Getting backlinks usually feels messy - cold emails, spreadsheets, links disappearing, secondly spammy links.

I’m experimenting with a credits-based system where:

1. Sites give a backlink and earn credits. 2. They can spend credits on getting backlinks from other sites, not just the same one. 3. The platform auto-verifies if the link is live.

The idea is that product creators and businesses can support each other by linking to things they already see as useful and trustworthy - not spammy exchanges, but genuine recommendations.

My questions:

Do you see this as a real problem in 2025?

Would a credits-based system actually work, or does it fall apart in practice?