Best Backlink Checker

A backlink is a link to your website from some other website that points to your website. Backlinks serve a similar function to votes in the perspective of search engines when it comes to your website. The greater the number of links pointing to your website, the better the likelihood that your site will rank in search engines.

Backlinks, however, are not all created equal. The best backlinks are those that come from large, well-established websites. Spammy links or backlinks, or questionable websites may harm your website’s performance. Following the installation of a WordPress SEO plugin such as All in One SEO or Yoast and implementing recommended practices, the next step is to develop link building strategies that are both effective and efficient.

There are many methods for obtaining backlinks to your website. The first thing to decide is if you want to do this yourself in-house, use a white label link building service (if you are an agency) or buy the links using a guest post provider. However, the process begins with a backlink checker to examine the backlinks that already exist for your site and those that your rivals have. There are several good backlink checkers. However, the best backlink checker to use is SEMRUSH, and this post gives all the details on why semrush is the best backlink checker.

Let’s take a look at best backlink checker tools!

The Power of Backlink Checker Tools

Understanding the strength of your backlink profile is critical for driving your site’s success. Using the right backlink checker can reveal the quality and quantity of external backlinks pointing to your site, offering valuable insights into how well your SEO efforts are paying off.

The Role of Backlink Checkers

A backlink checker tool gives you a backstage pass to see who’s linking to your site and how these links are impacting your SEO rankings. But more than just counting links, it’s about understanding their quality and relevance.

• Spotting the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Not all backlinks are beneficial. A good backlink checker will help you identify quality backlinks—those that come from reputable, high-authority sites relevant to your industry. At the same time, it’ll flag low-quality or toxic links that could harm your site’s standing in the eyes of search engines.
• Tracking Referring Domains: It’s not just about the links themselves, but also about where they come from. Tracking referring domains lets you see the diversity of sites linking back to you. A diverse portfolio of referring domains indicates that your content is valued across the web, which is a positive signal to search engines.
• Staying Ahead of Competitors: By using a backlink checker, you can also take a sneak peek at your competitors’ link profiles. This is where you’ll uncover potential opportunities—sites that are linking to your competitors might be interested in linking to you as well, especially if your content is better. Understanding competitors backlinks is like getting a glimpse of their playbook.

More Than Just Counting Links

A backlink checker is about more than just tallying up your links. It’s about understanding the story these links tell—where they come from, how they’re connected, and what they say about your site. The best tools don’t just show you more links; they give you the context, helping you make informed decisions.

• Relevance and Context: The relevance of a backlink is just as important as its existence. A link from a site in your niche carries more weight than one from an unrelated domain. The right backlink checker tools can show you how well your links fit within the broader conversation happening online, giving you insights into how search engines might view these connections.
• Link Distribution and Balance: Balancing internal and external links is key to a healthy SEO strategy. While internal links help distribute authority across your site, external backlinks help build your site’s overall authority. A well-structured linking strategy, supported by regular checks with a backlink tool, ensures that your site maintains a strong link profile.

The Road Ahead

Using backlink checker tools isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. Regularly checking backlinks allows you to stay agile, spotting trends, identifying opportunities for new backlinks, and catching potential issues before they escalate. Whether you’re a seasoned SEO pro or just starting out, these tools are your allies in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing.

In summary, a backlink tool is more than just a way to monitor links. It’s a strategic asset that helps you build a robust, resilient SEO strategy. By understanding your backlink data and leveraging it effectively, you can ensure that your site isn’t just part of the conversation—it’s leading it.

SEMRush is a search engine optimisation tool.

When it comes to backlink checker tools, we suggest SEMRush as the best option. Rank Tracker is one of the most powerful keyword research tools available on the market, and it comes with a variety of sophisticated features for analysing backlinks.

To take advantage of the backlink capabilities, go into SEMRush and navigate to the ‘Backlink Analytics’ section, where you may enter the website name you wish to examine. A plethora of information about the website and its backlinks will be shown after that.

Using SEMRush to do backlink analysis

Search engine ranking tool (SEMrush) allows you to examine what inbound links your site has, which may assist you in identifying any problems such as low-quality links. In reality, SEMRush makes it simple to discover how many total connections a page linked to you has by providing you with a link count. If a page has hundreds of links, this may suggest that the website is a spammer’s site.

Using SEMRush, you can find out which high-authority websites are connecting to your rivals, which keywords they’re ranking for and far more information about their backlinks. This may provide you with a comprehensive list of websites to target for your link building efforts.

How well a site appears in search results is highly dependent on the number of ‘backlinks’ – other websites that connect to it. Semrush offers two methods to check backlinks: the first is to do a ‘backlink analysis,’ and the other is to conduct a ‘backlink site audit.

Semrush’s ‘Backlink Analytics’ feature allows you to input a domain name and see a list of any backlinks to it. Additionally, you may utilise this area to view:

Every backlink’s anchor text: Distribution of top-level domains (the number of.com,.org, and.gov links on your site, for example)

Details about the IP addresses of backlinks: All of the data is presented plainly, and it enables you to see when a site has acquired or lost backlinks, as well as the worth of the connections in question. You may utilise this data to optimise your SEO efforts or get insight into a rival’s.

Of course, the accuracy of Semrush’s backlink analysis is contingent upon the quantity and quality of its backlink database.

Benefits of Using Semrush for Backlink Checking

1. Discover Backlinks to Subdomains

This may be accomplished similarly by putting the subdomain URL into the SEMRush search box. It enables you to monitor and check backlinks and the success of each subdomain and how it contributes to their total link profile. This provides insight into where to concentrate your link building efforts. You may have a rival with a high number of links to their on-site material but few links to their blog, indicating link-building opportunities for you to produce high-quality blog content to compete in rankings.

Ahrefs does not have a subdomain (that I am aware of), therefore for the sake of openness, below is the information for the Majestic blog subdomain:

2. Locate Hyperlinks To Specific URLs

You may even be very precise by targeting a single piece of content or page on your competitor’s website. You can also see how many people are connecting to it and who is linking to it. Include the HTTP:// to ensure that the backlink SEO tool looks for data unique to the page:

3. URL specific search

This is perfect if you’re seeking to develop material that fits a particular backlink, apply the skyscraper technique, or already have content that fits a link better.

4. Enables backlinks Analysis For Five Different Domains

The Backlink Comparison tool allows you to compare the backlink profile of five various websites simultaneously. You may access it using the following procedure:

Backlinks > Backlink Comparison

Select four competing domains (it’s a wise option also to include your own) and input them into the tool. Click Compare. This will bring up a table comparing each site. This will provide you with an overview of each site in one location.

Each result is colour-coded to indicate who is doing the best, worst, and equal footing in each category.

5. Provides information on Connecting options and keyword possibilities

Following that, the software gives details on connecting possibilities, keywords, and rivals. This enables you to save a considerable amount of time when searching for resources for backlink creation and assists you in selecting relevant sites with a high reputation.

There is also a Bulk Backlinks Analysis, a tool that enables you to examine up to 200 different websites simultaneously. When there is no need for a thorough study of many rivals, the tool saves a significant amount of time. However, it is necessary to have a broad view of a speciality or sector as a whole. Marketing analysts and others that deal with statistical data will benefit the most from this solution.

Additional features offered by Semrush

The following is a list of the most often used SEMrush backlink tools that you can use daily to assist you with your marketing efforts.

Keyword research

SEMrush might assist you in identifying and targeting new keywords for which you wanted to rank, as well as highlighting phrases for which your customers’ websites were already ranking.

SEMrush has a plethora of backlink analysis SEO tools to assist users in researching keywords and blog post ideas. You’ll discover many keywords to use in your content creation, whether it’s via the new Keyword Magic tool, the Topic Research tool, or the Organic Research tool, amongst other backlink checker tools.

Keyword magic tool

This is my favourite tool in the SEMrush package for keyword research. Indeed, it is my all-time favourite keyword research tool.

With over two million keywords stored in its database, you’re sure to discover plenty of relevant terms for your company. Additionally, if you’re assisting several customers or your company has various aspects, you may build up to 50 target keyword lists.

Position Tracking tool

Once you’ve determined which keywords you’d want to monitor (whether you currently have pages dedicated to them or intend to create some), you’ll want to add them to the position tracking tool.

You’ll get weekly reports on how you and your rivals are doing for the keywords you’re interested in.

Another very interesting feature is that it will display all of the different SERP Features that the term triggers and who owns those SERP Features.

You may examine the individual sites that rank for those keywords to see whether they might be improved. You may observe your rivals’ landing pages to get inspiration for your own.

Domain Overview tool

You are not limited to keyword research using SEMrush. Additionally, you may discover a wealth of information about your website, including the phrases for which you currently rank.

Sometimes, you are unaware of the keywords that drive visitors to your site or the amount of traffic those phrases generate.

Using the Domain Overview tool, you may collect information on your domain authority by entering the root domain name.

Pros and Cons of Semrush

Pros

SEMRush has several unique features, including auditing, backlink checking and link building tools. It provides a comprehensive checklist of on-page SEO improvements, while the second tool offers a high-quality “CRM” type technique for generating backlinks. It has an excellent content marketing toolkit.

Cons

At times, you may easily become overwhelmed by the wealth of information provided by SEMrush.

Other Best Backlink Checkers

1. LinkMiner

The LinkMiner backlinks tool is a helpful tool for finding backlinks. LinkMiner is a program that is primarily intended to examine backlinks. Because it is a Mangools tool, you will need to have a Mangools account to access it.

LinkMiner, like other programs, allows you to filter links based on whether they are nofollow, removed, new, or lost. One feature you’d like to experiment with is the option to ‘favourite’ backlinks so that you can return to them quickly in the future. This may be an excellent method of creating a shortlist of most backlinks from rivals to target.

Alternatively, you may take advantage of this function to hunt out any of the broken links that you want to correct—creating a list of lost backlinks that you wish to focus on regaining may be beneficial to you.

When compared to SEMRush, LinkMiner is less expensive and offers fewer features. However, if you’re on a limited budget, this is a good choice.

You’ll probably want to use it combined with Mangools’ SiteProfiler to get more information about a site’s backlinks, such as the overall number of backlinks and top referring domains.

2. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is yet another very effective keyword research tool. It’s simple to use, much like SEMRush. It will provide you with an overview of your selected domain, and you will be able to dig down to see a plethora of backlink information.

Ahrefs also makes it very simple to identify backlinks that have been dropped. These are links that you used to have but have since been removed. For example, it’s possible that the website owner removed the page that included your link.

You may also detect broken backlinks using this method. 404 errors are links that lead to your site but use an incorrect URL that directs visitors to your 404 error page. You may need to contact the site’s owner to get them fixed.

When analysing your rivals’ backlinks, you may sort them according to the ‘Link type’ and identify websites you wish to target for your marketing efforts.

3. Moz Pro

The Link Explorer tool is part of Moz Pro, a package of SEO tools from Moz that includes several other products.

Link Explorer can provide you with a comprehensive link profile of your website that you can then compare with the link profiles of up to four rivals simultaneously. This allows you to find out what they may be doing differently than you are doing it.

The site also has a helpful feature known as Connect Intersect, which allows you to examine which websites link to your rivals but do not link to you. These are excellent websites to target for link building purposes.

Exploring Free Backlink Checker Tools

For those starting out in SEO or working with a tight budget, free backlink checking tools offer a valuable way to check backlinks without the need for expensive subscriptions. While these tools might not offer the depth of their paid counterparts, they still provide essential insights into your backlink profile.

Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest is a web-based application developed by Neil Patel. The primary tool has keyword research capabilities. However, there is a Backlinks tool that you can use to see the specifics of the backlinks pointing to your site.

Ubersuggest offers characteristics that are comparable to those of the other programs we’ve been examining. For example, it may display new and lost backlinks, which backlinks have been designated as nofollow, and other information.

Ubersuggest’s additional features may help you analyse traffic and develop keyword and content suggestions, among other things.

Other Top Free Tools:

1. Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker: This backlinks tool offers a limited version of Ahrefs backlink checker, showing the top 100 backlinks to any website or URL. It’s a great way to quickly assess your domain rating and identify relevant backlinks from authoritative sources.
2. SEMrush Backlink Audit (Free Version): SEMrush’s free backlink checker tool allows you to see a condensed version of your backlink profile. You can track your referring domains, identify potential toxic links, and get a sense of your domain authority.
3. Moz Link Explorer (Free Version): Moz offers a free tier of its backlink checker, giving you access to basic backlink data such as referring domains and nofollow links. It’s a solid option for those who need a quick overview without the commitment of a subscription.
4. Google Search Console: While not a traditional backlink checker, Google Search Console provides valuable insights into the links pointing to your site. It’s a great free tool to complement the others by helping you monitor your site’s link profile directly through Google’s own data.

FAQs

Why is it Important to Build Backlinks, and How Do They Impact My Site’s Rankings?

Backlinks act as endorsements from one site to another, signaling to search engines that your content is trustworthy and valuable. Backlink quality from reputable sites can significantly boost your site’s rankings, while nofollow links and lower-quality links still play a role in creating a natural link profile. Consistently monitoring and improving your backlink strategy with backlink checking SEO tools is key to long-term SEO success.

How Can I Monitor and Improve My Referring Domains Report?

Your referring domain report shows the websites that are linking to your content. Regularly reviewing this link report using backlink checker tools helps you understand which domains are most valuable and how they influence your domain rating. By focusing on acquiring more backlinks from high-authority domains, you can strengthen your overall backlink profile.

How Do I Use a Backlink Gap Analyzer to Outperform Competitors?

A backlink gap analyzer compares your backlink profile with your competitors’ to identify gaps—places where they have relevant backlinks that you don’t. By analysing these gaps, you can target the same sources or similar ones to close the gap and potentially outrank your competitors in search engine results.

What are Negative SEO Attacks?

Insights: Link-Building

We want to give you some further insights about building a sustainable link profile with internal and external links

Balancing Your Link Profile

In the grand scheme of SEO, balancing internal and external links is like fine-tuning an instrument—each element must be perfectly aligned to create harmony. While external backlinks are often the stars of the show, driving authority and visibility, internal links play a crucial supporting role by distributing that authority across your site.

The Role of Internal Links

Internal linking is all about guiding users (and search engines) through your content. It’s like creating a roadmap that helps visitors find their way around while ensuring that the authority your site gains from external backlinks is effectively spread across your web pages.

• Strategic Internal Linking: By placing internal links strategically, you can highlight the most important content on your site—often your cornerstone or pillar pages. This not only improves the user experience but also signals to search engines which pages are most valuable, potentially boosting your SEO rankings.
• Supporting Content Clusters: Internal links help create a network of related topic clusters, making it easier for users to explore topics in-depth. This is especially important for SEO as it shows search engines that your site provides comprehensive coverage on a particular topic.

The Power of External Backlinks

While internal links keep the traffic flowing within your site, external backlinks act as the bridges that connect your content to the wider web. The more relevant and authoritative these incoming links are, the more trust they build with search engines.

• Quality Over Quantity: In the world of external backlinks, quality truly outweighs quantity. A few high-quality links from authoritative sites are far more beneficial than a multitude of low-quality ones. Tools like backlink checkers can help you monitor and maintain the quality of your external links, ensuring they continue to benefit your site.
• Building Relationships: Acquiring quality external backlinks often involves building relationships within your industry. This could mean guest posting, collaborating on content, or simply reaching out to like-minded sites. The key is to create connections that are as relevant as they are authoritative.

Using Backlink Checkers to Maintain Balance

Regularly using a backlink checker tool is essential for maintaining a healthy balance between your internal and external links. These tools allow you to see how your links are distributed, identify any gaps, and ensure that both internal and external links are working together to support your overall SEO strategy.

A Holistic Approach

In summary, a well-balanced link profile is the foundation of a strong SEO strategy. By giving equal attention to both internal and external links, and regularly monitoring them with the right tools, you can create a sustainable link-building strategy that supports long-term growth and improves your site’s visibility in search results. This holistic approach ensures that your site isn’t just visible—it’s thriving.

Insights: Domain Authority and Domain Rating

Domain authority (DA) and domain rating (DR) are critical SEO metrics, indicating the strength and credibility of your website’s backlink profile. These metrics are used by backlink checking tools to help assess the quality of your site and its likelihood to rank well in search engine results.

How DA and DR Affect Backlink Strategy:

• Measuring Influence: High domain authority or domain rating suggests that a site is a trusted source of information. Securing high quality backlinks from such sites can significantly boost your site’s credibility in the eyes of search engines.
• Tools for Tracking: Use site explorer features in best backlink checker tools to regularly monitor your DA and DR. Keeping track of these metrics helps you understand how your referring domains and overall backlink strategy are impacting your SEO efforts.

Insights: Nofollow and High Quality Backlinks

Nofollow links are all the backlinks that tell search engines not to pass link equity to the linked site. While they don’t directly boost your domain authority, they still have value in diversifying your backlink profile and driving traffic.

Balancing Nofollow and High-Quality Links:

• Why Nofollow Links Matter: Even though nofollow links don’t directly influence your rankings, they play a role in a balanced and natural backlink profile. Search engines expect to see a mix of nofollow and dofollow links, and an imbalance might look suspicious.
• Focus on High Quality: While building links, aim for high quality backlinks from authoritative sites. These are the ones that will pass on the most value to your site, boosting your search rankings and building your authority.