Are Social Media Backlinks Even Worth It?
Social media backlinks have a bit of a bad rep in the SEO world. You’ll hear things like, They’re all nofollow, or Google doesn’t count them anyway, and sure, technically that’s true.
But does that mean they’re useless? Not even close.
While they won’t boost your domain authority overnight or get you ranking for competitive keywords by themselves, they still play a sneaky-important role in your overall SEO strategy… And they definitely deserve a spot on your radar. 📸
What Are Social Media Backlinks, Really?
At their core, social media backlinks are just links to your website that appear on social platforms: in bios, profile descriptions, post captions, comments, and even those little visit site buttons.
Even though these links are usually nofollow (meaning search engines won’t follow them for ranking signals), they’re still valuable in other ways. First, they’re a marker of credibility.
Second, they help associate your website with your brand name in more places. And third (often overlooked), they can drive real traffic, especially if you’ve got a loyal audience or a high-engagement post.
So no, social media backlinks won’t move mountains in your backlink profile, but they’re far from pointless. In the big picture of SEO and digital visibility, they’re a useful supporting player, and when used well, they can open the door to more organic exposure.
The Main Benefits of Social Media Backlinks
As we said, social media backlinks may not be the powerhouse links that move you up the SERPs overnight, but they play a much bigger role in visibility, discovery, and long-term brand strength than most people realize. 📈
Boosted Brand Visibility
This is easily the biggest win. With billions of people scrolling social platforms daily, social media backlinks put your content in front of audiences you’d never reach through search alone. Posts spread faster than blog content ever will, allowing new people to discover your brand, sometimes within minutes.
A More Natural Backlink Profile
Even if they’re nofollow, these links help round out your backlink profile. It would look strange (and even suspicious) if a brand had tons of editorial links but zero presence on social platforms. Social media backlinks make your site’s link profile look more organic and more like what Google expects from a real, active business.
Simple to Create (and Great for New Sites)
One of the most underrated benefits is their accessibility. You control your profiles, your posts, and your content distribution. If you’re just getting started with link building, social media backlinks are the easiest place to begin.
Opportunities for Real Backlinks
This is where social really shines. When your content is reshared or reposted, it reaches journalists, bloggers, researchers, and creators who may link to it on their own sites. That’s how social media backlinks quietly transform into high-value editorial links.
Referral Traffic With Built-In Warmth
More visibility means more visits and often, better visits. People who click through social are already familiar with your brand tone, message, or perspective. They’re not cold prospects. They’re curious, pre-qualified, and far more likely to convert or stick around.
The Downsides of Social Media Backlinks (Yep, There Are a Few)
Look, we’re all about squeezing every bit of value out of your SEO strategy, and social media backlinks definitely have their place. But that doesn’t mean they’re perfect.
They Don’t Last Long
The reality with social content is that it’s fast-moving. A post with a link might pop off for a few hours, maybe a day or two, and then it’s buried under the next 1,000 hot takes. If you’re counting on social media backlinks to drive long-term traffic, you’re probably going to be disappointed.
Platform Algorithms Can Work Against You
Even if you post great content with a link, there’s no guarantee people will see it. Algorithms power social platforms, and those algorithms love engagement.
If your post doesn’t spark fast interaction, it might get quietly buried, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, where early engagement is everything.
They’re Almost Always Nofollow
Social media backlinks almost always come with a nofollow tag, which means they don’t pass traditional SEO value. In other words, they’re not giving your site that juicy ranking boost. That said, Google doesn’t treat nofollow like a brick wall anymore.
Spammy Behavior Can Backfire
It’s tempting to drop links everywhere you go, but that’s a fast way to lose trust (and even get kicked out of groups or flagged by platforms). Overdoing it makes your content feel pushy, and audiences pick up on that fast.
A better approach is to keep your link posts valuable and occasional. Balance them out with helpful, non-promotional content that actually engages people. Think of social media backlinks as seasoning, not the whole dish!
Where to Start with Social Link Building
If you’re diving into social media backlinks, don’t just spray links everywhere and hope for the best. Start smart: go where the audience is, where engagement is high, and where your content can live longer than a few hours.
LinkedIn isn’t just for job hunters and company announcements; it’s a goldmine for content distribution and social media backlinks. With over a billion users, it’s where businesses, decision-makers, and industry pros scroll with intention.
Add your website to your profile, feature blog posts on your feed, and drop links into your company updates.
Instagram doesn’t let you drop clickable links everywhere, but don’t write it off. Your bio link is prime real estate.
Stories, guides, and posts can direct users to that bio link. For brands with visual content (think products, infographics, behind-the-scenes), Instagram remains one of the best platforms for growing awareness and driving clicks.
Facebook isn’t dead, far from it! It’s still the most extensive network globally, with over 3 billion users and tons of active groups and communities. That’s where your social media backlinks can shine.
Include links in your About section, share blog posts on your page, and, most importantly, join groups related to your niche and post valuable content (not spam!). It’s one of the best ways to drive targeted referral traffic and build credibility in specific circles.
YouTube
YouTube might be video-first, but its descriptions and About sections are an excellent place for social media backlinks. With over 2.5 billion users and mobile-first engagement, YouTube allows you to share guides, tutorials, and thought leadership.
Optimize your links for mobile clicks, and always include a CTA in your videos that points users toward your site or resource. Plus, highly ranked videos stay searchable for years: way more staying power than your average tweet.
So… Are Social Media Backlinks Actually Worth It?
Short answer? Yes, but not for the reasons you might think. Social media backlinks aren’t going to give your domain a PageRank glow-up, but they can boost your visibility, send real traffic your way, and help build trust with both users and algorithms.
They’re also one of the easiest ways to diversify your link profile. If your site’s all dofollow and no social, it can start looking a little… manufactured 🤖. Mixing in social media backlinks keeps things looking natural!