DPS.MEDIA has supported hundreds of SME businesses in improving backlinks to increase traffic and credibility online. Monitoring backlinks not only helps detect bad links but also expands valuable partnership opportunities for businesses.
The importance of backlinks in SEO strategy for small and medium enterprises
What are backlinks and why are they important?
Backlink (links from other websites pointing to your website) is one of the top ranking factors in Google's algorithm. According to MOZ research (2023), over 55% websites in the top 3 have a stable and quality backlink system. For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), backlinks help:
– Increase website credibility on search engines
– Increase traffic from external sources
– Improve indexing speed and evaluation of new content
Advantages and challenges for SMEs
Compared to large enterprises, SMEs often lack budget and personnel for in-depth SEO campaigns. However, if utilized correctly, backlinks still bring high effectiveness without large investments.
Tip: Prioritize backlink building tactics from local sources (local directory) or industry communities (forums, reputable groups).
Types of backlinks to invest in first
Some suitable backlink types for the early stage of SMEs:
– Backlinks from reputable local blogs, newspapers
– Links from industry-related websites
– Guest posts on partner or expert blogs
– Backlinks from social networks (social backlink) like LinkedIn, Facebook
Checklist for checking backlink value and quality
- backlinks from reputable domains (DA > 30)
- Not from spammed or blacklisted websites
- Link content relevant to the business field
- Natural anchor text ratio, no keyword stuffing
- Page containing backlink is indexed by Google
Real example: Optimizing backlinks increases 48% traffic
An accounting service SME business in Hanoi implemented a cross-review campaign on 12 industry blogs. After 3 months, organic traffic increased by 48% and conversion rate from Google Search improved by 22% (Google Analytics, Q2/2023).
Note: Avoid buying large quantities of backlinks from link farm systems – Google may impose severe penalties (according to Google Search Central, 2022).
Comparison table of popular backlink types
| Backlink Type | Advantages | Risks |
|---|---|---|
| Guest Post | Stable links, content control | Time-consuming to build relationships |
| Forum/community | Easy to access, low cost | Easily rated as spam if overused |
| Social Link | Increase Brand Awareness | Low SEO impact if not optimized |
Summary takeaway
Backlinks are an important foundation helping SMEs increase visibility on search engines. However, prioritize quality over quantity and avoid “quick win” tactics. Periodic checks and selective reliable link sources will bring sustainable results for long-term SEO strategy.
Choosing free backlink checker tools suitable for real needs
Determining goals when checking backlinks
Before choosing a tool, you need to clearly define the usage objectives to avoid wasting time and resources. For example:
– Track the number of new/total backlinks of the website
– Analyze backlink quality (do-follow vs no-follow, DR/UR)
– Check bad backlinks affecting SEO
If you only need to quickly check backlinks from domain A to website B, simple tools like Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker are sufficient.
Popular tools and main features
The comparison table below helps you determine the most suitable tool:
| Tool | Outstanding free features | Specific limits |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Backlink Checker | Display top 100 backlinks / domain | No anchor text data or charts |
| Ubersuggest | Analyze total backlinks, anchor, no/do-follow | Limit 3 queries/day for free account |
| Google Search Console | Natural backlinks filtered from Google data | only manage websites you own |
Checklist for selecting backlink checker tools
Here are 5 practical steps to choose the right tool:
– ✅ Define main objectives (tracking, analysis, removing bad links…)
– ✅ Measure website scale (small pages Some challenges when using free tools
Although convenient, free tools still have clear limitations:
– Data is often limited in quantity and depth
– No advanced analysis (e.g.: spam backlinks, toxic)
– Slower updates compared to paid versions (may be 1-2 weeks late)
Short takeaway
Free backlink tools are a good starting point, but choose ones suitable for specific needs and combine using 2-3 different sources for the most complete and accurate view.
Step-by-step guide to using popular and simple backlink checker tools
Choose reputable backlink checker tools
Currently, there are many free tools supporting quick backlink checks. Some popular tools you can start with:
– Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker
– Ubersuggest (SEO by Neil Patel)
– OpenLinkProfiler
– Google Search Console (free & available if website is verified)
Tips: If the website is new under 6 months, use both tools simultaneously to compare data.
Perform backlink checks step by step
For example with Ubersuggest tool, you can apply as follows:
- Access https://neilpatel.com/ubersuggest/
- Enter the URL you want to check backlinks
- Select area (Vietnam, Global depending on SEO target)
- Switch to “Backlinks” tab on the left
- View backlink list, referring domains, Authority and link types
Below is an example of data output from a new website after 3 months of SEO implementation:
| Landing page | Referring domain | DA | Link type |
|---|---|---|---|
| /dich-vu-seo | exampleblog.net | 47 | Dofollow |
| / | wikianswers.com | 85 | Nofollow |
Checklist when analyzing backlinks
Below is a list of specific actions:
- ✔️ Prioritize backlinks from domains with DA > 40
- ✔️ Check Dofollow/Nofollow ratio → recommend minimum 60% is Dofollow
- ✔️ Remove links from spammed or penalized pages (use Spam Score from Moz)
- ✔️ Evaluate anchor text – should not be stuffed with keywords
Source: Backlinko 2023 report shows that 91% of top 3 Google pages have at least 1 quality backlink (Backlinko, 2023).
Warning: Low-quality backlinks or those showing SEO manipulation signs can cause the page to be flagged by Google for violating guidelines (Google Search Central, 2022).
Remember takeaway
Regular backlink checking helps you direct SEO strategy correctly and detect risks early. Combine tool data with manual analysis for a more comprehensive view of the link profile.
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DPS.MEDIA – Support businesses in controlling quality, sustainable backlinks.
📧 Contact: marketing@dps.media | ☎️ 0961545445
Analyze check results to identify quality backlinks and bad backlinks
Criteria for identifying quality backlinks
To evaluate the quality of a link, focus on the following factors:
- Domain authority: Backlink from page with DR/DA > 50 (e.g., Ahrefs/Moz rating).
- Relevance: Content and topic of referring page must match the website's field.
- Link type: Prioritize dofollow backlink, appearing in main content (editorial backlink).
- Anchor text ratio: Limit exact match anchor text for main keyword.
Signs to recognize bad backlinks
Bad backlinks not only reduce SEO value but also pose risk of Google penalty. Some common characteristics:
- Links from spam pages: Page with low-quality content, excessive advertising, or containing malware.
- Unusual anchor text: Too much money keyword anchor density.
- Links from unrelated sites: Example: Real estate website has backlinks from weight loss drug blog.
- Links from PBN/public link farm: These sites have thousands of outbound links, no natural traffic.
Checklist for classifying backlinks (Action items)
- ✓ Check DR/DA and Organic Traffic of the referring domain (use ahrefs, ubersuggest)
- ✓ Evaluate relevance level from topic and anchor text
- ✓ Label “Good” / “Suspicious” / “Bad” to create processing list
- ✓ Submit Disavow file to Google if there are many toxic links
Summary table of common backlink types
| Backlink Type | Quality | Prioritize keeping? |
|---|---|---|
| Backlinks from press (vnexpress.net, cafebiz.vn…) | High | Yes |
| Forum profile links | Low | No |
| Comment backlinks | Medium/low | Conditional |
| Blog content guest post (related field) | Medium to high | Yes |
| Backlinks from PBN or low-quality sites | Very low | No – need disavow |
Real example from an SME project
A customer's furniture website (anonymous) has nearly 700 backlinks, but 371 of them come from unrelated sites with DA Warning: Do not delete all low DA backlinks if they come from real forums or blogs. Google evaluates based on context, not just metrics.
Takeaway
A bad backlink is not only “useless” but can be harmful. Analyze each link type carefully with a clear checklist to make timely decisions. That is the solid foundation to build a clean and safe backlink profile.
Tips to protect website from toxic backlinks and how to handle when spam is detected
Identifying toxic backlinks is the first step
To effectively protect your website, you need to know which backlinks are harmful. Common signs of toxic backlinks include:
– From unrelated domains or containing adult/gambling content
– With unrelated or over-optimized anchor text
– Referring IP from countries incompatible with your market
💡 According to Ahrefs 2023 report, 55% of websites lost rankings due to unhandled spam link influence.
Free tools to check bad backlinks
Some free tools that support well in checking and evaluating backlink quality:
– Google Search Console (GSC): view list of unusual backlinks
– Ahrefs Backlink Checker free: check top 100 backlinks of domain
– SEMrush (Trial or free version): classify anchor text, toxic score
– Ubersuggest: display domain score, international backlinks
Tip: Regularly check backlinks once a month to detect spam links early, avoid Google penalties.
Proper way to handle toxic backlinks
If you detect suspicious backlinks, follow these steps:
- Create a list of backlinks to disavow (toxic list)
- Contact the spam website administrator to request link removal
- Use Google's Disavow Tool to reject that backlink
A small business in Ho Chi Minh City once lost over 40% of its traffic due to just 35 backlinks from foreign junk content sites. After using the Disavow Tool combined with internal link optimization, the website recovered its rankings after 3 weeks (Source: Internal case study DPS.MEDIA, 2023).
Checklist to protect website from backlink spam
- Plan periodic backlink audits (at least once a month)
- Monitor diverse and natural anchor text
- do not buy backlinks in bulk from unverified sources
- Use GSC to monitor unusual redirect links
- Set up alerts in Ahrefs / SEMrush for new links
Table classifying risks of bad backlinks
| Backlink Type | Risk level | Handling method |
|---|---|---|
| Irrelevant foreign language website | High | Disavow |
| Buying links through forums/link farms | Very High | Stop immediately + Disavow |
| Spam comments containing links | Medium | Delete/moderate |
takeaway
Maintaining clean and natural backlinks not only optimizes SEO but also preserves website credibility. Don't wait for Google's warning to start handling – proactively audit and prevent regularly.
Optimize backlink building strategy based on reports from free tools
Analyze strengths & vulnerabilities from existing backlinks
Use reports from tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker to grasp:
– Total number of backlinks and referring domains
– Dofollow/nofollow backlink ratio
– Pages with the most links
– Commonly used anchor text
An example from an anonymous DPS.MEDIA client: after analysis with Ahrefs Free Tool, only 32% of backlinks were from pages with DR > 30. Thanks to that, they prioritized building links from high-quality local news sites.
Optimization actions: 5 specific steps
To take practical action based on the report, you can apply the following checklist:
- ① Identify links from low-quality sources (SPAM Score > 80%)
- ② Remove or disavow unnatural links
- ③ Prioritize building backlinks from relevant-topic sources
- ④ Increase brand anchor text ratio for diversification
- ⑤ Monitor monthly with the same tool to measure changes
Tip: Use Google Search Console to filter by most-linked pages. Often, a few “hot” blog posts attract the majority of backlinks – reuse similar content formats for other articles.
Compare effectiveness before & after backlink optimization
| Metric | Before Optimization | After Optimization (after 3 months) |
|---|---|---|
| Referring domains | 41 | 77 |
| Diversify anchor text | 12 styles | 24 styles |
| Organic traffic | ~580 visits/month | ~1,320 visits/month |
Source: Internal DPS.MEDIA data, comparison report May-Aug/2023.
Warning: Avoid unnatural links
Even though some free tools haven't detected all harmful backlinks, Google can still identify them.
– Links from cheap PBN (Private Blog Network) pose a risk of content penalization
– Placing too many backlinks with commercial anchors can be seen as manipulation
– Sending an inaccurate Disavow List can negatively affect the entire site
Note: Limit using the same anchor text pointing to multiple different URLs – easily flagged as unnatural pattern (according to Google Spam Policies, 2023).
Short takeaway
Utilizing free tools to monitor backlinks is an important initial step to build a sustainable SEO strategy. Act based on real data, don't chase the quantity of backlinks while ignoring quality.
Orientation for effective backlink development contributing to improving rankings and brand reputation
Understand correctly about quality rather than quantity
In modern SEO strategies, a few high-quality backlinks from reputable sources are worth more than hundreds of irrelevant backlinks. According to Ahrefs (2023 Report), 91% websites receive no traffic from Google due to lack of or poor-quality backlinks.
- Prioritize websites with DA (Domain Authority) ≥ 50
- Choose sources related to the field of operation
- Avoid repeated link exchanges or public PBN networks
Long-term backlink strategy: Focus on SEO & brand value
Not only for SEO, quality backlinks also help increase brand credibility when appearing on news sites, industry forums. Example: A tech startup in Ho Chi Minh City increased 47% referral traffic after 3 months of guest posting on 5 reputable industry blogs.
Effective backlink building checklist:
- Analyze competitors' backlinks with Ahrefs or Ubersuggest
- Contact for guest post on related blogs/industries
- Create shareable content (infographic, guides)
- Monitor and remove harmful backlinks
Monthly tools and activities checklist table
| Work | The tool supports | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Backlink analysis | Ahrefs, OpenLinkProfiler | 2 times/month |
| Guest post | Email outreach | 1-2 posts/month |
| Remove harmful backlinks | Google Disavow Tool | Quarterly |
Notes on risks and prevention methods
Do not buy cheap backlinks or use automated backlink creation tools, as they may result in Google penalties (Google Spam Update 2022). Always check periodically to ensure a clean backlink profile without artificial manipulation.
Quick takeaway:
Focus on building a sustainable backlink system – few but quality, relevant, and with clear context – for long-term SEO effectiveness and enhancing brand trust.
Insider's perspective
Checking backlinks with free tools helps businesses grasp the quality of links.
From there, easily optimize SEO in a sustainable and effective direction.
Try analyzing your backlink list right now today.
Choose a tool suitable for your needs and start reviewing.
You should also learn more about how to build high-quality backlinks.
Or explore SEO ranking strategies tailored specifically for SMEs.
DPS.MEDIA is always ready to accompany you on your digitalization journey.
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