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checking/counting backlinks question

by Ian Jackson
11 replies
Sorry if this is a bit of a dumb question, I'm not really up to speed with SEO techniques. I know the (Google) backlinks SE thing is all a bit of a mystery.

So if I'm advised to get at least x-number of backlinks to my site, I'm assuming this is links back to my site from other sites? Therefore, how do I check/know whether or not any sites are linking back to me? - or is this the "classified" we-don't-know part?

Thanks

Ian (formerly iciejay)
#backlinks #checking or counting #question
  • Profile picture of the author write-stuff
    It's a subject I'd sure like to know more about. I keep lists of backlinks so I know where they are. Yet Google won't find but a few of them. I guess it depends on the quantity of the backlinking site.

    Alexa is even worse. They show three linking in to one of my main site, then right underneath, they'll show a couple dozen that link to my site that they haven't given me credit for. I uploaded a list of about 30 backlinks to them using their official procedure, but now, some nine months later, they haven't included a single one that I sent.
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Hoey
    Webmasters tool (SEO) : Host and IP Addresses Backlinks Checker

    I use this to check my Backlinks, sometimes they take time to appear and be registered as actual backlinks so don't be suprised if you have less showing than there are on the net.
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  • Profile picture of the author Fadzuli
    You guys are talking about backlinks and yet you guys never leave your signatures? Weird....

    That's the very basic rule...leave your links in the signature.

    To be honest you should not really care how google ranks your back links. Just have as many as possible at as many high Page Rank Websites as you can.

    As long as you don't spam, people wont banned you..
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Hoey
    Depends, i have nothing relevant to IM niche. I'm in the health niche so it's an irrelevant link. Besides, depends if it is do-follow
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  • Profile picture of the author write-stuff
    Yeah, same here. My links are all aviation related. Does having them appear in a message forum help me in Google searches? I'm active in other forums and do have my links in my signature, but Google doesn't seem to count those.
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Hoey
    It's one of the ways you can get backlinks. Remember, the more backlinks pointing at your site, the more google thinks your site has some sort of value - because people are linking to it.
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  • Profile picture of the author dvduval
    I would say a link in your signature, even if unrelated probably won't hurt you. Especially if you have a new site, it can help you get indexed. If you already have pagerank a a good number of backlinks, the sig links probably won't help unless you are showing them to people who would be interested in your site.
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    It is okay to contact me! I have been developing software since 1999, creating many popular products like phpLD.
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  • Profile picture of the author kevinw1
    You can see some of your backlinks using Google Webmaster Tools, and more of them using Yahoo's Site Explorer tool. Neither of these tells you whether G actually counts them when it ranks your pages.

    Forum sig links are very often "nofollowed" which means they may or may not be followed and "count".

    The more (and more easily) a technique is manipulated to get backlinks, the more likely G is to ignore or discount the links. They're not dumb over there, ya know.

    Kevin
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    • Profile picture of the author Ian Jackson
      Thanks v.much all. Yes, as my niche is financial, I've not put it in my sig. Seems it may not altogether be n/a in there though...
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      • Profile picture of the author Barbara Eyre
        I use a number of tools to help me find backlinks, because
        a) not one tool finds them all and
        b) they find ones that I never knew existed.

        SEO SpyTool from link-assistant.com (free and paid)

        backlinkwatch.com (tell's you if the link is nofollow and the anchor text)

        Google webmaster tools

        Yahoo's tools

        and in a search engine: link:www.yoursite.com

        There are also other tools, but that's it off the top of my head.
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        Phoenix Rising Web Services | Fibromyalgia Information
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        • Profile picture of the author grafxgold
          For backLinks to any site, Do the following

          In searchbox use he following for either Google or Yahoo

          Google Searchbox = link:http://www.sitename.com
          Yahoo Searchbox = linkdomain:www.sitename.com

          This works, so if you do not receive results, try a popular
          site like apple.com to see an actual results.

          Hope this helps out.
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