If you have spent any time trying to improve your website’s SEO, you have probably heard that backlinks are kind of a big deal and that’s absolutely true.
Backlinks are little thumbs-ups from other sites saying to Google, “Hey, this content is valuable.” The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more you are trusted by search engines. And that trust can mean better rankings, higher visibility, and eventually more customers.
But here is the catch: discovering the proper backlinks (and steering clear of improper ones) isn’t always easy.
At Exaalgia, we have worked with hundreds of businesses to expand their online reach with effective SEO strategies, and backlink building is one of the most effective weapons in our arsenal.
So, whether you are just beginning or looking to optimize your current link strategy, this guide will take you through:
- Why backlinks remain important in 2025.
- The best methods to discover backlinks that increase your authority.
- How to observe who is connecting with your competitors (and how to secure those links for yourself).
- What tools to utilize.
- What bad backlinks look like.
- How we do all this (and more) for our customers.
Let’s dive in!
What Are Backlinks?
Backlinks, or inbound links, are links to a website from another. When another site links to yours, it is like a vote of confidence informing search engines that your information is valuable, trustworthy, and worth showing in search results.
All backlinks are not equal, however. One high-authority link from a relevant site can impact your SEO more than a whole dozen low-quality ones.
Think of backlinks as character references for your site. And just like in life, who recommends you is more important than how many recommend you.
Why You Need to Know Where Your Backlinks Come From
If you are looking to boost your SEO, it is not sufficient to merely receive backlinks, you need to know where they are originating from, which ones are benefitting you, and which ones could actually be harming your rankings.
Here is why you should care about tracking your backlinks:
- You will know what pages are gaining the most links
- You can discover new sites to contact for future backlinks
- You will catch (and eliminate) spammy or toxic links before they cause harm
- You will be one step ahead of your competition
Bottom line? Having an understanding of your backlink profile puts you in a serious advantage in the world of SEO.
Best Tools to Help You Find Backlinks (Quickly)
You do not have to wonder who is linking to you or your competition. There are tools available that make this aspect of SEO a lot easier. Here are some of our must-haves:
Ahrefs
One of the strongest backlink tools available. Ahrefs provides you with access to an enormous link index so that you can view all of your site or your competition’s backlinks. You can also view new/lost links, look at anchor text, and examine domain authority.
SEMrush
SEMrush is another one-stop SEO tool with in-depth backlink research. You can track your own links, find referring domains, check for follow/no-follow links, and even audit for spammy backlinks.
Google Search Console
This is a free Google tool that reveals some of the sites linking to yours. It’s a useful place to start if you are new to backlink analysis.
Moz Link Explorer
Moz allows you to see who’s linking to you, what anchor text they’re using, and what your domain authority is. It’s easy to use and provides a good idea of the link health of your site.
Majestic SEO
This one gives you special metrics such as trust flow and citation flow to give you an idea of the quality and influence of your backlinks.
How to Find Quality Backlinks (That Actually Make a Difference)
Now, let’s discuss the “how.” Here’s how to get high-quality, impactful backlinks that drive results.
1. Spy on Your Competitors
Curious about where your competitors are acquiring links? You can discover with SEMrush or Ahrefs. Simply input their domain and scan their backlink profile. Identify blogs, directories, and publications linking to them then determine how you can obtain a link from those same sources.
2. Repair Broken Links
There are hundreds of websites with links to dead pages. You can track these broken links and provide your own content as an alternative. It’s a win-win: they repair a broken link, and you get a backlink.
3. Search for Brand Mentions
At the times when people are talking about your business online but failing to link back to your website, use BuzzSumo! Or even Google Alerts. To uncover more unlinked brand mentions and politely request the site owner to link back to you.
4. Explore Top-Ranking Pages
Take your top keywords, identify top pages, and see who’s linking to them. These are websites that are willing to link out to similar content so offer them something even better!
Why Competitor Backlink Audits Are So Strong
We at Exaalgia utilize competitor backlink audits to power link-building efforts that drive results. Below is our step-by-step process you can implement:
Step 1: Identify Your Top SEO Competitors
Search your desired keywords and write down the sites that appear on page 1. Those are your SEO competitors.
Step 2: Break Down Their Backlinks
Export their backlink profiles using Ahrefs or SEMrush. Analyze domain authority, anchor text, and what type of pages are receiving the largest number of links.
Step 3: Identify Link Opportunities
Not every link will be useful but some will be gold. Search for editorial mentions, guest posts, and industry directories.
Step 4: Reach Out and Create Your Own
Once you’ve identified your targets, pitch your content, offer something valuable, and start earning links that matter.
Watch Out: Not All Backlinks Are Good Backlinks
Yes, backlinks are great but only when they come from reputable, relevant websites.
Here are a few red flags to avoid:
- Links from shady, unrelated websites
- Paid links (especially those that aren’t labeled properly)
- Repetitive links with exact match anchor text
- Sites that exist just to sell backlinks
If Google sees too many of them, it will penalize your site and lower your rankings.
That’s why we always advise doing regular backlink audits and disavowing bad links. Don’t know how to do it? We’ve got you covered.
How Exaalgia Assists in Building You a Strong, Secure Backlink Profile
Backlinks are powerful but they must be part of an overall, smarter SEO strategy. That’s where we come in.
Here’s how our SEO Services USA support your link-building goals:
In-Depth Backlink Audit
We take a detailed look at your existing backlinks to identify which ones are helping and which ones might be hurting.
Competitor Link Gap Analysis
We compare your backlink profile to your top competitors and build a plan to close the gap (and get ahead of them).
Custom Link Building Campaigns
We earn high-quality backlinks via guest blogging, content marketing, broken link building, and ethical outreach no spammy methods ever.
Clear Reporting
You will receive simple-to-read monthly reports that highlight your link growth, referring domains, anchor text variety, and rank impact.
Our mission? Assist you in creating a link profile that performs today and continues to perform for years to come.
Fast Tips to Begin Developing Better Backlinks Today
If you can’t wait to get started, here are some steps you can take right now:
- Use Google Search Console or SEMrush to audit your existing backlinks
- Audit your backlinks and disavow the spammy ones
- Seek out and pitch to sites that link to your competitors
- Make shareable content (think: blog posts, infographics, case studies)
- Establish relationships with bloggers and publishers in your space
Keep in mind: backlink building is long-term, but it is a huge payoff when done well.
Ready to Fortify Your Backlink Profile?
If you are launching a new website or attempting to push through challenging competitors, savvy link-building is one of the soundest investments you can make in your digital marketing.
At Exaalgia, we assist businesses like yours in establishing authority, boosting rankings, and drawing high-converting traffic with strong, ethical SEO strategies.
We can talk about your objectives or get a free SEO audit and find out how your backlinks are actually doing.
FAQs on Finding Backlinks
1. What is a backlink, anyway?
A backlink is a link to your site from another site. It’s a sort of digital endorsement, and it lets search engines know that your content is reliable.
2. How do I know who’s linking to my website?
You can utilize search tools such as Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to inspect the sites that link to your pages and observe what anchor text they use.
3. Are all backlinks good for SEO?
No way. Spammy or low-quality backlinks can negatively affect your site. Regularly auditing your backlinks and eliminating or disavowing them is a must.
4. What’s the fastest way to get backlinks?
There ain’t no shortcut, but methods such as guest blogging, link brokenness, and content outreach can assist in building links more quickly with repeated effort.
5. Can backlinks boost my Google rankings?
Yes, particularly if they’re from high-authority, relevant websites. Backlinks remain one of Google’s highest ranking signals.