How to Build Backlinks That LLMs (and Google) Actually Trust

For decades, backlinks have been the backbone of SEO.

Google built its empire on PageRank, and links remain one of the strongest signals of authority and relevance.

But the search landscape is changing--actually the change is already here.

Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity are becoming new “curators of truth,” shaping what content users see first.

The question is no longer just: “Will Google trust this backlink?”

It’s also: “Will an AI or my clients' favorite LLM trust and cite it?”

In this article, we’ll unpack what trustworthy backlinks mean in both contexts — and share practical strategies for building links for LLMs (yes, they still matter) that actually move the needle this year and beyond.

What Does “Trust” Mean in SEO and LLM Contexts?

For Google:

• Authority: A link from The New York Times carries more weight than one from a random blog with low(er) domain authority.
• Relevance: The very best backlinks shuld be contextually related to your niche.
• Anchor Text: Balanced, natural anchor usage signals credibility. Not using "blue suede shoes" over and over in your anchor text placements.
• Backlink Diversity: A broad set of unique referring domains beats hundreds from one site or even a sitewide link that could cause more harm than good.

For LLMs:

• Source Credibility: AI models favor domains with strong reputations (academic, journalistic, niche expert).
• Topical Alignment: The closer your site matches a subject area, the more likely it’s cited.
• Recency: LLMs with live web access (like Perplexity) prioritize fresh content (just like Google has for decades).
• Entity Connection: Mentions of your brand (not just backlinks) or name alongside other authoritative entities can boost inclusion.

The Foundations of Trustworthy Backlinks

Regardless of platform, trusted links share the same DNA:

• Relevance over raw numbers: A link from a niche trade publication often outperforms one from a generic lifestyle blog.
• Domain authority and reputation: Strong, established sites get indexed and recrawled more often.
• Contextual placement: Links should sit inside meaningful, well-written content, not footers or bios.
• Diversity matters: Building links across multiple domains signals real-world credibility.

Backlinks in the Age of AI (LLMs)

LLMs don’t evaluate links like Google’s algorithms. Instead, they:

• Parse citations found in training datasets.
• Look for co-occurrence of brands and entities with authoritative sources.
• Value freshness in live-query models (like Perplexity and Bing Copilot).

For example, a fintech startup cited in Forbes and TechCrunch will likely appear in LLM-generated answers about “top fintech startups.” Meanwhile, a company with 500 directory backlinks but no authoritative mentions won’t.

The big shift: LLMs weigh credibility and topical authority far more heavily than sheer link volume.

Practical Strategies for Building Backlinks That Both Trust

1. Digital PR Campaigns
   • Publish data studies, surveys, or industry reports that journalists want to cite. Be the source! 
   • Example: “The State of SaaS SEO 2025” becomes a link magnet for tech press. Remember, however, that you will want to update those reports in subsequent years.
2. High-Quality Guest Posting
   • Focus on industry-relevant sites, not general content mills or sites that cover literally all the topics in your niche.
   • Position yourself as a subject-matter expert.
3. Brand Mentions → Links
   • Monitor unlinked brand mentions using tools like Ahrefs Alerts or Mention.
   • Reach out and request proper attribution with a link.
4. Resource Pages & Evergreen Assets
   • Create “The Ultimate Guide” or “Top 100 Statistics” content that attracts organic links.
   • Infographics, calculators, and case studies work well.
5. Niche Authority Building
   • Own your vertical by publishing deep, consistent content in one niche.
   • E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) applies to both Google and AI.

Avoiding Toxic Backlinks That Hurt Trust

While the following should go without saying, there are dangers for both Google and LLMs in the quality and quantity of the links you procure (and how you procure them): 

• PBNs (Private Blog Networks): Obvious footprints, ignored by Google, not surfaced in LLMs.
• Anchor Stuffing: Overusing exact-match keywords signals manipulation.
• Low-Quality Directories: AI systems may skip these entirely.
• High Volume Paid Links: Easy to detect, rarely respected.

Both Google and AI prefer quality over quantity.

One trusted citation can outweigh hundreds of junk links.

Measurement: How to Know If Your Links Are “Trusted”

• Traditional SEO Tools: Use Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to track domain authority and referring domains.
• AI Visibility: Monitor if your content appears in AI-generated answers (Perplexity often cites sources directly).
• Referral Traffic: Track visitors coming from earned media placements.
• Brand Authority Growth: Measure increases in mentions, press coverage, and topical rankings.

Future-Proofing Your Link Building Strategy

As AI becomes the new front door of search, your link building must evolve:

• Focus on entity-level optimization — make sure your brand is associated with relevant topics.
• Pair backlink acquisition with digital PR to increase citation likelihood.
• Build evergreen authority assets that will be trusted by both search engines and AI retrieval systems.

The brands that win in the next decade will be those who see backlinks not just as a Google ranking lever, but as a trust signal across all digital ecosystems.

Conclusion

Backlinks that matter in 2025 are the ones that carry both Google’s authority and AI’s trust. That means focusing on relevance, credibility, and brand reputation over sheer volume.

If you want to build a backlink profile that future-proofs your SEO and positions your brand to be cited by both Google and AI-driven search, Link.Build can help.

Are you an agency that needs white label link building services for your clients? Contact us today to get started!