The Importance of Backlinks: Why They Still Matter in 2025

There is a lot of noise around backlinks. 

Some people still believe link building is dead. Meanwhile, others reach the actual results thanks to link building. So, what to believe?

We’re here to clear up the confusion and help you understand the facts.

In this blog, we will discuss the importance of backlinks and what you should know before focusing on link building.

What are Backlinks?

Backlinks, also known as “incoming links” or “inbound links,” are links from one website pointing to a page on another website through an anchor text.

Good backlinks = better rankings. But they offer much more than that. Let’s take a look at why they still matter in 2025.

What is the Importance of Backlinks?

We obviously don’t think link building is dead, even though many people have been claiming it for years.

The truth is that without backlinks, search engines won’t notice your website. If no other sites link to yours, it’s almost like your site doesn’t exist. That’s because Google’s crawler uses backlinks to find new web pages. It moves from page to page by following links, so without any pointing to yours, it’s easy to stay invisible.

But it doesn’t stop there: backlinks boost your website’s visibility and help it rank higher in search results. It’s a proven fact. Backlinko’s research found that the number of domains linking to a page is a key factor in Google rankings.

So, to sum up, backlinks help to:

• Make your website more visible.
• Drive more traffic to your site.
• Improve your website’s DR.

Ultimately, it all comes down to this: backlinks boost your SEO, bring more visitors to your site, and can lead to higher sales.

But to rank well, you need more than just any backlinks—you need the right ones.

Good Backlinks vs Bad Backlinks

Now that we’re all on the same page about the importance of backlinks, let’s understand what makes a good and bad backlink.

The backlinks that actually help your SEO are:

• Relevant 

When building backlinks, ensure they’re relevant to your business. For example, if you’re promoting a project management software, a backlink from a food blog won’t be helpful. Instead, get backlinks from tech blogs or related niches, as they are more likely to bring the right audience to your website.

• Dofollow

The next important thing is to make sure all your good backlinks are dofollow. These links tell search engines to follow them and pass on SEO value to your site.

Nofollow links won’t harm your strategy, and, in fact, a healthy backlink profile requires a mix of both types. However, to improve your search engine rankings, your backlinks should primarily be dofollow.

• Placed within fresh content

Another rule we follow when providing backlinks is to do link insertions in recently published and fresh content. Nobody likes outdated content, especially Google.

When your backlink is placed in a fresh article, it’s more likely to get indexed quickly, and it can start passing SEO value to your site sooner. Plus, fresh articles tend to get more traffic right away, which means more eyes on your backlink.

• Coming from trusted sources

Backlinks from reputable websites that offer real products or services carry more weight than those coming from news/magazine websites or forums.

For example, a few relevant SaaS backlinks from real companies are way more valuable than a bunch of links from random directories. That’s because there are legit businesses behind these SaaS sites that actually care about growing their presence. So, as their websites grow and build trust, the value of your backlinks grows along with them.

Now, let’s look at some types of backlinks you should stay away from.

• PBN backlinks

These websites try to boost search rankings by breaking search engine rules. While PBN (Private Blog Network) backlinks might give quick results, they come with big risks. Your rankings can drop over time, and you could even get penalized, which takes a long time to recover. It’s better to avoid this tactic and focus on safer, long-term link building strategies. 

•  Comment section and forum backlinks

This tactic involves getting backlinks by posting comments or joining forum discussions. However, it’s not ideal because you can’t be sure the links aren’t from spammy sites. Rather than improving your rankings, they can negatively impact your SEO.

Further reading:
15 Key Types of Backlinks That Affect Your SEO

• Backlinks with vague anchor texts

Google loves content that’s been created for users, not search engines. This also applies to anchor texts, which should be clear and descriptive. So, avoid vague anchor texts like “Click here,” “Check it out,” or “Learn more.” Instead, choose keyword-rich anchor texts for backlinks that tell users exactly what to expect, improving both user experience and SEO.

Further reading:
Main Types Of Anchor Texts
Anchor Text Optimization

Backlinks 101: The Basics You Can’t Skip Before Getting Started

You now understand the importance of backlinks and are ready to focus on link building. However, before launching a link building campaign, get the answers to common questions to save time and ensure your efforts pay off.

Question # 1: Can your website rank without backlinks?

You need backlinks to rank because search engines can’t find your site without them. We touched on this earlier, but we’ve also written more about it, so check out the full article:

So, the short answer is no. You do need valuable backlinks, and by the way, if you’re looking for reliable link building services, we’re here to help.

Further reading:
Can You Rank Without Backlinks?

Question #2: How many backlinks does it take to rank a website?

The general rule is that new websites need 40 to 100 backlinks. At our agency, we start with a minimum of 10 backlinks per month to get things moving and start seeing some results.

Further reading:
How Many Backlinks Do I Need to Rank?

Question #3: Is your website ready for link building?

You understand the importance of backlinks and want to start link building right away. But here’s the thing: don’t begin until your website is ready. This means:

• No technical SEO issues
• A clear on-page SEO strategy
• Good website content

Work on improving these areas of your website first, then start link building for real results.

But your job isn’t finished here. SEO is an ongoing process, and your website needs regular updates for better link building results. Don’t just take our word for it—check out our case studies to see how we’ve helped clients reach high SEO rankings.

Wrapping Up

Now, you probably have no doubts about the importance of backlinks. But you need to be smart and strategic about it. 

If you are sure that link building is what you need for your website to boost your rankings, book a call to see how we can help with your link building strategy! A quick consultation can help us choose the best backlink strategy for your site and set you on the right path to better rankings.

FAQ about the importance of backlinks