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Once you’ve started building backlinks, it’s time to track what’s working—and what might be hurting your SEO. Backlinks aren’t just about quantity. You need to know which links help you, which are toxic, and where opportunities are hiding.
Here are some of the best tools (free and paid) that I recommend for monitoring your backlink profile and keeping your SEO in good shape.
🔍 1. Google Search Console (Free)
This one’s a no-brainer. Google Search Console shows you:
- Which domains are linking to your site
- How many links each page is getting
- Your most linked-to content
It’s free, accurate (it’s from Google), and a great starting point if you’re on a budget.
🧰 2. SE Ranking
SE Ranking is an all-in-one SEO tool that’s beginner-friendly and powerful. Their backlink checker gives you:
- New and lost links over time
- Anchor text analysis
- Toxic link detection
- Domain authority trends
If you want more insight than Search Console gives you—but without the overwhelm of something like Ahrefs—this is a solid pick. I use it regularly.
đź”— 3. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is the industry standard for backlink analysis. It’s powerful but pricey. If you’re managing multiple sites or competing in tough niches, it gives you:
- Extensive backlink tracking
- Referring domain reports
- Historical link data
- Content explorer for link-building outreach
Downside? The cost. For many bloggers and solopreneurs, it’s overkill—but worth it if you’re going all in.
🔎 4. Ubersuggest
Neil Patel’s Ubersuggest has a free version that’s decent for tracking a few backlinks, checking domain scores, and spotting link-building opportunities. Not as powerful as SE Ranking or Ahrefs, but very friendly for beginners.
đź’ˇ Visual Snapshot
A quick visual of the top backlink tools—free and paid options for smarter SEO tracking.
⚙️ Final Thoughts
You don’t need to spend hundreds a month to track your backlinks—but you do need to stay informed. Start with Google Search Console. Then level up with a tool like SE Ranking as you grow.
Don’t just build backlinks—monitor them. A few bad links can drag down your authority. A few good ones can lift your entire site.
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