How can I check if my backlinks are working...?

JoMo... Cheers. I presume you mean a google search.... I was hoping that there was a quicker way do it, but if thats what I have to do then so be it.

OK I guess that I must be doing something wrong.... I was using yahoo siteexplorer which showed my site as having only 2 backlinks even though I had set-up at least 50 of these backlinks from this backlink package what I'm using thats why I was looking for an alternative method of checking the links out. I have now just checked with the Backlink checker recommended by Waken (thank you) and it has given me the same result - 2.... I cant understand... does that mean that all those links that I have set up have not worked?????

Be patient Catherine.

In time you will reach a 'tipping point' backlinks-wise and your ranking will rapidly improve.

I've had sites that didn't do a thing for 3 months (despite intensive backlinking) then one day hit page 1 and have stayed high there ever since.

Some sites respond fast, some slow.

Try to focus on the long run and building a long-term web property that you will keep forever or sell as a powerhouse internet property.

Also, promote several sites at once as you backlink to maximize your productivity.

Thanks Waken... I read recently about "dofollow" but of course being a newbie didnt know anything about it. I'll look forward to reading your guide

Here are two things that you need to do when building backlinks with "Power Links" which is my own term for the types of links in Angela's, Paul's, Steve's, and others WSO's.

1) Bookmark Them - this applies double to profile links. There is often no "path" that leads from the homepage of these authority sites to your profile page. That being the case, there is no way for the GoogleBot to find your page, index it, and count your link!

The solution is to use a tool like Bookmarking Demon to bookmark the URL of every page you drop a link on. I'll do a run and get 30 to 40 backlinks to my profile links. This gives me 30 "paths" out there in the spiderable web that lead to my link and that's why my links are usually indexed within 72 hrs. (not that they all show in backlink cheching tools of course)

Alternatively, you can ping those pages with a tool like Pingler. You can also combo the two and bookmarking the pages, then use Bookmarking Demon's Ping function to ping your bookmarking profiles so your bookmarks (and then your Power Links) are found faster.

2) Patience - SEO is a long-term game. I find that when I consistently use Angela's backlinks, Free Traffic System, The Link Juicer, and other methods on a consistent basis, my sites take spot #1 or #2 within 90 days.

The average is 90 days. Not 45, and not 60. And that's on sites with competiton of 350,000 or less on a phrase matched keyword.

Backlink services, tools, packets....whatever....they all have to hold up that ONE story of the guy who threw up some links at 10pm after putting his kids to bed and woke up to a #1 ranking the next day in order to get people to buy.

Don't plan on that being you. Plan on you working hard for 90 days and then getting there. If you arrive sooner, that's a bonus...but you gotta give it at least 90 days before second guessing yourself.