real vs reported backlinks?

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6
Hi:

I wondered if any of you have run any tests or have any evidence to support a position on the following question.

Is it feasable that the number of backlinks reported by Google and/or Yahoo is generally substantially lower than the number of actual backlinks (based on the fact that you may know you have placed & verified them) because Google and/or Yahoo only 'counts' what they might consider 'qualified' links?

As if to say, is it feasable that a given Web page actually has 10,000 backlinks total on the Internet (say even for google indexed back link source pages) but Google really only thinks 400 are worth counting? This of course would indicate that you really only have 400 'effective' back links to the page.

I don't want to tick anybody off here but honestly, I'm more interested in evidence (even if just experience) than opinion.
#search engine optimization #backlinks #real #reported
  • This probably isn't very helpful, but the problem is that no one really knows (unless someone comes along with some scientific evidence!).

    I find different results using Google Webmaster Tools, Yahoo, Keyword Spy, Seo Spyglass, BacklinkWatch etc, so I just use Yahoo as a guide and as a level playing field to compare sites if I'm looking at volume of links.

    As to Google only reporting those links it values, I would tend to say that this wasn't the case, but have no evidence to back this up. I hope someone does, but I would have thought on Google themselves know.
  • Hmm, any ideas on how we might effectively test it?
  • Google definitely doesn't show the total number so it is certainly safe to assume you have a lot more than they show you. Yahoo is much closer but they also tend to take a while to catch up to show new links, so you probably have more than they show also.
    • [1] reply
    • I agree with both the Google and the Yahoo points you make, but how do we actually know? How do we know how many google really takes notice of?

      Perhaps another question could be - seeing as we're never going to find the answer to the first question, does it really matter?

      Sorry MAtkins - not much help I'm afraid!
  • I think just different spiders have different algorithms and therefore will all pick up and miss different links.
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