Why Backlinks Still Matter in 2026

Over the 11 years of my SEO career, one of the most debated topics I have come across in the SEO community is “do backlinks matter.” I think they do, and here is why.

Domain authority is an SEO SaaS metric that has gotten a lot of heat over the years, and many say that it’s a vanity platform metric. I also want to clarify something because I know someone is going to say it — Domain Authority is not a Google metric. It’s a third-party metric created by SEO tools. Google does not use “DA” in their algorithm.

But in my experience, when domain authority rises, rankings rise, and thus traffic and conversions rise. I have yet to see a site with stronger authority consistently lose to a site with weaker authority when content and intent are equal. Call it DA, call it authority, call it trust — the sites with stronger backlink profiles win more often than not. The metric might be third-party, but the correlation is very real.

The data:

In 2016, Google’s Andrey Lipattsev confirmed they’re one of Google’s strongest ranking factors. If someone from Google said it is one of the strongest ranking factors, then why is this topic even debated? Since 2016, Google and other search engines have stated that backlinks have been nerfed a bit, but they still matter as a ranking factor. Not to mention, in the age of AI, backlinks are a factor in AI search results.

But if you do not believe me, here is a list of case studies and data to support my case:

Backlinko
Search Atlas
SEOMator
Rankability
SEMRush

Another argument I hear all the time is “just create great content and the links will come.” In theory, sure. In reality, that almost never happens. Content without authority struggles to rank. Authority without content also doesn’t work. You need both.

I’ve seen amazing pieces of content sit on page 3 because the domain had no authority. Once we built links, the same content started climbing. Nothing else changed.

My own experience

Every year I work with brands that want to spin off a new brand with a new domain, not knowing that a new domain means no DA. Then I have to go into my explanation about DA and how much work it will be to match the new brand to their main brand metrics… and each time they want to move forward and I have to create a backlink strategy, which is fine, it’s what I get paid for.

And surely enough, the first few months of little results in rankings and traffic are hard, and I have to hold hands while we build authority. Almost every time, after we finally gain traction and get backlinks (high-quality ones), the rankings start to come in, and then the traffic and conversions follow.

If you’re wondering where to start, stop chasing random backlinks just to increase a number. Start with relevance. Industry partnerships, suppliers, associations, sponsorships… These links move the needle way more than generic outreach blasts.

I want to clarify that quality backlinks matter (quality > quantity). I would rather have 1 backlink from the NYTimes than 100 from some random Russian website. Context also matters. If you own a website that sells fishing products, getting links from Bass Pro Shop is wayyyyy more important than a generic backlink from a high-quality domain.

So in my opinion, the takeaway here is that quality and relevance are what matter.