You’re not alone if you’ve been monitoring your backlink profile and noticed a drop. Many websites face the issue of why their backlinks are decreasing, and it can significantly impact your rankings. 

Whether it’s due to lost links or changes in Google’s algorithm, understanding why this happens is key to fixing it. 

Let’s explore the reasons behind why your backlinks are decreasing and the steps you can take to stop the decline.

Top Reasons Why Your Backlinks Are Decreasing

If you’ve noticed a decrease in your backlinks, it’s important to understand the possible reasons behind this. Here are the top causes:

1. Links Removal

Links can be removed for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, websites update their content and realize your link no longer fits. They might also be cleaning their site, deciding to reduce the number of outbound links so it remains clean and relevant. One should not take it to heart- it’s just part of managing and maintaining a website.

One day, your link might be there, and the next, it is gone. It is frustrating, but it is one of the most common things in SEO. Therefore, tracking your backlinks and being proactive in case it happens is really important.

2. Lost Partnerships

Most of these backlinks are built from collaborations with other businesses or joint ventures through guest posts, co-marketing, and so on. When these relationships are ended or become inactive, you could lose the backlinks built by those. 

It’s not always a bad thing; sometimes it just means the focus or goals of the partnership have shifted. The key is to regularly check these relationships and, if necessary, build new ones to replace the lost links.

3. Expired Domains

Sometimes, backlinks come from domains that are later abandoned or left to expire. If a website linking to you fails to renew its domain, your backlink will disappear as a result. One thing that is usually overlooked as the reason for the loss of backlinks is keeping track of referral domains on which you depend.

With the help of tools Ahrefs or SEMrush, you will be able to track sites that link to you so you can know if or not those domains have expired.

4. Content Updates

As websites evolve, they periodically update their content. If your link is connected to outdated content, or the content itself no longer fits the site’s focus, the site owner might decide to remove it. Content refreshes and redesigns can lead to link removals without notice. This is the natural course of keeping the content on a website current and relevant.

Keep your content up-to-date and of relevance so you are also likely to retain the backlinks, and don’t be afraid to contact the webmasters when you know your link is missing.

5. Broken Links

Websites can move or delete content that causes links to break. A 404 error is when the page the link used to point to is no longer there. Broken links aren’t always done on purpose-they might occur when a website reorganizes its structure or removes old content. The key here is to actively monitor your backlink profile.

Screaming Frog and Ahrefs can actually help you know which of those broken backlinks exist so you can request them to get fixed or get new links created to replace them.

6. Penalty and Deindexing

If your website is penalized or even removed from Google’s index for violating their guidelines, then all of the backlinks pointing to your site could be affected. Penalties by Google are there to keep websites from ranking that manipulate the system.

Links disappear if you used black-hat SEO tactics or have toxic backlinks. Sometimes, Google deletes links as a way of purifying search results. You must regularly check your Google Search Console for penalty notices and ensure you’re following best practices for Google when building your links.

7. Nofollow Policy Changes

Some websites may change their linking policy to nofollow, meaning their links no longer pass SEO value. This was common on specific kinds of content, such as forum comments or blog comment sections, but it can now appear on other types of pages as websites are updating their linking strategies. 

The change to a nofollow link doesn’t affect the link’s ability to drive traffic, but it does mean the link no longer helps with rankings. Keep an eye on your backlink profile to ensure the links you rely on are still dofollow and have SEO value.

8. Algorithm Updates

Google’s algorithm updates can have a significant impact on your backlinks. With every major update, some links may lose their value or be treated differently. For example, backlinks from sites that Google now sees as irrelevant or low-quality might be devalued. 

Sometimes, links that once helped your rankings might not have the same impact after an update. While you can’t control when Google makes changes, staying informed about algorithm updates can help you adjust your backlink strategy accordingly.

How to Detect Declining Backlinks?

Detecting declining backlinks is crucial to maintaining your website’s SEO health. Here’s how you can identify when your backlinks are disappearing using step-by-step instructions for popular tools:

1. Using Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a powerful tool for tracking and analyzing backlinks. Here’s how to detect declining backlinks with Ahrefs:

• Step 1: Log into your Ahrefs account and navigate to the Site Explorer tool.
• Step 2: Enter your website’s URL in the search bar and hit Search.
• Step 3: Go to the Backlinks tab under the Inbound Links section.
• Step 4: Sort your backlinks by Lost to see any links that have been removed.
• Step 5: Analyze the data to look for any patterns in link loss and review the domains or pages where the links were lost.
• Step 6: Check the Referring Domains section to see if any valuable backlinks have dropped.

Ahrefs also provides a “New Backlinks” section where you can check if you’re gaining any new backlinks to compensate for lost ones.

2. Using SEMrush

SEMrush provides tools for backlink tracking and competitor analysis:

• Step 1: Log into your SEMrush account and navigate to the Backlink Analytics section.
• Step 2: Enter your website’s domain in the search bar and click Search.
• Step 3: Click on the Backlinks tab and scroll to the Lost Backlinks section.
• Step 4: View any backlinks that are no longer pointing to your site.
• Step 5: Analyze where the links were lost and which domains removed them.
• Step 6: Check your Referring Domains section to identify whether any domains have stopped linking to you.

3. Using Screaming Frog

Screaming Frog helps identify broken backlinks (404 errors):

• Step 1: Download and install Screaming Frog.
• Step 2: Open the software and enter your website’s URL.
• Step 3: Start the crawl by clicking Start.
• Step 4: Go to the External Links tab in the top menu and filter for 404 errors.
• Step 5: Check for any broken backlinks leading to your site and identify their sources.
• Step 6: Reach out to the webmasters of the sites with broken links to request a fix or update.

4. Using Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) offers insights into your backlinks and can help detect any declining links:

• Step 1: Log into your Google Search Console account.
• Step 2: Go to the Links section from the left-hand menu.
• Step 3: Under the External Links section, click on Top Linking Sites.
• Step 4: Check the domains linking to your website and review any significant decreases.
• Step 5: Compare this data over time to spot any drops in backlinks from authoritative sites.

By regularly using these tools, you can effectively monitor your backlink profile and detect any drops or issues early. Stay proactive, and address the problems before they affect your SEO performance.

Tips to Prevent Backlink Decline

To prevent your backlinks from declining, follow these actionable tips:

• Regular Link Audits: Use Ahrefs or Google Search Console to audit the backlink profile and catch declining links or other problems early on with regular link audits.
• Broken Link Fixing: Keep a record of the broken links on your site and contact the webmasters for rectification of the link or update with new link from active pages.
• Reclaim Lost Links: If valuable links are lost, contact the webmasters and ask them to restore the links or offer updated content that might encourage them to link back.
• Diversify Link Sources: Don’t rely on a few sources. Build a variety of backlinks from trusted, relevant sites across different domains to ensure a balanced and strong profile.
• Continuous Link Building Efforts: Keep building backlinks consistently. Consider never stopping at just one or two links and doing continuous link building through guest posts, content partnerships, and outreach.

Keep your backlink profile healthy by following these tips, and your SEO will remain strong. Focus on building safe, relevant backlinks for long-term success.

Hire Experts to Improve Your Backlink Profile

Managing a strong backlink profile requires expertise, especially with constantly changing SEO rules. Since 2017, OutreachMonks has been helping businesses build high-quality backlinks that align with Google’s latest guidelines. Our team specializes in acquiring relevant, trustworthy backlinks from authoritative sites, ensuring your backlink profile remains strong and penalty-free.

If you’re looking to boost your SEO and improve your backlink profile, OutreachMonks has got you covered. We focus on building quality backlinks that deliver long-term results.

Ready to improve your backlink strategy?  Contact OutreachMonks today and watch your rankings rise!

Conclusion

A decrease in backlinks can happen for several reasons—Google updates, broken links, or even competitors gaining an advantage. By regularly monitoring your backlinks, focusing on quality links, and staying informed with SEO trends, you can stop further losses.

Stay on top of your backlink strategy for long-term SEO success. Quality links today lead to better rankings tomorrow!

FAQs on Why Your Backlinks Are Decreasing