Backlinks have proven to be a fundamental ranking factor in the SEO scene for years and search engine algorithms had focused mainly on their ability to show authority and relevance. 

But the gaming is changing with AI-powered searches, the dynamics are shifting fast. The way information is processed, curated and made available to users has changed dramatically. The advanced AI models prioritise direct answers, structured data and real-time knowledge.

As AI-powered search results increasinly favor entity-based knowledge and local relevance, the question arises: could brand mentions finally replace backlinks as the most important ranking signal?

In this article, we’ll explore whether brand mentions are poised to replace backlinks as a key ranking factor, the ongoing importance of links, and what the future may hold for both in the world of AI powered searches. So, read on !

What is a Brand Mention ?

Brand mention is a reference to your brand online which can be with or without a link. There are a variety of places where these mentions can be found, including but not limited to: Articles, blogs, social media posts, forum discussions, news websites, videos, podcasts, business directories, and even offline conversations that are later digitally cited.

Are Brand Mentions Becoming a New Metric ?

The growing importance of brand mentions is due to AI ability to identify entities — unique people, places or objects. Search engines are now very good at linking these entities to specific topics, industries and reputations. Google’s BERT and MUM algorithms prioritise knowledge about entities (people, brands, places) over pure link analysis.

A comprehensive report by Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2025  analyzed over 100 academic papers to assess the impact of brand mentions versus traditional backlinks. It concluded that brand mentions are gaining edge over backlinks, especially in AI-driven search models.

In a study conducted by Seer Interactive in 2025, it was found that there is a significant correlation (around 0.65) between the ranking of brands on the first page of Google and their mentions in AI-generated responses from models such as ChatGPT.

A growing number of Industry experts predict that mentions are and will continue to grow in importance as the AI takes a dominant role in future searches.

Gary Illyes (Google Search Team):  “If your brand is being talked about a lot online, that’s a good sign to us. It tells us you’re a known entity.”

Although Gary has made no direct reference to direct ranking boosts from unlinked mentions, he’s hinted at their role in entity recognition and topical authority.

Rand Fishkin (SparkToro): “AI search rewards brand visibility, not just links. Mentions in podcasts, videos, and news will be key.”

According to Moz ,brand mentions were taken into account in Google’s Panda update, but exactly how they are factored into the Google ranking algorithm is a proprietary matter.

As AI becomes better at processing entities and their relationships, the line between linked and unlinked mentions may continue to blur.

Are Backlinks Still the “Gold Standard “ ?

In the traditional SEO landscape, backlinks have frequently taken front stage while mentions and citations have often suffered.The reason was simple: links pass PageRank, Google’s proprietary algorithm that measures the importance of web pages. 

Even as of now , industry experts agree that links still play a vital role, as the methods for acquiring them have become more sophisticated, their importance in SEO remains significant. Focusing on high-quality, relevant, and authentic backlinks is essential for improving search engine rankings and driving organic traffic.

Jeffrey Miles – Founder of Jeff Social Marketing : “Backlinks remain a critical component of SEO in 2025, but the focus has shifted toward quality, relevance, and authenticity.”

Brian Dean (Backlinko): “I really strongly believe Google still uses links as a ranking factor and I don’t see them getting away from it anytime soon.”

Recent developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning have improved the ability of search engines to assess the context and quality of backlinks.

What Does The Future Look Like ?

While backlinks won’t disappear overnight, they still matter and will in the near future but AI-driven search is accelerating the shift toward brand mentions, entity recognition, and real-world authority.

One possible scenario can be that in the coming 5 years until 2030 , brand mentions supersedes links as AI search prioritizes real-world authority and context.

A most likely scenario can be a hybrid model, where both links and brand mentions (citations) work together. It can be that link-less mentions in credible sources (e.g., news sites, forums, podcasts) could act like “soft links,” while hyperlinks could act as “hard links” and they will also have an impact, if they come from high quality, authoritative and topically relevant sources.

But we should not forget !

Either it’s links or mentions, they both are not created equal. In either case it will be the quality and authority of the source that matter, not the quantity. In case of mentions, the one that is embedded in a deep, meaningful discussion about a relevant industry topic will likely carry more weight than a passing reference in a directory.

Final Thoughts

While links are likely to retain the “vintage charm” for the foreseeable future, the rise of AI powered search models predicts that brand awareness, trust and semantic relevance — often expressed through unlinked mentions — will become even more important in determining a brand’s digital authority & search visibility.