Link Audit

What a Link Audit Covers

A link audit typically starts with backlinks. You look at each link pointing to your site. You check the source domain, the anchor text, and the page it lands on.

Some audits also cover internal links. Internal links connect pages within your own site. They help distribute ranking signals and guide users.

The goal is to find links that support rankings and links that may cause harm. You also look for gaps where your site could earn more links.

• Source URL and referring domain
• Anchor text used
• Link type (dofollow, nofollow, sponsored, UGC)
• Destination page status (live, redirected, broken)

How to Run a Link Audit

Start by exporting backlink data from Google Search Console. This shows links Google knows about. It is not a complete list, but it is a reliable starting point.

You can also use third-party tools like Ahrefs or Moz. These tools estimate the full backlink profile. Combine exports from multiple sources and remove duplicates.

Then review each link manually or with a tool. Look for patterns. Spammy anchors, irrelevant sources, and paid links are common red flags. Also check for broken or redirected targets.

If you find harmful links, try to remove them first. Contact the site owner and ask for removal. If that fails, you may use Google’s disavow link tool. Only disavow links you believe cause a problem.

Risky Patterns to Watch For

Some link patterns are more likely to cause issues. Spammy links from low-quality directories or link networks are a common concern. Links with exact-match anchor text in bulk can also look unnatural.

Link farms are networks of sites built solely to exchange links. Links from these sites are almost always low quality. Google may ignore or penalise them.

Another risk is Negative SEO, where someone builds bad links to your site to hurt your rankings. A link audit can catch this early.

Not every suspicious link needs action. Google often ignores low-quality links. Over-disavowing can remove useful signals.

• Spammy anchor text (e.g., 'buy cheap viagra')
• Links from irrelevant or low-quality domains
• Paid links that violate Google’s guidelines
• Broken or redirected destination pages

Link Audits and Broader SEO Work

A link audit is part of a larger seo audits process. It connects to how technical seo audit works by checking link health and redirects.

You can also use a Dead Link Checker to find broken links in your profile. Fixing these improves user experience and link equity.

For local businesses, Local SEO Links from directories and citations matter. A link audit for a local site should focus on relevance and NAP consistency.

Common Mistakes in Link Audits

Many people treat every low-quality link as harmful. This leads to unnecessary removals or disavow requests and wastes time.

Looking only at one data source can miss part of the backlink profile. This produces an incomplete audit.

Focusing on raw link counts instead of relevance and context hides real problems or opportunities.