Link Build, the SEO industry’s leading enterprise link building company, today announced new research indicating a strong relationship between high-quality, topically aligned backlinks and the likelihood of being cited by large language models (LLMs) across leading AI answer experiences. The findings suggest that in an era where synthesized answers capture growing user attention, authoritative backlinks remain a critical distribution lever for brands seeking inclusion in AI citations.
“LLMs don’t read PageRank patents—but they do inherit the web’s authority graph,” said Nate Nead, CEO of Link.Build. “Our analysis shows that when brands earn links from credible, topically aligned sources, they materially improve their chances of being cited by AI answers. In an era when clicks compress, being included is the new moat.”
Study highlights
Link.Build’s analysis (Q1–Q3 2025 sampling across U.S. queries and categories) found that:
- Quality and topicality beat raw volume. Links from authoritative, context-relevant publications are more predictive of AI citations than sheer backlink counts.
- Link diversity matters. A broader set of unique, reputable referring domains is associated with higher inclusion.
- Recency signals help. Earned media and fresh expert coverage correlate with short-term gains in citation odds during active news or research cycles.
- Links complement, not replace, search strength. Traditional organic authority (including page-one rankings) remains a foundational signal; backlinks amplify that authority into AI answer sets.
“Answer-engine shelf space is becoming the front door to demand,” said Timothy Carter, Chief Revenue Officer at Link.Build. “We’re seeing brands convert from attribution they never had before—because they started showing up in the citations buyers trust. The fastest lever we can pull is high-authority, on-topic link acquisition wrapped in smart digital PR. Traditional SEO link building is not dead for LLM citations. It’s alive and well, but the results are different and need to be combined with other on-page SEO tactics.”
Why it matters now
AI answer features are expanding, reshaping how users discover sources and who gets cited:
- Multiple trackers estimate AI Overviews now appear in a meaningful share of queries (e.g., ~13% in March 2025 per Semrush; BrightEdge notes sub-15% for logged-in U.S. users), reinforcing that inclusion in citations is a tangible discoverability channel.
- BrightEdge reports that since AI Overviews launched, total search impressions are up while click-throughs have fallen by roughly 30%, underscoring the value of appearing inside the answer module’s citations.
- Independent research from Ahrefs (75k-brand study) finds that domain-level authority signals—Domain Rating, referring domains, and backlinks—correlate with brand visibility in Google’s AI Overviews, supporting the role of link-driven authority in AI source selection.
- A large-scale study by Seer Interactive shows strong ties between traditional Google rankings and LLM mentions, with weaker—but present—relationships to backlink totals, implying links work best as part of a broader authority mix.
- As AI answer engines commercialize, Perplexity’s Publishers Program shares ad revenue when publishers’ content is referenced—making citations directly monetizable for some sources.
“Think of the modern link graph as distribution for AI,” said Samuel Edwards, Chief Marketing Officer at Link.Build. “If your story travels through respected publications and niche experts, LLMs can find—and justify—you. Our programs blend earned media with authoritative backlinks so brands get cited, and stay cited.”
Real-world observations
Across Link.Build client campaigns, the agency has observed:
- B2B SaaS: After earning coverage on sector-leading publications and expert blogs, brands saw first-time inclusion in AI answers for mid- and late-funnel queries within weeks, coinciding with measurable upticks in demo-related conversions.
- Consumer fintech: A targeted digital PR burst around new research led to rapid, time-boxed appearances in AI answers during a news cycle, later stabilized by evergreen expert links.
- Healthcare information: Combining peer-review-adjacent citations with credible news outlets supported durable presence in answer engines for high-intent informational questions.
(Client examples are anonymized; detailed vertical cuts available to media on request.)
Link building methodology
Link.Build sampled multi-engine AI answer results (including Google AI Overviews/AI Mode, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity) across commercial and informational queries in the U.S. during 2025. The outcome variable was presence in AI citations/source carousels; features included referring-domain quality, topical relevance, link diversity, and link velocity, with controls for branded search, unlinked mentions, and core SERP strength. Analyses used non-parametric correlations and partial correlations, with robustness checks across verticals. Results indicate a strong positive association between authoritative, topically aligned backlinks and AI citation inclusion. (Correlation ≠ causation; platform behaviors evolve.)
Practical link building recommendations for brands
- Prioritize topical authority: pursue expert and industry publications where your audience (and LLMs) expect credible sources.
- Build link diversity: favor unique, reputable domains over repetitive placements.
- Time digital PR to news and research releases to benefit from recency signals in answer engines.
- Track LLM shelf space (citations and mentions) alongside rankings, branded search, and referral conversions.
Availability
A summary of the findings, methodology notes, and vertical breakouts are available upon request from the Link.Build team. Media can request aggregated data and case snapshots under NDA.
About Link.Build
Link.Build is a digital PR and authority-building agency that earns high-quality, topically aligned coverage and backlinks for growth-stage and enterprise brands. Originally founded as a white label SEO agency in Seattle in 2010, the company has greatly expanded its marketing services in various verticals and geographies. Link Build agency campaigns help clients win inclusion in AI answer engines, organic search (traditional SEO), and industry media.