Backlinks can help your website grow, but not every backlink is good. Some links come from useful websites. Others come from spammy pages, old directories, or websites that have nothing to do with your business.
A backlink audit helps you see what kind of links are pointing to your site. It shows which links are worth keeping, which ones may need attention, and which pages are getting the most links.
You don’t need to make it complicated. With the right tool and a simple checklist, you can review your backlinks and understand what needs to be fixed.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to audit your backlinks step by step.
#1: Collect Your Backlink Data
Before you can review your backlinks, you need a complete list of them. The easiest way to do this is by using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, Semrush, or Ubersuggest.
Source: Google Search Console
Each tool may show slightly different data, so if you have access to more than one, it’s worth comparing the results.
Export your backlink report and include details such as referring domains, linked pages, anchor text, and the URL where the link appears. Don’t worry about analyzing anything yet. Your goal at this stage is simply to gather the data in one place.
Many people make the mistake of reviewing backlinks directly inside a tool. A spreadsheet usually makes the process much easier because you can sort, filter, and organize the information however you like.
Think of this step as creating an inventory. Before you can decide whether a backlink is good or bad, you first need to know exactly what links are pointing to your website.
#2: Remove Duplicate and Low-Value Data
Once you have exported your backlink data, you’ll probably notice that the list is much larger than expected. That’s because many websites link to you more than once. For example, one website might link to your homepage, blog posts, and service pages.
Instead of looking at every individual backlink, start by grouping links by referring domain. This gives you a clearer picture of how many unique websites are linking to you.
You should also clean up obvious clutter. Remove duplicate entries and organize your spreadsheet so it’s easier to review. This saves time later when you’re checking link quality.
The goal here is not to delete backlinks from your website. You’re simply cleaning your data so you can focus on the links that actually matter. A backlink audit becomes much easier when you’re looking at a clean and organized list instead of thousands of repeated entries.
#3: Check the Quality of Referring Domains
Now it’s time to review the websites linking to you. This is one of the most important parts of a backlink audit because not all links carry the same value.
Start by opening some of the websites that link to your pages. Ask yourself a few simple questions.
- Does the website look legitimate?
- Does it publish useful content?
- Is it related to your industry?
- Would a real person actually visit and use this website?
A backlink from a trusted website in your niche is usually much more valuable than several links from unrelated websites. On the other hand, if a site looks abandoned, filled with spam, or created only for selling links, it deserves a closer look.
You don’t need to obsess over metrics during this step. Spend time looking at the actual websites. In many cases, a quick review of the site tells you more than a number inside an SEO tool. By the end of this step, you should have a good idea which domains strengthen your backlink profile and which ones may need further review.
#4: Review Your Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable text used in a backlink. For example, if another website links to your page using the words SEO services, those words are the anchor text.
When auditing backlinks, look for patterns. If most of your backlinks use your brand name, website name, or natural phrases, that’s usually a good sign. But if you notice the same keyword being used repeatedly across many links, it’s worth paying attention to.
For example, if dozens of websites are linking to you using the exact phrase “best SEO agency,” it can look unnatural. Most websites naturally attract a mix of branded, generic, and keyword-focused anchor text.
A healthy backlink profile often contains a variety of anchor text types. You may see branded anchors, company names, URLs, keyword-related anchors, and generic phrases such as “click here” or “learn more.” The goal isn’t to hit a perfect percentage. The goal is to avoid having one type dominate your entire backlink profile.
The example below shows a balanced anchor text distribution, where backlinks are spread across brand names, URLs, keyword-related anchors, and other natural variations instead of relying too heavily on exact-match keywords.
You don’t need a perfect anchor text ratio. The goal is simply to make sure your backlink profile looks natural. As you review your links, make notes of any keywords that appear too often. This can help you make better link-building decisions in the future and avoid creating an anchor text profile that looks forced.
#5: Find Toxic or Spammy Backlinks
During your audit, try to identify links coming from websites that appear low quality, unrelated, or built purely for SEO purposes. Some common examples include websites filled with random articles, pages overloaded with advertisements, link farms, or sites covering topics that have nothing to do with your industry. You may also find backlinks from foreign-language websites that seem completely unrelated to your business.
Don’t panic if you discover a few questionable links. Almost every website picks up odd backlinks over time. What matters is identifying patterns. If a large number of links are coming from spammy sources, they deserve further review.
Create a separate list of backlinks that seem suspicious. This gives you a clear picture of what may need attention later and prevents you from making rushed decisions while auditing the rest of your profile.
#6: Check Which Pages Are Getting Backlinks
A backlink audit isn’t only about finding bad links. It’s also a great opportunity to see which pages on your website attract the most links.
Look through your backlink report and identify the pages receiving the highest number of referring domains. You may discover that certain blog posts, guides, studies, or resources are attracting far more backlinks than the rest of your content.
This information can be very useful. It shows you the type of content people are willing to link to. You can use those insights when planning future content or link-building campaigns.
It’s also worth checking whether important pages are receiving backlinks at all. Sometimes a website’s most valuable service pages have very few links, while older blog posts attract most of the attention. Finding these gaps can help you decide where to focus your future link-building efforts.
#7: Decide What to Keep, Fix, or Disavow
After reviewing your backlinks, it’s time to decide what action, if any, needs to be taken. By now, you should have a clear picture of which links are helping your website and which ones deserve a closer look.
Start by keeping the strong links. These are the backlinks from relevant websites, trusted sources, industry blogs, news sites, and pages that make sense for your business. These links are often the most valuable part of your backlink profile.
Next, look for links you can improve. For example, you may find backlinks pointing to broken pages on your website. In some cases, you can redirect those pages or update the content so you don’t lose the value of those links.
Also, review the links you marked as suspicious. If a backlink looks spammy, unrelated, or clearly manipulative, consider whether further action is needed. However, don’t rush to disavow every low-quality link you find. Most websites naturally attract some strange backlinks over time, and many can simply be ignored.
Wrapping Up
A backlink audit helps you understand what is really pointing to your website. You can see which links are useful, which pages are getting attention, and which links may need a closer look.
You don’t need to make the process difficult. Start with your backlink data, clean it up, review the websites, check your anchor text, and look for anything that feels spammy or broken.
Once you know what you have, it becomes much easier to protect your site and build better links in the future.
FAQs
1. How often should I do a backlink audit?
For most websites, a backlink audit every three to six months is enough. If you’re actively building links or have noticed a sudden drop in rankings, it may be worth checking your backlink profile more often.
2. Which tool is best for a backlink audit?
Google Search Console is a good starting point because it’s free. Tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Ubersuggest can provide more backlink data and make it easier to review referring domains, anchor text, and linked pages.
3. Should I remove every low-quality backlink I find?
No. Most websites naturally attract some low-quality or unusual links over time. Focus on identifying patterns and reviewing clearly spammy links rather than trying to remove every backlink that doesn’t look perfect.
4. What are toxic backlinks?
Toxic backlinks usually come from spammy websites, link farms, hacked pages, or sites created only to sell links. These links often provide little value and may deserve further review during your backlink audit.
5. Can a backlink audit improve SEO rankings?
A backlink audit won’t improve rankings by itself. However, it helps you understand your backlink profile, fix issues, recover lost opportunities, and make better link-building decisions that can support stronger SEO performance over time.
