You ran a backlink report. You got 1,500 links. Now you’re staring at a spreadsheet, totally lost. That’s the real problem—not that you don’t have data, but that you have too much data and no clear next step.
Checking backlinks isn’t just about counting numbers. It’s about separating links that help your site from links that hurt it. If you skip this, you could lose rankings or get hit by a manual penalty. Let’s fix that with a simple checklist.
Step 1: Get a clean snapshot of your link profile
Don’t jump straight into the details. First, get a bird’s-eye view. Use a free or paid SEO audit tool to pull your full backlink list. Filter out internal links and duplicate entries. You want only external domains linking to your site.
What you’re looking for: total referring domains, total backlinks, and the ratio between them. A healthy profile has many referring domains and not too many links per domain. If you see 1,000 links from only 10 domains, that’s a red flag.
Step 2: Sort links by relevance, not just authority
Beginners focus only on Domain Authority or Trust Flow. That’s a mistake. A high-authority link from a casino site won’t help your cooking blog. Relevance matters more.
Go through your list and tag each link as:
– Relevant (same industry or related topic)
– Neutral (general directories, social profiles)
– Irrelevant (completely unrelated or spammy)
Keep the relevant ones. Investigate the neutral ones. Disavow or remove the irrelevant ones.
Step 3: Spot the toxic links before Google does
Google ignores most bad links automatically. But if you have a sudden spike of spammy links, it can trigger a manual review. Look for:
– Links from sites with no traffic or content
– Links with exact-match anchor text like “cheap watches online”
– Links from link networks or paid directories
If you find them, add them to a disavow file. You can also reach out to the site owner and ask for removal, but disavowing is faster.
Step 4: Find lost links you can reclaim
Check which links you had 3 or 6 months ago that disappeared. These are “lost links.” Sometimes the page moved, the site owner deleted the page, or your URL changed.
For valuable lost links, try to reclaim them:
– If the page moved, ask for a redirect.
– If the site owner removed the page, offer a replacement resource.
– If the link died because your URL changed, set up a 301 redirect and tell them.
This is one of the fastest ways to recover link value without building new ones.
Step 5: Compare your profile with one competitor
Pick one competitor who ranks above you for a keyword you care about. Run their backlink report using the same SEO tools you used for your site. Look for:
– Domains linking to them but not to you
– Content formats that attract links (lists, guides, stats)
– Link sources you could realistically pitch
This gives you a concrete list of link building targets. Don’t copy their entire profile—just find the gaps you can fill.
Common mistakes beginners make when checking backlinks
- Checking only once. Links change constantly. Run a check every month or two.
- Ignoring nofollow links. Nofollow links don’t pass authority, but they can still drive traffic and brand exposure.
- Disavowing too aggressively. Only disavow links that are clearly spammy or harmful. Disavowing a healthy link out of fear can hurt your profile.
- Not keeping records. Save your reports. If Google sends a manual action, you’ll need proof you cleaned up.
Mini scenario: how a beginner turned a spammy link into a safe disavow file
Maria runs a local bakery blog. She checks her backlinks and finds 50 links from a site called “best-buy-now-xyz.com.” The anchor text is “cheap cakes” and the site has zero content. She doesn’t panic. She exports the list of those links, creates a disavow file, and uploads it to Google Search Console. One month later, her rankings are stable and she gets no penalty. She also finds a lost link from a food blogger she emailed and got it restored.
FAQ
Q: What should I check first when comparing check backlinks for your website?
A: Start with the real use case, pricing, setup difficulty, limits, support quality, and whether the option matches your workflow instead of choosing only by brand name.
Q: Is check backlinks for your website enough on its own?
A: Usually no. It should be evaluated together with your process, budget, risk level, and the other tools or accounts involved in the workflow.
Q: How do I avoid choosing the wrong option?
A: Use a short checklist, test on a small use case first, read the refund policy, and avoid tools or services that make unrealistic promises.
