Imagine you’re building a huge sandcastle. To make it really impressive, you need help from friends who bring you more sand, water, and tools. In the world of the internet, websites work the same way, but instead of sand and water, they use link building.
Think of link building like votes. The more votes a website gets, the more popular and important it looks to search engines like Google.
Now, you might be curious: how can you tell if someone is using a link building campaign to boost their website’s popularity? This question is more relevant than ever now, where the competition to stand out online is fierce.
This guide will take you through the subtle (and not-so-subtle!) hints that reveal a well-executed campaign, helping you understand the strategies behind a website’s rise in search engine rankings.
How to analyse backlink profiles
One of the most effective ways to determine if someone is using a link building campaign is to analyse their backlink profile. A backlink profile is a collection of all the links pointing to a website.
Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can provide detailed reports on the backlinks of any site. Start by entering the URL of the site you want to investigate into their backlink checker tools. These tools will provide a list of all the sites linking to the target site.
🔍 Look at the quality of the backlinks. High-quality links usually come from reputable sites with high domain authority. If you notice a sudden increase in high-quality backlinks, it could indicate a link building campaign.
🔀 Spot patterns in the types of sites linking to the target site. Are they receiving links from a particular type of website, such as blogs or directories? A consistent pattern might suggest a deliberate link building effort.
Monitor link velocity
Link velocity refers to the speed at which a website acquires new backlinks. A natural growth rate is slow and steady, but if a site suddenly gains a large number of links in a short period, it might be part of an aggressive link building campaign.
Ahrefs and SEMrush allow you to track the growth of backlinks over time. These tools can show you the number of new backlinks acquired on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Compare the backlink growth rate with the site’s historical data.
A significant spike in new backlinks can indicate a link building campaign. Consider the context of the growth. Did the site recently launch a viral piece of content or a major marketing campaign? Natural events like these can explain rapid backlink growth.
Review anchor text distribution
Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink. Reviewing the distribution of anchor texts can provide clues about a link building campaign. Natural backlinks typically have varied anchor texts, while manipulative campaigns might use specific keywords excessively.
Assess the diversity of anchor texts. A healthy backlink profile will have a mix of branded, generic, and exact match anchor texts. Lack of diversity can be a red flag.
Investigate referral traffic
Referral traffic refers to visitors who arrive at a website through hyperlinks on other sites. Analysing referral traffic can help you determine if a site is benefiting from a link building campaign.
Google Analytics and similar tools can provide insights into referral traffic. Check the sources of referral traffic to the target site. Identify any unusual or unexpected sources of referral traffic.
If a site is receiving significant traffic from obscure or irrelevant sites, it might indicate a link building campaign. Compare referral traffic trends with backlink acquisition.
A correlation between increased referral traffic and new backlinks can confirm the presence of a link building campaign.
Check for link networks
Link networks, also known as PBNs, are groups of websites created solely for the purpose of linking to each other to manipulate search engine rankings. Identifying a link network can be challenging but is a clear indication of an artificial link building campaign.
🚨 Read more about PBNs and why you should never use them here.
Look at the sites linking to the target site. Check their content, domain registration details, and backlink profiles. Find common patterns among the linking sites, such as similar domain registration dates, shared IP addresses, or identical website designs.
See if the linking sites also link to each other or share a significant number of common backlinks. This interlinking is a hallmark of a link network.
Looking to join the link building game? 👋
These insights are essential for anyone keen on understanding the mechanics behind a website’s rise in search engine rankings. If you’ve now seen that competitors are partaking in link building and wish to beat their efforts safely, get in touch with us today.
