Backlinks are links from external websites that redirect users to your website. They play a significant role in the link-building process, which aims to improve a website's search engine rankings. Search engines view Backlinks as votes of confidence and credibility, indicating that other websites find your content valuable enough to link to. They can also drive referral traffic to your site. The quality and quantity of backlinks are essential in search engine algorithms, with higher-quality backlinks from authoritative websites carrying more weight in boosting search rankings.