Have we grown past the pursuit of the almighty link above every other SEO tactic?

Certainly, since Google released the Penguin update in 2012, addressing link farms and other issues associated with people gaming the system, the idea of getting as many links as you can is not the path toward ranking.

But still, links are still a factor. So where do links legitimately fit into a solid SEO strategy?

Wix’s Head of SEO Branding, Mordy Oberstein, and Head of SEO Communications, Crystal Carter, carve up the links and their role in SEO like the Halloween Jack-o-lantern.

There’s a shift of mindset that has to occur in SEO. Both Mordy and Crystal agree that there is an over-emphasis on links for SEO. To them, links are fundamentally about traffic and helping users. Creating quality content that makes sense to link to is fundamental and earns market credibility, not “link juice.”

Still, establishing quality links is integral to a well-built SEO campaign. The right links from the right sites pointing to the right pages can impact how well you rank. Which is why Debbie Chew, SEO Manager at Dialpad, shares her three best key link-building tactics, from personalized outreach to stats posts to research reports.