Picture your website as a boss chippy in Liverpool, frying up chips so braw they’d have your nan queuing round the block. Backlinks are like Scousers nattering in the pub, telling Google your scran’s the bee’s knees. The more proper links you’ve got, the more Google reckons your chippy’s legit. But how do you suss out who’s shouting your name? Or nick a peek at rival fryers’ mates? This guide’s your best pal, dishing the mucky tea on sniffing out inbound links with free kit, fancy tools, and proper old-school graft. You’ll also learn to keep an eye on your links and remove the dodgy ones before they tarnish your reputation.
1. Use Google Search Console to See Inbound Links
Google Search Console’s your free pass to see who’s bigging up your chippy.
Open the “Links” Section
Log in to Search Console and click on “Links” on the left side. It’s like peeking at your chippy’s chalkboard for punter love notes dead easy.
View Top Linking Sites & Pages
The Links report spills:
- Top linking sites: Which sites (like foodie blogs) are pointing at you?
- Top linked pages: Which of your pages (say, your curry sauce recipe) gets the most claps?
- Anchor text: What words folk use in links (e.g., “lush chips” or “pop here”).
Export Your Link Data
Download the lot to a spreadsheet for a proper nosy. It’s like a chippy boss tallying up Friday’s takings to spot what’s hot.
2. Use SEO Tools for Deeper Backlink Analysis
Want to dig deeper? SEO tools are like your chippy’s shiny new fryer they do the graft for you.
Ahrefs Site Explorer
Shove any website into Ahrefs’ Site Explorer. A mate of mine found a food blog linking a rival chippy but not his cheeky! He emailed ‘em a better tip and nabbed a link. You get:
- Every backlink, referring domain, and anchor text.
- Link types (dofollow for Google love, nofollow for punters).
- Filters for blogs, freshness, or language, try “fresh” to spot new mates.
SEMrush Backlink Analytics
SEMrush’s Backlink Analytics lays out your full link profile. It’s the Backlink Gap Tool’s ace for spying on rivals. Found a blog they’ve got, but you don’t? Fire off a guest post pitch like, “Fancy a chippy recipe post?”
Moz Link Explorer
Moz dishes out Spam Score, Domain Authority (DA), and Page Authority (PA). Suss out if your links are sound or proper. Check anchor texts to keep ‘em natural.
Other SEO Tools
SE Ranking, Monitor Backlinks, Ubersuggest, and Sitechecker fling you link reports with pings for new or lost links. Test their free trials like you’d test a new chippy sauce dip in first.
3. Use Free Backlink Checkers (If You’re on a Budget)
Proper skint? Free tools are like a chippy’s free taster nowt fancy, but gets you started.
Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker
Shows your top 100 links lush for a quick gander at who’s chatting about your chippy blog.
SEMrush Free Account
You receive basic link reports, similar to a small chip portion. Not the full scran, but enough to scoff.
SEO Review Tools
Quick link summaries with no faff ace for newbies who just want a peek without signing their life away.
4. How to Find Competitors’ Backlinks
Fancy nicking tricks from rival chippies? Spy on their linkmates.
Enter Competitor Domain in a Tool
Chuck a rival’s website into Ahrefs or SEMrush. You’ll see their backlinks, like spotting which blogs rave about their soggy fish.
Analyze Referring Domains
Suss out where their links come from: food blogs, directories, or forums. If a blog’s linking them, it might fancy your chippy with a cheeky pitch.
Use Backlink Gap Tools
SEMrush’s Backlink Gap Tool shows links your rivals have that you’re missing. It’s like peeking at their secret batter recipe then making yours better.
Export and Build Outreach List
Download their list and plan a charm offensive. Email blogs: “Hiya, loved your chippy post! My curry sauce guide’s a belter, fancy a link?” It’s like stealing punters with crispier chips.
5. Manual Methods to Track Backlinks
No cash for tools? Go proper old-school, like frying chips over a fire.
Use Google Analytics
Head to Acquisition > All Traffic > Referrals in Analytics. A pal’s chippy found a food forum sent 30 punters his way turned out to be a cracking link he’d missed. Shows real traffic from links, not just Google fluff.
Check Referrer Logs in cPanel
Your hosting’s cPanel might log where links come from. It’s like flipping through your chippy’s guestbook to see who’s popped in.
Try Google Search Operators
Type yourchippy.com or “yourchippy.com” -site:yourchippy.com into Google. Results are a bit wonky, but you might spot a blog linking you. It’s like rummaging for a chip stuck in the fryer takes patience.
6. Audit the Quality of Your Backlinks
Not every link is a winner; some are pure garbage. Audit ‘em like a chippy health inspector.
Check Domain Authority (DA)
Higher DA (via Moz) means a proper link, like a food mag vs. some random blog.
Review Spam Score
High Spam Scores scream trouble in those links like a batch of burnt chips.
Check Niche Relevance
Links should vibe with your chippy food blogs, not tractor sites.
Dofollow vs Nofollow
Dofollows give Google love; nofollows pull punters. Both are sound for a natural mix.
Analyze Anchor Text
Keep anchors natural, like “lush chips” or “check this” not stuffed like a bad kebab with “best chippy ever.”
7. Handle Toxic or Spammy Backlinks
Got links stinkier than week-old fish? Sort ‘em sharpish.
Identify Toxic Links
Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to spot links from spammy sites, link farms, or weird pages (e.g., a casino linking your chippy dodgy!).
Create a Disavow File
List the bad domains in a text file, like shadybet.com. It’s like barring rowdy punters from your chippy.
Upload to Google Disavow Tool
Send the file via Google Search Console to tell Google to ignore ‘em. It’s like scrubbing your fryer till it sparkles.
8. Monitor Backlinks Over Time
Keep tabs on links like a chippy boss eyeing the till.
Set Link Alerts
Ahrefs or SE Ranking pings you for new or lost links, handy as a bell when punters walk in.
Track Key Metrics
Watch:
- New links each month (steady growth’s lush).
- Lost links (did a blog ditch you?).
- Domain shifts (new mates linking?).
- Spammy spikes (red flag check quick!).
Export Monthly Reports
Download tool reports to review, like checking your chippy’s stock before a big Friday.
Final Thoughts: Mix Manual & Tool-Based Tracking
Don’t bet on one trick blend tools and manual snooping like a chippy mixing curry sauce. Google Search Console’s free and shows what Google sees, but it’s just for your chippy. Ahrefs and SEMrush are cracking for nicking rival ideas. Free tools? Ace for skint starters, but stingy like a small chip bag. Keep at it, and your chippy’ll be Google’s top pick with links cleaner than your counter after a deep scrub.
Want Help with Backlinks?
Baffled? I can sort your chippy’s links with proper outreach and no muck. Want a link audit or rival spy job? Give us a shout!
Meta Title: Suss Backlinks Easy: Free & Pro SEO Tips
Meta Description: Learn to check, analyze, and monitor backlinks with free tools, pro apps, and old-school tricks. Get your site ranking high now!
