Will backlinks still be important in the future of SEO?
Future of Search
Yes, but their role is shifting. Backlinks remain a strong trust signal, but link quality and context outweigh quantity. Google’s 2024 documentation leak confirmed that link authority is still factored into ranking, but by 2025, brand signals and topical authority are nearly as important.
Practical approach:
1) Prioritize earned links (citations from trusted industry sources, data studies, expert collaborations).
2) Use digital PR and thought leadership to earn coverage.
3) Focus on relevance—niche site mentions often outperform high-DR but unrelated links. Backlinks alone won’t rank you, but combined with EEAT, structured data, and strong UX, they remain a cornerstone.
Further reading: