Are Backlinks Becoming Irrelevant in the AI Era?

As AI-powered search engines like SearchGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini redefine how information is ranked, many SEOs are asking:

Do backlinks still matter?

The answer: Yes—but their role is evolving.

Here’s what you need to know about backlinks in the AI-driven search era:

✅ Quality Over Quantity: AI systems prioritize backlinks from high-authority, reputable sources over quantity.

✅ Brand Authority Matters: Backlinks now contribute to domain and brand authority, a critical ranking signal in AI search.

✅ Mentions and Citations Count Too: Beyond direct links, AI algorithms recognize brand mentions and citations as trust signals as well.

✅ Topical Relevance is Key: Links from niche-relevant sites carry more weight in establishing expertise and authority.

✅ Trust Over Metrics: Backlinks from trusted sources remain essential for building credibility.

But here’s the shift:
AI algorithms focus more on content quality and contextual relevance, meaning backlinks need to add real value rather than just boost metrics.

It’s almost like backlinks are becoming even MORE important than ever.

Because…

“Quality” content is a commodity.

What’s the real difference maker between all these perfectly-optimized SEO articles?

You guessed it…

Backlinks.

What This Means for Your SEO Campaigns?

While backlinks still matter, quality, relevance, and brand authority are also important than ever.

Building strong, meaningful links from reputable sources will ensure your site stays competitive in the AI age of search.

But at the same time, people have to be looking for your brand online as well.

That’s a huge brand authority signal that justifies linkbuilding.

I hope that makes sense.

Your Partner in Smarter SEO,

Patrick from SERPpro

P.S: Struggling to figure out how many backlinks your target page actually needs? Check out our Link Gap Audit program.

It’s super affordable, and it will save you time, money and stress.