I'd have to disagree. The only thing dead is "easy" backlinks. The kind that don't require any digging in order to find a place to score one. Dofollow blog comments from true High PR pages (not root domain PR) are boosting sites up faster than ever now.

Backlinks are in good shape, automated spam is going to be taking some hits however...

I totally beg to differ - backlinking is not losing value in the eyes of Google, but yes automated and spam backlinking is. And on the contrary, if you have some quality backlinks coming from non-automated resources, there is no reason that you won't be at the receiving end of some Google love!

While a lot of people are worried about sites getting deindexed, I am just glad that I did not play the spam game on a large scale so far in my backlinking and SEO efforts. Automation tools are actually fruitful - but they need to be used very consructively.

Backlinks are certainly NOT dead. Never have been, never will.

It's like the regular as clockwork claims that "SEO is dead".

However, the one thing that is certain, is that spammy and/or low quality backlinks are not worth pursuing.

I agree - spammy backlinks are dead, but value added backlinks (like invited guest blogging with real, quality, unique content) will be around forever.

Also, variety in backlinks has become much more important to protect yourself, AND on-site SEO is still important, as long as it is done properly.

It is perfectly OK to make things "Google friendly" - but when you cross the line into trying to fool Google you are in risky territory.

Backlinks are not dead, spam low quality forum links, scrapebox blasts and other various spam links are DEAD.

Build high quality authority backlinks and your site will flourish.

BTW talking about backlinks... has anyone used this software.
Press Release Submitter - The Best Online Marketing Software

I just downloaded the trial and it seemed to work pretty well
Deff a time saver but I am literally just starting to dip my toe into press releases, Why don't training courses talk about this stuff

Backlinks are not dying, it's the black hat SEO methods and unnatural links that are dying. So natural link building works even better now...

Backlinks are not dead but there is some kind of problem as my website lost almost a huge part of backlinks. I lost ranking against some of keywords but still i am trying to increase the numbers. Now i think quality is the most wanted thing by search engine and that web page which have social media liking and getting backlinks from there is important...

Backlinks are alive and well as ever, thats why Google deindexed blog networks. Because they work too well.

I don't think backlinks are dead by now. Even if they de-index some private blog networks, we can still build high quality links from Wiki sites, social bookmarks, press release sites, Web 2.0's, etc.

Another sensationalist "such and such is DEAD!" post. Backlinks are certainly not dead.

Backlinks are definately NOT dead.

Just make sure you select good ones.

Content is king through, you do not need loads of backlinks, if you have good content, they kinda come anyway.

By Content, I mean a good, easy to understand and use website, fully of good, relevant content.

It does not matter what the niche.

No they are not dying, what is dying away - for the better - is low quality links.

I think backlinks are still good to go, just the harder ones to come by are going to be viewed as more important to the Search engines eyes.

-Omar

To start, I wouldn't believe everything Matt Cutts says ...

If by spammy / low quality, you mean comment links, article links, sitewide links, then spammy links are not dead - just look at some of the top ten sites in some of the most competitive markets and you will find sites that are using "spammy" links.

Amen.

Thanks a lot for all the warriors! You have made this discussion interesting and insightful. Certainly most of you have agreed the automated backlinks are dead. We must look for means to get natural backlinks which will be our next best SEO Strategy. Thanks again!

i agree,because i saw very more blog get spam to dead,why spammer work dirty.

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not dead at all

the thing is, you need to be smart about the way you go arounf backlinking.

make sure you link pie and link strategy consists of different types of anchor text: some rich KW, some brand Kw, and some long tale KW.

this is definitely natural in the google eye.

also make sure that the sites you link from are relevent and differ in there metrics.

mix up the target target- 50% homepage- the rest deep links.

good luck!!

I have come across a case study where the guy had created 4 websites with a gibberish keyword (same title,same meta description). The final o/p was the website having a natural profile of backlinks was ranking the first.

So backlinks are not dead.

Links are alive and well.

Social signals don't do a damn thing.

Carry on...

The only thing that is dead are the old spammy methods. Don't acquire links in bulk, don't buy ANY package deals, steer clear of networks and forget about the primitive stuff like directories and comments.

Just look how the big brands achieve results. They create stuff that people will like (and want to link to) and then they simply employ clever PR methods. If you have great content and you know how to amplify your message (on social networks and using legitimate outreach methods) you will build the links.

You won't build many links, but you will build the few links that matter!

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yes, blogs and services with the sole intent to link build for others are dead. That is what you meant right?

Backlinks are not dying, I think should not buy blogs web 2.0. which should build free blogs and social networking and do contextual links for all backlinks.

Backlink blasts are dead. Now the Search Engines want quality over quantity so you have to focus on building High PR low OBL backlinks from authority websites. It's also good to get a good mix of .edu and .gov links.

I think the search engines are smart enough to see the footprint from programs like SE nuke and they realize that some random .info is highly unlikely to get 5,000 links a day on a regular basis. So any program or service that gives a high number of links, drip fed or not, may not be as beneficial as it once was.

The new title should be "Low Quality Backlinks are DEAD!"

Backlinks are still alive & well.

Links are valid but the age of spammy links is over. Also now we need to careful about from where the links to our website coming from. It is age of relevant links and quality content.

Back links strategy is not dead and certainly one Could still get backlinks and optimize their website for a good ranking. It just becomes little bit complicated.

In my opinion, backlinking will never die out as long as SEs value relevancy and let's be honest - why wouldn't they?

Backlinks can never die.. google is deindexing blogs and some other websites as they are used for link exhange or spam..

As long SEO will live, Backlink will live too. Because without backlink, there is no SEO. Only content (even if it is the best in the world) cannot fix the luck of your ranking. Yes, you may not build backlink for yourself. May be your site users are building it for you through sharing. Still they are backlinks.

Backlinks are not dead. It depends, however, on the kind of backlinks you create. As long as you do not spam and follow the natural way of building (quality) backlinks then you're fine.

no, backlinks are not dying. Matt cutt want visitor to create backlinks not webmaster create backinks. That's the reason for he always say "natural links"

Creating natural links, not backlinks.

I don't think that backlinks will be DEAD soon... If those links are UNNATURAL and EASY to get, they could be DEAD (because they are already spammed to death) -> Quick example is the links where there is no admin... or at least they are auto approved (article marketing!)