Quick answer: To check backlinks of your own website, open Google Search Console and go to Links → External links. For any other website, use an SEO tool such as Semrush or Ahrefs. A good backlink profile has links from relevant, trusted websites, not just many links.
There are different methods through which you can check the backlink profile of a website. You can do this with the help of a) Google search console b) Google analytics c)
a) Backlink profile using Google search console
- Login to your Google search console account
- Open the google search console account of the website
- On the left hand side of the search console account click on Links
- You will have the option of choosing internal and external link
- Choose external link – These links are basically your referring domains or backlinks
b) Backlink profile in Google analytics 4?
- Go to your Google analytics account
- Click on reports
- Click on acquisition reports on the left hand side menu bar
- Click on the Dropdown menu “Session default Channel group”
- Change it to “Session source medium”
- In the search bar above, type referral, this will give the list of referring domains which are driving traffic to your website.
- This list will have social media channels also listed as referral. You will have to ignore these urls. You need to find other domains apart from social media url to find out the backlinks of your domain.
Google search console and Google analytics are free tools to analyse your back link profile. Then, there are paid tools like https://www.semrush.com and https://ahrefs.com wherein you can find out backlink profile of your business.
c) Backlink Profile using SEMRUSH
You will have create an account and project at https://www.semrush.com or https://ahrefs.com to do this.
- Create an account on https://www.semrush.com
- On the left hand side menu click on Backlink analytics or visit the page – https://www.semrush.com/analytics/backlinks/
- Enter your domain name in the like https://lightgray-cattle-549464.hostingersite.com/ in the space provided.
- Click on “Referring domains”
- This will list down the list of referring domains i.e backlinks of your website.
Frequently asked questions
Why are backlinks important for SEO?
Backlinks work like votes of trust. Links from relevant, good-quality websites help Google see your site as an authority.
Can I check a competitor’s backlinks?
Yes, with tools like Semrush, Ahrefs or Moz. Free versions show a limited list.
Are all backlinks good?
No. Spammy or paid links can harm you. Focus on links from relevant blogs, directories, partners and guest posts.
