Google keeps pushing hard into AI, but one thing has not disappeared from search: backlinks. They do not work the way they did ten years ago, and a lot of old tactics now carry real risk, yet links still influence how your pages show up in search results.
Are backlinks still a ranking factor in 2026?
Short answer: yes. Independent studies of ranking factors in 2025 still put backlinks near the top of the list, alongside content quality and user experience.
Research across large data sets keeps finding a clear correlation between the number and quality of links pointing to a page and the organic traffic that page receives. Google’s original PageRank concept still relies on links as signals of trust, even if the way it interprets those signals has grown a lot more sophisticated.
What has shifted is the weight and context. Content quality, topical authority and page experience are now strong signals in their own right. So backlinks still help, but they are part of a bigger picture where thin pages with lots of links no longer stand a chance.
How Google’s AI era has reshaped traffic
Google’s AI Overviews and other AI features are changing how people interact with search results. AI-generated summaries sit above the normal listings for many informational queries and answer common questions on the results page itself.
Several studies and industry reports show a rise in “zero click” searches, where users get what they need without visiting a website at all. Some analyses suggest a sharp drop in clicks for pages that appear underneath AI summaries, especially in news and content-heavy sectors.
So what does that mean for link building?
- Links from pages that still attract real human visits matter more.
- Featured coverage, brand mentions and entity signals become just as important as raw referral traffic.
- Being listed as a cited source in AI Overviews can send smaller, more targeted streams of visitors, even if overall click numbers fall.
In other words, links now need to support both traditional rankings and visibility inside this AI-shaped layer at the top of the page.
From link quantity to link integrity
Google has tightened its spam policies in recent years, especially around links built just to manipulate rankings. Core and spam updates in 2024 and 2025 sharpened detection of link schemes and scaled, low-value tactics.
Unnatural links are those that exist mainly to game the algorithm: paid placements that pass PageRank, link exchanges, private blog networks, widget links and comment spam, among others.
A useful test is simple: would this link exist if search engines did not? If the answer is no, it probably falls into the “unnatural” bucket.
In 2026, the profile you want is a natural link profile built on:
- Relevance between the linking site and your topic
- Genuine editorial choice to reference your page
- A mix of branded and descriptive anchor text
- Diversity of domains rather than dozens of links from the same few sites
Old-school vs 2026 link building at a glance
| Old-school approach | 2026 approach |
| Buying links on random blogs | Earning mentions on relevant, trusted sites |
| Exact-match anchor text everywhere | Mostly branded or natural anchors |
| Mass guest posts on thin sites | Occasional guest content on real publications |
| Automated directory and comment spam | Selective listings on real, human-used platforms |
Link strategies that actually work now
1. Brand-led digital PR
Stories that journalists, bloggers and industry publishers actually want to cover will keep earning backlinks long after a campaign ends. Think:
- Data-led reports on your industry
- Strong opinion pieces from your founder or senior team
- Local stories with a clear community angle for Australian media
These pieces can attract citations from news outlets, niche blogs and even academic or government sites if the content is useful enough.
2. Content that deserves to be cited
Google’s helpful content focus rewards pages that genuinely solve problems.
When you publish:
- In-depth guides that explain a topic better than competitors
- Practical tools, calculators or checklists
- Fresh original insights instead of rehashed advice
you increase the odds that others will link to you naturally. Over time, this kind of content helps you build topic authority plus a steady stream of organic backlinks.
3. Strategic partnerships and community links
For Australian businesses, some of the most durable links come from the relationships you already have:
- Industry associations and chambers of commerce
- Sponsorships of local events and sports clubs
- Partnerships with universities or TAFEs
- Suppliers and resellers listing you as a preferred partner
These links tend to be highly relevant, locally trusted and resilient to algorithm changes.
4. Cleaning up toxic history
If your site went through aggressive link building in the past, regular audits are worth the effort. Identifying and reducing obviously spammy links, then tightening current tactics around quality and relevance, helps you avoid spam updates that target manipulative patterns.
What this means for Australian websites
For local .com.au owners, the message is clear:
- You still need backlinks, but you do not need thousands of them.
- A handful of high quality links from respected Australian or global sites will usually beat a long tail of weak placements.
- Content that understands Australian regulations, pricing, seasons and slang has a better chance of earning mentions from local publishers and bloggers.
Think less about “building” links and more about doing things that naturally attract attention: better products, clearer resources, stronger community ties, and smart PR.
A simple action plan for 2026
- Audit your existing backlinks and flag anything clearly spammy or irrelevant.
- Map out the publications, podcasts and communities your customers actually follow.
- Create one or two standout resources per quarter that these audiences would willingly share.
- Pitch those resources with targeted outreach, not mass email blasts.
- Track not just link counts, but referral quality, branded search volume and how often your brand is mentioned alongside core topics.
That mix keeps you aligned with Google’s AI direction while still growing authority over time.
Ready to modernise your link strategy?
If you are tired of guessing what Google wants and you would like a plan tailored to your market, contact Myoho Marketing. Our team can review your current backlinks, shape a safer link building strategy for the AI era, and help your brand show up where real customers are looking.
