BACKLINK GUIDE
How to check backlinks to any website, including competitors
To check backlinks to your own site for free, open Google Search Console and go to Links, then External links. To check backlinks of any website, including competitors, use a backlink checker. Digimetrics Backlinks Explorer lists every backlink, referring domain, dofollow share and each linking site's domain rank in 10 to 45 seconds.
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Updated 23 October 2026 · Digimetrics editorial team
The short answer
- Search Console's Links report shows a sample of your own backlinks for free, but not competitors' links and not whether a link is nofollow.
- A backlink checker shows any domain or single URL, so you can check competitor backlinks and a specific page.
- Judge links by the linking site's relevance and strength, not by raw count. Referring domains matter more than total links.
- Google's spam policies treat buying links, excessive link swaps and automated link building as link spam.
- Check backlinks monthly and after any PR push or site move, so lost and new links do not go unnoticed.
What is a backlink, and why check them?
A backlink is a link on another website that points to a page on your site. Checking them tells you who vouches for you, which pages earn links and whether anything suspicious is pointing your way.
Google's SEO Starter Guide says Google primarily finds pages through links from pages it has already crawled, and that most new pages it finds each day come through links. Links also feed PageRank, which Google calls one of its fundamental algorithms, while stressing it is only one of many ranking signals.
So backlinks matter for discovery and for trust, but they are not the whole game. Checking them answers practical questions: did the press mention last month actually link? Which of our pages do other sites cite? Is a competitor outranking us because of links, or because of content? For the definitions, see our glossary entries for backlink and dofollow link.
How to check backlinks in Google Search Console (free)
In Search Console, open the Links report. Under External links you will see your top linked pages, top linking sites and top linking text, and you can export up to 100,000 rows of recent or sample links.
It is the most trustworthy free backlink checker for your own site because it is Google's own data. It also has limits worth knowing before you rely on it alone. Google describes the report as a sample of links rather than a comprehensive list, and it does not show whether a link is nofollow. It also cannot show you anyone else's site.
Google Analytics is a different tool: it shows referral traffic from sites that sent visitors, not a list of backlinks. A link that nobody clicks will never appear there.
| Search Console Links report | What it tells you | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Top linked pages | Which of your pages earn the most external links | Grouped by canonical URL |
| Top linking sites | Root domains that link to you most | Subdomains are grouped together |
| Top linking text | The anchor text other sites use | Exact-match grouping only |
| Export: latest links | Most recently discovered links, up to 100,000 rows | May include links since removed |
| Tables on screen | Quick overview | Limited to 1,000 rows |
Connect Search Console to Digimetrics (free and read-only) to see your search data alongside your audits: Search Console integration.
How to check backlinks of any website (and competitors)
Enter the competitor's domain, or a single URL, into a backlink checker. It lists every link it has found, the referring domains, which links are dofollow and how strong each linking site is.
This is the main reason people use a paid backlink checker tool: Search Console only shows your own property. Checking competitor backlinks shows you which sites in your field link out, what kind of content earns those links, and how far ahead a rival really is.
In the official tutorial's sample (fictional brand Brightpath), Backlinks Explorer found 4,870 backlinks from 312 referring domains, 81% dofollow. Its strongest backer was a review site with domain rank 612 and 51 links. That last line is the useful one: it names a type of site worth approaching.
| Column | What it means | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Backlinks | Every link counted | Trend over time, not the absolute number |
| Referring domains | Distinct sites that link | Steady growth from relevant sites |
| Dofollow share | Links that pass ranking strength | A natural mix; nofollow links are normal |
| Domain rank | Each linking site scored 0 to 1,000 | Strong, relevant sites near the top |
| Type | Dofollow or nofollow per link | Paid or sponsored links should be qualified |
What are good backlinks, and what are bad ones?
Good backlinks come from relevant, real sites that chose to link because your page helps their readers. Bad backlinks are bought, swapped in bulk, auto-generated or from sites unrelated to yours.
Google's spam policies define link spam as creating links primarily to manipulate rankings. Examples include buying or selling links, exchanging goods or services for links, excessive link exchanges, using automated programs to create links, and advertorials with links that pass ranking value. For links you are paid for, Google asks you to use rel="sponsored", and for user-generated links such as comments, rel="ugc".
Google's Links report help also says that for known spam sites, Google typically ignores the links. So a few odd domains in your report are normal. Look for patterns instead: dozens of unrelated sites using the same exact-match anchor text, or a sudden spike from a single network.
| Signal | Good link | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | Same industry, audience or location | Unrelated topics or languages |
| Placement | In the body of a real article | Footer, sidebar or a page of links |
| Anchor text | Brand name, URL or a natural phrase | The same exact keyword everywhere |
| How it was earned | Editorial choice, citation, review | Paid, swapped or automated |
| Linking site | Has its own traffic and real content | Thin pages built to host links |
How to check whether a backlink is indexed
A link only helps if Google has crawled the page it sits on. Search Google for the exact URL of the linking page with the site: operator; if it does not appear, Google probably has not indexed it yet.
Google's Page indexing help recommends exactly this method: search for the exact URL with site: to see whether Google has indexed it. If the linking page is not indexed, the link cannot be counted from that page.
To check a link manually, open the linking page, find the link, and inspect the HTML. Look for a rel attribute: no attribute means a regular link; nofollow, sponsored or ugc mean it is qualified. Manual checks are fine for five links. For 500, use a tool.
How to get backlinks after you have checked them
Use the check to find gaps: sites that link to two or more competitors but not to you, pages of yours that already earn links, and mentions of your brand that are not linked.
Google's guidance on promotion is that word of mouth and community engagement are among the most lasting ways to get discovered. Links follow from being worth citing. Practical moves that stay inside the rules:
- Publish something citable: original data, a free template or a clear comparison table. In Backlinks Explorer, sort your top linked pages to see what already works.
- Close competitor gaps: approach the relevant sites that link to several rivals with a genuinely better resource.
- Claim unlinked mentions: ask sites that name your brand to add a link.
- Fix broken inbound links: if old URLs earn links but now 404, redirect them to the right page.
- Strengthen internal links so link equity reaches the pages you want to rank. Our on-page SEO checklist covers this.
HOW IT WORKS
How to check backlinks in five steps
- 1
Pull your free sample from Search Console
Open Links, then External links. Review Top linked pages, Top linking sites and Top linking text, and export the latest links.
- 2
Run a full backlink check
Enter your domain in the backlink checker. Choose whole site with subdomains, or one page if you only care about one URL.
- 3
Read the four headline numbers
Total backlinks, referring domains, dofollow share and the domain rank of your strongest backers.
- 4
Review anchor text and odd domains
Look for anchors that repeat one exact keyword and for sites you do not recognise. Clean up internal anchors with the Anchor Text Checker.
- 5
Repeat for two or three competitors
Run the same check on rivals found with Competitor Analysis and list sites that link to them but not to you.
QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK
Frequently asked questions
Still unsure? Email support@digimetrics.ai and a person will reply.
What is the best free backlink checker?
For your own site, Google Search Console's Links report: it is free and comes from Google. For competitors, you need a third-party checker. Digimetrics' 7-day free trial, no card needed, lets you run Backlinks Explorer on your own site and your competitors'.
How do I check backlinks to a single page?
In Search Console, open Links, then Top linked pages, and click the URL. In Backlinks Explorer, switch from whole site to one page and enter the exact URL.
How often should I check my backlinks?
Monthly is enough for most sites, plus after any PR campaign, guest article or site migration. Scheduled checks help you spot lost links before rankings move.
Should I disavow bad backlinks?
Usually not. Google says it typically ignores links from known spam sites. Disavowing is for clear cases, such as a manual action or links you or a past agency paid for.
Can I see backlinks in Google Analytics?
No. Google Analytics shows referral traffic from sites that sent visitors. Links nobody clicks never appear there, so use Search Console or a backlink checker instead.
Does the number of backlinks matter more than quality?
Quality and relevance matter more. Referring domains is a better measure than total links, because one site linking from every page can produce thousands of links from a single source.
See who links to you, and who links to your competitors.
Run Backlinks Explorer on your domain and a rival's in under a minute each. Free for 7 days, no credit card.