Are widgets links a ranking factor? Yes, just like any other backlinks, widget links can influence your site rankings. If you’re syndicating widgets that link back to your website using keyword-rich anchors, you’re at risk of getting a manual penalty.
According to Google:
“some widgets add links to a site that a webmaster did not editorially place and contain anchor text that the webmaster does not control. Because these links are not naturally placed, they’re considered a violation of Google Webmaster Guidelines”
https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2016/09/a-reminder-about-widget-links.html
“creating links that weren’t editorially placed or vouched for by the site’s owner on a page, otherwise known as unnatural links, can be considered a violation of our guidelines. Here are a few common examples of unnatural links that may violate our guidelines: Keyword-rich, hidden or low-quality links embedded in widgets that are distributed across various sites, for example:
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car insurance”
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66356