Why are most website owners today overthinking before buying backlinks?

[cloakme]

Hello to All,

To rank a keyword, It is not just about content & also about link connections and domain authority. But Still many hesitate to invest in backlinks.
One major reason for this shift seems to be the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Since AI can generate content quickly and many think that's all they need for ranking. But is that really true?

Can we think about it - AI answers are based on what people search on Google. So in the end, AI is just reflecting Google data & it doesn't replace the need for SEO fundamentals like backlinks.

So my question:
Is this mindset shift caused by AI a good thing or a bad thing?
Is relying only on AI content really the correct approach for long-term SEO success

Do you still believe in the power of backlinks? Or is AI enough?

 

[dondondon5]

Hello to All,

To rank a keyword, It is not just about content & also about link connections and domain authority. But Still many hesitate to invest in backlinks.
One major reason for this shift seems to be the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Since AI can generate content quickly and many think that's all they need for ranking. But is that really true?

Can we think about it - AI answers are based on what people search on Google. So in the end, AI is just reflecting Google data & it doesn't replace the need for SEO fundamentals like backlinks.

So my question:
Is this mindset shift caused by AI a good thing or a bad thing?
Is relying only on AI content really the correct approach for long-term SEO success

Do you still believe in the power of backlinks? Or is AI enough?

AI content helps, but for long‑term SEO you still need backlinks, authority, and solid fundamentals, relying only on AI is risky.

 

[code API]

Simple answer:
Not all backlinks are created equal.
And the fact that SEO costs a lot for competitive keywords says a lot.
For low to medium competitive keywords, you can just spam with AI content, even that also seem to be for the short term or churn and burn.

 

[TechEinstien]

Backlinks is still needed. Don't depend on only AI content.

 

[DediRock]

I can tell you my experience so far with backlinks, all the research I have done says that you have to choose very wisely when paying for them. Since I could not make heads or tails of it, we just did it the hard way and we have been active on forums engaging people, commenting etc and that seems to be doing very well.

 

[LinkZenith]

Hello sir!
AI helps, but backlinks are still key for SEO.
Use both.

 

[Akinyande ayo]

AI content doesn't fly in the long run unless you edit it paragraph by paragraph.

"You don't need backlinks to rank again" is another myth that will fly for some time before webmasters realise they need fresh links to maintain their rank.

With Google's never-ending updates, we can't afford to stop doing all the basics of SEO.

 

[JB2302]

With good backlink you can rank quickly.

 

[Orion Brooks]

Most people now overthink backlinks because Google has become more adept at detecting paid links – and ignoring them. Adding in artificial intelligence-generated content campaigns makes everyone think they can skip the hard stuff. The truth is, backlinks still move the needle, but only if they are relevant, clean, and intelligently acquired or placed. Shopping blindly kills rankings, not the links themselves.

 

[MD SHIMUL HOSSEN]

Most people are now overthinking backlinks because Google is better at detecting paid links – and ignoring them. Add in the rise of AI content, and many assume backlinks are outdated. But backlinks are still important when done right. The real issue isn’t whether to buy them, it’s buying them blindly without relevance or strategy. That’s what burns rankings.

 

[Venusaur]

because most backlink sellers are selling garbage

 

[cloakme]

Hi, Thanks so much for the great replies to everyone

You're absolutely right . AI content is a great tool, but it can’t replace real SEO fundamentals like authority-building, high-quality backlinks, and long-term strategy.

I especially agree with the point that not all backlinks are equal Relevance, traffic, and trust matter more than just DR or numbers. Google’s smarter now and so our strategies have to be too.

 

[leon0021]

AI contents aren't high quality if not prompted correctly. And I guess Google can detect AI contents and somehow reduce the ranking.

 

[DediRock]

Most people are now overthinking backlinks because Google is better at detecting paid links – and ignoring them. Add in the rise of AI content, and many assume backlinks are outdated. But backlinks are still important when done right. The real issue isn’t whether to buy them, it’s buying them blindly without relevance or strategy. That’s what burns rankings.

I wondered the same thing, maybe about a year ago so I really start to look into our backlinks. and looked at what my competitors were doing, I went to some of the websites that they had linking to them it was not a quality link.

 

[zoshiso]

I think the rise of AI made content creation easier, but it also flooded the web with generic info. Google’s still valuing authority, trust, and signals like backlinks to determine who should rank. So while AI content might help you scale, it won’t replace proper SEO fundamentals.

 

[MediaForgePR]

Do you still believe in the power of backlinks?

Yes I do believe that backlinks are one of the key factor in search engine. This is to give authority to a content over any other content available.

 

[llmafk]

AI can speed up content creation, but Googles 2024-25 updates now penalize generic, unedited AI copy. In 2025, the winners combine expert driven, audience focused content that naturally attracts quality links with a clean, spam-free backlink profile.

 

[washingtondc]

AI makes content easier, but without strong backlinks, it’s hard to rank high and stay visible in the long run.

 

[cloakme]

AI contents aren't high quality if not prompted correctly. And I guess Google can detect AI contents and somehow reduce the ranking.

I wondered the same thing, maybe about a year ago so I really start to look into our backlinks. and looked at what my competitors were doing, I went to some of the websites that they had linking to them it was not a quality link.

I think the rise of AI made content creation easier, but it also flooded the web with generic info. Google’s still valuing authority, trust, and signals like backlinks to determine who should rank. So while AI content might help you scale, it won’t replace proper SEO fundamentals.

Yes I do believe that backlinks are one of the key factor in search engine. This is to give authority to a content over any other content available.

AI can speed up content creation, but Googles 2024-25 updates now penalize generic, unedited AI copy. In 2025, the winners combine expert driven, audience focused content that naturally attracts quality links with a clean, spam-free backlink profile.

AI makes content easier, but without strong backlinks, it’s hard to rank high and stay visible in the long run.

Haha love all the responses here , looks like we all agree on one thing. AI is smart but Google is smarter.
And without backlinks, your content might just be talking to itself in a corner of the internet
Yes, AI made it easier to look productive . Thank you!

 

[akimmennd9]

AI helps with content, but backlinks are still key for ranking. Relying only on AI isn’t enough for long-term SEO, quality links, structure, and relevance still matter.