Glossary
What is a link magnet?
A link magnet is a page that keeps attracting backlinks without outreach, most often a "[topic] statistics" page that collects many sourced numbers in one place. Writers searching for a figure find it, cite it and link to it. AI answer engines cite such pages for the same reason.
Anatomy of a good statistics page
- A title matching how people search: "[Topic] statistics [year]".
- Key takeaways at the top.
- Sections by theme, with one chart each.
- Every number with a one-line explanation and a link to the primary source.
- Original data where you have it, first.
- Methodology, last-updated date and a "cite this page" block.
- A downloadable dataset if the data is yours.
Why it works
Writers and researchers search for numbers while drafting. A page that ranks for those searches and makes citing easy becomes the default source. Foundation's study of B2B content found statistics pages had the lowest failure rate of any format: only 5.3% earned fewer than 50 referring domains.
What ruins one
Numbers without sources, sources that are themselves roundups, dead links, outdated years and conflicting figures. Writers check, and AI systems prefer pages that cite primary sources.
Example
Our launch directory statistics page is built on 352 directories checked by hand, with a CSV anyone can download and cite.
FAQ
How many stats should a link magnet have?
Enough to be the most complete source: often 100 or more, all sourced.
Can I use other sites' statistics?
Yes, linked to the primary source. Add your own data to stand out.
How often should I update it?
Monthly or quarterly, and show the date.
Sources
- Foundation: Which B2B pages earn the most backlinks
- Search Engine Journal: Statistics pages earn links