Google AI Mode 2025 – Backlinks remain important

With the introduction of Google AI Mode, the search engine world is changing fundamentally.

Above all, the role of backlinks is being reassessed: They will remain a decisive factor for visibility, authority, and trust in Google search results in 2025 – albeit with a different perspective.

What is Google AI Mode?

The Google AI Mode is an advanced search function that uses artificial intelligence to aggregate answers directly into search results. Users thus receive concise information from various sources – without necessarily having to click on an external website.

The core function is the AI ​​Overviews section, where Google presents texts, facts, and links generated with the help of AI. The goal is to answer complex search queries faster and more precisely. For companies and publishers, however, this means that traditional click streams are declining, while presence in these AI answers is gaining relevance.

Backlinks at AI Overviews

AI Mode ensures that users receive instant AI-generated answers for many search queries. These so-called AI Overviews provide information directly in the search results – often without clicking on a web page. This significantly increases the phenomenon of zero-click searches and reduces traditional organic reach.

Nevertheless, backlinks play a central role: The content that is included in the AI answers The rankings that are included predominantly come from the top 12 results. This is where backlink profiles, domain authority, and link diversity continue to determine ranking.

Focus on relevance and quality

Google now evaluates links in a more differentiated way. Rather than simply the number of links, the focus is on topical relevance, context, and entity relationships.

◉ Manipulative or inappropriate links are increasingly losing their effectiveness.

◉ High-quality, organic backlinks embedded in the content are becoming more important.

◉ Authoritative sources and semantic embedding are crucial for long-term visibility.

Link carousels and click-out

Google is currently testing new delivery formats, such as link carousels in AI Overviews. These are intended to direct users to websites more specifically. The click-out probability of the displayed links is being continuously optimized.

For publishers and SEO strategists, this means: Only those who impress with relevant content and strong backlinks have a chance of being present in these AI answers.

Backlinks with new rules

The Google AI Mode significantly shifts the emphasis in SEO:

➡️ Backlinks remain a core factor for Rankings and AI visibility.

➡️ Quality beats quantity, because thematically relevant links become crucial.

➡️ Content strategy and link building must be more focused on authority and semantic fit.

Anyone who wants to be visible in AI results in 2025 must rely on organically acquired, content-rich backlinks and clearly align their content with topic authority…

Sierks Media / © Photo: Alex Dudar, Unsplash