By Think Creative Agency. Updated September 2026. A Sydney SEO and digital agency building authority for Australian brands since 2012.
Links still matter in 2026, but the game has changed. Backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking signals, yet quality and relevance now outweigh sheer volume. The most effective way to earn them is digital PR: creating genuinely newsworthy content and original data that authoritative publications want to cite. The old playbook of guest posts on low-authority blogs and mass outreach no longer moves the needle.
Links are still crucial. They drive referral traffic and signal to Google that your content is credible. Here is how to build the right ones this year. Our expert team focuses on securing authoritative backlinks that enhance trust, improve rankings and attract more qualified traffic.
Links still matter, but authority is the real goal
Backlinks remain one of the top ranking factors, with businesses that earn authoritative links consistently outperforming those that don’t. Research shows the number one Google result has around 3.8 times more backlinks than the pages ranked two to ten, while 96.55 percent of all web pages have no external backlinks at all. The opportunity is real, but the definition of a good link has narrowed. As many SEO leaders now put it, the third pillar of SEO has shifted from “links” to “authority”.
There is also an AI dimension. In 2026, around 73 percent of SEO professionals believe backlinks still influence AI search visibility, and a large share of AI citations come from earned media rather than brand-owned or paid content. Building authority now helps you rank on Google and get cited by AI at the same time.
Digital PR is the highest-leverage tactic
The clearest shift this year is the rise of digital PR. In a 2026 survey of 518 SEO professionals, 48.6 percent named digital PR the most effective link-building tactic, far ahead of guest posting at around 16 percent. Sites running consistent digital PR earn several times more high-authority links than those relying on outreach alone, and most campaigns show measurable results within three to six months.
Digital PR works because it flips the model. Instead of asking someone to add a link, you create something journalists genuinely want to cover, usually original data, a survey, or expert commentary on a live issue, and the links come to you. If your brand publishes the only data on a topic, you become the source that every article on that subject links back to. Our copywriting and digital PR teams build exactly these kinds of linkable assets.
2026 Tactics That Still Work and Those That Don’t
Start or keep doing:
- Original research and data studies that give journalists something to cite
- Expert commentary on trends and breaking news in your industry
- Genuinely useful linkable assets such as tools, guides and calculators
- Earning links to your commercial pages, not just your blog
Outdated and carry more risk than reward:
- Buying links or using private blog networks, which Google is very good at discounting
- Mass, low-quality guest posting on irrelevant sites
- Directory submissions and link exchanges chasing volume
- Vanity metrics: 100 weak links can do less than 25 relevant, high-authority ones
Quality signals to look for in a link
When assessing whether a link is worth pursuing, the profession is clear on the red flags. Spammy outbound links, low-quality content and poor domain authority are the biggest warning signs. Aim for relevance first: a link from a trusted publication in your sector, pointing to a page that matters commercially, is worth far more than a scattering of unrelated links.
Build links as part of building your brand
The key insight for 2026 is that link building is now inseparable from brand building. The same authority that earns editorial coverage is what helps you rank, convert and get cited in AI answers. That is why we treat links as one part of an integrated SEO strategy rather than a standalone task.
Want more high-quality links and stronger search authority? Get a free audit and we will review your current backlink profile and where the real opportunities are, or talk to our team.
Frequently asked questions
Do backlinks still matter for SEO in 2026?
Yes. Backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking signals, and the top result typically has far more of them than lower-ranked pages. What has changed is that quality and relevance now matter much more than quantity, and links also influence AI search visibility.
What is the best link-building strategy in 2026?
Digital PR. In a 2026 survey of 518 SEO professionals, nearly half rated it the most effective tactic. It works by creating newsworthy content and original data that authoritative publications want to cite, so the links are earned rather than requested.
Is buying links a good idea?
No. Google has become very effective at identifying and discounting bought links and private blog networks, and sites relying on them have seen ranking declines during recent updates. Earned, editorial links from trusted publications are the safer and more effective route.
How long does link building take to work?
Most digital PR campaigns show measurable results within three to six months, though building genuine authority is a longer-term investment that compounds over time. Consistency matters more than one-off bursts of activity.
How many backlinks do I need to rank?
There is no fixed number. Relevance and authority matter more than volume: a handful of links from trusted, relevant publications pointing to your commercial pages can outperform hundreds of low-quality links.