The debate over the significance of links has been a recurring theme in SEO.
Recently, Google’s Gary Illyes reignited this discussion by stating that “people overestimate the importance of links,” and that they haven’t been a top three ranking factor for some time.
Similar statements have prompted SEO professionals and businesses to reconsider their strategies.
This led me to ponder the current relevance of links. What would the data reveal?
To answer this, I analyzed 100 random keywords from various categories, collecting data on the top 100 ranking websites, including referring domains and backlinks. The comprehensive dataset consisted of over 10,000 rows of URL ranking data.
It’s crucial to remember that correlation does not imply causation, especially given Google’s stance on the evolving nature of ranking factors. However, analyzing the data can provide insight into where links hold more significance as a category.
Data Analysis and Key Findings
Considering Illyes’s comment, I initially expected to find a moderate link between backlinks and rankings, but nothing indicating this as the key to improving rankings.
For perhaps the first time in a while, the data aligned with this hypothesis.
To conduct the analysis, I divided the 100 keywords into specific categories: Electronics, Health and Beauty, Entertainment, and others.
In correlation analysis, a higher value indicates a stronger relationship between two variables, whereas a value closer to zero signifies a weaker relationship.
For our purposes, where the goal is to achieve the top rank, an ideal score is -1. This means that as the number of backlinks increases, the ranking moves closer to the number one position.
Key takeaways from the data:
- No keyword grouping or individual keyword had a value greater than -0.4. This signifies that no data set showed a very high correlation.
- Some keywords and groups exhibited positive correlations, meaning an increase in links was accompanied by a decrease in rankings, but these correlations did not exceed 0.4.
- The highest correlation groupings were Outdoor and Sports and Health and Wellness.
- Groups where links led to a decrease in rank included Home and Kitchen and Ecommerce and Online Services.
- At a keyword level, “fisherman beanie” and “oat milk” showed the greatest correlation, while “MLB fitted hats” and “acrylic nails” exhibited the lowest.
The Importance of Links Today: 3 Key Takeaways
Given that the correlation coefficient supports Google’s viewpoint, what should you do with this information? How should you think about your brand’s link profile?
Here are three takeaways and recommendations for your SEO strategy:
1. Links Are a Great Signal That Users Value Your Content
Although Google suggests that links aren’t as powerful a ranking factor as they once were, they remain valuable.
Consider them indicators of user and website endorsement for your content and products. If a specific blog post or product receives a substantial increase in links, it reflects user appreciation.
Redirect your efforts accordingly—create more content or products in that area or intensify your promotion. These links provide essential user intent data for optimizing your time, even if they don’t always boost rankings.
2. Evaluate Your Competition and Specific Data Sets
While our dataset of over 10,000 data points is significant, it isn’t tailored to your brand or industry. Use this article as a guide to analyze your own data for insights.
Examining your top 100 keywords will clarify your competitive landscape, enabling more focused strategy development.
If your competitors have significantly more links, it signals a challenge. However, remember that links aren’t the sole driver of rankings. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, use this data to refine your strategy.
3. The Fundamentals Will Always Be the North Star for Organic Search
SEO’s original objective is to boost brand rankings, a goal that remains relevant today.
However, the focus has shifted towards delivering a great user experience, as emphasized in Google’s E-E-A-T framework: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
E-E-A-T underscores the significance of user experience and values. They don’t advocate link acquisition as the primary strategy but highlight the importance of building a website that enhances the value of your goods or services for end-users.
This user-centric approach should be your guiding principle.
Reassess the Role of Links in Your SEO Efforts
I found this dataset intriguing as it spans various industries and consistently suggests that while links matter, they are not the sole determinant.
I’ll closely monitor how the data evolves with large language models incorporating more links, which could reshape link values and website visibility.
It’s an exciting time for search, marked by innovation, and data will be our guide to understanding the changing landscape. I’m eager to see how links continue to influence rankings in this next phase.
