Every so often, someone declares that “link building is dead”, but in reality, it’s not dead – it’s evolved.
Link building has long been a cornerstone of SEO, but the way we build and earn links has changed massively. Gone are the days of mass submissions, spammy directories, and quantity-over-quality tactics. Modern link building is smarter, more strategic, and more focused on earning genuine authority rather than manufacturing it.
So, is building links for SEO still worth your time? Absolutely…when it’s done properly. In this blog, we’ll explore why link building is important, how it helps your SEO performance, as well as share practical tips for link building that actually work in today’s search landscape.
What is link building?
First, let’s take a quick look at what link building actually is. In simple terms, link building is the process of getting other websites to link back to yours. Each hyperlink acts like a digital vote of confidence because it signals to search engines that your content is valuable, trustworthy, and worth showing to others.
These “votes” play a key role in how search engines assess your authority. If high-quality, relevant sites are linking to your pages, it tells Google that you’re credible within your industry. That credibility can directly improve your search rankings, helping your content reach more of the right people.
But link building today isn’t about chasing any link you can find. It’s about earning meaningful, relevant links that align with your audience and content goals.
Why link building is important
It’s easy to underestimate the impact of backlinks when algorithms are constantly changing, but links still underpin how Google measures trust, authority, and relevance. Here’s why link building remains essential:
Links build trust and authority
When reputable websites link to your content, it’s a public endorsement of your expertise. These backlinks are one of the strongest signals search engines use to assess how credible and trustworthy your site is.
A healthy backlink profile – meaning links for respected, relevant sites – tells search engines that your content is worth ranking higher. Over time, that authority compounds, helping you outperform competitors who neglect link building entirely.
Links drive referral traffic
Not every benefit of link building is algorithmic. When someone clicks through to your site from a relevant article or blog, you’re gaining targeted referral traffic – in other words, visitors who are already interested in what you offer.
These visitors tend to stay longer, engage more, and convert at a higher rate than generic organic traffic. This is because they’ve already seen your name or your content in a trusted context.
Links support long-term SEO health
Unlike paid ads that disappear when your budget runs out, backlinks can keep delivering value for months or years. A single, well-placed link can continue driving authority and traffic long after it’s earned.
That’s why building links for SEO should be seen as a long-term investment and one that strengthens your site’s foundation and keeps it competitive in search results.
How does link building help SEO?
If you’re wondering how link building helps your SEO efforts, the answer comes down to visibility and validation. Here are four key ways link building helps improve SEO performance:
- Boosts domain authority – quality backlinks improve your site’s perceived authority, making it easier for your pages to rank for competitive search terms.
- Improves indexing – links help search engine crawlers discover and index your content more efficiently, ensuring new pages are found faster.
- Strengthens relevance signals – links from sites within your niche reinforce topical relevance, which improves how well your content matches user intent.
- Increases engagement – strong backlinks often come with referral visitors as we’ve mentioned, and these are real users who spend time engaging with your content. This sends positive behavioural signals back to search engines.
In short, link building helps SEO by connecting quality, relevance, and credibility – three of the biggest factors in organic ranking success.
Our top tips for link building
Building links for SEO requires strategy, patience, and a focus on genuine value. Here are some actionable tips for link building that you can implement:
1. Create content worth linking to
This might sound obvious, but it’s where most link building strategies succeed or fail. You need to focus on creating high-value, evergreen resources – whether it’s guides, research, tools, or opinion pieces – that others naturally want to reference.
If your content helps people solve problems or understand complex topics, they’ll link to it without being asked. Quality content is the foundation of modern link building.
2. Prioritise quality over quantity
Ten years ago, link building was a numbers game. Today, it’s about earning fewer but better links. A single backlink from a high-authority, relevant website can be more valuable than dozens from low-quality sources.
That’s why it’s important to look for partnerships, industry publications, or respected directories within your niche, and always prioritise relevance.
3. Build relationships, not just links
Link building works best when it’s built on genuine connections. Get involved in your industry, share insights, collaborate on content, provide expert quotes, and engage with other professionals. The stronger your relationships, the more natural (and sustainable) your link building opportunities become.
4. Diversify your approach
Don’t just rely on a single tactic. Be sure to use a mix of methods to grow a healthy backlink profile, including:
- Guest blogging on reputable, relevant sites
- Digital PR campaigns that earn coverage through newsworthy content
- Broken link outreach, which involves offering to replace outdated resources with your content
- Unlinked brand mentions by turning references of your name or brand into backlinks
5. Keep it natural
Search engines are very good at spotting artificial or manipulative link patterns. That’s why you should avoid buying links, using private networks, or spamming comment sections as these tactics will do more harm than good. Instead, focus on relevance, transparency, and content that earns its place online.
6. Monitor and maintain
Make sure you regularly review your backlink profile to track new links, identify harmful ones, and spot missed opportunities. Tools like Ahrefs and Google Search Console can help you monitor performance and guide your future outreach.
Need help with your link building strategy?
So, is building links for SEO a thing of the past? Definitely not.
What’s changed is the way we approach it. As we’ve shown, modern link building is less about chasing numbers and more about earning trust. By focusing on relevant, high-quality connections and creating content that truly adds value, you’ll build a backlink profile that strengthens your SEO for the long term.
If you’re ready to refine your digital strategy and make every link count, or you’d like to learn more about how link building can benefit your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. Our SEO experts can help you craft an approach that fits your brand, goals, and audience.
