Are links still important for SEO? Yes — backlinks remain a meaningful ranking signal in 2026, but their role has genuinely changed. Google has spent years reducing dependence on raw link counts, spam systems neutralize manipulative links automatically, and AI-driven search adds a parallel visibility system where brand mentions rival…

“Discovered – currently not indexed” is a Google Search Console status meaning Google knows a URL exists (it found it in a sitemap or link) but has chosen not to crawl it yet. It is not an error and not a penalty — it is Google deprioritizing the page, usually…

Brand mentions are references to your brand anywhere online — with or without a link — and they have quietly become one of the most important signals in modern search. Google’s entity systems and AI answer engines both learn who you are from the pattern of mentions across the web:…