How Important Are Backlinks To SEO? It Depends.

How Important Are Backlinks To SEO? Truth is, it depends.

While backlinks can significantly boost your website’s visibility and rankings, they’re not the only factor that matters. In this detailed case study, we’ll dive deep into the actual impact of backlinks on search engine rankings and explore whether the conventional wisdom of “more backlinks = higher rankings” holds true.

The Challenge

Declining Backlinks and SEO Performance

Imagine this scenario: Your website has been steadily losing referring domains and backlinks over the past year. This decline raises a critical question—do the number and quality of backlinks really have a significant impact on your site’s SEO performance?

Do backlinks really matter?

To answer this, let’s look at a real-world example. The graph above (from Ahrefs) shows the number of referring domains—websites that linked to a page on the client’s site or just the same that refers to backlinks. Some of these domains may have provided just one backlink, while others may have linked multiple times.

Many SEO specialists would see this decline and immediately recommend a backlink-building strategy, often charging a premium for their services. And to be fair, acquiring backlinks is hard work—it requires outreach, relationship-building, and sometimes even financial investment.

But here’s the catch: not all backlinks are created equal. A single high-quality backlink from a reputable, authoritative site can be far more valuable than hundreds of low-quality links from spammy or irrelevant domains.

This brings us to two key questions:

1. How do we determine if a backlink is high-quality?
2. Are backlinks the only thing you need for SEO success?

We’ll come back to these questions later in the case study, but first, let’s talk about the solution we implemented for this client.

The Solution

A Content-First Approach

When I first audited this website in February 2024, I noticed something interesting. Despite having a decent number of backlinks, the site wasn’t ranking well for its target keywords. This led me to propose a strategy focused on content creation, keyword realignment, and monthly on-page and technical optimizations.

You might be wondering: Why didn’t I recommend off-page optimizations (like backlink building) right away? 

The answer lies in the results I achieved below.

The Results

Content Outperformed Backlinks

After implementing the content-first strategy, the website saw significant improvements in keyword rankings and organic traffic—without focusing on acquiring more backlinks.

Here’s what happened:

As you can see even though the website had a number of backlinks for years, it did not drive the website to gain keywords and help it show up on Google Searches. While we cannot discard the importance of backlinks, it should be a second level strategy after consistently ranking on Google Search.

Keyword Rankings Improved: By aligning content with the right keywords and optimizing on-page elements, the site started ranking for more relevant search terms.

Organic Traffic Increased: As the site climbed the rankings, it began attracting more visitors from Google searches.

User Engagement Rose: High-quality content kept visitors on the site longer, reducing bounce rates and improving overall engagement.

The takeaway? Even though the website had a decent number of backlinks, those links alone weren’t enough to drive meaningful results. 

Content was the game-changer.

As an SEO specialist working for 4 years now, I know that while backlinks are important, content should be the first priority since content is like the backbone that amplify the effect of the backlinks.

THROUGH THIS CASE STUDY, ONCE AGAIN, WE PROVED THAT QUALITY CONTENT IS A GREAT DRIVER OF TRAFFIC AND ONLINE VISIBILITY THAN BACKLINKS.

The lessons from this case study are clear: while backlinks are still a vital part of SEO, they shouldn’t overshadow the importance of content.

Adopting a content-first strategy for not yet ranking website can help build the foundation before harvesting the benefits of backlinks but also builds a strong foundation for sustained SEO success and better user engagement.

Why Content Should Be Your First Priority

• Content is the Foundation: Think of your website as a house. Backlinks are like the decorations—they make it look good, but they won’t hold up the structure.
  
  Content, on the other hand, is the foundation. Without high-quality, relevant, and engaging content, even the best backlinks won’t get you far.
  
  Search engines love content that meets what users are looking for, as it leads to better user engagement and higher rankings.
  
• Content Attracts Natural Backlinks: Great content pulls in backlinks effortlessly. When your site offers real value and credibility, other sites are naturally inclined to link to you.
  
  By focusing on crafting high-quality content, you’re more likely to engage in organic link-building. This natural link-building is not only more sustainable but also more effective than forced or paid backlinks.
  
• Content Ensures Long-Term SEO Health: Search engines like Google are constantly updating their algorithms to prioritize high-quality content.
  
  Google and other search engines are continually refining their algorithms to favor relevant and high-quality content. If your site consistently offers fresh and engaging content, it’s more equipped to handle changes in SEO algorithms and maintain or even boost its ranking.
  
  
• Content Boosts User Experience: Great content keeps visitors engaged, reduces bounce rates, and increases the likelihood of conversions—all of which are key ranking factors.

What Makes a Backlink High-Quality?

Quality backlinks are vital for effective SEO as they improve a website’s search rankings and enhance its credibility.

Not all backlinks are created equal. Here’s what to look for in a quality backlink:

• High Domain Authority: Links from authoritative sites carry more weight.
• Relevance: The linking site should be relevant to your niche or industry.
• Contextual Integration: The link should be naturally placed within relevant content.
• Dofollow Attribute: This allows the link to pass “link equity” to your site.
• Traffic and Trustworthiness: Links from sites with high traffic and low spam scores are ideal.

Acquiring these backlinks often involves creating exceptional content, conducting targeted outreach, and building relationships within your industry.

Frequently Asked Questions