Imagine your website is a garden. Each backlink is like a plant or flower, contributing to the garden’s overall health and beauty. A thriving and beautiful garden attracts visitors and pollinators, generating the traffic we SEO fanatics sorely crave.
But, just like any garden, weeds can creep in – unwanted, harmful plants that choke out the good ones.
That’s where a backlink audit SEO comes in.
Backlink audits act as a way of tending your garden, weeding out unwanted elements, ensuring only beneficial plants flourish, and maintaining the health of your website’s link profile.
But garden metaphors aside, what is the process like and how is it done? Let’s find out.
What Is A Backlink Audit?
An SEO backlink audit involves examining all the links pointing to your website. The goal is to identify which links are beneficial and which ones might be harming your search engine rankings. Ultimately, it’s about maintaining the integrity of your site’s link profile.
A healthy link profile tells search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. Links from low-quality or spammy websites can damage your site’s reputation, leading to penalties and a drop in search rankings.
Regular audits help prevent this, and they also give you the added advantage of spotting opportunities to build even stronger, more valuable links.
How To Do A Backlink Audit In 7 Easy Steps
1. Gather Your Backlink Data
To begin your audit, you’ll need a comprehensive list of every site linking back to yours.
Picture this as taking the inventory of all the plants in your garden. Google Search Console is a fantastic starting point, offering a free overview of your link profile. You can also use third-party SEO tools like Ahrefs and Semrush, which often provide more in-depth analysis.
These tools crawl around the web to find links, much like search engines themselves, and compile them into a report. Having all this data in one place allows you to see the full picture of your website’s link connections before taking any decisive actions.
2. Evaluate Link Quality
Once you have your list, it’s time to assess the quality of each link.
Not all links are valuable; some punch above their weight while others are less than desirable. A link from a respected website in your industry holds greater value than one from a low-quality directory.
Pay attention to the linking site’s authority, which measures its overall trustworthiness. Consider whether the linking page’s content is related to your own. Relevance is key here. A link from a site that talks about your subject matter is always better than one from a site that has nothing to do with your content.
3. Identify Toxic Links
You might eventually stumble upon links that could actually harm your site. These are the toxic links, and they are the weeds in a garden; you don’t really want them. To identify these toxic links, look for links from websites with very low authority or those that appear to be spammy.
Sites involved in link schemes or those penalised by search engines are obvious red flags. These links can and will negatively impact your site’s reputation and rankings, so you want to remove them as soon as possible.
4. Assess Anchor Text
While it seems small, anchor text plays a huge role in how search engines understand the linked page’s content.
A natural link profile has a varied range of anchor text. Over-optimised anchor text, using the same keyword repeatedly, can look unnatural and raise concerns.
Similarly, spammy anchor text that is totally unrelated to your content is a problem. You want to see links that use a mixture of branded terms, generic phrases, and relevant keywords.
Checking your anchor text distribution helps make your links profile appear natural and helpful, which is beneficial to both search engines and users.
5. Check For NoFollow vs. DoFollow Links
When examining your links, pay attention to the ‘follow’ status. DoFollow links pass on link equity, effectively telling search engines to count them as a vote of confidence. NoFollow links, on the other hand, do not pass on this value.
A natural link profile will have a combination of both types. Too many NoFollow links, particularly if they appear to be from promotional or paid placements, might suggest an unnatural linking pattern.
Think of it as having a diverse garden with different types of plants, some that directly feed the soil and others that benefit other plants. The balance is what keeps it healthy and the ecosystem vibrant.
6. Disavow Harmful Links
Once you have taken the necessary steps to evaluate the entirety of your link profiles, it is time to take action. Google provides a Disavow Tool, which allows you to tell them to disregard specific links.
However, it’s important to use this tool carefully, as disavowing good links can negatively impact your website. Only disavow links that you are absolutely certain are harmful.
This step is about cleaning up your link profile and protecting your website from negative influences.
7. Monitor And Maintain
A backlink audit is not a one-off task, it’s an ongoing process.
Always monitor your link profile regularly to stay informed about new links, both good and bad. Set up alerts and use tools to track changes.
Keeping an eye on your links allows you to quickly address any issues. This continuous monitoring is about keeping your website thriving, ensuring that it remains free of unwanted elements and full of beneficial links that bring in traffic.
Backlink Audit Tips To Consider
Focus On Relevance
It can’t be understated here. When evaluating links, aim for those from sites closely related to your subject. Links from relevant websites carry more weight and tell search engines that your content is valuable within your specific area.
Check Referring Domains
Don’t just look at individual links; examine the overall quality of the websites linking to you. A single good link from a poor-quality site may not be as beneficial as it appears. It’s like judging a garden by the overall health of the entire plot, not just by the beauty of a single flower.
Use Multiple Tools
For a complete understanding of your backlink profile, it’s best to use a variety of tools, including Google Search Console and established third-party SEO platforms.
Analyse Competitor Backlinks
A thorough competitor analysis can uncover potential link-building opportunities you may have overlooked. By examining where your competitors get their links, you can identify relevant websites and directories that might also be valuable for your site.
Examine Internal Linking
While external links are important, do not neglect your website’s internal linking structure. Strong internal links help distribute link equity throughout your site, making it easier for search engines to understand the relationships between your pages.
A well-structured internal linking system improves user navigation and can boost the overall authority of your website.
Monitor Link Velocity
Pay close attention to the rate at which your website gains or loses backlinks. Sudden, dramatic changes in your link profile can be a sign of unnatural activity, which may raise concerns with search engines.
A healthy link profile typically grows at a steady, consistent pace. Large, unexpected fluctuations should be investigated to identify any potential issues.
Conclusion On How To Do A Backlinks Audit
Having a healthy backlink profile is not just a technicality, it’s an integral part of your website’s overall health and performance. By following the outlined steps, you can effectively audit your backlinks, identify and address any potential issues, and ensure your website is positioned for success.
Remember, a clean and natural backlink profile displays your commitment to ensuring your website is trustworthy and valuable.
If the idea of doing your own backlink audits seems daunting, why not partner up with the experts?
At Best SEO, we offer comprehensive SEO audit services that make backlinks audits a breeze. We have a team of seasoned professionals who will conduct a detailed analysis of your backlink profile, detect damaging links, and offer clear steps to boost your website’s results.
And best of all, we offer a FREE SEO Audit to get you started.
Contact us today to see how we can unlock your website’s full potential and drive more organic traffic to your site.
Frequently Asked Questions On How To Do A Backlink Audit
What Are Common Signs Of A Toxic Backlink Profile?
Signs include a high percentage of links from low-authority or spammy domains, a large number of exact-match anchor text links, and sudden, unexplained spikes in backlinks.
Is a Backlink Audit Necessary for a New Website?
While less urgent, periodic checks are good practice, even for new sites, to prevent early issues. As the site grows, audits become more important.
Should I Disavow Links From Websites In A Different Language?
If those links are irrelevant to your target audience and appear spammy, then disavowing them is a good idea.
Are NoFollow Links Completely Useless For SEO?
No. NoFollow links can still drive traffic and increase brand awareness, even though they don’t directly pass link equity. They can also make a link profile appear more natural.
How Often Should I Run A Backlink Audit?
At least quarterly, or more frequently, if you notice a drop in rankings or suspect negative SEO attacks.
What Tools Are Recommended For A Backlink Audit?
Google Search Console, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Majestic SEO are widely used and offer comprehensive data.
