The State of Link Building in 2025 – Andrea Motta Among the Survey Participants
I had the pleasure of being contacted by Editorial.Link to take part in their survey on the state of link building in 2025. This comprehensive study gathered the views of 518 SEO professionals worldwide, including, among many others, myself, Sophie Brannon from StudioHawk US, Camilla Engelstad Holt from NOBA Bank Group, and Gianluca Fiorelli, one of the most skilled and widely recognised Italian SEOs, also at an international level.
Why This Study Matters Today
t was particularly meaningful to contribute at such a pivotal time. A time when search engines, user behaviour, and SEO practices are being reshaped by AI-powered search and Large Language Models (LLMs). These shifts raise important questions about how links, mentions, and authority signals are assessed in this ever-evolving landscape.
So, when Hanna Lebedeva invited me to take part in the survey, I gladly accepted.
Who Took Part in the Survey?
The survey gathered a diverse mix of professionals:
45% work in agencies,
30% are in-house specialists,
25% are freelancers.
Most participants came from Europe (46%), followed by the USA (25%), the UK (16%), and 13% from other regions. Conducted between March and May 2025, the study provides a timely snapshot of how the industry is evolving.
Survey Highlights
Some of the most relevant findings include:
AI Search & Backlinks: 74% of participants believe backlinks influence visibility in AI-powered search results such as ChatGPT.
Brand Mentions: 81% said that unlinked brand mentions also affect rankings, underlining the importance of Digital PR as a central lever of modern SEO.
Buying Links: 92% confirmed that competitors purchase backlinks, while 56% believe Google cannot reliably detect these practices.
Budgets: The average cost of a backlink is around $509, with companies in the most competitive niches spending up to $8,400 per month.
Timelines: 57% expect to see tangible results within 1–3 months of link acquisition.
Tools: Ahrefs remains the most widely used and trusted tool for backlink analysis (68%), followed by SEMrush (16%) and Majestic (9%).
Red Flags: Spammy outbound links, low-quality content, declining traffic, and weak domain authority remain the most significant warning signs.
In short, despite rising costs, difficulties in scaling, and the complexity of proving ROI, 55% of SEO specialists still consider link building the hardest part of SEO – yet also one of the most indispensable.
Andrea Motta: “The Role of SEO Has Changed, It Has Evolved”
“Being invited to be part of this group of 518 SEO professionals worldwide makes me happy. It is not only a recognition of my work as an SEO Consultant, but also a reminder of how collaborative and global our industry has become.”
“Over the past twelve months, our work has evolved: it is no longer simply about ranking on Google. It’s about addressing user needs wherever they search for answers. The role of SEO today is to make brands visible across all the touchpoints where potential customers actively seek information – not only on traditional search engines, but also on app stores, YouTube, and every platform relevant to the target audience.”
“We are no longer just ‘SEO Specialists’. With the rise of AI, the very concept of visibility must be reimagined as an ecosystem. Indeed, some – like Rand Fishkin – now speak of ‘‘Search Everywhere Optimisation’; others, like Helen Pollitt, argue that our role has evolved into that of ‘Organic Discovery Specialist’, because SEO is becoming broader and more strategic than ever before.”
“In this new ecosystem, links and brand mentions remain fundamental – and this was also confirmed by the 518 SEOs who took part in the Editorial.Link survey. They are not just ranking signals, but trust signals. They validate authority, shape perception, and ensure that when users (or AI systems) search for reliable answers, our content emerges as credible and relevant.”
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