Vesna Scepanovic 
AI has made it easier than ever to create decent content. But decent isn’t great. Nor groundbreaking. Nor necessarily trustworthy.
The web is now flooded with articles that look fine on the surface, but one thing still separates the credible from the forgettable: who’s willing to vouch for you.
In SEO, that vouch is a backlink, one of the strongest trust signals you can send to search engines and users in AI-dominated search results. And in a world where AI systems decide which sources to cite, that trust matters more than ever.
Why Backlinks Still Work as Trust Signals in the AI Era
When reputable sites link to you, they pass along part of their credibility. Search engines still use backlinks as one of the most reliable trust signals for deciding which pages deserve visibility, and the numbers keep proving their value.
In a survey of SEO professionals, 95% said backlinks are critical or very important for rankings, while Backlinko’s analysis of 11.8 million Google search results found a consistent link between stronger backlink profiles and higher rankings.
Put simply: when credible sites vouch for you, it strengthens the trust signals that help you get cited by AI models, featured in AI Overviews, and recognized as a go-to source, not just ranked.
Large language models (LLMs) and AI agents don’t simply “count” backlinks the way traditional search algorithms do. They interpret them as part of a broader network of entities, concepts, and relationships, looking at why the link exists, what it connects, and how it reinforces topical authority.
Why This Matters in Today’s SEO
With AI generating millions of pages of content daily, anyone can look credible. But fewer can prove they deserve to be trusted.
In this environment, trust signals become the deciding factor between being overlooked and being chosen.
Search engines, LLMs, and AI-driven features like Google’s AI Overviews now pull from sources they consider reliable enough to represent the answer, not just relevant enough to list. That selection depends heavily on the network of credible relationships you’ve built online, with backlinks playing a central role.
If your site consistently earns links from authoritative, contextually relevant sources, those signals ripple through the broader web of entities and concepts. The result? A higher likelihood that AI systems will surface your brand as a trusted source, whether that’s in an AI Overview, a chatbot’s citation, or a voice assistant’s spoken answer.
On the flip side, weak or artificially built links aren’t just ignored. They can erode trust and push you further away from being selected at all. In some cases, they can even expose your site to a Google penalty, which can severely damage your search visibility.
(Another) Why Backlinks Serve as Long-Term Brand Assets
When you stop thinking of backlinks as a quick SEO win and start treating them as relationships, their value shifts from short-term ranking boosts to long-term brand equity.
Each high-quality backlink is a public endorsement of your expertise, one of the most enduring trust signals you can build. Over time, these endorsements:
- Strengthen your authority in the eyes of both humans and algorithms
- Increase your chances of being chosen by AI systems as a trusted source
- Open doors to partnerships, media mentions, and PR opportunities
- Drive steady referral traffic from relevant audiences
AI can generate content on command. It can’t generate a network of genuine, earned credibility, and that’s exactly what backlinks give you.
(One More) Why You Abso-Backlink-lutely Need Trust Signals
If you want backlinks that work as trust signals in today’s AI-driven search environment, focus on quality, relevance, and intent. Not volume.
Publish Unique Data or Insights
Original research, in-depth studies, or proprietary data are link magnets. Industry reports, surveys, or even small-scale experiments can attract citations from journalists, bloggers, and other experts.
For example, a SaaS brand could publish aggregated, anonymized usage stats to reveal new trends, while a local business might share customer behavior insights in its niche that no one else has. Data-backed resources such as these become lasting trust signals for both search engines and AI systems.
Be First or Be Best
Timeliness and depth are powerful link drivers. Cover breaking industry news before anyone else, or create the most comprehensive guide on a trending topic. Being “best” might mean adding clarity, visuals, examples, or interactive tools that existing resources lack. The more irreplaceable your content is, the more likely it will be cited.
Engage with Industry Voices
Real connections lead to real backlinks. Comment on relevant LinkedIn posts, participate in industry podcasts, or collaborate on guest content. The more you’re part of meaningful conversations, the more likely others will link to your work. Partnerships, interviews, and co-authored pieces often earn backlinks naturally and with stronger contextual relevance.
Stay Consistent
Authority builds over time. Publishing one standout piece won’t cement your credibility, but a steady stream of high-value, well-cited content will. Consistency signals reliability to both human audiences and AI-driven systems, increasing your chances of being chosen as a trusted source again and again.
And Finally, Why Backlinks Aren’t Dead
AI has changed how content is discovered, but it hasn’t replaced the need for trust signals. Search engines, LLMs, and AI-driven platforms now decide which sources to cite, not just which to list. Backlinks, when earned and relevant, are still one of the clearest signals that your content is credible, your brand is authoritative, and your place in the conversation is deserved.
At Zlurad, we help brands earn those signals the right way: through technical SEO analysis, content strategies that get cited, and audit reports you can actually act on. We test, adapt, and stay ahead of the AI-driven changes shaping search every day.
If you want to succeed in this environment, start with a foundation that makes your site fast, accessible, and easy for search engines to index. Our technical SEO report gives you the insights you need to build visibility, authority, and trust that AI systems can’t ignore.