Why check backlinks at all
Search engines still treat links from other websites as one of several trust signals. They have also become better at spotting artificial and purchased links, which means a careless link profile can cause more trouble than benefit. So the goal of an audit is not a bigger number. It is answering three questions: who is linking to you, is anything suspicious among those links, and where are your competitors present while you are not.
A common scenario: a few years ago a company bought promotion from one agency, later switched to another, and nobody remembers what was paid for. Or the opposite: a trade publication wrote about you and you never noticed, so you never followed up with the editors. A basic check surfaces both.
Start with the free tools from the search engines
For your own site, open Google Search Console and Yandex Webmaster first. Search Console has a links report showing which sites link to you, which of your pages receive links and what anchor text is used. The data is a sample rather than a complete list, but it is what Google itself has seen.
Yandex Webmaster lists external links and flags recently found and lost ones, which makes it easy to follow changes over time. Both tools are free. You only need to verify ownership, and the sooner you connect them, the sooner you can spot changes.
Which backlink checker to use beyond the free ones
Search engine reports cover only your own site. To look at competitors and get a fuller picture, people use paid SEO platforms that crawl the web and keep their own databases of links. Each database is different, so numbers rarely match between tools, and none of them sees everything.
For Uzbek-language and local websites, coverage can be thinner than for large international markets, so treat the figures as a guide, not a precise measurement. The authority or rating scores these platforms calculate are their own estimates, not metrics used inside Google. Compare sites within one tool and avoid mixing numbers from different ones.
Metrics that matter in the report
Many links from a single site usually count for less than one link each from several different, good sites. That is why the number of linking domains is the first thing to look at.
A natural profile looks varied: anchor texts mix brand names, the site address and ordinary phrases, and links lead both to the homepage and to useful inner pages. A sudden spike is a signal to investigate, since it may mean a bulk purchase or a spam attack.
- Number of linking domains, not total links
- Trend: when links appeared and disappeared
- Anchor text: brand, URL or commercial phrases
- Target pages: only the homepage, or inner pages too
- Topic and real audience of the linking sites
- Link type: regular, nofollow, sponsored or ugc
Telling a useful link from a harmful one
A useful link is one a real person could plausibly click. It sits in the body of an article, comes from a site related to your topic or region, and the site has its own audience and search traffic. For a company in Uzbekistan that could be a mention in a trade publication, a listing in a business directory, a partner's article or coverage of an event you took part in. Listings on maps and directories matter for another reason too: they can bring customers directly, whether or not the link passes much weight.
Warning signs to watch for:
- the site exists only to sell links and has no audience
- the link sits in a footer or sidebar across hundreds of pages
- the site's topic has nothing to do with your business
- the same commercial anchor repeats across many links
- a sudden burst of links from questionable sites
What to do with what you find, and how often to check
If you never bought links and see no obvious attack, you usually do not need to do anything: search engines are good at ignoring spam. If you did buy links in the past, or received a manual action notice, first ask site owners to remove the links, then prepare a disavow file and upload it through Google's tool. Be careful, because disavowing good links will hurt you.
Competitor data is the best source of ideas. Compare linking domains and look for sites that link to several competitors but not to you: directories, industry resources, media. Judge each against the signs of a useful link before chasing it. The most reliable links come as a by-product of real work: trade shows and conferences, expert comments for journalists, joint materials with partners and suppliers, and guides or research worth citing.
Keep a simple rhythm. Once a month, check new and lost links in Search Console and Yandex Webmaster. Once a quarter, run a deeper review against competitors. If a link from an important site disappears, contact the owner and find out why.
If you want link work to fit into a wider growth plan, markdev offers marketing strategy and consulting for businesses in Uzbekistan. We can review your link profile together and pick realistic next steps. Tell us about your task and we will discuss where to begin.
FAQ
What is a backlink checker?
It is a tool that shows which websites link to yours, which pages they point to and what anchor text they use. It can be a free report in Google Search Console or a paid platform with its own link database.
Can I check backlinks for free?
Yes. Google Search Console and Yandex Webmaster both show links to your site at no cost. The data is not complete, but it reflects what the search engines themselves have found.
Should I disavow bad links?
Usually not, because search engines tend to ignore spammy links on their own. Disavowing makes sense if you previously bought links or received a manual action notice, and it should be done carefully.
How often should I review my backlink profile?
A monthly look at new and lost links in Search Console and Yandex Webmaster is enough for most businesses. Add a deeper comparison with competitors once a quarter.
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