Google hiding link information?
Google Link Query - Backlink Check
I am often asked why, when doing a Google backlink check, the results would suggest that they only seem to recognise some back links to a website, while Yahoo seems to recognise the majority of them.
They are referring to the results shown when you type a link query or link command as a search string.
As mentioned in yesterday’s backlink related blog article, Checking backlinks :
For Google, the link query command is link:www.enter-site-name.co.uk
For Yahoo, the link query command is linkdomain:www.enter-site-name.co.uk
99 times out of a hundred, you will find that the backlink query will give you less results in Google than it will in Yahoo. That isn’t because Google don’t recognise the incoming links to your site, when you enter a link query, they just don’t want you to know that they recognise them.
Google Link Query
Google have deliberately manipulated their back link query system so that it only lets you see a small percentage of the backlinks that they recognise. In particular, Google rarely shows incoming links of PR5 or above. Why? because they believe that by not showing that these backlinks are pointing at your site you won’t go out and buy links from other websites, in order to manipulate your Google results.
Does this strategy of manipulating their own back link query system work? Well, people still buy links, if the success of the link auctions is anything to go by. We, being an ethical SEO company, do not condone the purchase of links - but it does happen, despite Google hiding the link information from us - so why bother?
That’s a question for somebody bigger and more important than me! (Well….. more important anyway)
7 Responses to “Google hiding link information?”
May 12th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
There’s some strange reasoning behind google’s thinking. Especially when you consider that if you sign up for google webmaster and go through the verification process.
At this point you can go to Dashboard>>Links>>Pages with external links and it shows all the sites it has linking to your website.
Why they don’t show this information readily without signing up?? Food for thought.
April 3rd, 2011 at 2:19 am
Always wondered why when looking for my own backlinks, Google showed me fewer than i actually have.
And while i can understand their reasoning for not showing PR5+ links, would they really believe withholding who backlinks them would stop the process of buying backlknks?
Thanks!
September 22nd, 2011 at 10:36 pm
It always bugs me how google seems to be so slow at showing backlinks, even with webmaster tools. What makes yahoo so much quicker than google? In reality, all I care about is what google thinks about my site, so I’d much prefer them to actually show me how they see it. Now this is a perfect example of someone working a little bit to get a link back to his site. It’s obviously a comment that is purely based on building links, but he has taken the time to read the blog and make a sensible related comment. If you are going to spam comment blogs, this is the way to do it! It’s so refreshing to recive a quality piece of comment spam, that you can have that link - Vango Icarus 500 BM 
January 21st, 2012 at 7:55 am
There’s some strange reasoning behind google’s thinking. Especially when you consider that if you sign up for google webmaster and go through the verification process.
At this point you can go to Dashboard, Pages with external links and it shows all the sites it has linking to your website. It doesn’t show all of them. BM
January 23rd, 2012 at 6:28 pm
Really good explanation into Google’s attempt to keep link information secret. What is your opinion on tools such as SEOMOZ and SEO ELITE for backlink information?
Also any tips on what to do now Yahoo wont give link data? I really like your site Clare, I’ve always liked it and I love the fact that you offer three month’s free seo to new clients - a nice touch. I use the SEOMOZ Firefox toolbar and I use SEO ELITE to check who is still linking back to my sites’ pages, so our clients are not linking out to people that have cancelled the link back after it has been arranged. Can I ask; you obviously market yourself under the term Digital Marketing Consultant - do you get much business from that term? It’s a term that I have never tried to achieve and with 141 companies in the UK actively optimising for the term, maybe it is worth me optimising for it as well? I’d be interested to know if it works for you? Have a mighty fine day Clare. BM
April 27th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this blog. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s challenging to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and visual appearance. I must say that you’ve done a amazing job with this. Also, the blog loads extremely fast for me on Internet explorer. Outstanding Blog!
November 8th, 2010 at 2:50 am
Same problem exist in the Google webmaster. I did not understand why I cannot see all my backlinks there. Thank you.