Link Building Still In Use?

Link building is still in use. You just have to be mindful of how you do it. For example; if you feel that your link looks spammy, it probably is, and will be perceived by Google in the same way. You have to be a lot more careful now with how you proceed, and where you a putting your links as to not be penalized.

 

Think on a "macro" level. This is the internet. It is connected by links. If web pages do not link to one another, then the world wide web becomes just billions of stand-alone, orphaned web pages.

That said, don't just get links. Many of them (most directories, overuse of social bookmarking sites, etc.) are worthless. Try to get good-quality links from reputable web pages.