Do backlinks even matter?

For my app strandsgame.app, I’ve spent a lot of time on keyword research, adding alt tags, and optimizing in general. I rank well for some solid keywords, but I don’t have many backlinks. I’m wondering if they really make that much of a difference. What’s your experience with them?

Backlinks are critical. Google’s PageRank is built around them. It’s not about whether they’re effective or not—you absolutely need them. The only exception would be if none of your competitors are using them, but that’s unlikely if your keywords are competitive.

Backlinks helped me a lot. They weren’t from big sites like Wikipedia, just small local ones.

StevenMoore said:
Backlinks helped me a lot. They weren’t from big sites like Wikipedia, just small local ones.

Did those backlinks come from high-traffic websites or more niche, local ones?

@Barbara
They were all local sites with a domain authority under 50.

StevenMoore said:
Backlinks helped me a lot. They weren’t from big sites like Wikipedia, just small local ones.

If the links are relevant and strong, they’ll definitely help.

Focus on quality. Don’t fall for cheap link exchange schemes. A single backlink from a site like Forbes or a relevant authority in your niche is worth way more than a thousand low-quality ones.

Leon said:
Focus on quality. Don’t fall for cheap link exchange schemes. A single backlink from a site like Forbes or a relevant authority in your niche is worth way more than a thousand low-quality ones.

Backlinks are cumulative. Sites like Forbes rarely give links, and even if they do, not all pages on their site have high authority. Building a network of links from smaller, relevant sites can still make a big difference.

@CharlesWrites
I used Forbes as an example, but yeah, smaller sites can work too.

Leon said:
@CharlesWrites
I used Forbes as an example, but yeah, smaller sites can work too.

True, but are those high-profile sites really accessible for most people?

Leon said:
Focus on quality. Don’t fall for cheap link exchange schemes. A single backlink from a site like Forbes or a relevant authority in your niche is worth way more than a thousand low-quality ones.

Here’s a fun gif that sums up the backlink debate! gif

@Mickey
That’s not helpful at all.

Backlinks have a big impact, no doubt.

Yes, backlinks are really important, especially when they’re from sites relevant to your niche and with good authority.

Evans said:
Yes, backlinks are really important, especially when they’re from sites relevant to your niche and with good authority.

They’re great, but you can still rank without perfect niche alignment.

Don’t overlook backlinks. Even a couple of high-quality ones can make a noticeable difference in your rankings.

Backlinks work, but focus on quality over quantity. Don’t buy those $5 deals for 1,000 links. That could really hurt your app.

Backlinks still matter a lot. Avoid cheap services that offer tons of links for little money. The best strategy is to get links from strong websites through PR campaigns or direct outreach. A single link from a reputable site can outdo thousands of bad ones.

Backlinks are the backbone of improving organic traffic. Build a few good ones, and you’ll see the difference.

Yes, backlinks are that important.