So you're doing all the DOs and DONTs of Backlinking now you need to monitor your progress. We'll cover how to verify success using MOZ, AHREFS, Google Analytics and the Search Console.
Backlinks are critical for organic traffic and play a crucial role in enhancing the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) of a website. In our prior article: Backlinks Increase Organic SEO we covered one key aspect:
- Monitor Your Backlinks: Regularly monitor your backlinks using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Moz. Identify any low-quality or spammy links and disavow them to prevent any negative impact on your search rankings.
How to use MOZ to monitor Backlinks
If you haven't already done so, please create an account on MOZ.com. Once logged in you will be able to access this link:
https://analytics.moz.com/pro/link-explorer/overview
The Link Explorer in Moz is how we monitor our backlinks (aka "Inbound Links"). Navigate to:
https://analytics.moz.com/pro/link-explorer/inbound-links
Enter your Root Domain (if you are paying for MOZ PRO create a campaign with your domain). If your domain is relatively new then you don't have any backlinks and your results would look like:
The results are all the websites that are linking to your website. Websites with a high domain authority and
How to use AHREFs to monitor Backlinks
AHREFs has a free backlink checker which provides results of the top websites that link back to your website. Navigate to: https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker
Enter your URL/Domain and click the "check backlinks". Your website result will load and show you two key KPIs = backlinks & linking websites.
We want to increase backlinks & linking websites.
How to use Google Analytics & Search Console to monitor Backlinks
Google Analytics GA4 requires us to select "Session Source / Medium" to see the specific sources (or medium) in which the traffic is coming from.
The same data can be seen from Search Console by going to "Links" under Legacy Tools & Reports.
Remember, building backlinks is a gradual process, and quality should always be prioritized over quantity. Focus on creating valuable content, building relationships, and earning high-quality backlinks from reputable sources. Most importantly, monitor your website.
