How to Check Backlinks in Google Search Console (Complete Guide)

Want to see who's linking to your website? Whether you're tracking the success of your product launch or monitoring your SEO progress, understanding your backlink profile is crucial for growth.

Here's the good news: Google Search Console gives you free access to your complete backlink profile — no paid tools required. In this comprehensive guide, I'll walk you through exactly how to analyze your backlinks and turn that data into actionable insights.

What Are Backlinks and Why They Matter

Backlinks (also called inbound links) are links from other websites pointing to yours. Think of them as digital votes of confidence that tell search engines your content is valuable enough to reference.

Why Backlinks Are Essential for Your Website

SEO Benefits:

Boost search rankings: Quality backlinks are one of Google's top ranking factors
Faster indexing: Help search engines discover your content quicker
Domain authority: Build cumulative credibility over time

Business Benefits:

Referral traffic: Real visitors clicking through from other sites
Brand credibility: Establish industry authority and trust
Networking opportunities: Connect with other creators and businesses

Important Note: Not all backlinks are beneficial. Low-quality or spammy links can actually hurt your SEO performance, which is why monitoring your link profile is essential.

🛠️ Step-by-Step: Checking Backlinks in Google Search Console

Let's dive into the practical steps to access and analyze your backlink data using Google's free tool.

Step 1: Access Google Search Console

Visit Google Search Console
Sign in with your Google account
Select your verified website property

Don't have your site verified yet? You'll need to verify ownership first through HTML file upload, domain provider, or HTML tag verification.

Step 2: Navigate to the Links Report

In the left sidebar, click "Links" to access your comprehensive backlink report. You'll see several key sections:

Section	What It Shows	Why It Matters
External Links	Total backlinks to your site	Overall link popularity
Top Linked Pages	Your most linked-to content	Identify high-performing content
Top Linking Sites	Domains linking to you most	Key relationship opportunities
Top Linking Text	Common anchor text phrases	Understand how others describe you
Internal Links	How your pages link to each other	Site structure optimization

check backlinks in gsc

Step 3: Analyze Your Top Linked Pages

Click on "Top linked pages" to see which of your pages attract the most backlinks:

Text

Example insights you might discover:
✅ Blog posts perform better than product pages
✅ How-to guides attract more links than announcements
✅ Older content still drives link value

Action Items:

Create more content similar to your top-linked pages
Optimize high-potential pages that aren't getting links yet
Update and promote your best-performing content

Step 4: Review Your Top Linking Sites

Click "Top linking sites" to see which domains link to you most frequently:

What to look for:

Industry relevance: Are these sites in your niche?
Site quality: Do they have good domain authority?
Relationship potential: Could you collaborate further?

Step 5: Export Your Data for Deeper Analysis

Click the Export button (top right) to download your data as:

Google Sheets (recommended for collaboration)
Excel/CSV (for advanced analysis)

🧠 Turning Backlink Data Into Action

Having the data is just the first step. Here's how to use these insights strategically:

Identify Content Opportunities

Look for patterns in your top-linked content:

What topics resonate most with other websites?
Which content formats (guides, lists, tools) get shared most?
Are there seasonal trends in your link acquisition?

Build Relationship Strategies

Analyze your top linking sites:

Reach out to thank sites that link to you frequently
Explore guest posting opportunities with relevant sites
Look for broken link opportunities on sites that already link to you

Monitor Link Quality

Watch for potential issues:

Sudden spikes in low-quality links
Links from unrelated or spammy sites
Over-optimization of anchor text

Pro Tip: Set up email alerts in Google Search Console to get notified about significant changes in your link profile.

🚀 Advanced Backlink Analysis Strategies

While Google Search Console is excellent for basic analysis, consider these advanced approaches:

Combine GSC with Other Tools

Tool	Best For	Cost
Ahrefs	Comprehensive link analysis, competitor research	Paid
SEMrush	Toxic link identification, keyword analysis	Paid
Ubersuggest	Basic overview and content ideas	Free tier available
Moz Link Explorer	Domain authority insights	Free tier available

Set Up Regular Monitoring

Weekly: Check for new high-quality links
Monthly: Analyze linking patterns and opportunities
Quarterly: Comprehensive link audit and cleanup

Competitive Analysis

Use the insights from your own link profile to:

Research what types of content attract links in your niche
Identify potential linking partners in your industry
Discover content gaps you could fill

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't obsess over quantity: 10 high-quality backlinks beat 100 low-quality ones Don't ignore internal linking: Your site structure matters for SEO Don't forget about anchor text diversity: Avoid over-optimization Don't neglect mobile experience: Many referral visitors come from mobile

📊 Understanding the Complete Picture

Remember that Google Search Console shows you links that Google has discovered and considers relevant. This might not include:

Very new links (can take weeks to appear)
Links from sites Google doesn't regularly crawl
Links marked as "nofollow" (though these still provide value)

For a complete picture, combine GSC data with other tools and your own tracking.

🎯 Next Steps: Building on Your Backlink Insights

Once you understand your current backlink profile:

Create more linkable content based on what's already working
Reach out to potential partners identified through your analysis
Optimize underperforming pages that should be attracting more links
Set up monitoring systems to track your progress over time

📚 Related Resources

Want to dive deeper into backlink strategy? Check out these related guides:

What Are Backlinks? (Complete SEO Guide 2025) - Master the fundamentals of backlinks and their impact on SEO
15+ Free Backlinks to Boost Your Website SEO - Discover actionable strategies to earn quality backlinks without spending money
How Product Directories Can Get You High-Quality Backlinks - Learn how to leverage product launches for strategic link building

Ready to take your backlink strategy to the next level? Google Search Console gives you the foundation, but the real magic happens when you turn those insights into consistent action. Start with the steps above, and remember: building authority takes time, but every quality backlink moves you closer to your SEO goals.