Checking your backlinks in Google Search Console is a crucial step in understanding how your website is performing in terms of SEO.
Here’s why!
What are backlinks?
Before we dive into how to check backlinks in Google Search Console, let’s first understand what backlinks are. Backlinks, also known as inbound links, are links that point to your website from other websites.
In simple terms, they are links that other websites use to reference your website’s content.
Backlinks are essential for SEO because they signal to search engines that other websites consider your content valuable and relevant. The more high-quality backlinks your website has, the more likely it is to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
What is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool provided by Google that helps website owners monitor their website’s performance in Google search results.
GSC provides valuable insights into how Google crawls and indexes your website and helps you identify and fix issues that might affect your website’s search rankings.
How to check backlinks in Google Search Console
Now that we have a basic understanding of backlinks and Google Search Console, let’s dive into how to check backlinks in Google Search Console.
Set up Google Search Console
The first step is to set up your website in Google Search Console. If you haven’t already done so, go to the GSC website and follow the instructions to verify ownership of your website. Once you have verified your website, you will have access to all the features of GSC, including the backlink checker.
Navigate to the backlink report
Once you have set up your website in GSC, navigate to the “Links” section and select “External links.” This will take you to the backlink report, which shows you all the external websites that link to your website.
Analyze your backlinks
Now that you are in the backlink report, you can start analyzing your backlinks in Google Search Console. GSC provides you with several metrics that you can use to evaluate the quality of your backlinks, including:
- Total number of backlinks
- Number of linking domains
- Top linking domains
- Top linking pages
- Anchor text distribution
- Linking countries
You can use these metrics to identify potential issues with your backlink profile, such as low-quality backlinks or too many links from a single domain.
Backlinks For Beginners: What They Are + How To Build Them
Why Links Matter
Links are a crucial part of the internet and play a vital role in how search engines like Google rank websites.
When a website links to your content, it’s like a vote of confidence from that site. In other words, the more high-quality websites that link to your site, the more trustworthy and authoritative your site will appear to search engines.
Tool to Find Who Links to Your Website
There are several tools you can use to accomplish this, including:
Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google that allows website owners to monitor their website’s performance in Google search results. To use it to find backlinks in Google Search Console, follow these steps:
- Sign in to Google Search Console
- Click on “Links” in the left-hand menu
- Click on “External links” to see a list of websites that link to your content.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a paid tool that provides a wealth of information about your website and your competitors’ websites. To use it to find who is linking to your website, follow these steps:
- Sign in to Ahrefs
- Enter your website URL into the search bar
- Click on “Backlinks” to see a list of websites that link to your content.
SEMrush
SEMrush is another paid tool that provides insights into your website’s performance and your competitors’ performance. To use it to find who is linking to your website, follow these steps:
- Sign in to SEMrush
- Enter your website URL into the search bar
- Click on “Backlinks” to see a list of websites that link to your content.
What to Do Next
Now that you know how to find who is linking to your website, let’s explore what you should do next. Here are some steps you can take:
Reach Out to the Website Owner
If a high-quality website is linking to your content, consider reaching out to the website owner and thanking them for the link. This is also a great opportunity to build a relationship with that website owner, which could lead to future collaborations.
Disavow Low-Quality Links
If you notice that low-quality websites are linking to your content, you may want to consider disavowing those links. Disavowing a link is telling Google that you do not want that link to be taken into account when ranking your website. To disavow a link, follow these steps:
- Create a list of URLs that you want to disavow
- Upload the list to Google Search Console
Create More High-Quality Content
Finally, if you want more high-quality websites to link to your content, consider creating more high-quality content. The better your content, the more likely other websites are to link to it.
4 Ways To Know If your Backlinks Are High Quality
Analyzing Your Competitors’ Backlinks
Before you can start looting your competitors’ backlinks, you need to analyze them to determine which ones are worth going after. There are several tools available to help you with this, such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz. These tools can show you which websites are linking to your competitors, what anchor text they are using, and the domain authority of those sites.
Once you have a list of potential backlinks to target, you need to analyze them further to determine which ones are the most valuable. Look for backlinks from high domain authority websites in your niche, as well as links with relevant anchor text that includes your target keywords.
Outreaching to Websites
Now that you have a list of valuable backlinks to target, it’s time to start reaching out to those websites to try and secure the link. One way to do this is by finding broken links on the website and offering your own content as a replacement. Another option is to create guest posts for the website, where you can include a link back to your own website in the author bio or within the content itself.
When reaching out to websites, it’s important to personalize your outreach and show that you have taken the time to understand their website and audience. This will increase the chances of them accepting your link and potentially building a long-term relationship with the website.
Utilizing Your Competitors’ Mentions
Another way to “loot” your competitors’ backlinks is by looking for websites that mention your competitors but don’t link to them. These websites may be more open to linking to your website, as they have already shown an interest in your niche.
You can use tools like Google Alerts or Mention to track mentions of your competitors’ brand names or keywords related to your niche. When you find a mention, reach out to the website and offer to provide additional information or resources on the topic they are discussing. This can include a link to your own website as a valuable resource.
Creating Linkable Assets
Finally, one of the most effective ways to attract backlinks is by creating linkable assets on your own website. These are pieces of content that are highly valuable and informative, making them more likely to be linked to by other websites.
Linkable assets can take many forms, such as infographics, in-depth guides, or interactive tools. The key is to create content that is unique and provides value to your audience. Once you have created your linkable asset, reach out to websites in your niche and offer it as a resource that they can link to.
The Importance of Backlink Monitoring
While backlinks are important for SEO, not all backlinks are good for your website. Some backlinks may be low-quality or come from websites with a bad reputation, and these links can harm your website’s search engine rankings.
That’s why it’s important to monitor your website’s backlinks regularly. By doing so, you can identify new backlinks, evaluate their quality, and disavow any that may be harmful to your website’s SEO.
How to Monitor New Backlinks
There are several tools you can use to monitor your website’s backlinks. Here are some of the most popular ones:
Google Search Console
It is a free tool provided by Google that allows you to monitor backlinks in Google Search Console. One of its features is the ability to monitor your website’s backlinks.
To use Google Search Console for backlink monitoring, follow these steps:
- Log in to Google Search Console and select your website.
- Click on “Links” in the left-hand menu.
- Click on “Top linking sites” to see a list of websites that link to your site.
- Click on “More” to see a complete list of backlinks.
- Review the list of backlinks and disavow any that may be harmful to your website’s SEO.
How to Prevent Negative SEO
In addition to monitoring your website’s backlinks, there are several steps you can take to prevent negative SEO. Here are some of the most effective ones:
Build High-Quality Backlinks
The best way to prevent negative SEO is to build high-quality backlinks. High-quality backlinks come from reputable websites that have a good reputation and are relevant to your website’s content.
To build high-quality backlinks, follow these steps:
- Create high-quality content that other websites will want to link to.
- Reach out to other websites and ask them to link to your content.
- Guest post on other websites and include links back to your website.
Disavow Harmful Backlinks
If you identify backlinks that are harmful to your website’s SEO, you can disavow them. Disavowing a backlink tells search engines that you do not want that backlink to be considered when calculating your website’s search engine rankings.
To disavow a backlink, follow these steps:
- Create a list of backlinks that you want to disavow.
- Log in to Google Search Console and select your website.
- Click on “Disavow Links” in the left-hand menu.
- Upload the list of backlinks that you want to disavow.
Monitor Your Website’s SEO Metrics
Monitoring your website’s SEO metrics can help you identify any sudden drops in search engine rankings. If you notice a sudden drop in your website’s search engine rankings, it may be a sign of negative SEO.
To monitor your website’s SEO metrics, use a tool like Google Analytics or SEMrush. These tools allow you to track your website’s search engine rankings, organic traffic, and other important SEO metrics.
Secure Your Website
Securing your website with HTTPS can also help prevent negative SEO. HTTPS is a secure protocol that encrypts data sent between your website and its users.
To secure your website with HTTPS, you will need to obtain an SSL certificate. Most web hosting companies offer SSL certificates as part of their hosting plans.
How do I earn backlinks to my site?
Link Building for Beginners: How To Get Backlinks (for FREE)
What is Google Webmaster Tools (Search Console)?
Google Webmaster Tools, now known as Search Console, is a free tool provided by Google to help website owners monitor and improve their website’s performance in Google search results. With Search Console, you can see how your website is performing in search results, which search terms are leading users to your website, and any errors or issues that Google may have encountered when crawling your website.
Checking Backlinks in Google Webmaster Tools (Search Console)
To check backlinks in Google Webmaster Tools, you will first need to verify your website with Search Console. Once you have verified your website, follow these steps to check your backlinks:
- Log in to your Google Search Console account.
- Select your website from the dashboard.
- Click on “Links” from the left-hand menu.
- Click on “External Links” to see the backlinks to your website.
Once you have accessed the “External Links” section, you will be able to see a list of websites that link to your website. You can click on each link to see the specific page on the external website that links to your website.
How Many Backlinks Do I Need To Rank
FAQs
Does Google Search Console show backlinks?
Yes, Google Search Console (previously known as Google Webmaster Tools) provides a list of backlinks to your website. The backlink report in Search Console shows you the number of backlinks, the websites that link to you, and the pages on your website that are linked to the most.
How do I check backlinks on Google?
To check your backlinks in Google, you can use Google Search Console. Log in to your Search Console account, select your website, and navigate to the “Links” section. Here, you can view a report on your website’s backlinks.
How do I find my backlinks?
You can find your backlinks by using a backlink checker tool such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Majestic. These tools crawl the web and provide you with a list of all the websites that link to your website.
Can I check backlinks in Google Analytics?
No, you cannot check backlinks in Google Analytics. However, you can use Google Search Console to check your backlinks.
How do I manually check backlinks?
You can manually check backlinks by searching for your website URL on search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo, and then checking the websites that show up in the search results. You can also use advanced search operators to find backlinks to specific pages on your website.
Which is the best tool to check backlinks?
There are several backlink checker tools available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some of the most popular tools include Ahrefs, SEMrush, Majestic, Moz, and Raven Tools. It’s best to try out a few different tools to see which one works best for your needs.
What tools find backlinks?
There are several tools that can help you find backlinks, including Ahrefs, SEMrush, Majestic, Moz, and Raven Tools. These tools crawl the web and provide you with a list of all the websites that link to your website.
How do I get quality backlinks for SEO?
To get quality backlinks for SEO, you should focus on creating high-quality content that provides value to your target audience. You can also reach out to other websites in your industry and ask them to link to your content. Building relationships with other websites can also help you earn backlinks.
What is backlink checker in SEO?
A backlink checker is a tool that allows you to check the backlinks to your website. These tools provide you with a list of all the websites that link to your website, as well as information about the quality and relevance of those links.
What is backlink indicator?
A backlink indicator is a metric that measures the quality and relevance of a backlink. Factors such as the authority of the linking website, the relevance of the linking page to your content, and the anchor text used in the link can all affect the backlink indicator.
How to get free backlinks?
There are several ways to get free backlinks, including creating high-quality content that attracts natural backlinks, reaching out to other websites in your industry and asking them to link to your content, and participating in online communities and forums related to your niche.
How many backlinks do I need to rank?
The number of backlinks you need to rank depends on several factors, including the quality and relevance of those backlinks, the competition in your industry, and the authority of your website. It’s important to focus on building high-quality backlinks rather than simply trying to reach a certain number.
Checking your backlinks in Google Search Console is an essential task for any website owner who wants to improve their website’s SEO and search engine rankings.
By understanding how to check and analyze your backlinks, you can identify areas of improvement, fix any broken links, and create a solid backlink strategy that will help your website succeed in the long run.
Remember, building quality backlinks takes time and effort, but it’s worth the investment to ensure your website stands out from the crowd and gets noticed by both search engines and users.
