True or False: In the early days of Google, backlinks were strictly a numbers game where whichever site had the most inbound links ranked at the top.

True. In Google's early days, particularly with the original PageRank algorithm, the quantity of backlinks was a dominant ranking factor. The more links a page received, the higher its perceived authority and relevance, leading to better rankings. This system was susceptible to manipulation, as webmasters could easily acquire numerous low-quality links to boost their search positions. This "numbers game" eventually led Google to refine its algorithms to prioritize link quality, relevance, and anchor text over sheer volume.