What backlinks are and why they matter
A backlink is a link from another website that points to yours. When another site links to you, search engines treat it as a signal that your content is worth reading. More backlinks generally means search engines will rank your pages higher in results, which brings more visitors to your site.
Not all backlinks carry the same weight. A link from a well-known news site or industry publication signals more trust than a link from a brand-new blog. Search engines also notice if a backlink comes from a page about a similar topic — a gardening site linking to your gardening guide matters more than a random link from an unrelated site.
Checking your backlinks tells you which sites are already sending traffic your way, which topics are attracting outside attention, and where you might have broken links or unwanted links pointing to you.
Key Takeaways
- Google Search Console shows backlinks that Google has found, but only displays a limited sample rather than every link to your site.
- You must own the website and verify it in Google Search Console before you can see any backlink data.
- Third-party tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz often find more backlinks than Google Search Console because they crawl the web independently.
- Backlinks from sites with high authority and related topics carry more weight than links from unrelated or new websites.
- Checking backlinks regularly helps you spot new opportunities, monitor competitor strategies, and catch harmful links pointing to your site.
Setting up Google Search Console to see your backlinks
Google Search Console is Google's free tool for website owners, and it shows backlinks that Google has discovered. To access backlink data, you must first verify that you own the website.
Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in with a Google account. Click "Add property" and enter your website URL. Google will ask you to verify ownership — the most common method is uploading an HTML file to your site's root directory, or adding a DNS record through your domain registrar. Once verified, Google Search Console will begin collecting data about your site.
Verification usually takes a few hours to a few days. After that, you can view backlink data whenever you log in.
Finding your backlinks in Google Search Console
Once you are verified, click "Links" in the left menu. You will see four sections: "Top linking sites", "Top linked pages", "Top linking text", and "More details".
Top linking sites shows which domains link to you most often. Click on any domain to see which of your pages it links to. Top linked pages shows which of your own pages receive the most backlinks. Top linking text displays the actual words used in the links — if many sites link to you using the phrase "best gardening tips", that text appears here.
Click "More details" to read a full report as a spreadsheet. This list is not complete — Google Search Console shows only a sample of backlinks it has found, not every single one. For a more comprehensive view, you will need to use a third-party tool.
Using third-party tools to find more backlinks
Tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz crawl the web independently and often discover backlinks that Google Search Console does not display. These are paid services, though most offer free trials or limited free versions.
With Ahrefs, enter your domain in the search box and navigate to the "Backlinks" tab. You will see a list of all discovered backlinks, sorted by the authority of the linking site. Semrush works similarly — search your domain, then click "Backlink Analytics" to view the full list. Moz's free tool, called "Open Site Explorer", shows backlinks and their authority scores without requiring a paid account.
These tools update their data on different schedules, so the number of backlinks you see may vary between them. They also use different methods to score link quality, so one tool might rate a backlink as high-authority while another rates it lower. Checking multiple tools gives you a fuller picture than relying on one source.
Understanding backlink quality and authority
Not every backlink helps your site equally. A link from a website with high authority — meaning it itself receives many quality backlinks and ranks well in search results — carries more weight than a link from a new or low-traffic site.
The topic of the linking site also matters. If you run a photography business and a photography magazine links to you, that backlink is more valuable than a link from an unrelated site. Search engines assume the photography magazine's audience is relevant to your business.
Tools display authority scores in different ways. Ahrefs uses "Domain Rating" (DR), Moz uses "Domain Authority" (DA), and Semrush uses "Authority Score". These are not directly comparable — a site with DR 40 is not the same as DA 40. Use each tool's scale consistently within that tool rather than comparing across tools.
Spotting and removing harmful backlinks
Occasionally, low-quality sites or spam sites link to your website without your permission. While a single bad backlink rarely causes problems, many harmful links can damage your search ranking. Check your backlinks regularly to spot patterns of spam.
If you find backlinks from sites that are clearly spam, unrelated, or suspicious, you can ask Google to ignore them. In Google Search Console, go to "Links" and read the full backlink report. Identify the harmful links, then go to "Disavow links" (found under "More" in the left menu) and upload a text file listing the domains or URLs you want Google to ignore.
Before disavowing links, try contacting the linking site directly and asking them to remove the link. Disavow should be a last resort, used only when you cannot reach the site owner or they refuse to remove the link.
Monitoring backlinks over time
Set a schedule to check your backlinks monthly or quarterly. Google Search Console updates its data regularly, so you will see new backlinks appear over time. Tracking changes helps you understand which content attracts links, which sites in your industry are linking to competitors, and whether your link-building efforts are working.
Create a straightforward spreadsheet to record the number of backlinks you have each month, the average authority of linking sites, and which of your pages attract the most links. Over time, this data shows whether your backlink profile is growing stronger or stagnating.
If you notice a sudden drop in backlinks, investigate whether a major linking site went offline, removed the link, or changed its domain. A sudden spike might indicate that one of your pages went viral or was featured on a high-traffic site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Google Search Console show fewer backlinks than third-party tools?
Google Search Console displays only a sample of backlinks it has found, not a complete list. Third-party tools crawl the web independently and often discover links that Google has not yet indexed. Neither source shows every backlink to your site, but together they give a more complete picture than either alone.
Do I need to do anything about every backlink I find?
No. Most backlinks are helpful or neutral. Focus on removing only backlinks from obvious spam sites or low-quality sources. A few bad backlinks rarely cause problems, but many can signal to search engines that your site is not trustworthy. If you have only a handful of suspicious links, you can usually ignore them.
Can I see backlinks to my competitor's website?
Yes. Enter a competitor's domain into Google Search Console (if you own it and have verified it) or into a third-party tool like Ahrefs or Semrush. You will see which sites link to them, which can reveal link-building opportunities or industry publications you should target. This is a common competitive research practice.
What if I do not have a Google account?
You will need to create one to use Google Search Console. Google accounts are free and take a few minutes to set up. If you prefer not to use Google, third-party tools like Ahrefs and Moz work independently and do not require a Google account, though most charge a fee.
How long does it take for a new backlink to show up in Google Search Console?
Google typically discovers and indexes new backlinks within a few days to a few weeks, depending on how often it crawls the linking site. Third-party tools may find backlinks faster or slower depending on their crawl schedule. If a backlink is important to you, check multiple sources rather than waiting for one tool to update.