English
Nearly half would delete repeated pitches. A follow-up should add something new.
What you can do
- Stop after one useful follow-up unless you have genuinely new information.
- Record the result so another teammate does not resend the same pitch.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s 2026 survey, 46% would delete pitches sent repeatedly without a response.
Read the original study: Muck Rack (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 60
- Research
- The State of Journalism 2026
- How much was studied
- 897 retained responses from 1,044 collected
- Who or what was studied
- Journalists recruited by email from Muck Rack’s database; mostly US-based
- When the data came from
- 2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02
- Where the number appears
- PDF page 33: reasons to reject or delete
- Keep in mind
- Non-probability, self-administered survey; not representative of every newsroom. Question-specific response counts are not always shown. Use retained sample, not the larger collection count.
Reference S135 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 07 18 findings
Content that earns links
Create pages that other writers genuinely want to use and cite.
Data-led pitches were widely used
95.9% of respondents
In plain English
Almost all respondents used data-led pitches. Data helps only when it answers a question people care about.
What you can do
- Choose one trustworthy number that answers a current audience question.
- Test the story with a few relevant journalists before doing more work.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream’s 2026 survey of more than 150 digital PR professionals, 95.9% used pitches built around data.
Read the original study: BuzzStream (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 61
- Research
- State of Digital PR Report (2026)
- How much was studied
- 150+ professionals
- Who or what was studied
- Digital PR professionals responding to the publisher’s survey
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Digital PR Tactics, question 5
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported vendor survey, not representative of all campaigns. Costs, success definitions and times to results differ across respondents; fieldwork dates undisclosed.
Reference S022 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Original research was part of many content plans
49% of respondents
In plain English
About half used original research. First-party evidence can give other writers something new to cite.
What you can do
- List useful company data, customer questions and repeated observations.
- Check privacy, definitions and whether you can update the study later.
The exact finding
In Orbit Media’s August 2025 survey of 808 content marketers, 49% had created and published original research in the preceding year.
Read the original study: Orbit Media (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 62
- Research
- Annual Blogger Survey 2025
- How much was studied
- 808 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Individual bloggers/content marketers; sample skews toward US, B2B and the author’s LinkedIn network
- When the data came from
- August 2025
- Where the number appears
- Question 20 chart, original research adoption; methodology
- Keep in mind
- Voluntary survey with no incentives. Strong results are self-defined, not a uniform SEO or revenue metric. Cross-sectional associations are not causal. Selected chart values visually inspected.
Reference S049 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Statistics were a common content ingredient
60% of respondents
In plain English
Most used statistics in their content. Numbers are more useful when readers can trace them to the source.
What you can do
- Put the source, date and people studied beside every important number.
- Give each finding a permanent link so writers can cite it easily.
The exact finding
In Orbit Media’s August 2025 survey, 60% said their typical blog post included statistics.
Read the original study: Orbit Media (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 63
- Research
- Annual Blogger Survey 2025
- How much was studied
- 808 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Individual bloggers/content marketers; sample skews toward US, B2B and the author’s LinkedIn network
- When the data came from
- August 2025
- Where the number appears
- Question 10 chart, elements in typical posts
- Keep in mind
- Voluntary survey with no incentives. Strong results are self-defined, not a uniform SEO or revenue metric. Cross-sectional associations are not causal. Selected chart values visually inspected.
Reference S050 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Guest bloggers reported stronger outcomes
30% vs 15% strong results
In plain English
Guest bloggers were more likely to report strong results. The survey does not show that the link caused those results.
What you can do
- Choose guest articles for the right audience and editorial fit.
- Measure visits, links and relationships separately, and avoid claiming one article changed rankings.
The exact finding
In Orbit Media’s August 2025 survey, 30% of guest bloggers reported strong results, compared with 15% of those who did not guest blog.
Read the original study: Orbit Media (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 64
- Research
- Annual Blogger Survey 2025
- How much was studied
- 808 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Individual bloggers/content marketers; sample skews toward US, B2B and the author’s LinkedIn network
- When the data came from
- August 2025
- Where the number appears
- Question 17 chart, guest blogging and results
- Keep in mind
- Voluntary survey with no incentives. Strong results are self-defined, not a uniform SEO or revenue metric. Cross-sectional associations are not causal. Selected chart values visually inspected.
Reference S051 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Teams using analytics reported better results
32% vs 13% reported strong results
In plain English
People who always checked their analytics were more likely to say their content worked well. The survey does not prove why.
What you can do
- Choose one clear goal for each article, such as visits, leads or links, and check it every month.
- Write down what you changed so you can see which updates were followed by better results.
The exact finding
In Orbit Media’s August 2025 survey, 32% of bloggers who always used analytics reported strong results, versus 13% who rarely or never did.
Read the original study: Orbit Media (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 65
- Research
- Annual Blogger Survey 2025
- How much was studied
- 808 respondents
- Who or what was studied
- Individual bloggers/content marketers; sample skews toward US, B2B and the author’s LinkedIn network
- When the data came from
- August 2025
- Where the number appears
- Question 21 chart, analytics and results
- Keep in mind
- Voluntary survey with no incentives. Strong results are self-defined, not a uniform SEO or revenue metric. Cross-sectional associations are not causal. Selected chart values visually inspected.
Reference S052 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Most AI users still checked the work
80% of respondents
In plain English
Most people in this survey reviewed AI-assisted content themselves. Human checking matters when an article needs to earn trust.
What you can do
- Ask a person to check every important fact, name and source before AI-assisted content is published.
- Link to the original evidence and correct mistakes quickly when a reader finds one.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ December 2024–February 2025 survey, 80% of respondents reported manually reviewing AI content for accuracy.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 66
- Research
- Marketers Using AI Publish 42% More Content
- How much was studied
- 879 reported total responses
- Who or what was studied
- Marketing and SEO professionals responding to an open content-marketing survey
- When the data came from
- December 2024–February 2025
- Where the number appears
- Companies edit and review AI content
- Keep in mind
- Open, self-selected survey; US is the most common location, in-house the most common role type. Question-specific denominators vary. Report says 879 total but its printed AI/non-AI subgroup counts sum to 880; use reported rounded findings without recomputing subgroup shares. Associations cannot isolate an AI effect.
Reference S055 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Misinformation was the main AI concern
62% of respondents
In plain English
Incorrect information was the most common concern about AI-assisted content. People will not cite a source they cannot trust.
What you can do
- Trace every number and quote back to its original source before using it in a linkable article.
- Remove a claim when you cannot confirm it instead of repeating a confident-sounding AI answer.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ December 2024–February 2025 survey, 62% identified sharing misinformation as the biggest perceived risk of AI content.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 67
- Research
- Websites Using AI Content Grow 5% Faster
- How much was studied
- 879 reported total responses
- Who or what was studied
- Marketing and SEO professionals in Ahrefs’ AI content-marketing survey
- When the data came from
- December 2024–February 2025
- Where the number appears
- What are the perceived risks of AI content?
- Keep in mind
- Open, self-selected survey; US is the most common location, in-house the most common role type. Question-specific denominators vary. Report says 879 total but its printed AI/non-AI subgroup counts sum to 880; use reported rounded findings without recomputing subgroup shares. Associations cannot isolate an AI effect. Selected finding concerns perceived risk, not actual misinformation incidence; headline growth calculation is not selected.
Reference S058 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Blogs and product pages play different roles
68% vs 41%
In plain English
Teams often built links to blog posts more than product pages. A useful guide can lead readers toward a product later.
What you can do
- Link each useful guide or study to the product page it supports.
- Make the next step clear without turning the guide into a sales page.
The exact finding
In BuzzStream and Citation Labs’ 2025 survey, 68% prioritized blog posts for links and 41% prioritized product pages.
Read the original study: BuzzStream and Citation Labs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 68
- Research
- Link Building Trends Report (2025)
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Agency, freelance, consultancy and in-house link-building professionals
- When the data came from
- not reported; 2025 release
- Where the number appears
- Types of pages prioritized for backlinks
- Keep in mind
- Self-reported, non-probability survey; full sample size not stated. The approximately 150 respondents cited in the management section are the in-house subset only. Multiple page types could be selected.
Reference S093 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Longer articles attracted more referring domains
77.2% more linking domains
In plain English
Longer articles earned more links on average. Extra words alone are unlikely to be the reason.
What you can do
- Compare your guide with the best sources and add missing evidence or examples.
- Remove filler; make the article longer only when readers need more detail.
The exact finding
In the 2017–2018 content sample, articles over 3,000 words averaged 77.2% more referring domains than articles below 1,000 words.
Read the original study: Backlinko / BuzzSumo (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 69
- Research
- We Analyzed 912 Million Blog Posts. Here’s What We Learned About Content Marketing
- How much was studied
- 912.5 million articles
- Who or what was studied
- Articles in the BuzzSumo index
- When the data came from
- Articles published 1 October 2017–1 October 2018
- Where the number appears
- Long-form content gets more backlinks; methods PDF
- Keep in mind
- Historical, observational data. Links are unique referring domains in the methods. Means can be skewed by outliers; formats were classified automatically.
Reference S110 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Most articles attracted no external links
94% had no linking domains
In plain English
Most articles earned no links from other websites. Good content still needs a useful topic and active promotion.
What you can do
- Before writing, find who links to similar resources and why.
- Plan promotion, internal links and future updates before publishing.
The exact finding
In the historical Backlinko/BuzzSumo sample, 94% of articles had no external referring domains; only 2.2% had links from multiple sites.
Read the original study: Backlinko / BuzzSumo (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 70
- Research
- We Analyzed 912 Million Blog Posts. Here’s What We Learned About Content Marketing
- How much was studied
- 912.5 million articles
- Who or what was studied
- Articles in the BuzzSumo index
- When the data came from
- Articles published 1 October 2017–1 October 2018
- Where the number appears
- 94% of blog posts have zero external links
- Keep in mind
- Historical, observational data. Links are unique referring domains in the methods. Means can be skewed by outliers; formats were classified automatically.
Reference S111 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Social shares were a weak link proxy
0.078 correlation
In plain English
Social shares and links did not move together closely. A popular post is not always a cited post.
What you can do
- Report social shares, visits and new linking websites separately.
- Use each number for its own decision; shares do not prove links will follow.
The exact finding
Backlinko and BuzzSumo reported a 0.078 Pearson correlation between social shares and backlinks in their historical content dataset.
Read the original study: Backlinko / BuzzSumo (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 71
- Research
- We Analyzed 912 Million Blog Posts. Here’s What We Learned About Content Marketing
- How much was studied
- 912.5 million articles
- Who or what was studied
- Articles in the BuzzSumo index
- When the data came from
- Articles published 1 October 2017–1 October 2018
- Where the number appears
- No correlation between social shares and backlinks
- Keep in mind
- Historical, observational data. Links are unique referring domains in the methods. Means can be skewed by outliers; formats were classified automatically.
Reference S112 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Some explanatory formats attracted more links
25.8% more linking domains
In plain English
Why-posts, how-to guides and infographics earned more links on average. Choose the format that fits the subject.
What you can do
- Choose a why-post, how-to guide or visual only when it fits the question.
- Compare it with similar content and keep promotion differences in mind.
The exact finding
Why posts, what posts and infographics averaged 25.8% more links than video and how-to posts in that historical sample.
Read the original study: Backlinko / BuzzSumo (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 72
- Research
- We Analyzed 912 Million Blog Posts. Here’s What We Learned About Content Marketing
- How much was studied
- 912.5 million articles
- Who or what was studied
- Articles in the BuzzSumo index
- When the data came from
- Articles published 1 October 2017–1 October 2018
- Where the number appears
- Content formats and backlinks
- Keep in mind
- Historical, observational data. Links are unique referring domains in the methods. Means can be skewed by outliers; formats were classified automatically. Grouped categories; this does not estimate the effect of changing the format of one article.
Reference S113 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A statistics page earned links in one campaign
515 emails → 32 linking sites
In plain English
One Ahrefs statistics page earned links through outreach. It is a useful example, not a guaranteed result.
What you can do
- Give each statistic a permanent link, visible source and clear date.
- When you update it, tell people who already cited the page what changed.
The exact finding
Ahrefs’ 2020 statistics-page campaign reported 36 backlinks from 32 websites after 515 outreach emails.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 73
- Research
- Link Building Case Study: How We Built Backlinks With a Stats Page
- How much was studied
- 515 emails
- Who or what was studied
- One Ahrefs statistics-page outreach campaign
- When the data came from
- Campaign reported August 2020; precise outreach window undisclosed
- Where the number appears
- Campaign results in the introduction
- Keep in mind
- One successful, publisher-selected case with an established brand. No control group; the results are not a general outreach forecast.
Reference S114 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Reports were rated ahead of interactives
56% vs 42%
In plain English
Respondents rated research reports highly as linkable assets. A report works when its evidence is genuinely useful.
What you can do
- Start with a report when original evidence is the main value.
- Add clear charts, tables and summaries that publishers can reuse accurately.
The exact finding
In Aira’s 2022 survey, 56% considered reports and long-form content effective, versus 42% for interactive content.
Read the original study: Aira (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 74
- Research
- 11 Takeaways from the 2022 State of Link Building Report
- How much was studied
- 270 respondents; branching questions have different denominators
- Who or what was studied
- Self-selected SEO professionals answering the annual link-building survey
- When the data came from
- 16 March–2 May 2022
- Where the number appears
- Takeaway 11; PDF page 47: effective content formats
- Keep in mind
- Historical self-reported practice and opinions. Multiple-choice questions may allow several answers; responses are not measured ranking effects. Practitioner opinions about effectiveness, not measured link yields.
Reference S119 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Link earning per visit varied by industry
14.4 vs 2.5 domains
In plain English
The number of new linking websites per visit varied a lot by industry. Compare your result with similar businesses.
What you can do
- Compare new linking websites with search visits using the same dates and tool.
- Compare only with similar sites, and check both numbers before drawing conclusions.
The exact finding
Siege’s 2024–2025 real estate/property/home-services group averaged 14.4 new referring domains per 10,000 organic visits, versus 2.5 for B2B SaaS.
Read the original study: Siege Media (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 75
- Research
- Organic Link Ratios by Industry: What 100 Sites Reveal About Link Acquisition
- How much was studied
- 100 sites; ten per industry
- Who or what was studied
- Sites selected for organic prominence across ten industries
- When the data came from
- January 2024–December 2025
- Where the number appears
- Industry comparison table; two-year averages
- Keep in mind
- Organic link ratio means new referring domains per 10,000 organic visits. Selected successful sites are not a random sample. Falling traffic can raise the ratio without an increase in referring domains.
Reference S123 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Zillow’s link-to-traffic ratio increased
31.9 → 53.9
In plain English
Zillow’s ratio rose, but that can happen because links grow, traffic falls, or both.
What you can do
- Show new linking websites and search visits as separate lines.
- Find which pages earned links before copying a single company’s result.
The exact finding
Zillow’s reported organic link ratio rose from 31.9 in 2024 to 53.9 in 2025 in Siege’s analysis.
Read the original study: Siege Media (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 76
- Research
- Organic Link Ratios by Industry: What 100 Sites Reveal About Link Acquisition
- How much was studied
- One website within a 100-site study
- Who or what was studied
- Zillow in the 2024–2025 study
- When the data came from
- January 2024–December 2025
- Where the number appears
- Real estate: Zillow
- Keep in mind
- Organic link ratio means new referring domains per 10,000 organic visits. Selected successful sites are not a random sample. Falling traffic can raise the ratio without an increase in referring domains. Units: new referring domains per 10,000 organic visits; not a raw backlink growth rate.
Reference S124 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Secureframe’s ratio also increased
3.9 → 20.1
In plain English
Secureframe’s ratio also rose. A single company can show a pattern, not a universal benchmark.
What you can do
- Find groups of content whose link-to-visit ratio is rising.
- Use the pattern as an idea to test on another group.
The exact finding
Secureframe’s reported organic link ratio increased from 3.9 in 2024 to 20.1 in 2025.
Read the original study: Siege Media (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 77
- Research
- Organic Link Ratios by Industry: What 100 Sites Reveal About Link Acquisition
- How much was studied
- One website within a 100-site study
- Who or what was studied
- Secureframe in the 2024–2025 study
- When the data came from
- January 2024–December 2025
- Where the number appears
- Cybersecurity: Secureframe
- Keep in mind
- Organic link ratio means new referring domains per 10,000 organic visits. Selected successful sites are not a random sample. Falling traffic can raise the ratio without an increase in referring domains. Units: new referring domains per 10,000 organic visits; not an isolated campaign experiment.
Reference S125 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
The ratio can fall sharply too
19.9 → 1.8
In plain English
WooCommerce’s ratio fell sharply. Ratios can hide what happened to links and traffic separately.
What you can do
- When the ratio changes sharply, check links and visits separately.
- Show both original numbers beside the ratio in every report.
The exact finding
WooCommerce’s reported organic link ratio fell from 19.9 in 2024 to 1.8 in 2025.
Read the original study: Siege Media (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 78
- Research
- Organic Link Ratios by Industry: What 100 Sites Reveal About Link Acquisition
- How much was studied
- One website within a 100-site study
- Who or what was studied
- WooCommerce in the 2024–2025 study
- When the data came from
- January 2024–December 2025
- Where the number appears
- Ecommerce: WooCommerce
- Keep in mind
- Organic link ratio means new referring domains per 10,000 organic visits. Selected successful sites are not a random sample. Falling traffic can raise the ratio without an increase in referring domains. Units: new referring domains per 10,000 organic visits; the ratio alone cannot identify the cause.
Reference S126 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 08 4 findings
Keeping links useful
Keep checking links and pages after a campaign ends.
Links disappear over time
66.5% cumulative decay
In plain English
Many links disappeared over nine years. A link is not permanent unless someone keeps checking it.
What you can do
- Check acquired links after 30, 90 and 180 days.
- Record why a link disappeared and try to recover only fixable losses.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ historical study of links to 2,062,173 websites, 66.5% of links tracked from January 2013 had decayed by the study endpoint.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 79
- Research
- At Least 66.5% of Links to Sites in the Last 9 Years Are Dead
- How much was studied
- 2,062,173 websites
- Who or what was studied
- Historical backlinks pointing to sampled websites
- When the data came from
- Links tracked from January 2013 across a described nine-year window; exact endpoint not reported
- Where the number appears
- Opening finding and link-rot methodology
- Keep in mind
- Page updated February 2, 2024; do not substitute that date for measurement or original publication. Cumulative decay is not an annual loss rate. Ahrefs crawler classifications determine status.
Reference S038 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Original page addresses often stopped working
25% of sampled pages
In plain English
One quarter of old pages no longer worked at their original address. Sources and destinations can both move.
What you can do
- Save both the page containing the link and the page it points to.
- Redirect moved pages and update your campaign records when addresses change.
The exact finding
Pew found that 25% of sampled pages that existed at some point during 2013–2023 were inaccessible at their original addresses in October 2023.
Read the original study: Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 80
- Research
- When Online Content Disappears
- How much was studied
- approximately 1 million historical pages; about 500,000 news and 500,000 government pages; 50,000 Wikipedia pages
- Who or what was studied
- Common Crawl pages; sampled news, government and English-language Wikipedia pages
- When the data came from
- 2013–2023 Common Crawl pages checked October 2023; news, government and Wikipedia samples from spring 2023
- Where the number appears
- A quarter of all webpages that existed at one point between 2013 and 2023 are no longer accessible
- Keep in mind
- Availability at the original address was checked at a particular time. Pages and links have different denominators; a moved page may count as inaccessible at its former address.
Reference S039 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Broken links appeared on established publishers
23% news; 21% government pages
In plain English
Broken links appeared even on trusted news and government sites. Famous domains still have page-level problems.
What you can do
- Check that the page works, appears in Google and still contains the link.
- Check again after delivery, even on famous websites.
The exact finding
In Pew’s spring 2023 samples, 23% of news pages and 21% of government pages contained at least one broken link.
Read the original study: Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 81
- Research
- When Online Content Disappears
- How much was studied
- approximately 1 million historical pages; about 500,000 news and 500,000 government pages; 50,000 Wikipedia pages
- Who or what was studied
- Common Crawl pages; sampled news, government and English-language Wikipedia pages
- When the data came from
- 2013–2023 Common Crawl pages checked October 2023; news, government and Wikipedia samples from spring 2023
- Where the number appears
- Broken links are common on government and news websites
- Keep in mind
- Availability at the original address was checked at a particular time. Pages and links have different denominators; a moved page may count as inaccessible at its former address.
Reference S040 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Reference lists also deteriorated
11% of Wikipedia references
In plain English
Some Wikipedia references also broke. Research pages need regular source checks.
What you can do
- Check links on your research pages regularly, starting with popular pages.
- Replace dead sources and record what changed and when.
The exact finding
In Pew’s spring 2023 sample of 50,000 English Wikipedia pages, 11% of reference links were inaccessible.
Read the original study: Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 82
- Research
- When Online Content Disappears
- How much was studied
- approximately 1 million historical pages; about 500,000 news and 500,000 government pages; 50,000 Wikipedia pages
- Who or what was studied
- Common Crawl pages; sampled news, government and English-language Wikipedia pages
- When the data came from
- 2013–2023 Common Crawl pages checked October 2023; news, government and Wikipedia samples from spring 2023
- Where the number appears
- Links on Wikipedia; reference-link analysis
- Keep in mind
- Availability at the original address was checked at a particular time. Pages and links have different denominators; a moved page may count as inaccessible at its former address.
Reference S041 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 09 13 findings
Internal links and site structure
Help people and search engines find the important pages on your own site.
Many domains had sparsely linked pages
66.2% of domains
In plain English
Many sites had pages with few internal links. Those pages can be harder for people and search engines to find.
What you can do
- Find important pages that receive few links from other pages on your site.
- Add links from related pages using clear words that describe the destination.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ 2023 audit sample, 66.2% of domains had at least one page with only one followed incoming internal link.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 83
- Research
- We Crawled Over 1 Million Domains to Find the Most Common Technical SEO Issues
- How much was studied
- more than 1 million domains
- Who or what was studied
- Domains processed through Ahrefs Site Audit; a domain counts if at least one page has the issue
- When the data came from
- not reported; August 2023 report
- Where the number appears
- Most common issues; incoming internal links
- Keep in mind
- Site Audit sample is not a random sample of the entire web. Percentages apply to domains with at least one affected page, not the proportion of all pages.
Reference S042 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Redirect links were common in crawls
62.7% of domains
In plain English
Many sites linked through a redirect instead of the final page. Updating the link can make the journey cleaner.
What you can do
- Find internal links that first pass through a redirect.
- Point important links straight to the final page while keeping useful external redirects.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ 2023 audit sample, 62.7% of domains had at least one page linking to a redirect.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 84
- Research
- We Crawled Over 1 Million Domains to Find the Most Common Technical SEO Issues
- How much was studied
- more than 1 million domains
- Who or what was studied
- Domains processed through Ahrefs Site Audit; a domain counts if at least one page has the issue
- When the data came from
- not reported; August 2023 report
- Where the number appears
- Most common issues; links to redirects
- Keep in mind
- Site Audit sample is not a random sample of the entire web. Percentages apply to domains with at least one affected page, not the proportion of all pages.
Reference S043 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
More internal links correlated with more clicks
4× average Google clicks
In plain English
Pages with more internal links also got more Google clicks. More important pages may naturally have both.
What you can do
- Compare similar pages by internal links, search clicks and purpose.
- Test one navigation change on a small group before changing the whole site.
The exact finding
In Zyppy’s undated internal-link study, URLs with 40–44 incoming internal links averaged four times the Google clicks of URLs with zero to four.
Read the original study: Zyppy (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 85
- Research
- 23 Million Internal Links – SEO Case Study
- How much was studied
- 23 million internal links, 1,800 websites, approximately 520,000 URLs
- Who or what was studied
- URLs on participating websites, with internal-link counts compared to Google Search Console clicks
- When the data came from
- not reported
- Where the number appears
- More internal links correlate with higher traffic
- Keep in mind
- Study and measurement dates undisclosed; page updated February 23, 2026. Observational averages can reflect page importance and other confounders. Results do not identify an optimal link count or causal anchor-text effect.
Reference S045 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Descriptive anchors had a strong association
At least 5× search traffic
In plain English
Pages with clear link text received more traffic on average. The study cannot prove that the wording caused the difference.
What you can do
- Find vague link text such as “click here” on important user journeys.
- Rewrite it to describe the destination in a natural way.
The exact finding
In Zyppy’s undated study, pages with at least one exact-match internal anchor received at least five times the search traffic of pages without one.
Read the original study: Zyppy (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 86
- Research
- 23 Million Internal Links – SEO Case Study
- How much was studied
- 23 million internal links, 1,800 websites, approximately 520,000 URLs
- Who or what was studied
- URLs on participating websites, with internal-link counts compared to Google Search Console clicks
- When the data came from
- not reported
- Where the number appears
- Exact Match Anchors and Google Search Traffic
- Keep in mind
- Study and measurement dates undisclosed; page updated February 23, 2026. Observational averages can reflect page importance and other confounders. Results do not identify an optimal link count or causal anchor-text effect.
Reference S046 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A category-link test improved traffic
+25% estimated traffic
In plain English
One website gained traffic after connecting related category pages. Your site may respond differently.
What you can do
- Connect one group of related category pages where navigation is weak.
- Compare visits and user behaviour with a similar unchanged group.
The exact finding
SearchPilot’s August 2020 grocery-site case study estimated a 25% organic-traffic increase across the tested category pages after adding links between category levels.
Read the original study: SearchPilot (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 87
- Research
- SEO Split Test Lessons: Increasing Internal Linking
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Category pages on one grocery website; links added between category levels
- When the data came from
- not reported; case study published August 2020
- Where the number appears
- Results of increasing internal linking experiment
- Keep in mind
- One client experiment using page groups and a modeled control/counterfactual. The estimated effect does not establish an expected uplift for other sites; page count and experiment dates not reported.
Reference S047 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A positive estimate can remain uncertain
+10.2%; inconclusive at 95%
In plain English
The test showed a possible gain, but the evidence was not strong enough to call it a clear win.
What you can do
- Decide in advance how large and reliable a test result must be.
- Record unclear results as learning, not proof that the change worked.
The exact finding
SearchPilot’s April 2024 link-block experiment estimated a 10.2% organic-traffic increase, but the result was inconclusive at 95% confidence.
Read the original study: SearchPilot (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 88
- Research
- SEO Split Test Lessons: Reducing a Link Block
- How much was studied
- Not disclosed
- Who or what was studied
- One website’s desktop internal-link block, shortened with a Show More control
- When the data came from
- not reported; case study published April 2024
- Where the number appears
- Results of reducing link block experiment
- Keep in mind
- Estimated result is inconclusive at 95% confidence, although positive at 90%. Do not describe it as a demonstrated gain or general advice to hide links; test sample not reported.
Reference S048 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Empty links appeared on nearly half of homepages
46.3% of homepages
In plain English
An empty link gives people little or no clue about where it goes. It can also make the page harder to use.
What you can do
- Ask your developer or site-audit tool to find links that have no words or useful image label.
- Give each link a clear name that explains where it goes, or remove it when it serves no purpose.
The exact finding
WebAIM’s February 2026 scan found empty links on 46.3% of the tested homepages.
Read the original study: WebAIM (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 89
- Research
- The WebAIM Million: The 2026 Report on the Accessibility of the Top 1,000,000 Home Pages
- How much was studied
- 1 million homepages
- Who or what was studied
- Top homepages selected using the Tranco ranking and evaluated with WAVE
- When the data came from
- February 2026
- Where the number appears
- Most common errors; empty links
- Keep in mind
- Automated detection of WCAG-related failures; not a complete accessibility evaluation or legal conformance judgment. Sample is homepages, not all web pages.
Reference S066 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Vague link text appeared on many homepages
15.2% of homepages
In plain English
Text such as “click here” does not explain the destination. Clear wording helps people decide whether a link is useful.
What you can do
- Replace vague phrases such as “click here” with words that describe the page people will open.
- Read the link text on its own; if the destination is unclear, rewrite it.
The exact finding
WebAIM’s February 2026 scan found ambiguous link text, such as “click here,” on 15.2% of tested homepages.
Read the original study: WebAIM (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 90
- Research
- The WebAIM Million: The 2026 Report on the Accessibility of the Top 1,000,000 Home Pages
- How much was studied
- 1 million homepages
- Who or what was studied
- Top homepages selected using the Tranco ranking and evaluated with WAVE
- When the data came from
- February 2026
- Where the number appears
- Links; ambiguous link text
- Keep in mind
- Automated detection of WCAG-related failures; not a complete accessibility evaluation or legal conformance judgment. Sample is homepages, not all web pages.
Reference S067 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Internal links also show an association
0.117 correlation
In plain English
Pages with more incoming internal links tended to rank a little better. This was a relationship, not proof.
What you can do
- Ask a site-audit tool to find important pages with few internal links.
- Add links from related strong pages, then watch whether discovery and search visits improve.
The exact finding
Incoming internal links had a 0.117 ranking correlation in the same Ahrefs sample.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 91
- Research
- Google Says “Links Matter Less”—We Looked at 1,000,000 SERPs to See if It’s True
- How much was studied
- 1,000,000 keywords
- Who or what was studied
- Top 20 Google results for the one million highest-volume US keywords
- When the data came from
- not reported; published January 2025
- Where the number appears
- Correlation table: Internal links
- Keep in mind
- Observational Spearman correlations; high-volume US queries are not representative of all searches. Correlation cannot establish ranking causation.
Reference S084 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
URL anchors had a traffic association
Almost 50% more traffic
In plain English
Pages with URL-shaped link text got more traffic on average. That does not mean raw URLs are better for readers.
What you can do
- Find internal links that use the full web address as their text.
- Keep them only when the address helps readers; otherwise use descriptive words.
The exact finding
In Zyppy’s undated study, pages with naked-URL internal anchors had almost 50% more traffic than pages without them.
Read the original study: Zyppy (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 92
- Research
- 23 Million Internal Links – SEO Case Study
- How much was studied
- 23 million internal links, 1,800 websites, approximately 520,000 URLs
- Who or what was studied
- URLs on participating websites, with internal-link counts compared to Google Search Console clicks
- When the data came from
- not reported
- Where the number appears
- Naked URL anchors
- Keep in mind
- Study and measurement dates undisclosed; page updated February 23, 2026. Observational averages can reflect page importance and other confounders. Results do not identify an optimal link count or causal anchor-text effect.
Reference S087 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Some internal links had no anchor text
Over 6% of links
In plain English
Some internal links had no words. Many may have been image links, so each case needs checking.
What you can do
- Find links with no text and check whether linked images have useful labels.
- Fix broken or invisible controls first, and keep legitimate image links.
The exact finding
More than 6% of internal links in Zyppy’s sample had no anchor text.
Read the original study: Zyppy (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 93
- Research
- 23 Million Internal Links – SEO Case Study
- How much was studied
- 23 million internal links, 1,800 websites, approximately 520,000 URLs
- Who or what was studied
- URLs on participating websites, with internal-link counts compared to Google Search Console clicks
- When the data came from
- not reported
- Where the number appears
- Anchor text analysis
- Keep in mind
- Study and measurement dates undisclosed; page updated February 23, 2026. Observational averages can reflect page importance and other confounders. Results do not identify an optimal link count or causal anchor-text effect. The total study covered about 23 million internal links. Missing text can include image links; it is not automatically an SEO penalty.
Reference S088 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A footer-link test differed by device
+10% desktop; +5% mobile
In plain English
A footer-link test helped desktop pages more clearly than mobile pages. Results can differ by device.
What you can do
- Compare the test results for desktop and mobile separately.
- Expand the change only when it works well and remains easy to use.
The exact finding
SearchPilot’s 2021 footer-link experiment estimated a 10% desktop traffic lift at 95% confidence and 5% mobile lift at 90% confidence.
Read the original study: SearchPilot (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 94
- Research
- Does adding internal links to your home page’s footer improve organic traffic?
- How much was studied
- One controlled page-split experiment; page count undisclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Linked-to pages on one customer site after expanding homepage footer links
- When the data came from
- Test reported September 2021; exact dates not reported
- Where the number appears
- Device-level results after expanding roughly 30 footer links to 100+
- Keep in mind
- Desktop lift met 95% confidence; mobile met 90%, not 95%. Combined estimate was inconclusive at 95%. One customer and one implementation.
Reference S127 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
A breadcrumb change reduced traffic
−5.5% organic traffic
In plain English
Traffic fell when one site removed a breadcrumb link. The test does not prove that every self-link should stay.
What you can do
- Review visible breadcrumbs, internal links and breadcrumb code together.
- Test on a small group before changing the whole website.
The exact finding
A SearchPilot 2024 ecommerce test reported a statistically significant 5.5% traffic decline after removing self-referential breadcrumb links.
Read the original study: SearchPilot (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 95
- Research
- Will removing self-referential breadcrumb links improve organic traffic?
- How much was studied
- One controlled page-split experiment; page count undisclosed
- Who or what was studied
- Product listing pages on one ecommerce customer site
- When the data came from
- Test reported July 2024; exact dates not reported
- Where the number appears
- Results; implementation and schema mismatch
- Keep in mind
- The visible breadcrumb changed while its schema did not. The author’s proposed explanation is not separately tested; this cannot isolate a universal effect of self-links.
Reference S128 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Topic 10 12 findings
AI citations and visibility
Track AI mentions, citations and website visits as separate results.
AI summaries coincided with fewer result clicks
8% vs 15% of visits
In plain English
People clicked normal Google results less often when an AI summary appeared. The searches were not identical, so treat this as a pattern.
What you can do
- Track important searches with and without an AI summary.
- Compare similar searches before blaming the summary for fewer clicks.
The exact finding
In Pew’s March 2025 US browsing study, traditional-result clicks occurred on 8% of Google visits with an AI summary, versus 15% without one.
Read the original study: Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 96
- Research
- Google Users Are Less Likely to Click on Links When an AI Summary Appears in the Results
- How much was studied
- 900 adults; 68,879 unique searches reconstructed
- Who or what was studied
- Google search visits in browsing histories of US adults in a tracking panel
- When the data came from
- Browsing March 1–31, 2025; search-result pages reconstructed April 7–17, 2025
- Where the number appears
- Clicking on traditional search results
- Keep in mind
- Observational comparison, with different query types in AI and non-AI groups. April reconstructions may differ from March results; US panel only. A browsing session ends when the user exits the browser for at least five seconds.
Reference S068 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Clicks on summary citations were uncommon
1% of visits with a summary
In plain English
People rarely clicked links inside AI summaries. Being cited and receiving a visit are different results.
What you can do
- Record AI citations and visits from AI tools as separate results.
- Report a citation as visibility, even when it produces no visit.
The exact finding
In Pew’s March 2025 US browsing study, a link within the AI summary was clicked on 1% of visits with a summary.
Read the original study: Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 97
- Research
- Google Users Are Less Likely to Click on Links When an AI Summary Appears in the Results
- How much was studied
- 900 adults; 68,879 unique searches reconstructed
- Who or what was studied
- Google search visits in browsing histories of US adults in a tracking panel
- When the data came from
- Browsing March 1–31, 2025; search-result pages reconstructed April 7–17, 2025
- Where the number appears
- Clicking links within AI summaries
- Keep in mind
- Observational comparison, with different query types in AI and non-AI groups. April reconstructions may differ from March results; US panel only. A browsing session ends when the user exits the browser for at least five seconds.
Reference S069 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
People often stopped browsing after an AI summary
26% vs 16% of visits
In plain English
People were more likely to stop browsing when Google showed an AI summary. Different kinds of searches may explain part of the gap.
What you can do
- Track which important Google searches show an AI summary and whether visits from those searches change.
- Treat the pattern as a clue to investigate because the study compared different kinds of searches.
The exact finding
In Pew’s March 2025 US browsing study, 26% of Google visits with an AI summary ended the browsing session, versus 16% without one.
Read the original study: Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 98
- Research
- Google Users Are Less Likely to Click on Links When an AI Summary Appears in the Results
- How much was studied
- 900 adults; 68,879 unique searches reconstructed
- Who or what was studied
- Google search visits in browsing histories of US adults in a tracking panel
- When the data came from
- Browsing March 1–31, 2025; search-result pages reconstructed April 7–17, 2025
- Where the number appears
- Browsing sessions ending after Google search
- Keep in mind
- Observational comparison, with different query types in AI and non-AI groups. April reconstructions may differ from March results; US panel only. A browsing session ends when the user exits the browser for at least five seconds.
Reference S070 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Top-position CTR was lower than the model expected
58% lower estimated CTR
In plain English
Top-ranking pages received fewer clicks than expected when AI Overviews appeared. This was an estimate, not a controlled test.
What you can do
- Track AI Overviews and click rates for important desktop searches.
- Use the pattern for forecasts, but do not promise the same traffic loss.
The exact finding
Ahrefs’ February 2026 update estimated that AI Overviews were associated with 58% lower desktop position-one CTR than expected without them.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 99
- Research
- AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 58% (Updated Study)
- How much was studied
- 300,000 keywords, split into two groups of 150,000
- Who or what was studied
- Desktop Google Search Console data for AI Overview and non-AI informational keyword groups
- When the data came from
- December 2023 versus December 2025
- Where the number appears
- Updated CTR comparison and counterfactual method
- Keep in mind
- Trend-adjusted counterfactual from observational groups, not a randomized test. The 58% estimate is relative to expected CTR without AI Overviews, not a raw before/after difference.
Reference S071 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Google still sent far more referral traffic
About 190× ChatGPT
In plain English
In this website sample, Google sent far more visits than ChatGPT. AI referrals were still small beside search traffic.
What you can do
- Show Google visits and ChatGPT visits on separate lines in your monthly report.
- Keep investing in useful search pages while you test whether AI referrals are growing for your audience.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ February 2026 analysis of 76,000 websites, Google sent about 190 times as much referral traffic as ChatGPT.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 100
- Research
- ChatGPT Has 12% of Google’s Search Volume, But Google Sends 190x More Traffic to Websites
- How much was studied
- 76,000 websites
- Who or what was studied
- Websites using Ahrefs Web Analytics
- When the data came from
- not reported; February 2026 analysis
- Where the number appears
- Google sends more traffic to websites; analytics comparison
- Keep in mind
- Vendor analytics sample and undisclosed lookback period. Referral traffic is not search volume or market share. Rounded ratio is the publisher’s reported comparison.
Reference S072 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Web mentions correlated with AI visibility
0.66–0.71 correlation
In plain English
Brands mentioned more often online also appeared more often in AI answers. That does not prove that paid mentions will help.
What you can do
- List accurate brand mentions on relevant news, industry and community sites.
- Check which sources AI answers use and improve missing facts.
The exact finding
Ahrefs’ December 2025 analysis of 75,000 brands reported correlations of 0.66–0.71 between web mentions and AI brand visibility.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 101
- Research
- Top Brand Visibility Factors in ChatGPT, AI Mode, and AI Overviews (75k Brands Studied)
- How much was studied
- 75,000 brands and millions of AI responses
- Who or what was studied
- Brands identified from domains with DR above 40 and a top keyword with at least 800 monthly searches; AI responses in Brand Radar
- When the data came from
- Snapshot dates not reported; includes AI Overview results from earlier 2025 research
- Where the number appears
- Key takeaways; brand mentions; methodology
- Keep in mind
- Spearman correlations in an established-brand-biased sample; not ranking factors or evidence of causation. Web-mention and YouTube-mention measures partly overlap. Platform measurements are not all contemporaneous.
Reference S073 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
YouTube mentions had a strong association
About 0.737 correlation
In plain English
YouTube mentions had a strong link with AI visibility. Well-known brands may simply be visible in both places.
What you can do
- Make useful, well-sourced videos for questions that benefit from a demonstration.
- Measure video mentions, AI citations and brand visibility separately.
The exact finding
In its December 2025 brand analysis, Ahrefs reported an approximately 0.737 correlation between YouTube mentions and AI visibility across the platforms studied.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 102
- Research
- Top Brand Visibility Factors in ChatGPT, AI Mode, and AI Overviews (75k Brands Studied)
- How much was studied
- 75,000 brands and millions of AI responses
- Who or what was studied
- Brands identified from domains with DR above 40 and a top keyword with at least 800 monthly searches; AI responses in Brand Radar
- When the data came from
- Snapshot dates not reported; includes AI Overview results from earlier 2025 research
- Where the number appears
- Key takeaways; YouTube mentions show the strongest correlation
- Keep in mind
- Spearman correlations in an established-brand-biased sample; not ranking factors or evidence of causation. Web-mention and YouTube-mention measures partly overlap. Platform measurements are not all contemporaneous.
Reference S074 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
AI citations extended beyond the organic top ten
37.1% also in the top 10
In plain English
Most AI citation URLs were outside the normal top ten. AI tools can find sources beyond the first search page.
What you can do
- Ask the same important questions regularly and record every cited page.
- Study why sources outside the top search results still earn citations.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ March 2026 study, 37.1% of AI Overview citation URLs also ranked among the top ten organic blue links for the same query.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 103
- Research
- Update: 38% of AI Overview Citations Pull From the Top 10
- How much was studied
- 863,000 keyword SERPs and 4 million AI Overview URLs
- Who or what was studied
- Same-query Google SERPs and AI Overview citation URLs in Ahrefs Brand Radar
- When the data came from
- not reported; March 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- Organic position table, second test excluding ads and SERP features
- Keep in mind
- Organic blue-link top ten and first ten mixed SERP blocks are different definitions. Citation parsing changed since July 2025, so older 76.1% cannot support a like-for-like time trend. YouTube non-ranking figure uses the publisher’s broader results framing.
Reference S075 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
YouTube supplied some citations outside the top 100
18.2% of that citation subset
In plain English
Some cited YouTube videos were not in the top 100 search results. Video can surface differently in AI answers.
What you can do
- Review cited YouTube videos that rank poorly in normal search.
- Note which speakers, topics and formats make them useful to AI answers.
The exact finding
In Ahrefs’ March 2026 study, YouTube supplied 18.2% of AI Overview citation URLs absent from the top 100 results for the same keyword.
Read the original study: Ahrefs (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 104
- Research
- Update: 38% of AI Overview Citations Pull From the Top 10
- How much was studied
- 863,000 keyword SERPs and 4 million AI Overview URLs
- Who or what was studied
- Same-query Google SERPs and AI Overview citation URLs in Ahrefs Brand Radar
- When the data came from
- not reported; March 2026 release
- Where the number appears
- 18% of non-ranking citations come from YouTube
- Keep in mind
- Organic blue-link top ten and first ten mixed SERP blocks are different definitions. Citation parsing changed since July 2025, so older 76.1% cannot support a like-for-like time trend. YouTube non-ranking figure uses the publisher’s broader results framing.
Reference S076 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Paid content supplied a small citation share
0.3% of cited links
In plain English
Paid or sponsored pages made up a very small share of citations. Buying a placement does not guarantee AI visibility.
What you can do
- Report paid placements and AI citations as separate results.
- Check the same questions before and after publishing, without promising a change.
The exact finding
Muck Rack’s May 2026 study classified 0.3% of cited links as paid or advertorial content.
Read the original study: Muck Rack / Generative Pulse (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 105
- Research
- What Is AI Reading? New insights for May 2026
- How much was studied
- More than 25 million citation links, per the companion May methodology article
- Who or what was studied
- AI responses to constructed, unbranded discovery prompts across 17 industries
- When the data came from
- May 2026 edition; collection window not disclosed in public write-ups
- Where the number appears
- Paid media section; companion methods
- Keep in mind
- Designed prompts are not a random sample of user queries. Transactional branded prompts were intentionally excluded. Model versions, answer settings and citation classification affect the result. The public summary repeats an older 1-million sample description; the companion methods explicitly gives 25 million for this edition.
Reference S136 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Citation frequency differed across AI systems
96% / 82% / 55%
In plain English
The three AI systems cited sources at different rates. Results from one platform should not become a rule for another.
What you can do
- Ask the same approved questions in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude.
- Record the date and compare each system with its own past results.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s May 2026 tested responses, 96% from ChatGPT, 82% from Gemini and 55% from Claude included citations.
Read the original study: Muck Rack / Generative Pulse (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 106
- Research
- What Is AI Reading? New insights for May 2026
- How much was studied
- More than 25 million citation links, per the companion May methodology article
- Who or what was studied
- AI responses to constructed, unbranded discovery prompts across 17 industries
- When the data came from
- May 2026 edition; collection window not disclosed in public write-ups
- Where the number appears
- Citation behavior varies across platforms
- Keep in mind
- Designed prompts are not a random sample of user queries. Transactional branded prompts were intentionally excluded. Model versions, answer settings and citation classification affect the result. The public summary repeats an older 1-million sample description; the companion methods explicitly gives 25 million for this edition.
Reference S137 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
The question changes the source mix
46% of trend responses
In plain English
Trend questions cited journalism often. Different questions lead AI systems to different types of sources.
What you can do
- Group questions by type, such as trends, comparisons or instructions.
- Create the kind of source each question needs and check results again later.
The exact finding
In Muck Rack’s May 2026 study, 46% of industry-trend responses cited journalism.
Read the original study: Muck Rack / Generative Pulse (opens in a new tab)See how the study was done for finding 107
- Research
- What Is AI Reading? New insights for May 2026
- How much was studied
- More than 25 million citation links, per the companion May methodology article
- Who or what was studied
- AI responses to constructed, unbranded discovery prompts across 17 industries
- When the data came from
- May 2026 edition; collection window not disclosed in public write-ups
- Where the number appears
- Question type and journalism citations
- Keep in mind
- Designed prompts are not a random sample of user queries. Transactional branded prompts were intentionally excluded. Model versions, answer settings and citation classification affect the result. The public summary repeats an older 1-million sample description; the companion methods explicitly gives 25 million for this edition.
Reference S138 · Original source checked 9 September 2026
Turn the research into a campaign plan
The statistics are useful when they change a decision. Here is how we would put them to work in an SEO brief.
Evaluate the exact page before setting a link target
Start with the destination and the audience. Write one sentence explaining why a reader of the proposed article would find the reference useful. Then inspect the publication, the actual content, outbound links and signs of an active audience.
A domain metric describes the domain’s link profile. An estimated traffic figure describes what an SEO tool detected. Neither replaces reading the page. Our guide to SEO metrics explains how those measures fit together.
Put in the brief: the target URL, the intended audience, the editorial reason for the reference and the criteria that would make you reject the opportunity.
Give outreach a finding worth discussing
A useful pitch tells the writer what happened, who is affected and what evidence is available. If you have compiled existing research, describe it as a sourced reference. If you have collected new data, explain how you selected and measured the sample.
Make the underlying work easy to inspect. Include the original source or dataset, the study period and the limitation that could change the interpretation. Have a relevant person available for questions. Personalization should explain why the story fits that journalist’s recent work.
Put in the brief: the specific finding, the audience connection, the qualified recipient list and how you will record useful replies, coverage and links separately.
Make the budget explain what will be measured
Research, writing, outreach and account management may be included in one quote and excluded from another. A marketplace listing is also different from a provider’s reported campaign cost. Compare their scope before comparing the numbers.
| Question | What to record |
|---|---|
| Did we deliver the agreed work? | Approved assets, live coverage URLs and the accepted placement types |
| Are the links still useful? | Current source-page status, link status, destination and last check |
| Did people respond? | Referral visits, engagement and relevant inquiries |
| Did search visibility change? | Target-page clicks, impressions and relevant queries against a baseline |
| What business contribution can we support? | Qualified leads or assisted conversions under a stated attribution method |
This is a suggested reporting structure, not a survey result. Use our guest-post pricing guide when you need to compare the scope of placement quotes.
Put in the brief: what counts as delivery, the full cost calculation, the baseline and the date when you will review each outcome.
Give link maintenance an owner
Keep the source URL, intended destination, observed link and last checked date. When something changes, distinguish a removed reference, a moved page, a broken destination and a temporary access failure. The next action depends on which problem you actually have.
Review the destination’s internal links too. A page that earns an external reference should connect naturally to the useful next steps on your site. The internal-link experiments above are ideas to investigate in your own architecture, with their test limitations intact.
Put in the handoff: who checks the placement, who maintains the destination and what happens when a problem is confirmed.
Separate AI visibility from website visits
For an AI observation, keep the platform, prompt, date, answer and cited URL. Note whether the brand is mentioned, whether a source is linked, whether that source is your website and whether a referral arrives.
A publication can describe a brand accurately while receiving the citation itself. A model can mention a brand without citing a URL. Track what you can observe, then investigate whether those appearances support the audience and business goals in the campaign brief.
Put in the report: mentions, citations to owned pages, citations to third-party coverage and referral traffic as separate fields.
Choose what to investigate first
Use the guide to turn the part of your campaign that feels unclear into a specific check.
From evidence to action
Where does your plan need a clearer answer?
Choose the issue you recognize. The guide suggests a first check; it does not inspect your site or predict results.
Start with your campaign
Select an issue to see what to check and what evidence to keep.
There is no score to maximize. The useful result is a question you can investigate.
The full research and how we will maintain it
This is a curated reference to original publishers’ research. We checked the selected claims against the original articles, reports, tables or charts; we did not independently reproduce their underlying datasets. The collection includes observational studies, practitioner and journalist surveys, marketplace analysis, AI response analysis and individual controlled tests.
107 is the number of distinct findings, not the number of percentages on the page. Paired comparisons stay together. General technical SEO and local-review figures from the earlier collection remain outside this edition so the focus stays on links, linkable content and closely related AI visibility. The AI section accounts for twelve entries.
Some useful studies are old or have incomplete methods. Their age and missing details stay visible. We held back figures with conflicting values or unclear denominators, including inconsistent premium guest-post prices within a source and an outdated AI report whose public versions did not agree. We also avoid comparing editions when the sampling or citation-parsing method changed.
Browse all 33 studies and research releases
These are the original research pages behind the findings. One page can contain more than one study.
- Ahrefs — Google Says “Links Matter Less”—We Looked at 1,000,000 SERPs to See if It’s True
not reported; published January 2025 · 4 findings
- Ahrefs — 96.55% of Content Gets No Traffic From Google. Here’s How to Be in the Other 3.45%
not reported; 2023 report · 2 findings
- Ahrefs — Reciprocal Links: Do They Help or Hurt Your SEO?
not reported · 3 findings
- BuzzStream — Cost of Guest Posts, Based on 500k Sites [Updated 2026 Data]
June 2026 release; collection dates undisclosed · 4 findings
- Aira — 11 Takeaways from the 2022 State of Link Building Report
16 March–2 May 2022 · 5 findings
- Reboot Online — Digital PR Statistics
Agency coverage acquired during 2024 · 1 findings
- BuzzStream and Citation Labs — Link Building Trends Report (2025)
not reported; 2025 release · 9 findings
- BuzzStream — State of Digital PR Report (2026)
not reported; 2026 release · 9 findings
- BuzzStream — How Much Does Digital PR Cost?
2025 survey; fieldwork dates not disclosed; page updated June 2026 · 5 findings
- Backlinko and Pitchbox — We Analyzed 12 Million Outreach Emails. Here’s What We Learned
not reported; 2019 study · 6 findings
- Reboot Online — Digital PR Statistics: email subject-line analysis
Collection period not reported · 2 findings
- Muck Rack — The State of Journalism 2026
2026-01-30 to 2026-03-02 · 9 findings
- Cision — Why Do Journalists Ignore Your PR Pitch?
not reported; 2026 survey release · 5 findings
- Orbit Media — Annual Blogger Survey 2025
August 2025 · 4 findings
- Ahrefs — Marketers Using AI Publish 42% More Content
December 2024–February 2025 · 2 findings
- Backlinko / BuzzSumo — We Analyzed 912 Million Blog Posts. Here’s What We Learned About Content Marketing
Articles published 1 October 2017–1 October 2018 · 4 findings
- Ahrefs — Link Building Case Study: How We Built Backlinks With a Stats Page
Campaign reported August 2020; precise outreach window undisclosed · 1 findings
- Siege Media — Organic Link Ratios by Industry: What 100 Sites Reveal About Link Acquisition
January 2024–December 2025 · 4 findings
- Ahrefs — At Least 66.5% of Links to Sites in the Last 9 Years Are Dead
Links tracked from January 2013 across a described nine-year window; exact endpoint not reported · 1 findings
- Pew Research Center — When Online Content Disappears
2013–2023 Common Crawl pages checked October 2023; news, government and Wikipedia samples from spring 2023 · 3 findings
- Ahrefs — We Crawled Over 1 Million Domains to Find the Most Common Technical SEO Issues
not reported; August 2023 report · 2 findings
- Zyppy — 23 Million Internal Links – SEO Case Study
not reported · 4 findings
- SearchPilot — SEO Split Test Lessons: Increasing Internal Linking
not reported; case study published August 2020 · 1 findings
- SearchPilot — SEO Split Test Lessons: Reducing a Link Block
not reported; case study published April 2024 · 1 findings
- WebAIM — The WebAIM Million: The 2026 Report on the Accessibility of the Top 1,000,000 Home Pages
February 2026 · 2 findings
- SearchPilot — Does adding internal links to your home page’s footer improve organic traffic?
Test reported September 2021; exact dates not reported · 1 findings
- SearchPilot — Will removing self-referential breadcrumb links improve organic traffic?
Test reported July 2024; exact dates not reported · 1 findings
- Pew Research Center — Google Users Are Less Likely to Click on Links When an AI Summary Appears in the Results
Browsing March 1–31, 2025; search-result pages reconstructed April 7–17, 2025 · 3 findings
- Ahrefs — AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 58% (Updated Study)
December 2023 versus December 2025 · 1 findings
- Ahrefs — ChatGPT Has 12% of Google’s Search Volume, But Google Sends 190x More Traffic to Websites
not reported; February 2026 analysis · 1 findings
- Ahrefs — Top Brand Visibility Factors in ChatGPT, AI Mode, and AI Overviews (75k Brands Studied)
Snapshot dates not reported; includes AI Overview results from earlier 2025 research · 2 findings
- Ahrefs — Update: 38% of AI Overview Citations Pull From the Top 10
not reported; March 2026 release · 2 findings
- Muck Rack / Generative Pulse — What Is AI Reading? New insights for May 2026
May 2026 edition; collection window not disclosed in public write-ups · 3 findings
Next editorial review: 9 December 2026. At that review, recheck source links, prioritize AI and marketplace findings, look for new annual survey editions and verify any changed methods. If a claim loses its support, hold it and update the visible count. Keep stable evidence IDs and a dated change log so a refresh does not silently rewrite the evidence. This is the maintenance plan for the asset; no automated monitoring has been scheduled.
When citing a finding, retain its population and study period and link to the original research. When using it in a campaign, add the decision it helps you make. That is what turns a statistics page into a useful working reference.
Filter the noise before you fund it.
Compare vetted guest post, digital PR and brand-placement opportunities with visible metrics and exact-site selection. Approve the prepared content before publication. For higher-priced publications, we may require prepayment after confirming availability.
Browse placementsAbout the author
Janis Thies
Co-founder & Managing Director, SEOlutions GmbH
Janis Thies co-founded SEOlutions GmbH and leads its strategic direction, link building methodology and service development. He writes SEOlutions Insights on publisher evaluation, guest posting, digital PR and search visibility.
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