how to track backlinks Archives

Finding backlinks is a nightmare, isn’t it? SEOs face many struggles when it comes to backlinks, and one of the most common is finding the right tools to do it.

There are too many options, and it’s hard to choose the right one. Free or premium, that’s the question. You may waste hours, days, or even months on the wrong option.

In this article, we’ll solve these problems together. The top ways to find backlinks and the free vs. premium tools, we’ll look at this together. You’ll learn which tools are best for your specific needs.

What are Backlinks?

Backlinks are links from one website to another. They help search engines decide how valuable and trustworthy your content is. More quality backlinks can lead to higher search rankings.

Complete Guide to Finding Backlinks: Free and Paid Tools

Learn how to find backlinks for your site using both free and paid tools. This section will help you choose the best options to improve your SEO and boost your website’s ranking.

1. How to Leverage Google Search Console (Free Tool) for Backlink Analysis

Google Search Console is a free tool that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search results. Here’s how to use it to check backlinks:

Sign in to Google Search Console: Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account.
Select Your Property: Choose the website you want to analyze.
Go to Links Report: On the left menu, click on “Links.” Here, you will see a list of sites linking to yours.
Analyze Top Linking Sites: Look at the “Top linking sites” section to see who links to you the most. These sites are important for your backlink strategy.
Check Top Linked Pages: The “Top linked pages” section shows which of your pages have the most backlinks. Use this info to understand which content is attracting links.
Export Data: You can download this data for further analysis. Click on the “Export” button to get a CSV file or Google sheet with all the link details.

Using Google Search Console, you can easily find your backlinks and analyze them to improve your site’s SEO.

For another basic tool, you can try the free version of Ahrefs. The free version of Ahrefs offers limited features, allowing you to check up to 100 backlinks. It’s a good starting point for beginners to learn the basics of how to check backlinks and perform backlink analysis. Once you get the hang of it, you can upgrade to the paid version for more features and deeper insights.

Now that you know about the free tool and how to use it, let’s look at paid tools for more insights.

2) Ahrefs (Paid Version)

Ahrefs is a great tool for SEO and backlink analysis. It provides detailed data on backlinks, keyword rankings, and competitor insights. Ahref is known for its accuracy and wide range of features, and it’s a favorite among many in the industry.

How to Find Backlinks using Ahrefs:

Finding backlinks with Ahrefs is simple and effective. Here’s how to do it in five steps:

Log in to Ahrefs and Go to Site Explorer: Visit the Ahrefs website, log in to your account, and navigate to the “Site Explorer” tool.
Enter Your URL: Type your website URL into the search bar and hit enter.
Navigate to Backlinks Report: On the left-hand menu, click on the “Backlinks” tab to see all the backlinks pointing to your site.
Filter and Analyze: Use the filters to narrow down your results by domain rating, URL rating, dofollow/nofollow links, etc. Analyze the detailed information about each backlink, including the referring domain, URL, and anchor text.
Export Data: If you need further analysis, click the “Export” button to download the backlink data in a CSV file.

3) SEMrush

SEMrush is a useful paid tool for SEO and digital marketing. It offers features for analyzing backlinks, researching keywords, and tracking competitors.

How to Find Backlinks Using SEMrush:

With SEMrush, you can easily discover and evaluate backlinks. Here’s a quick guide:

Log in to SEMrush: Go to SEMrush and log in with your account.
Navigate to Backlink Analytics: Click on “Backlink Analytics” under the “Link Building” section.
Enter Your Domain and Search: Type your domain name in the search bar and hit “Search” to get an overview of your backlinks.
Explore and Filter Backlinks: Click the “Backlinks” tab to see all links pointing to your site. Use filters for follow/nofollow links, new/lost links, and anchor text.
Analyze and Export Data: Review the quality and diversity of backlinks, then export the data for further analysis. SEMrush also offers backlink audits and link-building suggestions.

4) SE Ranking

SE Ranking is an SEO tool that tracks keywords, audits websites and performs competitor analysis. It provides meaningful insights that can help improve websites’ performance on SERPs.

How to Find Backlinks Using SE Ranking:

Here are the step-by-step instructions to find backlinks using SE Ranking:

Sign Up or Log In: Visit SE Ranking, create an account, or log in.
Add Your Project: Enter your website’s URL and complete the setup.
Access Backlink Checker: On the dashboard, click “Backlink Checker” and enter your domain.
Review Backlink Report: View detailed backlink information like number, referring domains, and anchor texts.
Filter, Sort, and Export: Sort backlinks by parameters and export the data as needed.

Quick Comparison of Free and Paid Tools

Google Search Console and Ahrefs (Free Version) offer basic backlink analysis for free. To get more features, Ahrefs(Paid Version), SEMrush, and SE Ranking offer all the functionalities. They have different prices and capabilities. Check the table below for all the details.

Feature	Google Search Console (Free)	Ahrefs Free Version (Free)	Ahrefs (Paid)	SEMrush (Paid)	SE Ranking (Paid)
Overview	Basic backlink analysis	Limited backlink data	Large database, detailed analysis	Wide range of SEO tools	Cost-effective, solid features
Key Features	Backlink report, top linking sites	Limited backlink checker	Backlink checker, keyword research, site audit	Backlink audit, competitor analysis, keyword tracking	Backlink monitoring, SEO audits, keyword research
Database Size	Limited	Limited	Extensive	Extensive	Moderate
Best For	Basic analysis	Basic backlink insights	Comprehensive backlink data	All-in-one SEO tool	Affordable essential tools
Price	Free	Free	Starts at $99/month	Starts at $119.95/month	Starts at $39/month
Example Use Case	Finding backlinks to your site	Checking backlinks for a few URLs	Analyzing competitor backlinks	Tracking new and lost backlinks	Monitoring backlink profile

Limitations

Google Search Console: Limited backlink data, basic features.
Ahrefs (Free Version): Limited data access, fewer features.
Ahrefs (Paid): Expensive, moderate ease of use.
SEMrush: Expensive and can be complex for beginners.
SE Ranking: Moderate data and analysis, fewer advanced features compared to Ahrefs and SEMrush.

Depending on your needs and budget, you can choose between free and paid tools. Both can help you find backlinks for a site and analyze them to improve its SEO.

4 Types of Backlinks You Must Know

Understanding the different types of backlinks is crucial for effective SEO. Here are four common types of backlinks you should know about:

1) Dofollow Links

Dofollow links pass on “link juice,” boosting your site’s rank.

<a href=”https://yourwebsite.com”>Your Website</a>

Dofollow links to your web pages from other websites are like a vote of confidence for your content. They tell search engines that your content is valuable, passing link authority. This improves the website’s rank on SERPs. To identify dofollow links, check the HTML code and ensure there is no `rel=”nofollow”` attribute.

2) Nofollow Links

Nofollow links do not pass on link juice:

<a href=”https://yourwebsite.com” rel=”nofollow”>Your Website</a>

These links tell search engines not to count such links as a vote of confidence. Although these don’t boost your ranking directly, they can still bring valuable traffic and visibility. You can spot nofollow links by looking for the `rel=”nofollow”` attribute in the HTML code.

3) UGC Links

UGC stands for User-Generated Content, like comments or forum posts.

<a href=”https://yourwebsite.com” rel=”ugc”>Your Website</a>

These links usually have a nofollow attribute to prevent spam. This ensures that only genuine and user-created content links to your site. The `rel=”ugc”` attribute helps search engines identify these links.

4) Sponsored Links

Sponsored links are links that you pay for.

<a href=”https://yourwebsite.com” rel=”sponsored”>Your Website</a>`.

They are used for advertising or sponsorship purposes and typically do not pass on link juice. The `rel=” sponsored”` attribute signals to search engines that the link is part of a paid promotion. This helps maintain transparency and prevent manipulation of search rankings.

Understanding these types of backlinks and how they pass link juice can help you build a strong and balanced link profile for your site.

Key Metrics in Backlink Analysis

When analyzing backlinks, certain metrics help you understand their quality and impact. Here are five important metrics:

1. Domain Authority (DA)

Domain Authority (DA) is a metric developed by Moz that predicts the ability of a website to rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). It ranges from one to a hundred, where one has the least chance of ranking, and a hundred has a greater ability to rank. DA is calculated based on factors like the number of linking root domains and the total number of links.

However, a high DA doesn’t always guarantee results. The ranking also depends on the content relevance and quality of the linking site.

For example, if your website has a DA of 30 and you get a backlink from a site with a DA of 70. This high-DA site’s link can significantly boost your site’s authority and improve its ranking potential on search engines. But if the linking site isn’t relevant to your niche, the benefit might be limited.

2. Domain Rating (DR)

Domain Rating (DR) is a metric by Ahrefs that defines the overall strength of a website’s backlink profile, and it ranges from 0 to 100. The higher this metric, the better your backlink profile. It reflects the quality and quantity of external links to the website.

DA by Moz predicts ranking potential on SERP, but DR specifically assesses the backlink profile strength. A higher DR can improve your website’s authority but doesn’t guarantee better search rankings. The relevance and quality of linking sites are still crucial.

3. Referring Domains

Referring domains are super important in SEO. They count how many unique websites link to your site. The more referring domains you have, the better your authority and trust. Search engines see links from different sites as a sign that your content is valuable and widely recognized.

If 50 different websites link to your blog, it’s better than having 100 links from just one website.

4. Focus on Quality Backlinks

Quality backlinks come from trusted and relevant websites. They show search engines that your site is a reliable source of information, improving your SEO. A few high-quality backlinks can have a bigger impact than many low-quality ones.

Having 20 high-quality backlinks from reputable sites is more beneficial than 100 low-quality links from unknown sites.

5. Anchor Text

Anchor text is the clickable text in a link. It tells both people and search engines what the linked page is about. Good anchor text is clear and relevant, which helps search engines rank the linked page better. Well-chosen anchor text guides users by setting clear expectations for the linked content. Using keyword variations in the anchor text also improves search engine understanding, boosting the page’s visibility.

5. Link Relevancy

Link relevancy means getting backlinks from websites related to your content. This improves your SEO because search engines view these links as more credible and valuable. A backlink from techcrunch.com to your tech startup’s website is more relevant and valuable than a link from a food blog.

These key metrics help you evaluate the quality and impact of your backlinks, improving your SEO strategy.

The Role of Backlinks in SEO

Backlinks are important for SEO because they show search engines that your website is trustworthy and credible. Here’s how they help:

Increase DR: When other websites link to your site, they are vouching for your content. This boosts your domain’s rating and signals to Google that your site is trustworthy.
Signal Credibility to Google: Backlinks give a signal to Google that your website is credible and valuable. This is because backlinks are considered votes of confidence from other sites.
Improve Link Profile: Backlinks help improve your site’s link profile. A strong link profile with many quality backlinks tells Google that your site is authoritative.
Increase Referring Domains: Having backlinks from multiple websites increases the number of referring domains. More referring domains suggest a broader recognition of your site’s value.
Enhance Keyword Performance in SERPs: This increases your website’s authority, as Google can see you are linking up with high-quality sources. This can be valuable for them to rank better in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Backlinks are not a direct traffic generator but can improve your website’s authority and credibility. This can help in better ranking on the SERP, which means your content is more likely to be seen by users. It means the more quality backlinks you have, the higher your site can rank. This can greatly enhance your visibility and reputation online.

Understanding the key metrics in backlink analysis and the role of backlinks sets the stage. Now, let’s explore how to build quality links.

How Can You Build Quality Links?

Building quality backlinks is crucial for improving your site’s SEO. From the key metrics we discussed, you know what makes a backlink valuable. But how do you get these quality links? Here are four simple strategies you can use:

1. Guest Posting

Guest posting involves writing and publishing an article on someone else’s website within the same niche. This strategy helps you build backlinks and reach a wider audience.

2. Niche Edits

Niche edits involve adding your link to an existing article on a relevant website. This method is effective because the article is already indexed and has established authority.

3. Create High-Quality Content

High-quality content adds value to people. It could be a well-researched article, an engaging blog post, or funny and educational videos. Content should be of high quality, original, and valuable. If you write great content, people naturally want to link back to it.

4. Broken Link Building

Broken link building involves finding broken links on relevant websites and offering your content as a replacement. This method works well because it helps the website owner fix broken links while giving you a valuable backlink.

Building quality backlinks takes time and patience. At Outreach Monks, we specialize in creating and managing these strategies to boost your site’s SEO. Let us handle the hard work for you so you can see faster, more effective results. We’re here to help you achieve your goals effortlessly!

How Did Outreach Monks Help To Build Quality Backlinks For Nolabels? (Success Story)

NOLABELS is a fashion brand offering stylish designer clothing and accessories for women. When we started link-building for them, they were new to the online market, competing against brands with strong link profiles. Here are the challenges we faced and the strategies we used to overcome them.

Challenges

Competitive Niche: The fashion industry is highly competitive.
No Keywords Ranking: NOLABELS wasn’t appearing in search engine results.
No Backlinks: The site had no backlinks, which is crucial for SEO.
Fresh Start: Everything had to be built from scratch, from content to SEO.
Few Linking Sites: Lack of linking sites hindered domain authority and rankings.

Strategy and Implementation

Guest Posting: We secured guest posting opportunities with Indian bloggers, creating valuable backlinks and boosting visibility in India.
Niche Edits: We added NOLABELS’ links to existing articles on relevant websites, boosting SEO and driving targeted traffic. For example, we added a link to a popular fashion site’s article on sustainable fashion trends.
Public Relations (PR) Posts: We secured links from reputable PR sites like Tribune India, Times of India, and Mid-Day, enhancing brand visibility and credibility.
- Tribune India
- Mid-day
High-Quality Content: We produced engaging content for guest blogs, benefiting both us and the bloggers with better content and backlinks.

By implementing these strategies, we effectively addressed NOLABELS’ challenges and significantly improved their online presence.

These efforts helped NOLABELS build a strong foundation and stand out in the competitive fashion market.

Results

Our strategic efforts yielded remarkable results for NOLABELS:

1) Backlinks

Secured 1.9k high-quality backlinks, significantly enhancing NOLABELS’ online presence.

2) Domain Rating (DR)

Improved from 0 to 57, boosting the website’s authority and credibility.

3) Organic Traffic

Increased from 0 to 99.1k monthly visits in just 10 months.

4) Organic Keywords

The organic keyword count increased from 0 to 79.6K, with 455 keywords currently ranking within the top 3 pages on the SERPs.

By implementing these strategies, we successfully transformed NOLABELS’ online visibility and SEO performance.

Common Link-Building Mistakes to Avoid

Building quality backlinks is crucial for your site’s SEO, but there are many mistakes that can undermine your efforts. Here are the six most important mistakes to avoid:

Over-reliance on Low-Quality Links: Relying too much on links from low-authority websites can hurt your SEO. Aim for high-quality, reputable sites for better results.
Ignoring Nofollow Links Completely: Nofollow links don’t pass ranking power, but they can still drive traffic and diversify your link profile. Don’t ignore them completely. A nofollow link from Reddit or Wikipedia can still bring significant traffic to your site.
Failing to Diversify Anchor Text: Using the same anchor text repeatedly can look unnatural to search engines. Mix up your anchor text for a more natural link profile. Instead of always using “best SEO and link building tools,” vary it with “top SEO resources,” “SEO tool reviews,” etc.
Buying Links from Unauthoritative Service Providers: Avoid purchasing links from services like Fiverr, link farms, or PBN backlinks. These can be low-quality and harmful to your SEO. Links bought from a Fiverr gig might be from spammy sites. This can lead to penalties from search engines like Google. Instead, let Outreach Monks help you get high-quality links that boost your site’s authority and rankings.
Building Links in the Wrong Context: Creating backlinks that don’t fit naturally within the content can be seen as manipulative. Ensure your links add value and fit contextually. Adding a backlink about “fashion tips” in an article about “tech gadgets” looks out of place and can be penalized.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can build a stronger and more effective backlink profile, enhancing your site’s SEO and online presence.

Conclusion

Building quality backlinks is essential for boosting your site’s SEO and achieving online success. By understanding key metrics, avoiding common mistakes, and implementing effective strategies, you can significantly improve your website’s visibility and authority. Whether through guest posting, niche edits, creating high-quality content, or public relations posts, each approach plays a vital role in a comprehensive backlink strategy. At Outreach Monks, we’re here to help you navigate these processes and achieve your goals faster. Let us handle the hard work while you enjoy the benefits of increased traffic and higher search engine rankings.

FAQs on Backlinks

How does guest posting help in building backlinks?

Guest posting allows you to contribute content to other websites in exchange for a backlink to your site, helping you reach new audiences and improve SEO.

Can internal linking help with backlinks?

While internal links don’t count as backlinks, they help distribute link equity within your site, improving SEO and making it easier for search engines to index your content.

How do I monitor my backlink profile?

Use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and SEMrush to regularly check your backlink profile, identify new links, and spot any potentially harmful backlinks.