From an SEO professional’s perspective, the trend in links continues to rise even with the release of multiple updates by Google. These updates target low-quality links, giving sites with more natural, organic links leverage. As Google gives more effort to provide searchers with quality results based on their signals (over 100, making backlinks a strong signal), it’s quite possible that links can be considered one of the most important KPI this coming 2016.
Backlinks as KPI
Why are links recognized by some to be an important KPI?
1. Search channel – if you have high ranks on search results, you’ll have a higher amount of conversion compared to a site that doesn’t rank well in Google. Furthermore, having a good amount of links means having wider influence over other people.
2. Google updates – every time an update is released, everyone checks and audits their links to be able to cope with Google’s standard of a good link profile. Without links, it would be hard for a website to rank in Google SERP.
3. Empower online marketing – make online marketing visible by using links to aid in navigation. Social media, email marketing, content and PR use links to help users navigate to your site. With this in mind, this can provide your site a marketing edge over others.
4. Real, natural, organic links are hard to fake.