I’ve been working in SEO long enough to remember the days when keyword stuffing actually worked. Things have changed — a lot. But one thing hasn’t: backlinks still matter.
At BuyLinkCo.com, we work with all kinds of sites, and if there’s one lesson that keeps repeating itself, it’s this — Google cares about who’s linking to you. That hasn’t changed in over a decade.
What has changed is where those links come from. And social media? Most SEOs still treat it like a side quest.
But they’re missing out.
Let me explain.
Backlinks Are Still the Game — But the Field Has Expanded
Everyone talks about outreach emails, guest posts, HARO, link exchanges — fine, they work. We do them too.
But if you’re ignoring social platforms as a source of links, you’re leaving opportunity (and traffic) on the table.
Now, are social links always “do-follow”? No. But that’s not the point. It’s about visibility, diversity, and how these platforms feed your overall link profile.
Google sees what’s happening on the web — and social signals are part of the bigger picture.
So, Do Social Backlinks Actually Help?
Short answer: yes — but not in the way most people expect.
They won’t catapult you to #1 overnight. But here’s what they do:
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They get your content seen.
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They lead to natural backlinks down the line.
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They make your link profile look more organic (because it is).
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And sometimes… one Reddit post can send you 5K visitors in a weekend.
I’ve seen it happen more than once.
Here’s What We Do at BuyLinkCo (and What I Recommend):
1. Create Stuff People Want to Share — Not Just Rank
Look, content for SEO is fine. But content for humans? That’s what gets shared.
We’ve seen the best results with:
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Visual content (infographics, short videos)
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Useful breakdowns (step-by-step guides, templates)
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Industry commentary (especially stuff with a real opinion)
If your content feels alive, people are more likely to repost it. And every share is a door that might lead to a backlink.
2. Reddit, Flipboard, and Other Underrated Goldmines
If you’re not using Reddit for distribution — carefully and respectfully — you’re missing one of the best social signals on the internet.
We’ve had content hit the front page of niche subreddits and pick up links naturally from bloggers who hang out there. Same with Flipboard, Hacker News, and even Quora.
You don’t need to spam. Just be useful. Add to the conversation, then link only when it makes sense.
3. Sharing Plugins: Boring but Effective
Yeah, it’s not sexy — but adding clean, fast-sharing buttons to your content makes a difference. Especially if your traffic already includes social media users.
We’ve tested this across multiple projects. The right placement = more shares = more reach = more chances at links.
4. Build Actual Relationships with Influencers (Even Small Ones)
One of the most underrated ways to get social visibility? Get your content into the hands of someone with an audience.
No, I don’t mean buying a shoutout. I mean:
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Commenting on their content,
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Sharing it without asking for anything,
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DMing with an idea or collaboration.
These things take time — but one retweet or LinkedIn post from the right person can kickstart your backlink snowball.
5. Niche Communities Are Where the Real Ones Hang Out
We’ve joined Discord servers, Slack workspaces, LinkedIn groups — and just talked to people. Not with an agenda, just as fellow marketers or builders or tech nerds.
You’d be surprised how often someone says, “Hey, that’s a cool post — mind if I link to it in my newsletter?”
That’s the stuff you can’t automate, but it’s worth more than a thousand spun guest posts.
Track What Works — Ditch What Doesn’t
Here’s something we do religiously at BuyLinkCo: we track everything.
If a Reddit post leads to 3 quality backlinks and 2K visitors — great. We do more of that.
If some social platform gives us zero traction month after month? We drop it.
There’s no ego in the process — just data.
Final Thoughts
Social backlinks aren’t some silver bullet. They’re not even the strongest links in your profile.
But they matter — especially if you want a natural, well-rounded link portfolio that doesn’t set off red flags.
If you’re in SEO for the long haul (like I am), you already know it’s about stacking small advantages.
Social links are one of those — and they’re easier to get than most people think.
Want help building a backlink profile that actually works?
That’s what we do at BuyLinkCo.com. No fluff, no shortcuts — just clean, real strategies that move the needle.
