Are Backlinks Still the Backbone of SEO in 2025?
Are Backlinks Still the Backbone of SEO in 2025?
Blog Article
By Leslie Jones, Adore SEO – Cardiff
When it comes to climbing Google’s rankings and boosting your visibility, backlinks are still one of the most influential signals. Despite constant algorithm updates and the rise of AI-driven search, backlinks remain a foundational element of any strong SEO strategy.
At Adore SEO here in Cardiff, we’ve helped businesses across Wales thrive in search by building ethical, high-impact backlink profiles—and we’re often asked: are backlinks still essential for SEO success? In short: absolutely. Let me explain why.
Backlinks: Still the SEO MVP
Think of backlinks as votes of confidence from other websites. When a credible site links to your content, it’s like telling Google, “This page is worth reading.” These endorsements play a massive role in how search engines assess the trustworthiness, relevance, and authority of your website.
And the data doesn’t lie—according to Backlinko, pages that rank in the top position on Google typically have 3.8 times more backlinks than those in positions two through ten. Quality backlinks boost your visibility, push you up the rankings, and ultimately drive more traffic.
Given that the top three results on Google account for over 54% of all organic clicks, investing in backlink strategies isn’t just smart—it’s critical to staying competitive.
Internal vs External Links: What’s the Difference?
Let’s clear this up. Internal links are those that connect one page of your website to another—say, linking a blog post on social media strategy to your landing page about content marketing. These help Google understand the structure of your site and encourage visitors to stick around longer.
External links, on the other hand—also called backlinks—come from other websites pointing to yours. And here’s where things get really powerful. When a trusted third party links to your content, Google sees it as a vote of trust. The better the source (think industry sites, news outlets, or authoritative blogs), the stronger the signal.
Here’s a stat that might shock you: 66% of online content has no backlinks at all. That means if your business is actively building a backlink profile, you’re already outpacing the majority of the internet.
How Google Uses Backlinks to Judge You
Google’s algorithm has over 200 ranking factors—but backlinks remain one of the most important. Most SEO professionals would agree that without a healthy number of high-quality links, your chances of ranking well are slim.
Backlinks influence your site’s Domain Authority (DA), a predictive metric of how likely you are to rank in search results. The higher your DA, the better your odds. According to Moz, pages that rank on the first page of Google tend to have higher DAs and, on average, over 1,400 words of well-structured content supported by strong backlink networks.
We always advise clients to check their current DA and backlink health—tools like Moz Pro or Ahrefs give you a solid snapshot of where you stand.
Bounce Rate, Dwell Time & SEO: The Engagement Game
Backlinks may bring users in, but what keeps them there? That’s where user engagement metrics come into play.
A high bounce rate—when users land on a page and leave almost immediately—tells Google that your content might not be relevant. On the flip side, dwell time (how long visitors stay) signals value and relevance.
With 53% of all traffic coming from organic search, you’ve got to make the most of every visit. Using internal links, writing compelling content, and offering a seamless user journey all help reduce bounce and increase engagement—both of which feed back into better rankings.
UX and Mobile: SEO’s Secret Weapons
Backlinks may open the door, but user experience (UX) decides whether visitors stay. Google now prioritises mobile-friendly, fast-loading, intuitive websites. If your site is sluggish or clunky, expect to slide down the rankings—especially since 59% of web traffic now comes from mobile devices.
From Cardiff cafes to e-commerce startups, we help local businesses audit and optimise UX—because even the best backlinks can’t compensate for a poor user journey.
Anchor Text: Small Words, Big Impact
Anchor text—the clickable text in a hyperlink—helps search engines understand the topic of the linked page. For example, linking to “Cardiff SEO consultants” tells Google what that target page is about.
But be careful. Overusing the same keyword-rich anchor text across multiple links looks spammy. Google's algorithms (think Penguin and Panda) can penalise sites for manipulation. At Adore SEO, we take a natural, white-hat approach—ensuring anchor text is varied, relevant, and context-driven.
Let Adore SEO Help You Rank Higher
SEO isn’t a one-size-fits-all game. What works for a Cardiff law firm may flop for an online fashion brand. At Adore, our strategies are custom-built around your business goals, audience, and market niche.
We combine backlink outreach, technical optimisation, expert content writing, and UX design to deliver results. With 60% of marketers saying SEO is their number one source of high-quality leads, the ROI on great search strategy speaks for itself.
Want to see your website climb the rankings, grow your traffic, and generate leads consistently? Let’s talk. We’re Cardiff-based, results-obsessed, and ready to help your brand get noticed.
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