Backlink is still very important for ranking

[paul28]

I think having quality backlinks with high page rank is important for website ranking as it has many benefits like increasing the referral traffic, exposure to brand name and many more.

[Value Town]

In order to rank you need a mixture of content, social signals and links


Content - content must be unique and updated regularly.


Social signals - Its important to have active social accounts including the big 4 - facebook, youtube, google+ and twitter. Its important social signals are pointing back to your website, so you need things like facebook shares, likes, retweets etc. Social stacking also seems to be a method many SEOs are applying recently.


Backlinks - Its also important to have highly relevant links pointing back to your website, ideally from sites with good metrics including high DA, PA, CF and TF. What also helps is google "seeing" people clicking on those backlinks and visiting your website because this shows google your website is of interest to many people. Its also important to have a mix of branded anchor text and keyword anchor text to prevent over optimisation. Attaining backlinks involves outreach to other webmasters, but also thinking outside the box as to how you can acquire links.


You need all of these aspects, if you only have one or two, you will not rank or should I say you will not rank as highly as you could. You need all three - content, social signals and links.


Its obviously much easier said than done.

[universal4]

backlinks with high page rank is important for website ranking

Toolbar PR is dead, has been dead for YEARS so that is old school.

Yes quality and relevant links are important, but forget the little green bar.

Rick
Universal4