How Many Backlinks Does a Site Have? Tools & Tips to Check Instantly
How Many Backlinks Does a Site Have? A Complete Guide to Checking & Understanding Backlink Counts
Introduction
Ever wonder how many backlinks does a site have—whether it’s your own site, a competitor’s, or a major brand’s? You’re not alone. Backlinks are one of the most powerful signals search engines use to determine authority and rank in search results.
Whether you’re building links or analyzing SEO performance, understanding the number of backlinks is a critical part of your digital strategy. In this post, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know: how to check backlink numbers, what those numbers mean, and how to use them to boost your rankings.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Main Keyword | How many backlinks does a site have |
| Secondary Keywords | How many backlinks to my site, Number of backlinks |
| Blog Format | How-To / Educational Guide |
| Target Audience | U.S.-based SEO beginners, small business owners, digital marketers, bloggers |
| Importance of Backlink Count | – Affects Google ranking – Builds authority – Helps track SEO growth |
| How to Check Backlinks | – Ahrefs – SEMrush – Moz Link Explorer – Google Search Console (limited to own site) |
| Backlink Metrics to Analyze | – Total backlinks – Referring domains – Anchor text – Dofollow vs Nofollow ratio |
| Backlink Benchmark by Site Type | – New site: 50–100 – Small business: 500–2,000 – Authority site: 10,000+ |
| Key Tools for Monitoring Growth | – Ahrefs (alerts, charts) – SEMrush (trend reports) – Monitor Backlinks |
| Competitor Analysis Insights | – Discover their top-linked content – Identify shared referring domains – Find outreach targets |
| Difference: Backlinks vs Domains | – Backlinks = Total links – Referring domains = Unique sites |
| How to Increase Backlinks | – Guest blogging – Create linkable assets – Broken link outreach – Brand mention follow-ups |
| Reporting Insight | Tools offer historical growth, link gain/loss tracking, and quality analysis |
| Conclusion Action Tip | Run your site in Ahrefs/SEMrush today, set goals, and monitor backlink growth consistently |
Why Backlink Counts Matter in SEO
Backlinks are like online votes of confidence. The more quality sites linking to yours, the more trust Google assigns to your domain. But it’s not just about how many backlinks your site has—it’s about the quality, relevance, and authority of those links.
Here’s why backlink numbers are important:
- They influence domain authority and page authority
- More backlinks often mean higher keyword rankings
- Backlink metrics help you analyze your competitors
- They’re key to understanding your site’s growth over time
Insert image here: A bar chart comparing backlink numbers vs. organic traffic growth for different domains.
How to Check How Many Backlinks a Site Has
You have a few options when it comes to checking the number of backlinks for any domain or page. Let’s walk through the best tools for the job.
1. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is one of the most trusted SEO tools in the industry.
- Go to Site Explorer
- Enter your domain (or a competitor’s)
- Click on Backlink Profile
- You’ll see total backlinks, referring domains, dofollow/nofollow ratio, and more
2. SEMrush
- Go to Backlink Analytics
- Enter the domain
- Check the total number of backlinks, broken links, and referring IPs
3. Moz Link Explorer
- Enter a URL
- View total backlinks, linking domains, domain authority, and spam score
4. Google Search Console (For Your Site Only)
- Navigate to Links in your GSC dashboard
- You’ll see top linked pages and domains
- Limited compared to third-party tools but still valuable
Pro Tip: Always compare tools. The total backlink count varies between platforms because each has different crawlers.
What Is a Good Number of Backlinks?
There’s no single “magic number” that determines success. It depends on your industry, niche competition, and website age. However:
| Site Type | Good Backlink Range |
|---|---|
| New Blog Site | 50–100 quality backlinks |
| Small Business Site | 500–2,000 backlinks from 100+ domains |
| Authority Site | 10,000+ backlinks from 1,000+ domains |
More important than total links is link diversity and quality. Ten backlinks from reputable, niche-relevant websites are more valuable than 1,000 spammy links.
How Many Backlinks Does My Site Have?
To find how many backlinks to my site:
- Open Ahrefs or SEMrush
- Enter your website URL
- View total backlinks and referring domains
- Export the list for detailed analysis
Look at:
- Backlink growth over time
- Top pages receiving links
- Anchor text used
This data is essential for understanding your site’s SEO performance.
How Many Backlinks Does a Competitor’s Site Have?
Competitor analysis is where backlink data gets really useful.
- Run their site through Ahrefs or Moz
- Compare total backlinks vs. your site
- Identify high-authority domains linking to them
This helps you:
- Spot link-building opportunities
- Discover content that earns the most links
- Develop a smarter outreach strategy
Insert infographic: Side-by-side comparison of backlink profiles for two competing domains.
Backlink Count vs. Referring Domains: What’s the Difference?
It’s easy to confuse backlink count with referring domain count, but they’re not the same:
- Backlinks = Total number of individual links pointing to your site
- Referring domains = Number of unique websites linking to your site
More referring domains = more authority. 10,000 backlinks from 1 domain is not as powerful as 500 backlinks from 100 domains.
Tools to Monitor Backlink Growth Over Time
Want to track backlink progress?
| Tool | Features |
| Ahrefs | Historical growth charts, alerts for new/lost links |
| SEMrush | Backlink audit, trend reports |
| Monitor Backlinks | Visual reports, link quality checker |
Set up automated alerts so you’re notified when you:
- Gain a high-value link
- Lose a major backlink
- Hit milestone backlink counts
How to Increase the Number of Backlinks
If you want to boost your backlink count, try these proven tactics:
- Guest blogging on niche-relevant sites
- Create linkable assets (tools, infographics, studies)
- Fix broken links pointing to your competitors
- Reach out to websites that mention your brand but don’t link yet
Quality and relevance should always be your top priority.
📌 15 Frequently Asked Questions About Backlink Counts
1. How many backlinks does a site have, and why does it matter?
The number of backlinks a site has refers to how many times other websites link back to your domain. This matters because backlinks are a strong ranking factor for Google. The more high-quality backlinks your site has, the more authority you gain, which leads to better rankings and more traffic.
2. How can I find out how many backlinks to my site exist?
You can check how many backlinks to my site exist by using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, or Google Search Console. These platforms show the total number of backlinks, referring domains, and even anchor text distribution. For more accuracy, cross-reference between tools.
3. What is considered a good number of backlinks for a website?
There’s no “perfect” backlink count, but general benchmarks include:\n- New sites: 50–100 backlinks\n- Small businesses: 500–2,000 backlinks\n- Established blogs or eCommerce: 5,000+ backlinks
What’s more important than the number of backlinks is the quality and relevance of those links.
4. Does the number of backlinks affect my Google rankings?
Yes. The number of backlinks—especially from authoritative, relevant sites—has a major influence on how well your content ranks in Google search results. But keep in mind: spammy or low-quality links can do more harm than good.
5. How many backlinks does a site have compared to its competitors?
To check how many backlinks your competitors have, use Ahrefs or SEMrush to enter their domain. You’ll see the total backlink count, referring domains, and growth trends. This helps you gauge your standing and build a more competitive link-building strategy.
6. Can I rank on Google with a low number of backlinks?
It’s possible—especially in low-competition niches—but harder. If your competitors have hundreds of backlinks and you have ten, your chances are slim unless your content is 10x better. Quality and niche relevance sometimes outweigh the raw number of backlinks.
7. What is the difference between backlinks and referring domains?
Backlinks are the total number of links pointing to your site, while referring domains are the number of unique websites linking to your site. A site could have 10,000 backlinks from 50 referring domains. More referring domains often means more authority.
8. How often should I check how many backlinks to my site I have?
Check your backlink profile at least monthly. This helps you:\n- Track new backlinks\n- Identify lost links\n- Monitor backlink growth trends\n- Detect toxic or spammy backlinks early
Use tools like Monitor Backlinks for alerts and trend analysis.
9. How many backlinks does a blog post need to rank well?
While it depends on keyword difficulty, many top-ranking blog posts have at least 10–30 high-quality backlinks. The number of backlinks needed also varies based on competition, content quality, and your domain authority.
10. What tools help measure how many backlinks a site has?
The best tools to check how many backlinks does a site have include:\n- Ahrefs (comprehensive backlink data and filters)\n- SEMrush (audit and analytics)\n- Moz (Domain Authority + backlink count)\n- Google Search Console (free, but limited)\nAll tools vary slightly in backlink count due to different crawlers.
11. Does internal linking count as part of the number of backlinks?
No. Internal links (links within your own website) do not count toward the external backlink count. However, they’re still important for SEO and site structure. External backlinks—links from other websites—are the ones that improve authority and rankings.
12. How can I increase the number of backlinks to my site?
To grow the number of backlinks, you can:\n- Write guest posts on industry blogs\n- Create infographics or data-driven content\n- Use broken link building strategies\n- Get listed in niche directories\n- Collaborate with influencers or partners
Quality over quantity is key!
13. What if my backlink count is dropping over time?
Backlink loss can happen due to:\n- Web pages being deleted\n- Websites removing links\n- Site migrations without redirects
Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to monitor lost backlinks and attempt recovery when possible. Track trends regularly to avoid major drops.
14. How many backlinks does a site need for SEO success?
There’s no set number, but success comes from acquiring consistent, natural backlinks over time. If you’re in a competitive space, aim for hundreds to thousands of quality backlinks from diverse domains. Focus on long-term growth rather than quick spikes.
15. Is it better to have more backlinks or better backlinks?
Better backlinks always beat more backlinks. A handful of links from top-tier, niche-relevant websites (like Forbes, HubSpot, or .edu domains) are worth more than thousands of spammy links. The number of backlinks matters—but quality determines the impact.
Conclusion
Now you know how many backlinks a site has, how to check, and what to do with the data. Backlink analysis isn’t just a vanity metric—it’s a crucial part of SEO strategy. Whether you’re tracking your own progress or spying on competitors, understanding the number of backlinks can shape your game plan.
Your next step? Head over to Ahrefs or SEMrush, run your domain, and start tracking. Set realistic goals for backlink growth and watch your SEO rankings rise.
Have questions or want help analyzing your backlink profile? Drop a comment below and let’s chat!
