Checking the backlinks to a website
Using Google Search Console
Google Search Console provides the most accurate data about backlinks Google has discovered pointing to your site. This free tool, essential for any website owner, offers a dedicated "Links" section that shows your top linked pages, top linking sites, and top linking text. While it doesn't show every backlink, it provides reliable data directly from Google's index, making it invaluable for understanding how Google views your link profile.
To access this information, navigate to the Links report in Google Search Console's left sidebar. The "External links" section shows which pages on your site have the most backlinks and which websites link to you most frequently. You can export this data for deeper analysis. The tool also shows internal links, helping you understand your site's structure. For Nairobi Online ' clients, we recommend checking this data monthly to monitor growth trends and identify any sudden changes that might indicate issues.
Leveraging Specialized Backlink Tools
Professional SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, and Majestic maintain massive link databases that often exceed what Google Search Console reveals. These tools crawl the web continuously, discovering and indexing links. Ahrefs, for instance, claims to have the second-largest web crawler after Google, providing comprehensive backlink data including historical information, anchor text analysis, and link quality metrics.
These platforms offer features beyond simple link lists. They calculate domain authority scores, identify toxic links, show competitor backlinks, and track your link-building progress over time. Most provide email alerts when you gain or lose significant backlinks, helping you respond quickly to changes. While these tools require subscriptions, they're essential for serious SEO work. Many offer limited free versions that provide basic backlink information, sufficient for small websites or those just starting with link analysis.
Analyzing Competitor Backlinks
Checking competitors' backlinks reveals valuable opportunities for your own link building. Using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, enter a competitor's domain to see their complete backlink profile. This analysis shows which sites link to them, what content attracts the most links, and potential link sources you haven't considered. Look for patterns in their most successful content and identify websites linking to multiple competitors but not to you.
The "link intersect" feature in various tools shows domains linking to competitors but not your site, creating a targeted outreach list. These sites have already demonstrated interest in your topic by linking to similar content, making them warmer prospects. Additionally, analyzing competitor anchor text distribution helps you understand keyword targeting strategies and identify opportunities to differentiate your approach.
Manual Verification Methods
Sometimes a simpler approach works for quick checks. Using Google search operators, you can find backlinks by searching "link:yourwebsite.com" though this method has become less reliable over time. The "site:" operator combined with your domain name can reveal pages discussing your brand. Setting up Google Alerts for your brand name or website URL notifies you when new pages mention you, potentially including new backlinks.
For verifying specific backlinks, simply visit the linking page to confirm the link exists and functions properly. Check that it's not marked with nofollow tags if you expected a dofollow link, and ensure it's placed in a contextually relevant position. At Nairobi Online , we perform manual spot-checks on high-value backlinks because automated tools sometimes show links that have been removed or changed. Regular manual verification ensures your most important links remain active and properly attributed, maintaining the value they provide to your SEO efforts.
