I think it important to provide a good quality site for visits not only the SE, and the Big G's algorithm maybe attention this more than before.
Well there are 3 things that matter: Code, Backlinks and Content. Code should be simple, backlinks should be good quality and revelency and your content should match the ContentDNA on that topic. This is equivalent to the all extracted information of all the sites that exist out there (on a given topic) which is going to match a certain Common Neurolinguistic Map.The trick consist is finding the ideal ContentDNA which match the perfect one which the Search Engines have and include it in your article. The whole process is part of the Latent Semantic Optimization or LSO.
It is not matter that your web have 10 000 baclinks or 100 000 or 1 backlink. One backlink from high autoritative, ontopic site can be more powerful than 100 000 links from offtopic, FFA linkfarms.