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What Are Backlinks and are Backlinks Still Important in SEO?

For Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO), backlinks have held a place of prominence for years, and their importance in 2024 is no less significant than it was over two decades ago. Yes, you read that right. Google officially says that they are not that important anymore, but we don’t believe them for a second. Why? Because we see the results every day of building large amounts of links and how they push rankings all the time, when done right.

Why are Backlinks so Important in SEO?

This appraisal of backlinks aims to dissect their role, the mechanics behind their influence, and the reasons behind the enduring emphasis placed upon them in the realm of SEO.

Backlinks, essentially, are votes or citations from one website to another; think of them as the internet’s version of a vote of confidence. But, not all citations are equal. The quality, relevance, and the authority of the linking domain play pivotal roles in determining the value of this digital endorsement. Given their critical role in SEO, it’s essential to delve into why backlinks have retained their importance and how they’ve adapted to the changing landscape of search engine algorithms.

When Google first introduced its PageRank algorithm, the premise was revolutionary yet straightforward: the more high-quality backlinks a site had, the more reputable it was considered. This core principle has endured, evolving with the internet but remaining a cornerstone of how search engines gauge a site’s value and relevance. Contrary to the whispers in some circles that backlinks have become obsolete in the wake of sophisticated algorithm updates, evidence suggests otherwise. Studies by SEO powerhouses such as Backlinko and SEMRush have repeatedly demonstrated the strong correlation between a site’s backlink profile and its search engine rankings.

At this juncture, it’s imperative to underscore the evolution of backlinks’ significance. Initially, quantity reigned supreme; the more backlinks, the better. However, as the web grew and Google’s algorithms became more refined, the focus shifted towards the quality of backlinks. This transition was marked by attempts to curb manipulative link-building practices, thereby ensuring that backlinks genuinely reflected a website’s authority and relevance to specific topics.

The question arises: why have backlinks remained pivotal in SEO strategies? The answer lies in their dual role. Firstly, backlinks act as a direct ranking signal, influencing where a site lands on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Secondly, and perhaps more crucially, they are an indirect indicator of content quality. High-quality, relevant content is more likely to garner backlinks organically, serving as a signal to search engines that the content is valuable and authoritative. This symbiotic relationship between content quality and backlinks underscores the latter’s enduring relevance.

Another facet of backlinks’ significance is their contribution to web discovery and indexing. Search engines deploy crawlers to navigate the web; backlinks serve as pathways guiding these crawlers to new content, facilitating quicker discovery and indexing. This aspect illustrates that beyond their role in rankings, backlinks are vital for ensuring that content is even visible to search engines in the first place.

Critically, it’s not just about having a plethora of backlinks; the source of these links matters immensely. Links from high-authority, reputable sites carry more weight and can significantly impact a site’s rankings more than those from lesser-known, potentially spammy sites. This quality over quantity approach has led to the refinement of link-building strategies, emphasizing genuine, organic link acquisition over manipulative tactics that were rampant in the early days of SEO.