Demand Sage released a report on Apr. 18 detailing the latest trends and statistics in link building for 2026, highlighting shifts in digital marketing practices and the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
The report outlines that link building remains a crucial factor in search engine optimization (SEO), with Google using over 200 factors to rank websites and links playing a leading role. Despite this, most online content struggles to gain backlinks, as data shows that about 94% of online content fails to secure any external links, while approximately 95% of all pages have zero backlinks.
Digital public relations (PR) has emerged as the most popular method for acquiring quality backlinks, now used by more than two-thirds of marketers. The adoption of AI is also growing rapidly; according to the report, around 86% of marketing professionals use AI SEO tools—particularly for backlink automation—and over half utilize AI-based predictive analytics to identify effective link targets. Furthermore, experienced link builders generate significantly more results: those with over five years’ experience average about three-and-a-half times more links per month compared to beginners.
Budgets reflect these priorities. Marketers spend nearly one-third of their budget on link-building activities or purchasing quality backlinks. However, paying directly for links only results in a small increase—about two extra links per month—highlighting the continued value placed on organic methods such as high-quality content creation and strategic outreach.
The report also notes changes in how visibility is measured: ranking first on search engine results pages no longer guarantees maximum exposure due to the rise of AI-generated summaries. Nearly half (47%) of citations within Google’s AI Overviews come from pages outside the top five traditional organic rankings, signaling a shift toward being cited within these new formats rather than relying solely on conventional rankings.
Case studies featured include Backlinko’s Skyscraper Technique—which saw an increase in organic traffic by focusing on improving existing high-value content—and Ahrefs’ successful use of comprehensive ‘Stats’ pages paired with targeted outreach campaigns. Both examples demonstrate that while tactics evolve, securing authoritative editorial links remains central to SEO success.
