Can brand mentions be more valuable than backlinks? 

Backlinks have long been a cornerstone of SEO, but with answer engine usage growing, are they still as valuable?

As brands increasingly monitor prompts and their presence across LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini, they’re discovering more and more that a brand mention in a high-retrieval-rate publication can be incredibly valuable – even if there’s no link.

So – how do backlinks compare? And how do they fit within AI-driven SEO strategies?

A bit of background on backlinks

Backlinks have been a backbone of SEO for many years – and they’ve certainly driven a lot of discussion (particularly the method of acquiring them).

Agencies report on backlinks, tools measure them, and marketers celebrate (some of) them. The logic is simple: if other reputable and relevant websites link to your content, search engines like Google interpret that as an endorsement – giving your website more reason to rank.

But, as search results shift from traditional directory-style links to AI-generated answers offering conversational search experiences, we’re now no longer just appeasing Google’s algorithms. Users are experiencing new platforms, new ways of surfacing information, and getting more varied answers.

So, do backlinks matter anymore?

The problem isn’t that backlinks are suddenly ineffective. People are still using traditional search engines like Google to convert – and websites still need authority to rank. However, the movement of users to answer engines does give us a chance to reflect on our over-reliance on them.

SEO performance is often judged by the number of links acquired, Domain Authority or Domain Rating increases, referring domain totals and anchor text profiles. Though useful indicators of performance, these insights don’t always provide a complete picture of a brand’s true influence or reputation online.

Say a company earns multiple links from websites that generate little engagement, while another is consistently discussed and referenced in industry publications, forums, podcasts, social media platforms and chat communities without necessarily being linked.

Which organisation would you say is shaping the conversation?

Increasingly, search engines powered by large language models (LLMs) are becoming better at answering that question.

Can a brand mention be more valuable than a backlink?

It depends (an SEO’s favourite answer).

As we highlighted already, backlinks still play an important role and remain a key ranking factor in traditional search results. However, focusing too heavily on link metrics can mean overlooking another valuable source of visibility and authority: brand mentions.

In today’s AI-driven search environment, being referenced in the right place may matter more than being linked to.

Let’s dig a little deeper.

Why do brand mentions matter?

Search engines are now much better at understanding context. They recognise that a brand mention in a relevant publication can carry similar weight to a backlink in signalling authority and trust.

Google can work out that if your brand features in all the right places, you likely have real expertise and experience in that subject area. That helps reinforce your relevance and can improve your chances of appearing higher in the search results. Brand mentions are also harder to game at scale, which makes them feel like a more natural signal of genuine authority.

Building this kind of visibility takes time and a well-planned Digital PR strategy. However, once you establish a steady flow of both brand mentions and backlinks, the combined effect can strengthen your SEO performance and ultimately drive more traffic and conversions.

Has AI search changed the landscape?

Yes. The rise of AI-generated search experiences accelerates the trend. Whether users are interacting with Google’s AI Overviews, Microsoft’s Copilot or emerging AI search platforms, the goal is increasingly the same:

Provide direct answers rather than signposting users to websites, and prepare your site for AI search.

To generate those answers, AI systems need confidence in the information they present. That often comes from repeated references to trusted sources and recognised brands.

A business that’s regularly mentioned by respected industry publications, quoted by journalists, discussed by experts and referenced across multiple channels creates a strong digital footprint.

Even when those mentions are not linked, they contribute to a broader picture of authority and relevance. In other words, AI systems look for signals that go beyond traditional backlinks.

Unlinked brand mentions aren’t what they used to be

Some marketers still view unlinked brand mentions as missed opportunities. And there’s no denying that converting a mention into a backlink can be beneficial.

However, treating every unlinked mention as a failure may be outdated thinking.

A mention in a leading trade publication can increase brand awareness, shape how customers perceive your business and encourage more branded searches. It can also spark conversation, strengthen your topical authority and help search engines and AI systems better recognise your brand. In addition, it may improve your chances of being included in AI-generated responses.

Importantly, this value exists even without a link. In some cases, the exposure and influence from a mention in a reputable publication can be more impactful than the SEO benefit of a backlink from a smaller or less authoritative website.

What is citation-based authority?

AI search has made citations more important than ever. Generative systems don’t just rank pages; they reference sources directly in their answers.

Say a user asks ChatGPT for recommendations on the best payroll software. The sources it will use for this answer will be third-party publications ranking (along the lines of) ‘Top payroll software products of the year’ – and if your software is mentioned, you’re likely to be included in a response.

That changes what visibility means. The focus isn’t exclusively on ranking in search results, but about being included in the sources AI trusts and cites.

To get there, brands need more than backlinks; they need recognition. Consistent mentions as an expert or trusted authority help position a brand within the environment AI systems rely on. Here, the goal shifts from earning links to earning inclusion in the conversation.

What role does integrated SEO and digital PR play?

The evolving search landscape is increasingly blurring the line between SEO and digital PR. Traditional link building tends to focus on specific SEO signals, while PR is more concerned with reputation, visibility and influence.

As AI systems rely on trusted sources and recognised expertise, this distinction matters less. Investing in customer service, and activities such as publishing original research, securing expert commentary, appearing in industry publications, contributing thought leadership and taking part in relevant discussions all help generate valuable brand mentions.

Some of these will include backlinks; many will not. But together, they build the kind of authority that both search engines and answer engines are now looking to identify.

So, backlinks still matter and so do brand mentions?

Indeed, they do. It’s important not to swing too far in the opposite direction. Claims that backlinks have lost their influence do not reflect what we have seen.

Links are still a key part of SEO. They help search engines discover content, assess authority, understand competitiveness in rankings, validate content and pass relevance signals between pages.

For many highly competitive keywords, strong backlink profiles are still closely linked with higher rankings.

The future isn’t about choosing between brand mentions and backlinks; it’s about using both together as a powerful integrated search marketing solution.

The challenge is that many organisations have focused so heavily on acquiring links that they’ve overlooked the wider importance of building overall brand authority.

How do you balance the acquisition of backlinks and brand mentions?

Here are some quick tips for balancing brand mentions with backlinks:

Start with a brand-first approach

Make sure any digital PR activity is genuinely relevant and aligned with your brand. Focus on quality over quantity by targeting the most relevant and authoritative publications, rather than taking a scattergun approach.

Create winning landing pages and content

It also helps to create strong, engaging landing pages and blog content that journalists actually want to reference. Backlinks are still valuable, so give them a clear reason to link by offering useful, well-structured content.

Make customer service a number one priority – ask for reviews!

If you aren’t doing so already, make sure you’re asking happy customers to leave reviews. If you want to increase brand mentions in ‘top / best’ third-party articles, reviews are often a key part of their methodology.

Focus on E-E-A-T

When a brand consistently produces relevant content for its audience, demonstrates experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), and stays aligned with its core values, backlinks tend to come naturally. And even when they don’t, the impact isn’t lost.

Both brand mentions and backlinks play an important role in supporting performance and broader business goals. However, trust and relevance should always come first, and when that’s the priority, you typically end up earning a healthy mix of both.

Request a backlink

If you do secure a brand mention, it’s perfectly acceptable to politely request a backlink. While some publications have strict linking policies, it’s often worth highlighting how a link could enhance the reader’s experience.

Ultimately, good digital PR is about building trust first. Links may follow naturally, but even when they don’t, a brand mention still delivers value.

What is the future of backlinks in SEO?

Backlinks remain a critical part of SEO, and they are unlikely to disappear as a ranking factor. However, the search landscape is changing.

AI-driven search experiences, generative answers, and citation-based discovery systems are expanding the signals used to determine authority and trust.

In this environment, a respected brand mention can deliver value that extends far beyond traditional link equity.

It can shape perception, reinforce expertise, increase visibility, and contribute to the authority signals that influence both search rankings and AI-generated results.

The brands that thrive won’t be those chasing links alone. They will be the ones becoming impossible to ignore.

Because in the age of AI search, being talked about may be just as important as being linked to.