What Is a Backlink? Why Links Still Matter in an AI-Driven Search Landscape

If you've spent any time around organic marketing, the term "backlink" will likely be familiar. Perhaps you haven't spent the time to familiarise yourself with it due to more of a focus being placed on your on-page efforts. That's fair.

But what does it actually mean in simple terms and do they still matter and make a difference now that search is influenced by AI more and more? Let's answer that all.

What is a backlink?

A backlink (or "link") is basically a hyperlink from one website to another.

As an example, if a tech publication writes an article about the "best project management software" and selects a piece of text within it and then links it to a SaaS business product page, that is a backlink for the SaaS company.

They're also sometimes called outbound or external links.

This is different from an "internal link" that connects one page to another page on the same domain.

Very simply, Domain A which links to Domain B = a backlink for Domain B

Why do links matter for SEO?

Search engines use various signals to evaluate websites and decide which pages should appear for different searches.

Links are one of them and are a part of "off-page" SEO.

Google's documentation explains that they use links to understand what pages are about, discover new pages and analyse how different pages relate to one another. Link analysis and PageRank remain part of Google's ranking systems.

A backlink can be thought of as a digital recommendation. If a respected website in your industry links to your page, it provides another signal about the relevance of that page.

Of course, not all backlinks are equal

A huge misconception in SEO and link building is that building more backlinks automatically means getting better results.

It did in the past but it hasn't for quite some time.

A link from a domain that is genuinely relevant to your industry, has real visibility and provides useful editorial value can be considerably more impactful than dozens of links from unrelated websites that just sell links (which can be a very good way to make money but damages the reputation of link building).

Link building cannot be about chasing the biggest possible number anymore. It's now about building the right links.

When assessing an opportunity to build a link, I'd want to understand:

• Is the website relevant to the brand?

• Does it have genuine organic visibility?

• Is the content useful and credible?

• Does the domain have a legitimate history?

• Will the link make sense in context?

• Is the opportunity actually relevant to the campaign?

A high authority metric (like Domain Rating from Ahrefs) can be useful as an indicator (and it's something I do use), but it shouldn't be the reason you build a link.

Hasn't AI changed everything?

Obviously, people are using AI tools to find information more and more, which is why Google has introduced AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode.

It's led to a lot of discussion about whether traditional SEO, and particularly link building, is becoming less important. One person can say it is and another can say it isn't. I obviously sit on the former part of that argument.

Google's latest guidance is pretty clear. The same foundational SEO practices remain relevant for its AI search features. AI Overviews and AI Mode also surface links to relevant websites, giving users opportunities to explore the sources behind the information they're shown.

AI hasn't removed what sits underneath search but has altered how people interact with it.

Links help search engines understand the web, still

AI systems need to discover, interpret and connect information across the web.

Google explains that links are used to discover new pages and understand relationships between pages.

And when Google discusses appearing in its AI features, it doesn't recommend abandoning SEO fundamentals or pursuing a special "AI optimisation" technique.

Instead, it recommends the same things that have always mattered. Make content accessible, useful, trustworthy and easy for search engines to discover and understand.

That makes links part of a broader picture rather than something that has suddenly become obsolete.

Link building shouldn't exist in isolation

Don't make every SEO strategy a link-building campaign due to this.

Content quality, technical SEO, internal linking, search intent, brand recognition and many other factors matter too.

The strongest campaigns bring these things and links together.

For example, if a SaaS business has a product page targeting a highly competitive search term, creating useful content around the topic may help establish relevance and attract attention.

But if competing pages have significantly stronger authority, building relevant links to the pages that matter may also be necessary to compete.

The right approach depends on the business, the competition, the existing website and what you're actually trying to achieve.

So, are backlinks still important?

Yep.

But you should be asking "Are the links being built actually helping your website become more authoritative and competitive?"

A sheet full of new referring domains doesn't necessarily mean you've built a stronger website. You should be aiming to build a link profile that makes sense.

From relevant websites, with useful placements, in a natural context and linking to pages that actually matter for you.

AI will continue to change how people discover information but until the internet stops being a connected network of websites, links will continue to have a role in helping search engines understand it.

And that's why I still believe strategic link building has an important place in SEO.

About BacklinksLab

BacklinksLab is an independent link building consultancy specialising in strategic link acquisition for SaaS, technology and SEO teams.

If you're looking to understand where link building could fit into your SEO strategy, get in touch.