Backlinks are one of the most critical factors that are in Google’s algorithm. Digital marketers constantly rely on quality backlinks to improve their website’s visibility. However, one common question frequently arises: Does Google actually crawl backlinks on websites? If so, how does it process and evaluate them?  

Here, in this post, we will have a detailed discussion on how Google handles backlinks, whether it crawls them, and what this signifies for SEO professionals. Read on for further insights. 

 What are Backlinks? 

Backlinks, also known as inbound or incoming links, are links that connect one website with another. These links serve as a vote of confidence, signaling to search engines that the link to the website is valuable, credible, and relevant. Google considers backlinks a fundamental factor in determining a site’s authority and ranking in search results.

For instance, if a reputable website links to your content, it can significantly boost your SEO. However, does Google even notice these links? Let’s dig in to find out. 

Does Google Crawl Backlinks?

The answer is “Yes”- Google does crawl backlinks. Googlebot, the search engine’s web crawler, continuously scans the web by following links from one page to another. When it discovers a link pointing to your website, it attempts to crawl and index it. However, several factors influence whether and how Google processes these backlinks.

How Does Google Crawl and Process Backlinks? 

1.      Discovery of Links

Googlebot follows links from already indexed pages to discover new content. If it crawls a page that contains a backlink to your website, there is a good chance that Google will find your link.

2. Crawl Budget Consideration

Google allocates a crawl budget to each website, determining how often and how many pages it will crawl. If the referring site is low-quality or has too many links, Google might not crawl all of them.

3. Indexing vs. Crawling

Just because Google crawls a link does not mean it will index the linked page. If the linked page has poor content, spammy signals, or a noindex tag, Google may not index it.

4. Follow vs. NoFollow Links

 A ‘dofollow’ link allows Googlebot to pass link equity (ranking power) from one site to another.

On the other hand, a ‘nofollow’ link tells search engines not to pass authority to the linked page. However, Google may still choose to crawl nofollow links, but they don’t contribute to ranking improvements.

5.  Disavowed Links

If a site owner disavows a backlink through Google Search Console, Google will ignore it when assessing rankings. This is commonly used to prevent low-quality or spammy links from affecting a site’s SEO.

Factors that Affect Google’s Backlinks Crawling on Your Website

Although Google crawls backlinks, it does not pay equal attention to all of them. Several factors determine whether a backlink gets crawled and indexed:

●   Domain Authority of the Linking Site: Google prioritizes crawling links from high-authority domains over low-quality sites.

●   Link Placement: Links implanted within the main content are more likely to be crawled than those in the footer or sidebar.

●   Relevancy of the Linking Page: A backlink from a relevant and high-quality page is considered more valuable.

●   Frequency of Page Crawl : If Google frequently crawls a website, there is a higher chance that it will quickly discover the backlinks on that site.

Tips to Ensure Google Crawls Your Backlinks on Websites

If you are building backlinks as a part of your SEO strategy, it is vital for you to ensure Google finds and processes them. Here are some effective ways to increase Google’s likelihood of crawling your backlinks.

Get Links from High-Authority Websites

Focus on earning links from reputable and authoritative websites. Google frequently crawls these websites, increasing the chances of your backlinks being discovered.

Ensure Your Links are Placed in Crawlable Locations

The location of the backlinks is one significant factor that affects their crawlability. Links that are placed within the body of an article are more likely to be crawled than those in comments, sidebars, or footers.

Avoid Spammy or Low-Quality Links

Backlinks from spammy sites can adversely affect your website’s SEO. If Google considers a linking site untrustworthy, it may ignore the backlink altogether.

Use Internal Links to Boost Discovery

If you have earned a valuable backlink but are not sure if Google has crawled it, you can submit the referring page’s URL in Google Search Console for indexing. 

Conclusion 

If you are wondering if Google crawls backlinks on websites, the answer is “yes, it does.” However, all backlinks are not treated equally. The search engine prioritizes high-quality, relevant, and naturally acquired links and ignores spammy or low-value ones. 

By understanding how Google processes backlinks, you can refine your SEO strategy and ensure your links contribute to your rankings. The best way you can make Google crawl your backlinks is by partnering with a reputed SEO services company like DigitalBenz. We are a team of highly qualified and dedicated digital marketing experts with in-depth knowledge of backlinks and SEO. When you partner with us, we will create highly quality backlinks for your website that will increase your site’s trustworthiness and make Google crawl and index your backlinks. Connect with us to discuss further.