Are backlinks still important?
Quality backlinks from genuinely authoritative sites still help traditional search rankings. But for AI recommendations, being talked about now beats being linked to. AI assistants look for independent sources that mention and describe your business — local news, trade associations, podcasts, partner sites and reviews — far more than they count links. Buying link packages is increasingly wasted money.
Why did links lose their power?
Because links were easy to fake. For years, some SEO firms ran networks of thousands of websites and republished client content across all of them to manufacture authority. That worked on old search algorithms. AI engines are built to ask a different question: do credible, independent people say this business is good at what it does?
The practical result: newer businesses that answer questions clearly and get mentioned in the right places are now appearing in AI answers above competitors who spent a decade building links.
What's the difference between a mention, a citation and a recommendation?
- A mention is any place your business name appears: an article, a social post, a directory, a podcast.
- A citation is when an AI answer points to a source about you as evidence — your page, or a third party confirming what you claim.
- A recommendation is when the AI names your business as the answer to someone's question.
Mentions feed citations. Citations support recommendations. You need all three.
How do you get talked about?
Give people something new to talk about. A newspaper won't run a story it already ran, and an AI won't cite a page that repeats what's already out there. Ideas that work for local businesses:
- Publish original data. Survey your patients or customers, or analyze your own numbers, and share what you learn. "We tracked 500 after-hours calls; here's when Las Vegas patients actually call" is news.
- Get on podcasts. Local business shows, industry podcasts and community programs give you a third-party mention, a transcript, and a link.
- Work with local press. Community events, sponsorships, expert commentary on local issues.
- Join and contribute to associations. Chambers of commerce, state dental or bar associations, trade groups. Make sure your member listing is complete and accurate.
- Publish case studies with clients' permission. A partner or customer describing how you helped them is powerful corroboration.
- Write LinkedIn articles. They're cited by ChatGPT far more than ordinary posts.
Should you pay influencers or sites to feature you?
Be careful. Paid placements are often labeled or detectable, and AI engines may discount them. A good test: would a skeptical reader believe this was written independently? If it reads like an ad, assume the AI can tell.
Frequently asked questions
Should I stop all link building?
Stop buying links. Keep earning them naturally through useful content, partnerships and PR.
What if my competitor is cited on a blog I'm not?
Don't ask the author to copy-paste you into an old list. Give them something new to write about.
Do mentions need to include a link?
No. Unlinked brand mentions in trusted places still help AI understand and trust your business.
Adapted with permission from Question.Marketing. Statistics are reported findings from the studies named, not DigitalOS guarantees.
