Link building has long been viewed as a cornerstone of SEO strategy. For years, marketers have relied on backlinks to signal authority and relevance to search engines. In this post, we’ll break down the current role of link building, how its importance has shifted over time, and which best practices are still effective today.
Link building is the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own. These links serve two essential purposes: they help search engines discover new content across the web and act as indicators of a page’s authority and relevance.
There are three main types of links involved in SEO:
Another key distinction is between dofollow and nofollow links. Dofollow links pass SEO value—commonly referred to as “link juice”—and directly influence your search rankings. Nofollow links, on the other hand, don’t impact rankings in the same way, but they can still bring referral traffic and increase visibility.
When Google launched, its PageRank algorithm heavily prioritised the number of backlinks a website had. The more links pointing to a site, the more important it seemed—and therefore, the higher it ranked in search results.
Because of this, early SEO was largely about quantity over quality. Marketers used techniques like mass directory submissions, comment spam, forum backlinks, and reciprocal linking (where two sites agreed to link to each other). These strategies were often low-effort and highly scalable.
Back then, creating valuable content was not the focus. Many marketers saw link building as a shortcut to rapid SEO success, even if the links themselves weren’t particularly relevant or useful to users.
Over time, Google began to prioritise user experience and content relevance. Updates like Penguin and the rollout of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) reshaped how link building worked.
Today, links must come from contextually relevant, high-authority sources. Simply acquiring a large volume of links from random websites no longer improves rankings—and in many cases, it may actually hurt them.
Google now looks closely at the credibility of both the content and the source. A backlink from a trusted, industry-specific domain is far more valuable than dozens of links from unrelated or low-quality sites.
Yes, backlinks still matter. However, they’re just one of many ranking signals. Google now evaluates content quality, user engagement, page load speed, mobile usability, and site structure alongside link profiles. It’s a holistic system.
The days of chasing hundreds of backlinks are over. One strong link from a reputable domain can do more for your SEO than dozens of spammy or irrelevant ones, emphasizing the importance of quality backlinks. The emphasis has shifted from “building” links to earning them, by creating content that naturally attracts attention.
Links must be relevant to your industry or niche. A backlink from a related blog or industry publication carries weight. Links from unrelated sources may trigger spam signals and damage your rankings.
If done ethically and strategically, link building offers several advantages:
Link building if done incorrectly can inadvertently hurt your SEO rather than increase it. This is commonly done by using outdated methods or tactics such as:
The most sustainable strategy is to develop content that others naturally want to cite. Original research, in-depth guides, infographics, and expert roundups tend to attract organic backlinks.
Digital PR and outreach to industry voices can result in editorial backlinks, and is an effective organic backlink strategy, which are highly trusted by Google.
This involves identifying broken links on high-authority sites and suggesting your content as a replacement—or reaching out when your brand is mentioned but not linked.
Even the best content needs visibility. Use email outreach, newsletters, and social sharing to get your content in front of the right audience. Blogging as a link building tool can be an effective way in addition to other content avenues. The more people see it, the more likely it is to earn links.
Yes—link building remains a powerful SEO tactic, but only when approached strategically.
The goal shouldn’t be to trick the algorithm, but to build trust, authority, and visibility through authentic, user-focused content. Backlinks work best when they’re earned through credibility, not tricks.
Want link building done correctly? Contact the experts at IGV to help build a comprehensive SEO strategy that prioritizes quality content, technical health, and a great user experience.
Get the latest insights on link building
Is link building against Google’s guidelines?
Not if it’s done ethically. Buying links or manipulating rankings violates guidelines, but natural link building is encouraged.
How many backlinks does my site need to rank?
It depends on your industry and competition. Focus on quality over quantity.
Do social media links help with SEO?
They don’t directly influence rankings, but they can drive traffic and build visibility that leads to earned backlinks.
What are toxic backlinks?
These are links from spammy, low-quality, or irrelevant sites. They may hurt your SEO if not addressed.
Should I disavow bad backlinks?
Only if you’ve received a penalty or notice unnatural link patterns in your backlink profile.
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