Yes, links will continue to be important in 2023. They play a crucial role in the digital landscape and are essential for various reasons:

  1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Links are a fundamental aspect of SEO that determine the relevance and authority of a website. Quality inbound links from reputable sources can help improve a website’s search engine rankings.
  2. Referral Traffic: Links direct users from one website to another. The more high-quality links a website has more opportunities it has to attract relevant traffic. When a website receives a link from another site, it can generate referral traffic, bringing new visitors and potential customers.
  3. Authority and Trust: Links from reputable and authoritative websites act as endorsements. When a credible website links to another site, it signals trust and authority to users and search engines. Building a strong backlink profile can help establish a website as a trustworthy source in its industry.
  4. Content Discovery and Indexing: Links are pathways for search engine bots to crawl and index web pages. When a page is linked from other sources, it increases its chances of being discovered and indexed by search engines. Internal linking within a website also helps search engines navigate and understand the site’s structure.
  5. Social Sharing and Virality: Links are extensively used in social media platforms and online communities. Sharing links allows users to distribute and promote content across different channels, leading to potential virality and increased visibility. One thing to add here is that intelligent SEO agencies in India will move towards getting brand mentions moving forward. As we know, the sentiments around a brand are a critical ranking factor. 

However, most of the digital marketing agencies in India are more proactive and focus on link building. The quality and relevance of links matter more than the quantity. Search engines have become more sophisticated in evaluating link patterns, prioritizing natural and organic link profiles over manipulative or spammy practices. Building high-quality links from relevant and authoritative sources is crucial for long-term success.