AI Search Links Still Matter: What the Latest SEO Survey Tells Us

New data from 500+ SEO professionals reveals why backlinks remain essential for search success despite AI disruption--and how to adapt your strategy for 2025 and beyond.

The Link Building Investment Boom

The most striking finding from the 2025 survey is the sheer scale of investment in link building. Nearly half of all respondents (47%) report spending more than GBP600 per month on link building efforts, with 14% investing over GBP1,500 monthly. These aren't small businesses experimenting with outreach--these are serious marketing operations treating links as strategic assets.

Budget Confidence Remains Strong

The survey reveals remarkable optimism in the link building channel. Even as AI transforms search, the professionals closest to the data see links as essential rather than optional:

61% of SEOs expect their link building spending to increase in 2025
Only 4% anticipate reducing their link building budgets
64% believe their overall SEO budgets will grow
This confidence comes despite economic uncertainty and AI disruption

This sentiment cuts across company sizes and industries, suggesting a fundamental belief that backlinks remain a competitive necessity.

For organizations looking to strengthen their search presence, partnering with an experienced SEO agency can help you develop a strategic link building program that aligns with your business goals.

Link Building Investment by the Numbers

47%

% spend over GBP600/month on link building

61%

expect increased spending in 2025

$750

average cost per link (Digital PR)

85.3%

of guest posting sites are low quality

Why Links Still Matter in the AI Era

The search landscape has evolved into a hybrid environment where both traditional organic rankings and AI visibility matter. Survey respondents indicate that their link building efforts serve dual purposes: improving standard Google rankings while also building the authority signals that influence AI systems.

Key Findings on AI and Links

AI Overviews still cite top 10 search results approximately 75% of the time
Links remain the strongest traditional ranking signal
Brand mentions correlate more strongly with AI visibility, but links still factor in
Higher-ranking pages consistently have more referring domains

The same links serve both traditional and AI search, making link building a dual-purpose investment. As AI systems like Google's AI Overviews and tools like Perplexity become more prevalent, the authoritative signals provided by quality backlinks become even more valuable for visibility across all search channels. Understanding this intersection of AI search and traditional SEO is essential for modern digital marketing success.

The Hybrid Reality

68% of SEO professionals believe link building will be MORE important due to AI--not less. Only 9% plan to decrease link building specifically because of AI. The professionals betting on AI are actually investing MORE in link building, not less.

Digital PR Dominates as Most Effective Tactic

The survey data is clear: Digital PR has established itself as the premier link building strategy. 48.6% of SEOs rate Digital PR as the most effective link building tactic--the second consecutive year it has held this position.

Why Digital PR Wins

Data-led content campaigns generate the most valuable links
Expert commentary opportunities build brand authority naturally
News coverage provides both links and brand signals
Quality of links tends to be higher than other tactics

The Quality Problem in Guest Posting

One of the survey's most concerning findings relates to guest posting quality. Research reveals that 85.3% of guest posting sites qualify as low quality--defined as having Domain Rating below 40 and less than 10,000 monthly organic visitors.

The cost implications are significant:

High-quality guest posts now average $692-$957
Vendor-marked versions reach $2,500-$3,000 for top-tier placements
These prices have climbed steadily as quality opportunities become scarcer

For link builders relying on guest posting, this means the majority of available opportunities offer minimal value. A strategic approach through professional SEO services can help you prioritize high-impact tactics like Digital PR over low-quality guest posting opportunities.

Most Effective Link Building Tactics in 2025

Digital PR

48.6% rate it as most effective--data-led campaigns, expert commentary, and news coverage.

Content Marketing

Creating linkable assets that naturally attract editorial mentions and backlinks.

Brand Building

Building recognition that generates unlinked mentions correlating with AI visibility.

Strategic Partnerships

Collaborations with complementary brands for mutual link value.

The Cost of Links: Budget Realities

With competition rising and quality opportunities shrinking, link building pricing continues to climb. Understanding these costs is essential for realistic budgeting.

Average Costs

Cost Type	Average	Range
Cost Per Link (Digital PR)	$750	$300-$750 typical
High-Quality Guest Post	$692-$957	$2,500-$3,000 via vendors
Monthly Digital PR Budget	Under $10,000	66.5% operate here
Cost Trend	Rising	81% expect increases

Budget by Industry

Legal: Highest per-organization link building spend
iGaming/Gambling: Requires largest budgets
Travel: Easiest industry for link building (45.1% find it accessible)
Fashion/Beauty: Most challenging industry (29% report difficulty)

ROI Considerations

Despite rising costs, most organizations view link building as a worthwhile investment. The primary goals include improving organic traffic (68%) and rankings (68%), with increasing sales and leads being secondary but growing priorities.

Measuring Link Building Success

The measurement challenge remains one of the industry's biggest struggles. While link builders can easily count acquired links, connecting those links to business outcomes requires sophisticated tracking and patience.

How Pros Measure Impact

59% measure through increased organic visibility for target pages
28% track revenue from referral traffic to linked pages
91.3% use DR/DA as primary authority metrics
86.7% consider site relevancy when evaluating link quality

The Measurement Gap

Survey respondents consistently rank measurement as one of their top challenges:

30.6% call measuring impact the most difficult part of digital PR
63% want to improve their reporting on impact and ROI
25% measure against a benchmark or control group
Only 53% believe their reports are easy to understand

Timeline Realities

46.2% see measurable results after 3-6 months
36% can generate results in 1-3 months
Organizations expecting immediate ROI will be disappointed
Single digital PR link builder generates 15.58 links per month on average

Frequently Asked Questions About Link Building in the AI Era

The Rise of Brand as a Ranking Factor

One of the most significant shifts revealed in the survey data is the growing importance of brand signals in search. Ahrefs research shows that brand mentions correlate more strongly with AI Overview visibility than backlinks, while 80.9% of SEOs believe unlinked brand mentions affect organic rankings.

Brand Building = Link Building

This finding represents a fundamental shift in how SEOs conceptualize link building:

Rather than purely mechanical link acquisition, successful link builders focus on brand building
Brand building naturally generates mentions, coverage, and links
This approach requires longer time horizons and creative investment
Results tend to be more durable than tactical link building

The Brand-Building Link Strategy

Create distinctive brand identity that journalists want to cover
Develop proprietary data that earns citations and links
Build thought leadership through expert commentary opportunities
Earn media mentions that provide both links and brand signals
Invest in brand awareness that generates organic searches and mentions

The most successful link building programs in 2025 blur the line between brand marketing and SEO--recognizing that building a recognized brand is now a link building strategy. This holistic approach to digital marketing combines brand building with technical excellence for maximum impact.

Practical Recommendations for 2025

Based on the survey data, here are the key strategies for link building success in the AI era:

1. Invest in Digital PR

The most consistently effective tactic, with 48.6% of experts rating it as top-performing. Focus on data-led content and expert commentary opportunities.

2. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

With 85.3% of guest posting sites being low quality, be extremely selective about where you invest. One high-quality placement often outperforms multiple low-quality links.

3. Build Your Brand

Brand mentions now correlate with AI visibility. Consider brand building as a link building strategy, not just a marketing function.

4. Set Realistic Budgets and Timelines

The average digital PR program requires $750 per link and 3-6 months to show measurable results. Organizations expecting immediate ROI will be disappointed.

5. Measure What Matters

While link counting is easy, focus on organic visibility improvements and business outcomes. Build tracking infrastructure before launching campaigns.

6. Prepare for Rising Costs

81% of experts expect costs to increase over the next 2-3 years. Build this into long-term planning and budget accordingly.

7. Adapt to the Hybrid Search Landscape

Optimize for both traditional rankings and AI visibility. The same link building efforts serve both purposes when done strategically.

The Bottom Line

The 2025 survey data paints a clear picture: despite AI disruption, links remain a foundational element of search success. The professionals closest to the data--those building links every day--are voting with their budgets. They're spending more, expecting more, and viewing links as essential rather than optional.

The key changes are in tactics and approach:

Digital PR has overtaken guest posting as the most effective strategy
Brand building and link building have become interconnected
Quality matters more than ever as the supply of valuable link opportunities shrinks while demand grows

For organizations committed to search visibility in 2025 and beyond, the message is clear: invest in links, invest strategically, and be prepared for rising costs and longer timelines. The AI era hasn't killed link building--it's made it more important and more sophisticated than ever.

Ready to develop a link building strategy that works in today's hybrid search environment? Our team can help you build a sustainable program that delivers results across both traditional and AI search channels.

Ready to Build Links That Actually Matter?

Our team specializes in modern link building strategies that work in the AI era--from Digital PR campaigns to brand building that generates natural backlinks.