Backlinks are links from one website to another website through an anchor text. In SEO, backlinks are important because they are viewed as "votes of confidence" from one site to another. Search engines like Google use backlinks as a ranking factor to determine how popular a website is with users. The more backlinks a website has, the more likely it is to rank for relevant search queries. Backlinks are also beneficial when key publications in your industry link to you and acknowledge you, as it builds your credibility within your niche.
To summarize, backlinks are an important aspect of SEO because they indicate to search engines that your content has value and relevance. By earning backlinks, you can increase your websites organic traffic and improve its search engine ranking position or search visibility.