Are backlinks still as powerful as before in SEO?

[candacelarisa22]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to get your thoughts on backlinks in 2026.

They’ve always been a major ranking factor, but with all the recent changes from Google, it feels like their impact might be evolving.

Do you think backlinks still play the same role, or is content quality and relevance taking over more now?

Also, are you focusing more on fewer high-quality links or still building volume?

Would love to hear your current strategies and what’s actually working for you.

 

[HostWild]

Hello! @candacelarisa22

Backlinks still play a major role in SEO, but always keep content quality as a priority. Never go with quantity, always earn backlink as natural way. Nowadays, you should create in depth and problem solving content to get organic traffic.

Also, don’t forget to optimize your content for AI readiness, it’s the future!

In Short:
1. Content + relevance first
2. Fewer but high quality backlinks
3. Authority building over time.

 

[bigredseo]

The right backlink is always powerful. Generic links have generic effects. Spammy links are ignored. UGC and Guest Post links have much less value than they used to. Forum profile links, Web2.0 links, etc - all have no real value. PBNs work, if you can find one that hasn't been exposed, but it usually has short-term gains or limited gains - depending on niche.