I’ve been building backlinks for over 14 years. I’ve tested everything. And now, with Google AI Overviews and LLM-powered search taking over, a lot of people are asking:

“Do backlinks still matter?”

Yes, they do. In fact, they matter more than ever, but the game is changing fast.

Let me explain why backlinks are still a key ranking signal in this new AI-driven search world and what you can do to stay ahead.

First, Let’s Talk About LLMs and Google AI Overviews

LLMs (like ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini) don’t just scrape the web randomly. They prioritize trustworthy, citation-rich, and contextually relevant content.

Google’s AI Overview (formerly SGE) now pulls answers directly from websites it trusts. These answers often cite high-authority sites, ones with solid backlink profiles.

So, if your website has real editorial backlinks from trusted domains?
You’re more likely to be cited. You’re more likely to show up. You’re more likely to win.

Why Backlinks Still Matter in 2025 and Beyond

Here’s why backlinks remain vital in the AI-driven search world:

1. Trust is everything in AI search

Google’s AI doesn’t just want content, it wants validated content. Backlinks from reputable sources still act as trust signals.

2. Citations power AI answers

AI answers are often summaries of existing web content. If your blog or landing page is well-cited, AI systems are more likely to “read” and “repeat” your insights.

3. Entity recognition relies on link context

If your brand name appears in trusted sources alongside your niche topic, Google understands you as an authority entity.

4. LLMs follow link paths

While AI models aren’t crawling links the same way as traditional crawlers, most of their training data still comes from indexed web content, and that content is often found via links.

My Tips for Building Backlinks That Matter in the LLM Era

As Google evolves, old-school link spam is dead. You need clean, contextual, and human-first backlinks.

Here’s what I recommend:

1. Focus on Authoritative Mentions

Pitch journalists through HARO, Featured, Qwoted, and SourceBottle. If a journalist cites you in a reputable source like Forbes or Globe and Mail, that link can feed LLMs directly.

I’ve earned links from sites like TechRadar and CNET for clients using this method.

2. Target Semantic Relevance, Not Just DR

A link from a semantically related site (even if it’s DR 30) is often more valuable than a DR 80 link from an unrelated directory.

Example: A backlink from a travel blog to an e-bike site is gold. But a backlink from a random finance site? Meh.

3. Build Linkable Assets With Expert Insight

LLMs pick up on content that’s factually rich and expert-driven. Create assets like:

• Data studies
  
• Local guides
  
• Glossary pages
  
• FAQs with real stats
  

Make sure they’re easy to cite, and worth linking to.

4. Don’t Ignore Brand Mentions Without Links

If you find your brand mentioned but not linked, reach out. Those unlinked mentions are easy wins and help reinforce your brand’s entity in Google’s knowledge graph.

I use tools like Ahrefs Alerts or Google Alerts to catch these.

5. Clean Up Low-Quality Links

I always recommend a backlink audit every few months. Disavow spam. Keep your link profile natural and niche-relevant. Google’s AI systems are smarter than ever, they can sniff out garbage easily.

Final Thought: Backlinks Alone Won’t Save You

Even with high-quality backlinks, you need matching content quality. Your site should:

• Load fast
  
• Be mobile-first
  
• Include NLP-optimized headings and questions
  
• Answer search intent clearly
  

Think of backlinks as votes. But if your content doesn’t deserve those votes? You won’t rank, AI or not.

My Take as a Link Building Pro

I’ve worked with brands in Canada, the UK, the US, and Australia. I’ve helped them earn backlinks from top-tier media and niche blogs that matter. The pattern is clear:

Clean backlinks + smart content = visibility in AI search.

If you want help building high-quality backlinks that work in today’s LLM ecosystem, reach out. I don’t sell fluff. I only pitch where real links come from trusted sources, and I back it with proof.

See you in the search results.