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Google’s algorithm is constantly evolving, which means SEO strategies can never stay still for long. In 2026, link building has taken on even greater importance especialyl with AI-generated content becoming increasingly common. Due to this, Google now relies more heavily on links than on content alone when assessing credibility. As a result, backlinks play a major role in determining how well a website performs in search results.

As these enhancements continue to reshape the way content is produced, it is important to remember that search engines do not evaluate all pages equally. Strong backlinks act as signals of authenticity, helping to prove that a website is legitimate and worth ranking. In many cases, still to this day, these signals carry more weight than people realise.

Link building remains one of the foundational elements of SEO. 

At its core, it involves earning hyperlinks from other websites that point back to your own. These links allow users to move between pages on the internet, while search engines rely on them to discover, crawl, and understand content across different websites. Even in 2026, it is extremely difficult to achieve strong search visibility without an effective link-building strategy in place.

The primary goal of link building is to acquire inbound links from other websites, ideally from high-quality and relevant sources. These inbound links act as endorsements, signalling to search engines that your content is trusted by others. 

Backlinks (inbound links): These are links from external websites that direct users to your site. They are one of the most influential ranking factors, as they help search engines assess how credible and well-regarded your website is within its industry.

Internal links: Internal links connect one page of your website to another. They help define site structure, guide users through your content, and distribute authority across your pages.

External links (outbound links): This type of link points from your website to other reputable sources. When used thoughtfully, they add context and demonstrate that your content is supported by reliable references.

Profile links: Typically routed from social media profiles, forums, or business listings, profile links are not always the strongest links individually, but they help establish brand presence and visibility across multiple platforms.

Best practices for effective link building

Building a link profile that can survive algorithm updates requires more than just acquiring backlinks. The focus needs to be on sustainability, relevance, and long-term credibility.

A natural backlink profile reflects how links would form organically if search engines did not exist. This means avoiding repetitive anchor text, sudden bursts of links, or reliance on a single source. Instead, you should be aiming for steady growth from a variety of websites, content types, and linking contexts. 

Not all links carry the same weight, meaning a backlink from a website that is closely related to your industry and recognised as trustworthy will almost always outperform multiple links from unrelated or low-quality sources. Relevance helps search engines understand topical authority, while strong domains pass greater trust. When evaluating link opportunities, consider whether the source genuinely aligns with your audience and content rather than focusing solely on metrics.

A resilient strategy uses multiple approaches, such as content marketing, digital PR, partnerships, and organic mentions. This variety not only strengthens your overall profile but also mirrors natural web behaviour, where links come from many different activities rather than a single process.

Google’s updates rarely target one factor in isolation, and changes to content evaluation, spam detection, or user experience can all influence how links are interpreted. Staying informed through official announcements and trusted SEO sources allows you to adjust tactics early, rather than reacting after rankings decline. 

By performing routine backlink audits, you can identify spammy, irrelevant, or potentially manipulative links before they cause issues. Using tools such as Ahrefs or Moz allows you to track new links, review anchor text patterns, and take action when necessary. Removing or disavowing problematic links is an important part of maintaining long-term SEO health.

The impact of Google algorithm updates on link building

Google’s algorithm is updated frequently, and these changes often influence how links are evaluated. 

Algorithms change often: Google regularly adjusts how it measures authority, trust, and relevance. 

Link quality is prioritised over volume: Recent updates place far more emphasis on the credibility and relevance of linking websites rather than the sheer number of backlinks pointing to a page.

Core updates reward earned authority: Broad core updates tend to favour websites with natural, high-quality backlink profiles.

Spam updates target unnatural patterns: These updates focus on identifying low-quality domains, repetitive anchor text, paid links, and sudden spikes in backlinks.

User experience indirectly affects link value: Updates such as the page experience update assess factors like loading speed and mobile usability. Poor user experience can reduce engagement, which may weaken the overall impact of backlinks over time.

Long-term strategies are more resilient: Websites that earn links through valuable content, genuine mentions, and real relationships are less likely to be negatively affected by algorithm changes.

As Google continues to refine how it evaluates links, certain practices consistently undermine SEO performance, so avoiding these core mistakes is essential for maintaining a healthy and sustainable link profile.

Accumulating large numbers of low-quality or irrelevant backlinks weakens trust signals and can do more harm than good.

Paid links, link schemes, and artificial networks are increasingly easy for algorithms to detect and often lead to visibility losses.

Excessive use of exact-match keywords creates unnatural patterns that signal manipulation rather than relevance.

Failing to review and clean your backlink profile allows toxic links to accumulate and quietly damage performance over time.

Backlinking in the years ahead will be less about aggressive acquisition and more about earning trust through relevance, authority, and genuine value. As search engines become better at identifying artificial patterns and low-effort tactics, the websites that succeed will be those that attract links naturally through useful content, credible relationships, and consistent quality. 

AI will also continue to support research and efficiency, but backlinks will remain a human signal at their core, reflecting real endorsement rather than automation. Businesses that focus on long-term credibility instead of short-term gains will be best positioned to benefit as backlinking continues to evolve alongside Google’s algorithms.

Your ecommerce journey starts and ends with Imaginaire. From 

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With over 10 years of experience, we will ensure that your store is home to all the right keywords, metadata, technical SEO and more, whether you’re selling jewellery or home appliances.

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Link building in 2026: What you should and should not be doing