You just ran your first backlink report. The screen shows 847 links from 312 domains. Now what?
If you feel lost, you’re not alone. Most beginners check backlinks once, get overwhelmed, and never look again. That’s a missed opportunity.
Knowing how to check backlinks correctly can save your traffic, protect your site from penalties, and even show you gaps in your content. But only if you know what to ignore and what to act on.
Here’s a practical 5-step checklist. No fluff. No theory. Just what to do when you open that report.
Why This Simple Check Matters
A backlink is a vote of confidence from another site. But not all votes are good. A link from a spammy domain can hurt your rankings. A link from a relevant, trusted site can boost them.
If you never check, you’re flying blind. You might lose good links (if they break) or keep bad ones (if they turn toxic). This checklist helps you separate the two.
Step 1: Pick a Backlink Checker
You don’t need a paid tool to start. Free options work well for beginners.
For this use case, recommended SEO tool should be compared by pricing, setup difficulty, support quality, refund policy, and whether it fits your workflow.
What to do: Run your domain through one free checker. Export the raw list as a CSV or PDF.
Step 2: Filter Out the Noise
Your raw report will contain:
– Nofollow links (these don’t pass authority)
– Links from your own subdomains
– Links from irrelevant directories or spam sites
Filter aggressively. Remove:
– Nofollow links (unless they drive referral traffic)
– Links from domains with a spam score above 80%
– Links from sites in a different language or niche
Your goal: a clean list of actionable, relevant links.
Step 3: Sort by Relevance and Context
Look at the page where the link appears. Is it a sidebar widget? A comment? Or a genuine editorial mention inside an article?
Relevance matters more than authority. A link from a small but niche blog about your topic is worth more than a link from a giant news site about sports.
What to check:
– Does the linking page talk about the same topic as your page?
– Is the link surrounded by natural, readable text?
– Does the link have a descriptive anchor text (not just “click here”)?
Step 4: Spot Toxic Links Before Google Does
A few bad links won’t kill your site. But a pattern of spammy links can trigger a manual penalty.
Red flags:
– Links from sites with no traffic (check with SimilarWeb or a free traffic checker)
– Links from sites that look like link farms (random keywords, no real content)
– Links with exact-match anchor text (e.g., “cheap shoes” linking to your shoe store)
If you find a cluster of toxic links, use Google’s Disavow Tool to ask Google to ignore them. But only do this if you’re sure the links are unnatural.
Step 5: Compare with One Competitor
Pick one direct competitor. Run their domain through the same SEO tools you used for your site. Look for domains linking to them but not to you.
This is your low-hanging fruit. Those domains already link to content in your niche. Reach out with a better resource.
Pro tip: Focus on domains that link to multiple competitor pages. Those are high-value targets.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make
- Checking once and never again. Links change. Check every 3 months.
- Ignoring link context. A link in a footer is less valuable than one in an article body.
- Disavowing too fast. One bad link isn’t a penalty. Wait until you see a pattern.
- Only looking at domain authority. A high DA site can still be spammy. Check the actual page.
Mini Scenario: How a Beginner Recovered Lost Traffic
Maria runs a small recipe blog. Her traffic dropped suddenly. She ran a backlink report and saw that three high-quality food blogs had removed their links to her site (the pages were deleted or the links broke).
She reached out to those sites, offered updated content, and got two of the links reinstated. Her traffic recovered in three weeks.
What she did right: She didn’t panic. She checked for lost links first, not just new ones.
Final Practical Takeaway
How to check backlinks isn’t about the number. It’s about the quality and action.
Bookmark this checklist:
1. Run a free checker
2. Filter out spam and nofollow
3. Check relevance and context
4. Spot toxic patterns
5. Compare with one competitor
Do this once a quarter. Your site will thank you.
FAQ
Q: How often should I check my backlinks?
A: Every 3 months for most sites. If you’re actively building links or recovering from a penalty, check monthly.
Q: Can I check backlinks for free?
A: Yes. Google Search Console shows links to your site. Free tools like Ubersuggest or Monitor Backlinks (limited) also work.
Q: What is a toxic backlink?
A: A link from a spammy or low-quality domain that can harm your rankings. Signs include low traffic, unnatural anchor text, and irrelevant content.
Q: Should I disavow all spammy links?
A: No. Only disavow if you see a clear pattern of unnatural links and you’ve tried to remove them manually first. One or two bad links won’t hurt you.
Q: Do nofollow links matter?
A: They don’t pass authority, but they can drive referral traffic and brand visibility. Only ignore them if your goal is link juice.
