Backlinks have been declared “dead” more times than we can count.

Yet year after year, they remain one of the strongest signals Google uses to rank websites.

If you want consistent organic growth, competitive rankings, and authority that holds through algorithm updates, backlinks are not optional. They are foundational.

This guide explains what backlinks actually are, why Google still relies on them, and how to approach link building without damaging your site’s long-term performance.

Quick summary

  • Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to yours
  • Google uses backlinks to assess trust, authority, and relevance
  • Not all backlinks help; many actively harm rankings
  • Quality, context, and intent matter more than volume
  • Sustainable SEO relies on earning links, not manufacturing the

What are backlinks?

A backlink is created when another website links to a page on your site.

From Google’s perspective, that link acts as a signal. It suggests that the content being linked to is credible enough to reference.

Not all signals are weighted equally. A single link from a respected industry publication can carry more value than dozens of links from low-quality or irrelevant websites.

Google has always treated links as a form of validation. That principle has not changed.

Not all backlinks are treated the same. Some pass authority, some pass context, and some exist purely for compliance or attribution. Understanding the differences matters because chasing the wrong type of link is one of the fastest ways to waste budget or introduce risk.

Dofollow links are standard hyperlinks that pass authority from one site to another.

These are the links most people think of when they talk about link building.

They help Google understand:

  • Which pages are trusted
  • Which sites carry authority
  • How relevance flows between topics

A dofollow link placed naturally inside a relevant article is the strongest type of backlink you can earn. This is where most long-term SEO value comes from.

Common sources

  • Guest posts on relevant industry blogs
  • Partner articles and collaborations
  • Editorial links within niche publications
  • Resource or research references

Nofollow links include a rel attribute that tells Google not to pass authority in the traditional sense.

For a long time, these were treated as useless. That is no longer true.

Today, nofollow links:

  • Still provide context
  • Still contribute to natural link profiles
  • Can drive referral traffic
  • Can indirectly support trust and brand signals

Google has publicly stated that nofollow links are treated as “hints,” not hard rules. A natural backlink profile always includes a mix of dofollow and nofollow links.

If every link pointing to your site is dofollow, that is often a red flag.

Common sources

  • Guest posts on large publishers with nofollow policies
  • Wikipedia references
  • Social media platforms
  • Major news sites

Editorial backlinks are links that are placed because your content genuinely adds value.

No exchange. No payment. No request that dictates anchor text.

These links usually come from:

  • Industry publications
  • Journalists
  • Blogs citing research or insights
  • Partners referencing expertise

Editorial links are the hardest to earn and the most valuable long term. They signal real authority and align closely with how Google evaluates trust.

Common sources

  • Journalists citing expertise
  • Industry publications referencing original content
  • Research or data citations
  • Earned media mentions

Sponsored links are used when a link is paid for or part of a commercial arrangement.

These should be tagged with rel=”sponsored”.

From an SEO perspective:

  • They do not pass authority
  • They protect both sites from penalties
  • They are about disclosure, not rankings

Paid links that are not marked correctly are one of the most common causes of manual actions.

Common sources

  • Sponsored blog articles
  • Advertorial content
  • Influencer partnerships

UGC stands for user-generated content.

These links are typically marked with rel=”ugc”.

UGC links rarely pass authority, but they still serve a purpose:

  • Supporting natural link diversity
  • Driving relevant referral traffic
  • Reinforcing brand presence in communities

They should never be the foundation of a backlink strategy, but they are normal in healthy profiles.

Common sources

  • Forum posts
  • Blog comments
  • Community platforms
  • User profile links

Contextual links appear inside the main body of content, surrounded by relevant text.

Non-contextual links appear in:

  • Footers
  • Sidebars
  • Author bios
  • Resource lists

Contextual links consistently carry more weight because they exist to support the reader, not just the site structure.

Anchor text types and how to balance them

Backlinks are also categorised by anchor text, not just link type.

Common anchor styles include:

  • Branded anchors
  • Partial match anchors
  • Natural language anchors
  • Generic anchors like “learn more”

A natural backlink profile includes all of these. Over-optimised, keyword-heavy anchors are one of the clearest signals of manipulation.

Google does not reward perfect backlink profiles. It rewards natural ones.

Sites that perform well long term usually show:

  • A mix of dofollow and nofollow links
  • Editorial links earned over time
  • Natural anchor variation
  • Links from relevant, credible sources

Understanding backlink types helps you focus on earning the right links, not just more links.

Why backlinks still matter for SEO

Despite advances in AI, natural language processing, and behavioural signals, backlinks remain central to how Google evaluates websites.

They help Google answer three critical questions.

Can this site be trusted?

When trusted websites link to you, Google assumes your content meets a certain standard.

This matters most in competitive industries and high-trust topics, where accuracy and credibility directly influence rankings.

Is this site authoritative in its space?

Backlinks help Google distinguish leaders from participants.

Authority is not claimed on your website. It is earned through consistent recognition from other credible sources.

Is this content relevant to the topic?

Links provide context.

When websites within the same industry link to you, Google gains confidence in where your site belongs within search results.

Why most backlink strategies fail

The issue is not the backlinks themselves. The issue is how most businesses try to acquire them.

Many link building strategies rely on shortcuts:

  • Link exchanges
  • Private blog networks
  • Automated outreach at scale
  • Spamming keyword-rich anchor text

These tactics may create short-term movement, but they almost always lead to volatility, suppressed rankings, or manual action over time.

Google is not trying to stop link building. It is trying to stop manipulation.

What actually makes a backlink valuable

High-quality backlinks share a few consistent characteristics.

Topical relevance

The linking website should make sense in context. Links work best when they come from websites operating in the same or a closely related space.

Editorial placement

Links placed naturally within content carry significantly more weight than links buried in footers, author boxes, or directories. If a link exists because it helps the reader, Google treats it differently.

Real authority

Authority does not mean massive traffic or global brands.

It means credibility, consistency, and a genuine audience. A smaller industry site with real expertise often passes more value than a generic high-traffic blog.

Natural anchor text

Anchor text should look like something a human would write. Over-optimised anchors are one of the fastest ways to turn a backlink profile toxic.

How backlinks influence rankings in reality

Backlinks do not rank pages on their own, they amplify pages that already deserve to rank. Combining strong content with backlinks helps improve the ability to rank pages well and for a longer period of time.

Strong content with no backlinks often struggles to break through while weak content with backlinks rarely sustains performance.

The pages that win combine:

  • Clear intent matching
  • Strong on-page structure
  • Technical accessibility
  • Earned authority through links

This is why link building must align with content strategy, not sit outside it.

How backlinks improve SEO

Backlinks improve SEO by strengthening the signals Google already relies on to rank pages. Search engines do not only evaluate what is on your website. They also assess how your website is referenced across the wider web. Backlinks are one of the clearest forms of external validation.

When credible and relevant websites consistently link to your content, rankings become easier to earn and harder to lose. Backlinks do not replace SEO foundations, they reinforce them, making them stronger.

Backlinks and on-page SEO

On-page SEO ensures your content is clear, structured, and aligned with search intent. Backlinks act as the authority layer that helps those pages compete.

A well-optimised page with no authority often stalls. A well-optimised page supported by strong backlinks is far more likely to rank consistently. This is why on-page SEO fundamentals and backlinks must work together.

Backlinks and off-page SEO

Backlinks are one of the core components of off-page SEO. They help Google understand how your website is perceived beyond your own pages. Who links to you, how often, and in what context all contribute to that assessment. This is central to any effective off-page SEO strategy.

Backlinks and local SEO

For businesses targeting local search results, backlinks also reinforce geographic relevance.

Links from local publications, industry bodies, suppliers, and regional partners help strengthen local visibility alongside Google Business Profile optimisation and location targeting.

These signals support strong local SEO performance.

Backlinks as part of a broader SEO strategy

Backlinks are most effective when they support a clear, well-rounded SEO strategy. They work alongside technical SEO, content quality, internal linking, and intent alignment. When any of these elements are missing, backlinks lose impact. This is why link building is never treated in isolation within a broader SEO strategy.

How backlinks support EEAT

Backlinks play a direct role in how Google evaluates E-E-A-T. Experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness are not abstract ideas. Google looks for real-world signals that prove them. Backlinks help provide that proof.

Authority is earned, not claimed

Google does not take a website’s word for its expertise. When authoritative websites reference your content, it reinforces that your insights are credible and recognised beyond your own platform.

Trust is reinforced externally

Backlinks from reputable sources reduce uncertainty and risk in Google’s evaluation process. This is a core part of how Google assesses E-E-A-T, which is explained in more detail in our guide on what EEAT is and why it matters.

In order to build trust you must have links from websites outside of your own, that are credible and share a similar interest or topic as your own. This helps build trust around your own website and the content that is on display.

Not all backlinks improve EEAT

Links from irrelevant, spammy, or manipulative sources introduce risk into your SEO profile. These backlinks are known as “toxic”.

Understanding the difference between good backlinks and bad backlinks is critical for long-term performance.

Backlinks and brand-led SEO

Strong and highly trusted brands earn links naturally. When a business is recognised as a leader, other websites reference it without prompting. This is where backlinks become a by-product of authority rather than a forced tactic. This relationship is explored further in our breakdown of how brand-led SEO actually works.

Why backlinks still matter long term

Websites with strong backlink profiles tend to:

  • Survive algorithm updates
  • Rank more consistently
  • Recover faster from volatility
  • Perform better across competitive keywords

Backlinks are not a trick, they are a trust system. Google has refined how it evaluates them, not replaced them.

Key takeaways

Having a strong backlink strategy is just as important as ever in 2026. If your strategy relies on shortcuts, it will eventually fail. If your strategy is built around expertise, relevance, and authority, backlinks become a compounding advantage.

This is the same authority-first approach that has been recognised through our long-term results and industry awards.

If you are looking to build long-term SEO strength through authority, relevance, and trust, get in touch with our SEO agency in Perth about potential off-page SEO strategies for your website.