Backlinks are an essential part of search engine optimization. Business owners want to appear at the top of the search engine results because the first three positions receive the most clicks. They see an increase in traffic when their site is visible at the top of the results.
However, while business owners understand the importance of acquiring backlinks, they often forget to complete a backlink profile analysis. Failing to do so can lead to issues with links and a loss of site visitors. The business owner must understand their existing links and learn more about links to competitors.
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What is a Backlink Profile Analysis?
Link profile analysis evaluates the volume and quality of backlinks pointing to a website. This analysis allows the business owner to determine which links impact the search engine results and what needs to be done to improve the company’s backlink profile. Search engines consider these backlinks when ranking a site based on its authority. The analysis lets the business owner know which links the search engines consider when making this ranking.
Natural links and links from spammy sites can lead to a Google penalty. The analysis ensures these links are found so they can be removed before this happens. However, business owners should also analyze their main competitors’ sites. Doing so allows them to see how challenging it will be to outrank them in the search engine results. Furthermore, reviewing competitor sites allows a business owner to find potential link opportunities they may have overlooked.
Conducting a Banklink Profile Analysis
The process begins by choosing which sites should be analyzed. The owner should analyze their site and the sites of their main competitors. In addition, they should do a quick Google search to find competitors they may have overlooked. When conducting this search, enter the targeted keywords and find the top-ranking sites for that search. Those are the sites to try to outrank.
Pick a Backlink Analysis Tool
Choose a research tool for the analysis. Try free and paid tools to find the most effective one. These tools calculate the number of backlinks on the site. However, they aren’t always accurate, and they may be overly aggressive when it comes to identifying spammy links.
Run Sites Through the Tool
Run each selected domain through the tool and record all information generated. This information must be reviewed to make informed decisions about the marketing strategy. Don’t make this tracking method overly complicated, or the business will not benefit from the analysis.
Important Information Gained From a Backlink Profile Analysis
The analysis will provide information about the total number of links pointing to the site. Compare this to information about competitors’ links to see how the site stacks up. Research the referring domains to find which ones are most valuable and what content they point to on the site. See if they refer to competitors and contact the link providers to see if they will point to the company site.
Top Pages
Figure out which pages on the site have the most links. The home page should be the top page. However, other pages on the site may also have backlinks. This content remains very popular, so consider creating new content related to the information on those pages. Information about the top pages helps companies build on the link-building strategy.
Every business should conduct regular backlink profile analyses. Doing so provides valuable information about the backlink strategy and where changes are needed. When the company makes these changes, they will see the site move up in the search engine results, which every business wants.
