Where to look for backlinks to your site
A backlink is straightforward another website linking to yours. To find them, you use free tools that crawl the web and record which sites point to which other sites. The three tools that work best for this are Google Search Console (which shows links Google has found), Ahrefs' free backlink checker, and Moz's Link Explorer free version. Each one shows you different links because they crawl the web on different schedules, so checking all three gives you a more complete picture than any single tool alone.
Google Search Console is the most reliable because it shows you the links Google itself has actually discovered and indexed. Ahrefs and Moz are useful because they find links that Google may not have found yet, especially from newer or less-crawled websites. Start with Google Search Console if you have only a few minutes — it is the fastest way to see what Google knows about your site.
Key Takeaways
- Google Search Console shows you backlinks that Google has found, and it is free if you already own the website.
- Ahrefs and Moz have free backlink checkers that find links Google may have missed, especially from smaller or newer sites.
- Each tool shows different links because they crawl the web on different schedules, so checking more than one tool gives you a fuller picture.
- Most backlinks come from blog posts, news articles, resource lists, and directory sites that mention your business or topic.
- You can find new backlink opportunities by looking at which sites link to your competitors.
Using Google Search Console to see backlinks Google found
If you own the website, Google Search Console is the fastest place to start. Log in with the Google account that manages the site, then click Links in the left menu. You will see a section called "Top linking sites" — these are the websites sending the most traffic to you through links. Below that, "Top linked pages" shows which of your own pages are being linked to most often.
Google Search Console only shows links that Google has actually crawled and indexed, so it will not show you every backlink on the internet. But the links it does show are the ones Google counts toward your site's ranking, which makes them the most important ones to pay attention to. If you see a link from a site that looks spammy or irrelevant, you can disavow it — tell Google to ignore it — by downloading the list and uploading a disavow file, though this is rarely necessary for most websites.
Finding backlinks with Ahrefs and Moz free tools
Ahrefs' free backlink checker and Moz's Link Explorer both let you enter your website address without logging in, and they show you backlinks they have found. Go to ahrefs.com/backlink-checker or moz.com/link-explorer, type in your website address, and both tools will show you a list of sites linking to you. The free versions show you the top backlinks and basic information like the page that contains the link and how strong that linking site is.
These tools find links that Google may not have found yet because they crawl the web on their own schedule, separate from Google's. They are especially useful for finding backlinks from new websites, smaller blogs, or sites that Google crawls less frequently. The downside is that both tools have limits on how many backlinks they show in the free version — usually the top 100 or so — but that is enough to see where most of your traffic-sending links come from.
Understanding what the backlink data actually means
When you look at a backlink, you will see several pieces of information. The most important is the anchor text — the actual words someone clicked on to reach your site. If the anchor text is your business name or a relevant keyword, that link is more valuable than a link with generic text like "click here". You will also see the page that contains the link and sometimes a rating of how strong that linking site is (Ahrefs calls this "Domain Rating", Moz calls it "Domain Authority").
A backlink from a high-authority site — one that itself has many backlinks — is worth more than a backlink from a brand-new site with no other links pointing to it. But do not ignore links from smaller sites. A link from a site in your industry or local area, even if it is small, can be more valuable than a random link from a large site. The context matters more than the size.
Finding backlink opportunities by studying your competitors
One of the fastest ways to find new places to get backlinks is to see which sites are already linking to your competitors. In Ahrefs' free backlink checker, enter a competitor's website address instead of your own. You will see which sites link to them. Many of those sites may also be willing to link to you if you have something relevant to offer — a blog post, a tool, a resource, or a local business listing.
Look for patterns in the types of sites linking to your competitors. Are they industry directories? Local business listings? Blog posts about a particular topic? News articles? Once you see the pattern, you can reach out to similar sites and ask if they would link to your content. This is more effective than randomly searching for backlink opportunities because you are targeting sites that have already shown they link to sites like yours.
What to do if you find a suspicious or harmful backlink
Occasionally you will find a backlink from a site that looks spammy, irrelevant, or low-quality. In most cases, you can straightforward ignore it — one bad link does not hurt your site, and Google is good at recognizing spam. However, if you notice a large number of spammy backlinks pointing to your site, or if a backlink is from a site that violates Google's policies, you can disavow it in Google Search Console.
To disavow a link, go to Google Search Console, click Links, then Disavow links at the bottom of the page. Create a text file listing the URLs you want to disavow (one per line), upload it, and Google will stop counting those links. This is a last resort — most websites never need to disavow links. Only do it if you have a clear reason to believe the links are harming your site's ranking.
Tracking backlinks over time
Backlinks change constantly. New sites link to you, old links disappear, and the authority of linking sites goes up and down. To track these changes, check your backlinks once a month using the same tools. Google Search Console will show you new links in the "Latest links" section, which updates regularly. Ahrefs and Moz will show you how your total backlink count has changed since the last time you checked.
If you notice a sudden drop in backlinks, it usually means a site that was linking to you removed the link or went offline. If you notice a sudden increase, it might mean a news article or popular blog post mentioned your site. Neither of these is necessarily a problem — backlink counts naturally fluctuate. What matters more is the overall trend: are you gaining backlinks over time, or losing them?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pay for a backlink checker tool?
No. Google Search Console is free, and both Ahrefs and Moz have free versions that show you your top backlinks. The paid versions show more detail and let you check more often, but the free versions are enough for most website owners to understand where their backlinks are coming from.
What if Google Search Console shows zero backlinks?
It usually means Google has not crawled your site yet or has not found any links to it. Try checking Ahrefs or Moz — they may have found links that Google has not indexed yet. If all three tools show zero backlinks, your site may be very new or not yet linked to by any other websites. This is normal for new sites.
Can I pay someone to create backlinks for me?
You can, but most paid backlink services violate Google's policies and can hurt your ranking instead of helping it. The safest backlinks come naturally when other sites find your content useful and link to it on their own. If you want to earn backlinks faster, focus on creating content worth linking to and reaching out to relevant sites in your industry.
Does the number of backlinks determine my search ranking?
Backlinks are one factor Google uses to rank sites, but not the only one. The quality and relevance of the backlinks matter more than the quantity. One backlink from a highly respected site in your industry is worth more than ten backlinks from random, low-quality sites. Content quality, site speed, and user experience also affect ranking.
What is the difference between a backlink and a referring domain?
A backlink is a single link from one page to another. A referring domain is a website that contains at least one backlink to you. If five different pages on the same website link to you, that counts as five backlinks but only one referring domain. Referring domains are often more important because they show that multiple pages on different sites think your content is worth linking to.