Even with artificial intelligence pushing search in new directions, seasoned SEO professionals aren’t ready to let go of backlinks. A large industry survey, reaching over 500 specialists worldwide, shows that while AI-driven results are making waves, the old-school power of link building isn’t fading anytime soon.
It turns out, most SEO pros still see backlinks as the backbone of visibility, even in AI-powered spaces like Google’s AI Overviews or tools like ChatGPT. Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed believe links still help pages show up in these AI-generated search results. And when it comes to paid links, most believe Google isn’t quite as sharp as it claims. Over half think the search giant struggles to consistently catch and penalize purchased links, which quietly fuels the ongoing race to buy them.
The competition is fierce. About 92% of SEO professionals suspect their rivals are actively buying backlinks. This isn’t just guesswork, it’s the lived reality for many in the field. SEO experts also say that "nofollow" links, often dismissed in the past, still carry weight, and unlinked brand mentions can nudge rankings up by building credibility and visibility across the web.
But playing this game isn’t cheap.
The cost of building strong backlinks has surged, and SEO teams now expect to spend upwards of $8,400 a month just to stay in the race in tough industries. Gambling and iGaming remain some of the most expensive battlegrounds, where link budgets balloon and competition stays brutal. Getting a high-quality backlink typically comes with a price tag of around $500, though that number swings wildly depending on the niche and site authority.
When it comes to tactics, the crowd favorite is digital PR. Nearly half of the experts say that smart PR campaigns deliver the best results these days. What’s working isn’t copying the competition, it’s finding unique backlink opportunities that set a brand apart. SEO professionals are doubling down on earning links directly to product and service pages, the ones that truly move the needle for sales. Partial-match anchor texts are most popular, though exact matches and branded anchors still have their place in the mix.
Of course, link building is still a high-wire act.
According to the survey conducted by Editorial Link, almost nine out of ten SEO specialists steer clear of websites that scream spam. Low-quality content, weak domain authority, and sites bleeding organic traffic are all major red flags. Yet, despite the risks, around 63% of SEOs say they’re open to placing links on websites that openly sell them, if the quality checks out.
The tools of the trade? Ahrefs takes the crown as the preferred all-in-one SEO platform, not just for digging up backlink data, but also for providing the most trusted domain authority scores. Its metrics like DR and UR have become go-to benchmarks for many professionals who rely on accurate, up-to-date link analysis.
When asked what makes link building so hard, most pointed to the sheer cost of premium backlinks, followed closely by the struggle to scale without losing quality. Measuring the true return on link investments remains a frustrating puzzle for many teams.
Interestingly, only a small fraction of SEO experts still use Google’s Disavow tool, suggesting that the industry’s trust in it is wearing thin. In fact, some believe that disavowing links can actually backfire, damaging a site’s performance instead of protecting it.
Even as AI reshapes search habits, link building hasn’t lost its grip. SEO professionals continue to place their bets on backlinks, paid or organic, as essential signals that still push pages to the top, even in AI-driven results. The game is changing, but the core strategies haven’t vanished. If anything, navigating the evolving mix of AI and classic link-building seems more crucial than ever for anyone looking to stand out in search.
Read next: How AI and Authenticity Are Changing the Way People Search
It turns out, most SEO pros still see backlinks as the backbone of visibility, even in AI-powered spaces like Google’s AI Overviews or tools like ChatGPT. Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed believe links still help pages show up in these AI-generated search results. And when it comes to paid links, most believe Google isn’t quite as sharp as it claims. Over half think the search giant struggles to consistently catch and penalize purchased links, which quietly fuels the ongoing race to buy them.
The competition is fierce. About 92% of SEO professionals suspect their rivals are actively buying backlinks. This isn’t just guesswork, it’s the lived reality for many in the field. SEO experts also say that "nofollow" links, often dismissed in the past, still carry weight, and unlinked brand mentions can nudge rankings up by building credibility and visibility across the web.
But playing this game isn’t cheap.
The cost of building strong backlinks has surged, and SEO teams now expect to spend upwards of $8,400 a month just to stay in the race in tough industries. Gambling and iGaming remain some of the most expensive battlegrounds, where link budgets balloon and competition stays brutal. Getting a high-quality backlink typically comes with a price tag of around $500, though that number swings wildly depending on the niche and site authority.
- Also read: How Many People Visit a Website? These 6 Free Tools (With Paid Features) Can Help You Analyze That
When it comes to tactics, the crowd favorite is digital PR. Nearly half of the experts say that smart PR campaigns deliver the best results these days. What’s working isn’t copying the competition, it’s finding unique backlink opportunities that set a brand apart. SEO professionals are doubling down on earning links directly to product and service pages, the ones that truly move the needle for sales. Partial-match anchor texts are most popular, though exact matches and branded anchors still have their place in the mix.
Of course, link building is still a high-wire act.
According to the survey conducted by Editorial Link, almost nine out of ten SEO specialists steer clear of websites that scream spam. Low-quality content, weak domain authority, and sites bleeding organic traffic are all major red flags. Yet, despite the risks, around 63% of SEOs say they’re open to placing links on websites that openly sell them, if the quality checks out.
The tools of the trade? Ahrefs takes the crown as the preferred all-in-one SEO platform, not just for digging up backlink data, but also for providing the most trusted domain authority scores. Its metrics like DR and UR have become go-to benchmarks for many professionals who rely on accurate, up-to-date link analysis.
When asked what makes link building so hard, most pointed to the sheer cost of premium backlinks, followed closely by the struggle to scale without losing quality. Measuring the true return on link investments remains a frustrating puzzle for many teams.
Interestingly, only a small fraction of SEO experts still use Google’s Disavow tool, suggesting that the industry’s trust in it is wearing thin. In fact, some believe that disavowing links can actually backfire, damaging a site’s performance instead of protecting it.
Even as AI reshapes search habits, link building hasn’t lost its grip. SEO professionals continue to place their bets on backlinks, paid or organic, as essential signals that still push pages to the top, even in AI-driven results. The game is changing, but the core strategies haven’t vanished. If anything, navigating the evolving mix of AI and classic link-building seems more crucial than ever for anyone looking to stand out in search.
Read next: How AI and Authenticity Are Changing the Way People Search
