How to Check Backlinks in Google: A Comprehensive Guide

Backlinks are critical to your website’s success. They act like votes of confidence, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and credible. In fact, backlinks are one of Google’s top three ranking factors, alongside content and RankBrain, according to Google’s own statements. Websites with a high number of quality backlinks tend to rank higher, generate more traffic, and build stronger brand authority.Studies revealed that 91% of web pages never receive organic traffic from Google, and the absence of backlinks is a key reason. Another report by HubSpot shows that businesses with blogs generate 97% more inbound links than those without, highlighting the importance of creating link-worthy content.In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about checking backlinks in Google, enriched with practical examples, actionable tips, and interesting insights. Whether you’re new to SEO or looking to refine your strategies, this guide ensures the content is clear, actionable, and enjoyable to read.

What Are Backlinks and Why Are They Important?

Backlinks are hyperlinks from one website to another. They signal to search engines like Google that other sites find your content useful and relevant. This makes backlinks a crucial factor in determining search rankings.

Types of Backlinks

• Do-follow backlinks: These links pass authority (or link juice) to your site. For example, if a high-traffic site like CNN links to your article, it boosts your credibility.
• No-follow backlinks: These links don’t pass authority but can still drive traffic. Examples include links in comment sections or social media posts.

Why Backlinks Matter

• Better SEO: Websites with high-quality backlinks are more likely to rank higher on Google.
• Increased Traffic: Backlinks from popular sites can drive referral traffic to your website.
• Improved Credibility: Links from reputable sources establish your website as trustworthy.

A Fun Fact:

According to a study by Ahrefs, 91% of web pages get no traffic from Google, largely because they lack backlinks. If you want to stand out, you need a strong backlink strategy.

How to Check Backlinks Using Google

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free and powerful tool that provides detailed insights into your website’s performance. Among its many features, it helps you monitor backlinks to ensure your site remains competitive and SEO-friendly. Below is an expanded guide to help you effectively use GSC for backlink analysis.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Log Into Google Search Console

Visit Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account. If your website isn’t already added, you’ll need to verify ownership through one of the suggested methods, such as HTML file upload or domain verification.

2. Go to the Links Report

Once you’re logged in, navigate to the “Links” section in the left-hand sidebar. This is your go-to area for all information about external and internal links related to your site. The data is divided into categories like:

• External Links: Links from other websites to yours.
• Internal Links: Links between pages on your own website.
• Top Linking Sites: Websites that provide the most backlinks to your domain.
• Top Linked Pages: Specific pages on your site that have attracted the highest number of backlinks.

3. Explore the Top Linking Sites

The “Top Linking Sites” section lists all the domains linking to your website, sorted by the number of links they provide. Clicking on a domain shows detailed information, such as:

• The pages on your site they link to.
• The total number of backlinks from that domain.

Tips for Analysis:

• Look for backlinks from high-authority domains (e.g., news outlets, .edu, or .gov sites).
• Check if the linking sites are relevant to your industry. For instance, a fitness equipment store benefits more from backlinks on health blogs than unrelated sites like car repair forums.

4. Check Top Linked Pages

This section highlights which pages on your site attract the most backlinks. For example:

• Your homepage may naturally accumulate backlinks.
• A blog post with unique data or an infographic may be widely shared.

How to Use This Information:

• Identify what makes these pages attractive to other websites.
• Replicate similar strategies for other pages, such as creating more shareable content or optimizing for specific keywords.

5. Analyze Anchor Text

Anchor text refers to the clickable text in a hyperlink. In the “Anchor Text” section, GSC lists the phrases commonly used in links to your site. For example:

• A link might use the anchor text “top 10 coffee machines” to point to your product page.

Why This Matters:

• Relevant anchor text improves your keyword rankings.
• Irrelevant or spammy anchor text (e.g., “cheap deals” from unrelated sites) can harm your SEO. You may need to disavow such backlinks.

Pro Tip:

Anchor text that closely matches your target keywords can significantly boost your rankings. However, ensure a mix of anchor text to avoid over-optimization, which could lead to penalties.

6. Use Additional Filters

Google Search Console allows you to filter backlinks for deeper analysis. For example:

• Country-based Filtering: Identify backlinks from specific regions. This is particularly useful if your business targets local audiences.
• Link Type: Separate do-follow links (which pass authority) from no-follow links (which don’t pass authority but still drive traffic).

Example in Action

Imagine you run a fitness blog. Using GSC, you discover the following insights:

• A popular health magazine links to your article on home workout routines. This boosts your domain authority and visibility for keywords like “home workouts.”
• Your “About Us” page has an unusually high number of backlinks. You find that many small blogs refer to your mission statement as an example of brand authenticity.
• The anchor text “best yoga mats” appears frequently in backlinks. This signals a keyword opportunity to create or optimize more yoga-related content.

These insights help you refine your content strategy, build more links, and strengthen your SEO foundation.

Benefits of Using Google Search Console for Backlink Analysis

1. Free and Reliable: GSC is completely free, and its data comes directly from Google, making it highly accurate.
2. Real-time Updates: Regularly updated reports help you stay on top of your backlink profile.
3. Integration with Other Tools: Use GSC data alongside third-party tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush for a comprehensive backlink strategy.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Tips

1. Track New vs. Lost Backlinks: While GSC doesn’t explicitly show new or lost backlinks, you can use the "Links" report over time to identify changes. For example:
   • If a high-authority domain stops linking to you, investigate why. Was the page removed, or did they replace your link with a competitor’s?
2. Discover Link Gaps: Compare your backlink data with competitors using a tool like Ahrefs. Identify domains linking to competitors but not to you, and reach out with relevant content.
3. Set Up Alerts for Sudden Changes: Significant drops in backlinks could indicate issues like penalties, site downtime, or broken links. Regular checks in GSC can help you address these issues before they impact your rankings.

Alternative Methods to Check BacklinksWhile Google Search Console is powerful, you may want additional insights from other tools and techniques.

1. Using Google Search Operators

Google search operators allow you to find basic backlinks. Simply type link:yourdomain.com into Google. This shows some websites linking to yours.

Pros:

• Quick and easy.

Cons:

• Limited data and no detailed metrics.

2. Using Third-Party Tools

Popular SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz offer advanced backlink analysis.

• Ahrefs: Shows detailed backlink data, including the authority of linking domains and anchor text.
• SEMrush: Offers historical data and tracks toxic links that could harm your SEO.
• Moz: Provides domain authority metrics and a spam score for backlinks.

Real-Life Use Case:

A digital marketing agency used Ahrefs to identify that 30% of their backlinks came from irrelevant sites. They used this insight to clean up their backlink profile, resulting in a 25% improvement in search rankings over three months.

3. Manual Backlink Search

Review referral traffic in Google Analytics under the “Acquisition” tab. You can also use tools like Mention to track online mentions of your brand. Reach out to these websites and request a backlink if they haven’t linked to you yet.

Best Practices for Backlink Monitoring

Regularly checking and managing your backlinks keeps your website healthy and improves SEO performance.

1. Conduct Regular Backlink Audits

Analyze your backlinks monthly. Focus on metrics like domain authority, anchor text, and the relevancy of linking sites.

2. Identify and Remove Harmful Backlinks

Bad backlinks come from spammy or irrelevant sites. Use tools like SEMrush to flag toxic links, then submit them to Google’s Disavow Tool.

Pro Tip:

If your website has links from unrelated or low-quality sites (e.g., gambling or adult sites), they can damage your reputation. Removing them helps maintain your credibility.

3. Prioritize High-Quality Backlinks

Focus on acquiring links from respected, niche-relevant sources like:

• Industry blogs.
• News outlets.
• Educational institutions.

Did You Know?

Backlinks from government or educational (.gov, .edu) sites are considered 8x more authoritative than regular domains.

4. Monitor Backlink Changes Over Time

Track new and lost backlinks. For example, if you lose a link from a high-authority site, contact the site owner to request a reinstatement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often Should I Check Backlinks?

Monthly checks are sufficient for most websites. If you’re actively building backlinks, weekly reviews can help you track progress.

What Is a Good Backlink Profile?

A good backlink profile has:

• Links from authoritative and relevant sites.
• A balance of do-follow and no-follow links.
• Natural anchor text variation.

How Can I Disavow Bad Backlinks?

Use tools like SEMrush to identify harmful links. Create a text file listing these links and upload it to Google’s Disavow Tool.

Conclusion

Monitoring and managing backlinks is essential for SEO success. Google Search Console is a great starting point, but tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can provide deeper insights. Regular checks ensure your backlink profile remains healthy, while proactive strategies like guest blogging and creating shareable content help build high-quality links.By following the steps and best practices in this guide, you can improve your website’s authority, attract more traffic, and climb search rankings. Start today to secure a stronger online presence!