Link building has been declared “dead” more times than we can count.
And yet—every time you analyze a high-ranking competitor in Google, guess what you see? Backlinks. Lots of them.
So, what gives?
The truth is, link building isn’t dead in 2025. But lazy, spammy, spray-and-pray link building is absolutely dead.
With all the major SEO updates over the past year—Google’s Helpful Content Update, the Link Spam Update, the Google API leak, and stricter email outreach rules—it’s never been harder to manipulate rankings with low-quality tactics.
But this shift is actually good news.
If you know how to build genuinely high-quality links that support your brand, you’ll win bigger than ever.
In this article, we’ll break down:
- Why people think link building is dead
- What Google’s latest updates really mean for backlinks
- What types of link building still work in 2025
- The outdated tactics you should leave behind
- And how to win with the right strategies this year
Let’s dive in.
Why People Think Link Building Is Dead
That's been a huge shift in how people perceive link building—especially after the chaos of 2024. But before we get into what still works, let’s break down the reasons why some SEOs are saying it’s over:
Google Is Cracking Down on Low-Quality Links
Between the Link Spam Update and the rise of AI-powered systems like SpamBrain, Google has gotten much better at spotting manipulative links—especially ones from: Link farms and marketplaces, Guest post networks that publish anything for a fee, Automated or mass outreach campaigns.
We have a great article about best and worst link building strategies and if you take some time reading the article you can see the good and bad ways to create links. If you are planning to create easy, and shitty links then you are right - link building is dead. However, if you take some time to create the best and relevant links from legitimate businesses, then link building is something that works great!
Even worse, If your backlink profile is loaded with junk, Google might not penalize you… but it will ignore those links. And that’s just as bad.
Never ever try to do anything against the Google, they are very strict with those websites who want to do black-hat things and gain traffic from that!
The Helpful Content Update Changed the Game
The Helpful Content Update (HCU) in early 2024 took down thousands of websites. Why? Because they were:
- Publishing AI-generated content with no real value
- Accepting guest posts purely for link placement
- Creating scaled, thin content designed only to rank
This hit a huge portion of the link-building industry hard—especially those relying on quantity over quality.
Lesson? If your content exists only for SEO, Google’s not interested.
Outreach at Scale Is Dying
With the new Gmail and Yahoo email requirements, if you’re blasting 5,000 emails a day without:
- A valid unsubscribe option
- A low spam complaint rate
- Authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
…then your outreach is probably landing straight in the spam folder.
That old-school “spray and pray” email strategy? Dead and buried.
AI and Zero-Click Searches Are Changing Search Behavior
Google’s launch of AI Overviews (AIO) in search results, plus the explosion of TikTok and Instagram for discovery, means fewer people are clicking on traditional links.
Some SEOs took this as a death sentence for backlinks—but here’s the nuance: it just means your links need to be more strategic than ever.
Google’s Own Messaging Is Confusing
Gary Illyes, a Google rep, famously said in 2024 that “we need very few links to rank pages”… only to walk it back shortly after.
Then came the infamous Google API leak in 2024, revealing internal documentation that confirmed what many SEOs had long suspected: Google still pays close attention to the quality and context of links. The documents showed that factors like how fresh a link is, how authoritative the referring site is, who wrote the content, and how users interact with linked pages still play a role in rankings.
In other words, backlinks are far from dead — they’re just harder to manipulate, and Google’s tolerance for low-effort link building is at an all-time low.
The Evolution of Google’s Attitude Toward Backlinks
Google has never explicitly said link building is dead. But over the years, they’ve made it very clear: low-quality, manipulative link building is on its last legs. The search engine’s relationship with backlinks has shifted from “votes of confidence” to “maybe, but only if we trust it.”
Let’s break that down.
From Link Quantity to Link Quality
In the early 2010s, Google’s algorithm heavily relied on link quantity. More links = higher rankings. Naturally, this led to spammy tactics: blog comment spam, forum signatures, link directories, and guest post networks.
Then came the Penguin Update (2012), which slammed sites with unnatural backlink profiles. That was the first big signal: Google doesn’t just count links — it evaluates them.
The Helpful Content Update (2023–2024)
Fast forward to more recent times, the Helpful Content Update (HCU) hammered websites churning out AI-written, SEO-first, zero-value content — many of which were deeply tied to link schemes and guest post farms.
Sites offering paid links at scale saw huge ranking drops. Google doesn’t need to announce “we’re devaluing these links” — the traffic charts did it for them.
The Rise of Link Spam Updates
Throughout 2023 and 2024, Google doubled down with Link Spam Updates. These updates, powered by SpamBrain (Google’s AI spam filter), automatically neutralized links from:
- Link marketplaces
- Obvious link exchanges
- Sites that existed solely to sell backlinks
Again, it wasn’t about penalties — it was worse: nullification. Your link still exists, but Google doesn’t count it anymore. Zero value.
AI Overviews Changed the Game
With the launch of AI Overviews in search results, we saw another layer of complexity. Google’s LLMs (large language models) prioritize fresh, high-authority information.
So now, even if you get a backlink — if it’s buried in outdated or irrelevant content, it might not help you get visibility in AIOs or Search Generative Experience (SGE) results.
It’s no longer about building any link — it’s about building the right kind of link, from the right kind of content.
And Then Came the Google API Leak…
In mid-2024, the infamous Google API documentation leak landed in the SEO community. It confirmed many long-standing theories about ranking factors — including how Google tracks:
- Link freshness
- Source authority
- Author profiles
- Click data and engagement from linked pages
Even if Google’s public statements downplay links, their internal systems still rely heavily on them — they just expect a lot more from each link.
Link Building in 2025: What Actually Works?
Link building in 2025 is still alive—but only if you do it right. The game has changed. It’s no longer about blasting 500 emails or buying shady guest posts on PBNs. Today, what works is what’s real, valuable, and actually earns trust from both Google and users.
Here’s what actually works in the current landscape:
High-Relevance Link Building
Google is ruthless with irrelevant links. If you’re building links on sites that have nothing to do with your niche, you’re wasting your time. The new standard? Links from hyper-relevant content on topically aligned sites.
For example, if you’re promoting a SaaS tool for marketers, you want links from marketing blogs, martech communities, and industry reports—not lifestyle blogs or general directories.
Quality Over Quantity
This one’s old advice, but it’s never been more true. One DR 70+ link from a top-tier, niche-relevant site can outperform 50 links from low-authority, spammy sites. Google now rewards signals of trust and authority far more than volume.
Digital PR and Data-Driven Campaigns
You want to build real buzz? Then you need real hooks. Campaigns that tie into trending topics, proprietary data, or fresh insights get picked up by journalists and high-authority publishers. That’s where the best links come from now—not old-school “write for us” pages.
Want examples? Think: surveys, reports, interactive tools, or even reacting fast to breaking news.
Editorial Mentions > Guest Posts
Guest posts are still a tool, but the real wins now come from unlinked brand mentions or embedded editorial references. Instead of pitching blog posts, aim to become a cited expert or source in bigger content pieces. It’s more scalable—and much more powerful.
Final Verdict: Link Building Isn’t Dead — It’s Just Evolving
So, is link building dead?
Not even close.
But what is dead is the outdated, lazy, and manipulative approach to link building — the spammy guest posts, the link farms, the AI-generated articles blasted out to thousands of irrelevant sites. That stuff doesn’t work anymore, and frankly, it shouldn’t.
What’s alive and well is strategic, value-driven, and relationship-based link building — the kind that focuses on relevance, real authority, and long-term results. In 2025, if you’re not treating link building like an extension of your brand-building and content strategy, you’re already behind.
Yes, it’s harder than before.
Yes, it takes more effort.
But the upside is bigger than ever.
The brands earning links from high-authority, niche-relevant sites are the ones dominating the SERPs and pulling ahead of their competitors.
So instead of asking if link building is dead, the better question is:
Are you doing it the right way?
If you’re ready to build backlinks that actually move the needle, with LinkyJuice — and let’s build something great together.
