Backlinks
28 established claims - 9 refused by the grounding gate
Verdict
In 2016 Google's Andrey Lipattsev described backlinks as one of the top three Google Search ranking factors, but by September 2023 Google's Gary Illyes said backlinks are important, people overestimate their importance, and they have not been in the top three for some time; a 2024 Search Engine Roundtable report quoted Illyes as saying Google needs very few links to rank pages and has made links less important over the years. Google's current documentation positions backlinks as one quality factor among many: the How Search Works page says whether other prominent websites link or refer to content is a quality factor, the SEO Starter Guide says PageRank is just one of many ranking signals, and the ranking systems guide says PageRank continues to be part of Google's core ranking systems. Google's Webmaster Guidelines introduced a Link spam section as of 2022-10-13, and its spam policies state that buying and selling backlinks is not a violation as long as the links are qualified with rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored"; however, a pattern of unnatural, artificial, deceptive, or manipulative backlinks can result in a manual action, the disavow tool is an advanced feature that should be used with caution and can harm performance if used incorrectly, and most sites will not need it because in most cases Google can assess which links to trust and works very hard to ensure third-party-site actions do not negatively affect a website. A 2025 Backlinko analysis of 11.8 million Google results found the #1 result has on average 3.8 times more backlinks than positions #2 through #10; a 2025 Ahrefs study of 75,000 brands found a backlink correlation of 0.218 with AI Overview brand visibility, compared with 0.664 for web mentions, and states all factors it studied revealed moderate to very weak correlations; a 2026 Search Engine Land article reports typical link building pricing sheets show flat rates of $400 to $500 per backlink or rigid monthly retainers starting at $5,000, based on the author's audits of vendor proposals.
Written from the 28 established claims below, then checked against them. How that works.
Documented position10
What the operator of the system says in its own documentation.
Google's How Search Works page states that…
- backlinks are one of the factors used to determine quality.
- the backlinks factor is understanding if other prominent websites link or refer to the content.
1 quote from 1 source
For example, one of the factors used to determine quality is understanding if other prominent websites link or refer to the content. This is generally a good sign that the information is trustworthy.
Google's Search Console Help page on disavowing backlinks…
- describes the disavow tool as an advanced feature.
- states that the disavow tool should only be used with caution.
- states that the disavow tool can potentially harm a site's performance in Google Search results if used incorrectly.
1 quote from 1 source
This is an advanced feature and should only be used with caution. If used incorrectly, this feature can potentially harm your site’s performance in Google Search results.
Google's spam policies documentation states that buying and selling backlinks is…
- a normal part of the economy of the web for advertising and sponsorship purposes.
- not a violation of Google's policies as long as the backlinks are qualified with a rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" attribute value.
1 quote from 1 source
Google does understand that buying and selling links is a normal part of the economy of the web for advertising and sponsorship purposes. It's not a violation of our policies to have such links as long as they are qualified with a rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" attribute value to the <a> tag.
For backlinks, Google's ranking systems guide states that PageRank…
- is one of Google's core ranking systems used when Google first launched.
- continues to be part of Google's core ranking systems.
2 quotes from 1 source
Among these is PageRank, one of our core ranking systems used when Google first launched.
How PageRank works has evolved a lot since then, and it continues to be part of our core ranking systems.
Google's SEO Starter Guide states that there is much more to Google Search than just links and that PageRank is just one of many ranking signals.
1 quote from 1 source
While PageRank uses links and is one of the fundamental algorithms at Google, there's much more to Google Search than just links. We have many ranking signals, and PageRank is just one of those.
Measured finding4
Something someone actually measured, with the method attached.
An Ahrefs study of 75,000 brands reports…
- that backlinks show a correlation of 0.218 with AI Overview brand visibility.
- that, unlike backlinks, brand web mentions show a correlation of 0.664 with AI Overview brand visibility.
2 quotes from 1 source
we've analyzed 75,000 brands to see which search factors are most likely to influence brand mentions in AI Overviews
Web mentions (0.664) correlate much more strongly than backlinks (0.218).
The Ahrefs 75,000-brand AI Overview study states that all the factors it studied revealed moderate to very weak correlations on the Spearman scale.
2 quotes from 1 source
We used the Spearman correlation coefficient to analyze the data in this study–larger positive values reflect stronger positive correlations.
All the factors we studied revealed moderate to very weak correlations on the Spearman scale, but that doesn't necessarily mean they should be overlooked.
Backlinko's study "We Analyzed 11.8 Million Google Search Results" reports that the #1 result in Google has an average of 3.8x more backlinks than positions #2-#10.
2 quotes from 1 source
We recently analyzed 11.8 million Google search results to answer the question:
In fact, the #1 result in Google has an average of 3.8x more backlinks than positions #2-#10.
Practical effect4
What is observed to happen in practice, as distinct from what is documented.
A pattern of unnatural, artificial, deceptive, or manipulative backlinks pointing to a site can result in some or all of that site getting a manual action.
1 quote from 1 source
Google has detected a pattern of unnatural, artificial, deceptive, or manipulative links pointing to your site. Buying links or participating in link schemes in order to manipulate ranking in Google Search results is a violation of our spam policies. This can result in some or all of your site getting a manual action.
- In most cases, Google can assess which backlinks to trust without additional guidance, according to Google's Search Console Help page on disavowing links.
- Most sites will not need to use the disavow tool on their backlinks, according to Google's Search Console Help page on disavowing links.
1 quote from 1 source
In most cases, Google can assess which links to trust without additional guidance, so most sites will not need to use this tool.
Google's Search Console Help page on disavowing backlinks states that Google works very hard to make sure that backlinks from third-party sites do not negatively affect a website.
1 quote from 1 source
Google works very hard to make sure that actions on third-party sites do not negatively affect a website. In some circumstances, incoming links can affect Google’s opinion of a page or site.
Changed on6
A dated change. This is where advice quietly stops being true.
In 2016, Andrey Lipattsev, a Google search quality senior strategist, said backlinks were one of the top three Google Search ranking factors, along with content and RankBrain.
1 quote from 1 source
In 2016, Andrey Lipattsev, a Google search quality senior strategist, said links pointing at your site were one of the top three Google Search ranking factors (along with content and RankBrain).
- Backlinks are important, according to Google's Gary Illyes.
- People overestimate the importance of backlinks, according to Google's Gary Illyes.
- Backlinks are not in the top three, according to Google's Gary Illyes.
- Backlinks have not been in the top three for some time, according to Google's Gary Illyes.
2 quotes from 1 source
“I think they are important, but I think people overestimate the importance of links. I don’t agree it’s in the top three. It hasn’t been for some time.”
Published: September 25, 2023 at 12:19 pm
Google's Search documentation updates log records that the refreshed and renamed Webmaster Guidelines introduced a 'Link spam' section for backlinks.
2 quotes from 1 source
Refreshed and renamed the Webmaster Guidelines. Notable changes include:
Link spam : Consolidates previous pages on Paid links and Link schemes.
Echoed without a primary source4
Widely repeated in the field, but traceable only to other repetitions. Listed because knowing something is merely echoed is worth as much as knowing it is documented.
A Search Engine Land article on link building states that typical link building pricing sheets show flat rates of $400 to $500 per backlink or rigid monthly retainers starting at $5,000, based on the author's own audits of vendor proposals rather than a stated sample.
1 quote from 1 source
Over the years, I’ve personally tested dozens of link building services and audited countless vendor proposals. If you look at a typical pricing sheet today, you’ll find flat rates of $400 to $500 per backlink, or rigid monthly retainers starting at $5,000.
- Why the traditional link building model no longer works for AI search searchengineland.com
Search Engine Roundtable's report…
- contains the backlinks quote "We need very few links to rank pages... Over the years we've made links less important".
- states that the backlinks quote was Barry Schwartz quoting Patrick Stox.
- states that the backlinks quote was Patrick Stox quoting what Stox heard Gary Illyes say on stage.
1 quote from 1 source
Gary reportedly said, "We need very few links to rank pages... Over the years we've made links less important." I am quoting Patrick Stox who is quoting what he heard Gary say on stage at the event.
Refused9
Claims the research produced that the grounding gate would not accept, with its reason. They are here because a site that only shows what passed gives you no way to judge whether the gate does anything.
Show what was refused
Google's Search documentation updates log records that the 'Link spam' section for backlinks consolidates previous pages on Paid links and Link schemes.
Refused: The quotes establish a Link spam update consolidating Paid links and Link schemes, but do not state the section is for backlinks.
Unsupported: for backlinks
What it rested on
Refreshed and renamed the Webmaster Guidelines. Notable changes include:
Link spam : Consolidates previous pages on Paid links and Link schemes.
Google's spam policies documentation defines link spam as the practice of creating backlinks to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings.
Refused: The cited quote says 'links,' not 'backlinks,' so the claim narrows the definition without support.
Unsupported: backlinks
What it rested on
Link spam is the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings.
Backlinks have a documented position in a post by Google's Gary Illyes that was reproduced by Search Engine Roundtable, reading 'I shouldn't have said that... I definitely shouldn't have said that'.
Refused: The quote only contains the stated text and does not indicate the post is about backlinks.
Unsupported: Backlinks have a documented position
What it rested on
I shouldn't have said that... I definitely shouldn't have said that — Gary 鯨理／경리 Illyes (so official, trust me) (@methode) April 19, 2024
Google's documented position on backlinks, as stated in its March 2024 spam policies blog post, is that third-party 'reputation' or 'authority' scores for sites do not correspond to any of Google's own signals.
Refused: The quote addresses third-party reputation/authority scores for sites but never mentions backlinks, so framing this as Google's documented position on backlinks overreaches.
Unsupported: on backlinks
What it rested on
Please note: some third-party services provide "reputation" or "authority" scores for sites. These don't correspond to any of Google's own signals nor come from Google.
Google's documented position on backlinks, as stated in its March 2024 spam policies blog post, is that third-party 'reputation' or 'authority' scores for sites do not come from Google.
Refused: The quote states third-party reputation/authority scores for sites don't come from Google, but it does not mention backlinks.
Unsupported: on backlinks
What it rested on
Please note: some third-party services provide "reputation" or "authority" scores for sites. These don't correspond to any of Google's own signals nor come from Google.
Backlinks as a signal were said by Duy Nguyen of Google's search quality team to have a lot less significant impact compared to when Google Search first started out many years ago.
Refused: The quote contains the statement but does not attribute it to Duy Nguyen; the provenance URL mentions Gary Illyes, not Duy Nguyen.
Unsupported: by Duy Nguyen of Google's search quality team
What it rested on
“First, backlinks as a signal has a lot less significant impact compared to when Google Search first started out many years ago. We have robust ranking signals, hundreds of them, to make sure that we are able to rank the most relevant and useful results for all queries.”
Backlinko's 11.8 million search results study about backlinks states that its research question was which factors correlate with first-page search engine rankings.
Refused: The cited quotes do not mention the study's size (11.8 million search results); they only mention the research question.
Unsupported: 11.8 million search results
What it rested on
Which factors correlate with first-page search engine rankings?
With the help of our data partner Ahrefs , we uncovered some interesting findings.
Backlinko's 11.8 million search results study about backlinks states that Ahrefs was its data partner.
Refused: The quotes confirm Ahrefs as a data partner but do not mention that the study is about backlinks.
Unsupported: about backlinks
What it rested on
Which factors correlate with first-page search engine rankings?
With the help of our data partner Ahrefs , we uncovered some interesting findings.
Backlinko's 11.8 million search results study reports that the number of domains linking to a page had a correlation with rankings.
Refused: The quote directly states the correlation but does not mention the specific study name or its sample size, and the source label only shows backlinko.com/search-engine-ranking, which does not verify the claim's precise attribution.
Unsupported: Backlinko's 11.8 million search results study
What it rested on
We found the number of domains linking to a page had a correlation with rankings.