Nofollow Links, Brand Mentions & $508 Backlinks - The 2025 Link Building Report

A significant majority of SEO experts believe backlinks still influence search engine rankings, even in the age of AI. While 73.2% think backlinks impact AI search results, and nearly 80% believe no-follow links affect rankings, the necessity of backlinks for high rankings is debated, with 64.9% suggesting high rankings are possible without them, particularly for undertargeted, niche keywords. Unlinked brand mentions are also seen as influential, with 80.9% of specialists agreeing they impact organic search rankings indirectly by building awareness and trust.

The study highlights that while many recognize the impact of no-follow links, actively pursuing them isn't universally practiced. Google's need for more backlink data, due to decreased blogging and increased social media/video content creation, is cited as a reason for the continued relevance of links. Furthermore, a natural backlink profile, which includes a mix of link types, is crucial to avoid appearing as if trying to manipulate search engines.

When it comes to link-building strategies, digital PR is favored, and finding unique opportunities is seen as more beneficial than replicating competitors. Partial match anchor text is the top choice for 41.7% of respondents, followed by exact match and branded anchors. Risky but effective methods include PBNs and expired domains, while spammy outbound links and low-quality content are major red flags for link placement. Despite resource-intensive challenges and the high cost of premium backlinks, free or low-cost methods like HARO and linkable assets are emphasized for building a natural backlink profile and driving organic traffic.

• 73.2% of experts believe backlinks influence AI search results, and nearly 80% think no-follow links impact rankings.
• 80.9% of specialists agree that unlinked brand mentions influence organic search rankings by building brand awareness and trust.
• 64.9% of respondents believe a website can rank high on Google without backlinks, especially for undertargeted, niche keywords.
• Digital PR is considered the most effective link-building tactic for 2025, with partial match anchor text being the top choice for 41.7% of respondents.
• Spammy outbound links and low-quality content are the top red flags for link placement, and the disavow tool is rarely recommended.

Related Video Summary

• The Laziest Way To Rank your Local Businesses #1

Backlinks and AI Search [00:00]

• 73.2% of interviewed experts believe backlinks influence the chance of appearing in AI search results.
• The majority of respondents agree that links affect rankings in AI search results.
• Google uses its top ranking results for AI overviews and Gemini responses.
• ChatGPT relies on top-ranking pages on Bing for live web data.
• Backlinks remain a major ranking factor, increasing the likelihood of being featured.

This section emphasizes the continued relevance of backlinks in the context of AI-driven search, with a strong consensus among experts that they play a significant role in visibility and rankings.

Backlinks still a major ranking factor increase the likelihood of getting featured.

No-Follow Links and Rankings [00:33]

• 78.8% of SEO experts interviewed think that no-follow links impact rankings.
• Nearly 80% of people interviewed believe that no-follow links affect search rankings.
• This aligns with findings from multiple experiments and anecdotal data over the last 2 years.
• Historically, no-follow links were intended not to pass SEO link juice.

The data suggests a shift in understanding or implementation regarding no-follow links, as a substantial majority of experts now believe they do influence search rankings, contradicting their original purpose.

But 80% nearly 80% of people interviewed believe that no follow links affect search rankings.

Importance of No-Follow Links [01:43]

• No-follow links matter for two primary reasons: Google needs more backlink data, and they contribute to a natural backlink profile.
• Fewer people are blogging, and more content is being created on social media and in videos, leading to a decrease in website content and thus less backlink data for Google.
• A natural backlink profile is crucial; having only one type of backlink (e.g., only do-follow) can appear unnatural and like an attempt to game Google.
• Similarly, relying solely on exact match anchor text can also be perceived as unnatural.

This segment argues for the importance of no-follow links, not just for their potential ranking impact, but also for creating a balanced and natural-looking backlink profile that Google deems trustworthy.

No follow links totally matter.

Unlinked Brand Mentions [02:51]

• 80.9% of surveyed specialists believe that unlinked brand mentions influence organic search rankings.
• Although not a direct ranking factor, unlinked mentions can affect rankings indirectly by building brand awareness, trust, authority, and visibility.
• A lack of brand mentions when actively building backlinks can appear suspicious and unnatural.

The prevalence of unlinked brand mentions influencing rankings suggests that a brand's overall online presence and recognition are critical, even without direct link equity.

I really believe that if you are out building back links and you're getting all these links but you're not also getting brand mentions that looks suspicious.

Ranking Without Backlinks [03:56]

• 64.9% say a website can rank high on Google without backlinks.
• Two-thirds of survey participants believe links aren't necessary to rank high on Google.
• Instances have been observed where pages in niche sectors targeting low competition keywords rank high without backlinks.
• This is particularly true for undertargeted keywords, where pages aren't optimized for specific search terms, creating gaps in Google's index that unique content can fill.

This highlights a nuanced view on backlinks, suggesting they are not always essential, especially for less competitive or niche queries where unique and relevant content can dominate search results.

Backlinks don't matter. Obviously, backlinks do matter, but they they don't matter as much as people think.

Undertargeted Keywords and Ranking [04:51]

• Undertargeted keywords are those not explicitly optimized for in page titles, URL slugs, H1s, first sentences, or meta descriptions.
• When a page uniquely targets such keywords, a backlink to that page is less necessary because it directly addresses a gap in Google's index.
• Many lucrative keywords are undertargeted because they naturally have lower search volume, making them less attractive to SEOs focused on high-volume terms.
• For highly competitive keywords with high volume, links may still be necessary to improve page performance.

This explains how targeting specific, less competitive keywords that haven't been heavily optimized by others can lead to high rankings without the need for extensive link building.

Google wants to fill in the gaps. There are all these gaps in Google's index.

Average Cost of a High-Quality Backlink [06:44]

• The average acceptable price for acquiring one high-quality backlink is $58.95.
• A high-quality link comes from a top website in your niche, is on a page with engagement, and is indexed.
• Links from trusted, high-authority sites (like Healthline in the health and wellness niche) can significantly boost the performance of all your pages over time.
• Such links encourage Google to test your pages more in search results, potentially leading to higher rankings if the content is good.

This section provides a tangible figure for the perceived value of a quality backlink, emphasizing the long-term benefits of acquiring links from authoritative and relevant sources.

A high quality link from a top website in your niche in an article where there's not an a huge abundance of backlinks.

Survey Demographics and Link Building Strategies [08:15]

• The survey included 518 SEO professionals, with breakdowns by role (in-house, freelancer, agency) and geographic location (Europe, US, UK).
• 48.6% think digital PR is the most effective link-building tactic in 2025.
• 66.6% believe finding unique backlink opportunities offers greater benefits than replicating competitors' profiles.
• Partial match anchor texts are the top choice for 41.7% of respondents, followed by exact match (25.1%) and branded anchor text (20.5%).

This provides context on the survey participants and reveals current trends in strategic approaches to link building, favoring unique opportunities and specific anchor text strategies.

48.6% think digital PR is the most effective link building tactic in 2025.

Anchor Text Importance [09:41]

• Anchor text is important because it describes what is being linked to, informing Google about the content of the linked page and helping to give it authority.
• If many people use anchor text like "best roofing service in Colorado" for a link, Google will infer that the linked content is about the best roofing service in Colorado.
• Partial match anchor text (41.7% prioritization) uses parts of the keyword or the whole keyword in different contexts.
• Exact match anchor text (25.1% prioritization) uses the precise keyword.
• Branded anchors (20.5%) and related anchors are also used, with a small percentage prioritizing generic anchors or naked URLs.

This section elaborates on the function of anchor text, explaining how it guides search engines and users, and details the preferences for different types of anchor text in link building.

Just think about it. It's because when you are are describing what you are linking to, that is telling Google also what the content is about.

Shady But Effective Link Building Methods [10:46]

• Private Blog Networks (PBNs) at 45.23% and expired domains with backlinks at 44.4% are considered the top "shady but effective" methods.
• Other risky methods include guest posts on low-quality sites (34.23%), homepage paid links (28.01%), and forum/blog comment links (25.73%).
• Mass press release distribution (23.65%) and widget/footer links (18.46%) are also listed, though the speaker questions the shadiness of press releases.
• Social bookmarking, directory submissions (18.05%), and web 2.0 blogs (14.73%) are also mentioned.

This highlights a spectrum of link-building tactics, distinguishing between those perceived as risky but potentially effective and those that are more conventional or questionable.

Which link building methods do you consider somewhat shady but still effective?

Red Flags for Link Placement [11:48]

• The number one red flag for link placement is spammy outbound links, cited by 89% of respondents.
• Low-quality content (86%) and poor domain authority are also major concerns.
• Low relevance of the website to the topic and declining organic traffic are further red flags.
• Experts avoid getting links from spammy sites or sites with poor content to maintain a natural backlink profile.

This section focuses on site quality and relevance as critical factors when selecting websites for link placements, emphasizing the importance of avoiding association with low-quality or spammy domains.

The number one thing is spammy outbound links.

Disavow Tool Usage and Effectiveness [13:10]

• Only 39% of surveyed specialists still use the Google disavow tool.
• Google itself recommends using it only in extreme situations.
• Bing has discontinued the feature entirely.
• Experiments have shown that disavowing links can actually hurt page performance, and numerous horror stories exist of rankings tanking after its misuse.

The trend indicates a decline in the use of Google's disavow tool, supported by expert advice and experimental evidence suggesting it can be detrimental rather than beneficial.

Don't use it.

Link Building Challenges and Strategies [13:43]

• The most significant challenges in link building are the resource-intensive nature of the process, the high cost of premium backlinks, and scaling without sacrificing quality.
• Strategies to overcome these challenges include using free resources like "Source of Sources," "Help a Reporter Out" (HARO), and affordable platforms like Featured.com.
• Creating "linkable assets" (e.g., cool articles, videos) is highly effective and can generate more backlinks than any budget.
• While harder in niche or "boring" industries, linkable assets can still be developed through interesting content and strategic sharing.

This part addresses the practical difficulties of link building and offers actionable, cost-effective strategies, emphasizing content creation and smart outreach to build a strong and natural backlink profile.

You don't have to pay for links. You can get really great links for free or you don't have to spend much.

Lucrative Keywords and Link Building [15:23]

• The most lucrative keywords are often at the bottom of the funnel, meaning they are undertargeted.
• Ranking for these undertargeted keywords does not necessarily require a large number of backlinks to the entire domain.
• Implementing learned SEO strategies, even for a small one-man shop, can lead to significant growth in search visibility and organic traffic.
• This growth can even positively impact Google Ads return on ad spend.

This conclusion reinforces the idea that strategic focus on specific, high-intent keywords can yield substantial SEO results, even with limited resources, and highlights the overall positive impact of effective SEO implementation.

The most lucrative keywords are at the bottom of the funnel, they're undertargeted and you don't even need a lot of backlinks to your entire domain to rank for them.