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Backlinks still matter as pathways to discovery, useful referrals and editorial context—but a raw backlink total cannot tell you whether a link reaches the right readers, earns their trust or complies with search policies. For AI search, the evidence supports a more cautious conclusion: Google’s AI summaries are associated with fewer clicks to external results, but available sources do not show that a higher backlink count causes a site to be cited in AI answers.
What AI search changes—and what the evidence can show
When a search result page answers a question with an AI summary, fewer users may need to click through to a website. Pew Research Center analyzed browsing data from 900 U.S. adults in its KnowledgePanel Digital panel during March 1–31, 2025. Researchers assessed 68,879 unique Google searches, 12,593 of which produced an AI summary; they collected the corresponding result pages April 7–17, 2025. In that sample:
- Users clicked a traditional search result in 8% of visits to pages with an AI summary, compared with 15% of visits to pages without one.
- Users clicked a link within an AI summary in 1% of visits to pages with a summary.
- AI summaries appeared in 18% of the searches. They appeared in 53% of searches with 10 or more words, versus 8% of one- or two-word searches.
- Among the summaries, 88% cited three or more sources.
These figures describe observed behavior on Google for a particular U.S. sample and period—not current click-through rates for every market or search engine. Pew also notes that whether a query produces a summary can change over time. The analysis did not measure backlinks or test whether link-building tactics caused a site to appear in a summary. Read Pew Research Center’s findings.
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Do backlinks still matter for AI search?
Links can still help people and search engines discover pages, and an editorial link can put a useful resource in front of a relevant audience. But the sources available here do not establish that backlink volume determines whether Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT or another AI search product cites a site. Nor do they establish a universal number of links needed for inclusion.
#1 Best Overall
That distinction matters: a link may have practical value through referral visits or a credible recommendation even if you cannot attribute an AI citation to it. Conversely, a large count of irrelevant, paid-without-qualification or manipulative links is not evidence of earned visibility. Treat claims that a particular number of links will secure AI citations as unverified unless independently substantiated.
What Google recommends for useful links
Google Search Central’s link guidance focuses on clarity and context rather than hitting a target count. It says, “Good anchor text is descriptive, reasonably concise, and relevant to the page that it’s on and to the page it links to.” In practice, a reader should be able to understand why a link is there and what they are likely to find after following it.
Rank #2
- Write anchor text that accurately describes the destination; avoid vague wording when a clearer description would help the reader.
- Place links in relevant context rather than stringing together adjacent links that are difficult to distinguish.
- Link internally to important pages: Google recommends that each important page have at least one link from another page on your site.
- Use external links to cite sources where appropriate, with enough surrounding context to make the citation useful.
Google says there is no magical ideal number of links per page. Its recommendations are about useful navigation and context, not a promise that any link will produce a ranking or AI citation. See Google’s SEO Link Best Practices.
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Google defines link spam as “the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings.” Its examples include exchanging money, goods or services for links intended to pass ranking credit; excessive reciprocal exchanges; automated link creation; low-quality directories; keyword-rich links in distributed widgets or footers; and optimized links in forum comments.
Rank #3
Advertising and sponsorship links are permitted when properly qualified with rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored". A paid placement may still be worthwhile for its audience or referral value, but it should not depend on passing ranking credit in a way that violates Google’s policies. Review the complete Google Search spam policies before adopting a campaign tactic.
What SEO practitioners believe—and what that does not prove
A 2025 survey of 518 SEO professionals, conducted and published by Editorial.Link, reported that 73.2% believed links influence visibility in AI search and 80.9% believed unlinked brand mentions affect rankings. It also found that 48.6% named digital PR as the most effective link-building tactic, while 52.9% said measuring link-building ROI is difficult.
These are respondents’ beliefs and reported practices, not controlled evidence that links, brand mentions or digital PR cause AI visibility. Search Engine Land identifies Editorial.Link as a link-building agency, a relevant commercial interest when interpreting its survey. The findings can indicate what practitioners think; they cannot establish ranking weights or guarantee results. Read Search Engine Land’s report on the survey.
How to evaluate a link opportunity
Use these questions to compare opportunities. This is a practical decision framework, not a Google scoring system or a formula for AI citations.
- Does the page fit your subject and audience? The referring page should naturally serve people who would find your destination useful.
- Is the placement clear and useful? Check whether the link appears in meaningful editorial context, has understandable anchor text and is likely to be noticed by a person.
- Could it bring the right visitors? Consider whether the referring audience might visit, subscribe, inquire or take another measurable action—not just whether a tool reports a link.
- Is the link qualified appropriately? For advertising or sponsorship, verify disclosure and use of
rel="nofollow"orrel="sponsored". Check whether the broader tactic resembles an example in Google’s spam policy. - Does the destination deserve a recommendation? A useful, accurate landing page gives a publisher a genuine reason to cite it. Improve the destination when it lacks original or reader-serving information.
- Can you justify the cost and track an outcome? Set a budget and define a referral or business measure in advance. Do not treat a third-party tool’s estimate as access to Google’s internal ranking data.
How to measure whether link building is working
Measure the outcomes you can observe. Track referral visits from placements and, where relevant, downstream actions such as leads or sales. Record the page, context, audience fit, qualification, cost and campaign date so that you can compare like with like. Search visibility can be monitored as a separate outcome, but a change after a link campaign does not by itself prove that the links caused it.
Third-party SEO tools can provide estimates and monitoring, not a view into Google’s private ranking systems. Google says it does not evaluate third-party SEO services, vendors do not have its internal ranking data, and using a tool does not guarantee rankings. Apply the same skepticism to precise claims about undisclosed AI-ranking weights or guaranteed citations. Review Google’s guidance on third-party SEO tools and advice. For sites using generative AI to create content, Google’s separate guidance emphasizes accuracy, quality and relevance to readers rather than the method used to produce it: Google’s guidance on generative AI content.
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