Google is in the business of providing users the most relevant results possible. A critically important factor in providing users with what they want is authority. A higher number of links and the quality of links directed toward your website is the best way to build authority. If you wanted to start your own business and were looking for advice, would you prefer advice from the likes of people such as Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates or 25 random people from off the street? Build links from authoritative sites. Five good links outweigh 50 bad links. Google knows authority matters and uses links to determine the authority of a website.
In a study analyzing a million Google searches, Backlinko presented these key takeaways:
- Backlinks are very important for good Google rankings.
- Authority matters.
- The number of domains (websites) linking to your website makes a difference. For example, 10 links from 10 different domains is better than 10 links from one domain.
I hope this helps.