Backlinks still matter in SEO, but the old idea that more links always means better rankings is too simple. A website with 500 weak links will not always beat a site with 50 strong ones. In many cases, the better links win.
That is because Google does not look at backlinks as a simple numbers game. It looks at trust, relevance, quality, and the pattern behind the links. A few strong links from trusted websites in your space can do far more than a large pile of random links from low-value pages.
If you want better SEO results, the real question is not quality or quantity by itself. It is how to build the right mix.
Why backlinks still matter
Backlinks are still one of the clearest signals that other websites trust your SEO content. When another site links to your page, it can act like a vote of confidence.
But not all votes count the same. A link from a respected industry site is very different from a link on a thin directory page, a spammy blog, or an unrelated website.
This is why smart SEO campaigns focus less on collecting links from anywhere and more on earning links that actually make sense.
What backlink quality really means
A high-quality backlink usually has a few things going for it.
First, it comes from a website that has real authority. That does not only mean a big site. It means a site that is trusted, active, well-built, and useful to real readers.
Second, it is relevant. A link from a page connected to your topic usually carries more value than a random link from an unrelated site.
Third, it feels natural. If a link appears inside useful content and fits the context, it tends to be more valuable than a link forced into a low-quality article.
Finally, it sends the right signals over time. A strong backlink profile usually grows in a way that looks believable, not manufactured.
Why backlink quantity still matters
Even though quality is the bigger issue, quantity still has a place.
A site with only a handful of links may struggle to compete in a crowded search market. If your competitors have strong backlink profiles at scale, you will usually need both quality and enough volume to stay in the race.
The key point is that quantity only helps when the links are good enough. More bad links do not create a stronger profile. They just create more noise.
So the goal is not to chase the biggest number. It is to build enough relevant, trusted links to compete in your market.
Quality vs quantity: which matters more?
If you had to choose just one, quality matters more.
A small group of strong, relevant backlinks can improve rankings more than a large batch of weak ones. Quality links also tend to bring other benefits. They can send referral traffic, build brand credibility, and support long-term visibility.
Still, SEO is rarely about one extreme or the other. The strongest backlink strategies usually combine:
- High-quality links from trusted websites
- Steady growth over time
- Topical relevance
- A natural mix of link types
- Enough volume to compete in the search results
That is why the best approach is not quality instead of quantity. It is quality first, then scale.
What low-quality backlinks look like
Once you know why quality matters more, it becomes easier to spot the links that may do very little for your site.
Low-quality backlinks often come from:
- Unrelated websites
- Thin content pages with no real value
- Link farms or private blog networks
- Spammy directories
- Pages overloaded with outbound links
- Sites that look abandoned or poorly maintained
These links may look useful on a report because they increase the total number, but they often add little real value.
In some cases, they can even become a problem if the overall backlink profile starts to look manipulative.
What strong backlinks look like
Strong backlinks usually come from websites that people actually read and trust.
That might include:
- Well-known industry blogs
- Trade publications
- Relevant news sites
- High-quality partner sites
- Useful resource pages
- Strong editorial content where your brand fits naturally
These links usually appear because the content deserves to be cited, referenced, or shared. That is a much stronger signal than a backlink placed only to inflate numbers.
Why relevance is just as important as authority
A lot of people focus only on authority scores, but relevance matters just as much.
For example, a link from a respected ecommerce, marketing, or search publication can be more useful to an SEO agency than a stronger but unrelated site. That is especially true when the linking page covers a topic close to your service or expertise.
This matters even more now that search is changing fast. ClickSlice positions itself as a boutique London SEO agency that combines traditional SEO with AI search strategies such as GEO, AEO, and wider AI visibility work for ecommerce brands. In that kind of environment, relevance is not a bonus. It is central to how links support topical authority.
Why link building should support real visibility
A backlink strategy should not exist on its own. It should support the wider SEO goal.
That means links should help strengthen the pages, topics, and services you actually want to rank. They should connect with your content strategy, technical SEO, and commercial goals.
At ClickSlice, we think of our approach as a blended strategy that combines SEO with broader search visibility rather than relying on old ranking tactics alone. That is a useful way to think about backlinks too. Strong links should support a bigger search strategy, not act as a shortcut.
Is it ever worth chasing volume?
Sometimes, yes.
If you already have a solid quality base, growing the number of relevant links can help you compete more aggressively. This is often true in tough sectors where rivals are also investing heavily in content, PR, and authority building.
But scale should come after standards. If you scale weak link building, you only multiply a weak approach.
That is why many better SEO campaigns begin with a careful review of the site, the content gaps, and the current backlink profile. ClickSlice says its SEO work includes website audits and backlink profile review as part of a broader optimisation process.That kind of review helps show whether a site needs cleaner quality, greater quantity, or both.
How to build better backlinks
The best backlink building usually starts with something worth linking to.
That could be:
- Original research
- Strong blog content
- Useful category or service pages
- Data-led studies
- Expert commentary
- Digital PR campaigns
- High-value guides and resources
Once the asset is strong, outreach becomes easier because there is a real reason for someone to link.
This is a big shift from the older mindset of trying to place links anywhere possible. Today, good link building usually works best when it is tied to content quality and topical fit.
Common backlink mistakes to avoid
Many sites lose time by focusing on the wrong things.
Common mistakes include:
- Chasing link numbers without checking quality
- Using irrelevant websites just because they offer a link
- Building too many links too quickly with no clear reason
- Ignoring the pages being linked to
- Expecting lots of backlinks alone to fix weak content
- Treating all authority metrics as equal to real value
A stronger approach is slower, more selective, and much more strategic.
So, should you choose quality or quantity?
If your goal is better rankings that last, choose quality first.
Then build quantity in the right way.
That means earning links that are relevant, trusted, and useful, while growing the overall profile steadily enough to compete in your market. The websites that win in SEO are usually not the ones with the biggest raw link count. They are the ones with the strongest link profile.
Final thoughts
Backlinks are not just about quality or quantity. They are about building the right kind of authority.
A few powerful links can outperform hundreds of weak ones. But in competitive markets, quality alone may still need scale behind it. The smart answer is not picking one side. It is building a quality-first backlink profile with enough depth to compete. And an expert SEO agency in London is the best place to begin.
That is what gives SEO campaigns a better chance of ranking now and holding their position later.
