Is Link Building in 2025 Still Effective?

There’s a small business owner who came to me few years ago swearing that SEO was broken. She had spent months writing blog posts, ticking off keywords and tweaking meta descriptions. But her website traffic was flat. “It’s like...

May 28, 2025 - 10:53

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Is Link Building in 2025 Still Effective?

There’s a small business owner who came to me few years ago swearing that SEO was broken.

She had spent months writing blog posts, ticking off keywords and tweaking meta descriptions.

But her website traffic was flat. “It’s like screaming into the void,” she said to me one day. Frustrated, she was about to abandon SEO.

But then we experimented with something else. We focused on link building. She was growing her organic traffic by 100% every three months.

By 6 months it had tripled. Her content began reaching the first page of Google for highly competitive keywords.

And guess what? No one else in her competitive field were doing it. Link building was key to her success.

Jump ahead to 2025, and not much has changed.

Yes, Google algorithms have changed prioritizing EEAT, but backlinks are still a heavy weight when it comes to SEO success.

Let me explain why.

Why Backlinks Still Matter

People have been telling me, “Google doesn’t care about backlinks anymore.” Honestly, that’s nonsense.

Google’s Algorithm

Yes, Google has added some complexity into its algorithm—blocks for user experience, mobile-friendliness, EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).

But backlinks? They’re still among the top three ranking factors. Period.

It’s like this: when someone else’s website has a link to your site they’re vouching for you. It’s almost as good as a personal recommendation.

Backlinks are votes, and Google has long taken this into account.

The Visibility Problem

Most of the stuff on the internet isn’t worth a second glance. I’m referring to almost all content.

Why? Because it lacks backlinks.

Without backlinks, your article is as good as invisible to the world.

I had one student, who had completed over 100 blog posts. None of them were ranking in Google.

When I conducted a bit of further digging, I discovered the problem: zero backlinks. Things changed when we started to build links to his top performing posts. His content rose in the rankings, and traffic came pouring in. It was not magic – it was deliberation.

Organic Traffic Loves Backlinks

Just for a second, let’s make this personal. When was the last time you clicked into some random blog post on page five of Google?

Probably never. The majority of the people don’t even go further than the first page, neither does Google. The #1 ranking page have an average of 3.8x more backlinks than those in positions 2-10. That’s not an accident.

Backlinks = Rankings, Rankings = Traffic. I can’t begin to explain the tsunami of traffic you get when you have that first placement in Google.

The Numbers Behind the Narrative

If you’ve ever tried to get links, you know it’s not an easy task.

The Hardest Part of SEO

In surveys, the majority of SEOs and digital marketers name link building as the most difficult aspect of their job.

I’ll admit, it’s tough. You’re more or less asking strangers to vouch for your work. It takes perseverance, ingenuity and thick skin.

But here’s the good news: challenges bring opportunities. When everyone finds link-building to be a pain, the people who become great at it will be exceptional.

Think about it — most businesses are not willing to put forth the effort. That’s your chance to shine.

Quality Over Quantity

In the SEO early days, volume dominated. Folks would spam forums, comment sections and directories full of backlinks. Those days are long gone.

Quality is king in 2025.

Today, most of link builders care more about the quality of links over the quantity. The quality of one excellent-quality link from a high domain authority site instead of dozens of low-quality links.

Let me share an example.

I remember one client had hundreds of backlinks and none of them did anything.

Then we landed a single link from a leading industry publication. Their rankings shot up overnight. It wasn’t a numbers game; it was a question of who were the parties doing the linking.

ROI Satisfaction

This is the reality of link building, it works.

78% of SEOs experience a high ROI on their tactics. That’s a high level of satisfaction. If you’re not getting the results you want, it’s because you need to work on your approach.

Take my client from earlier. She was skeptical at first. ‘Why should I pay into this?’ she asked. But her traffic doubled, and she was converted. Link building may not be cheap, but man, if it’s done right, it is 100% worth it.

The Role of Content

You’ve likely heard the statement that “content is king.” It’s right — but with a caveat. Content is a king without a kingdom, if it doesn’t have backlinks. Content that’s great naturally attracts links, but only if it’s the right kind of content.

I remember writing my first long-form guide. It was more than 4,000 words, and it took me weeks.

At the outset, I questioned whether anyone would bother to read it. But in a matter of months, it had garnered dozens of backlinks. Why? Because it provided value. People connected with it because it delivered a solution.

Long-Form Content Wins

And speaking of long-form content, it makes a world of difference. Research indicates that content exceeding 3,000 words receives 77.2% more backlinks than over a shorter equivalent.

Why? Because depth builds trust. Comprehensive guides get more links than quick tips.

Here’s a personal anecdote.

One time I wrote a short blog post on a trending topic. It received a bit of traffic at first, but nothing was taking.

So I rewrote it as a comprehensive guide. The result? More traffic, more shares and more backlinks.

Lesson here: go big or go home.

Listicles and “What” Posts Dominate

All content is not created equal. Listicles and “what” posts often garner the strongest links. Why? Because they are easy to consume and pass along. People love lists — they’re scannable, actionable and sticky.

Take BuzzFeed, for example. Their listicles always go viral because you are supposed to share them. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel — just pay attention to formats that get readers engaged.