How to Use Google Tools to Check Backlink Indexing
Backlinks are the backbone of your SEO strategy—but here’s the catch: not all backlinks are indexed by Google. And if they’re not indexed, they don’t count toward your rankings. So, how do you know if Google has indexed your backlinks? How to check backlinks indexed by Google? Most blog posts tell you to paste links into Google Search with site: or use paid tools, but that’s just the surface. Business owners need deeper, actionable data to make smart SEO investments.
In this guide, you’ll learn step-by-step how to use Google’s own free tools to verify backlink indexing, plus pro-level insights that many SEO guides miss. We’ll also introduce ways to amplify your backlink strategy through trusted services like Click Typhoon’s Buy Niche Edits, built specifically for businesses who need real results.
Why Backlink Indexing Matters More Than You Think
Let’s start with why you should care. Backlinks only impact your website’s SEO if Google crawls and indexes the referring page. According to a 2023 study by Ahrefs, over 66.5% of pages on the internet get zero traffic from Google, which means many backlinks from those pages are wasted SEO potential.
In other words, you could be spending hundreds or thousands on link-building, and still not see a return if your links aren’t even showing up in Google’s index.
Tool #1: Google Search Console — The Overlooked Backlink Truth-Teller
Most business owners know about Google Search Console (GSC), but very few use it to check backlink indexing properly. Here’s how to leverage GSC to check backlinks the right way:
Step-by-Step:
- Log in to Google Search Console for your domain.
- Navigate to “Links” > External Links.
- You’ll see your top linked pages and linking sites.
- Click into a specific link and note the page it’s coming from.
- Use the URL Inspection Tool to check if Google has indexed the source page.
Pro Tip: If the source page isn’t indexed, it won’t benefit your SEO—plain and simple.
What most don’t tell you: GSC doesn’t report all your backlinks. In fact, it often misses newly created or low-authority ones. To catch those, you’ll need a hybrid strategy involving additional methods, which we’ll cover next.
Tool #2: Google Search Operators — Fast but Limited
While simple, using Google’s search operators is still effective for spot-checking links:
- Use: site:example.com/linking-page
- If the page shows up, it’s likely indexed.
- No result? It’s probably not indexed.
Why most guides fail you: They don’t mention that Google may temporarily deindex pages, especially low-quality ones. Just because a backlink was indexed last month doesn’t mean it still is.
Tool #3: Google Alerts — Monitor Your Backlinks in Real Time
Here’s a smart trick: set up Google Alerts for specific backlink anchor texts or domains.
- Go to Google Alerts.
- Enter your brand name or URL as the alert term.
- Set to receive alerts from news, blogs, web, etc.
- When new backlinks appear online, you’ll be notified.
Hidden insight: You can use this to monitor backlinks that Google is discovering in real-time, which gives you a head start on making sure they’re indexed.
Tool #4: Google Indexing API — The Secret Weapon (For Developers)
If you’re serious about backlink indexing, ask your web developer or SEO specialist to use the Google Indexing API.
Originally designed for job posting and live event pages, it can still trigger indexing for URLs when used strategically. While Google doesn’t officially recommend using it for backlinks, some SEO pros have successfully used it to push high-value backlink pages for indexing, especially if they control the linking domain.
Note: This requires API setup, a verified domain in GSC, and authentication.
Bonus: Use Google Sheets + ImportXML for Bulk Checks
Want to check hundreds of backlinks at once? You can create a smart Google Sheet using the =IMPORTXML() function to test the indexing status.
How it works:
- In Column A, paste backlink URLs.
In Column B, use:
=IFERROR(IF(IMPORTXML(A2,”//title”),”Indexed”,”Not Indexed”),”Not Indexed”)
- Why it’s powerful: This lets you automate large-scale backlink checks without paid software.
Google may block this after too many requests. Use in moderation or run in batches.
How to Fix Unindexed Backlinks
If your backlinks aren’t indexed, you can take the following steps:
- Internal Linking: If it’s on your own site, link to it from indexed pages.
- Social Signals: Share the page on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn to drive crawlers.
- Ping Services: Submit URLs to ping tools like Ping-O-Matic.
- Update Content: Refresh the content to make it more crawl-worthy.
- Manual Indexing Request: Use GSC’s URL Inspection tool to “Request Indexing.”
Still no luck? It may be a low-quality site or a nofollow link, which leads us to the next point.
Why Business Owners Should Rethink Their Link-Building Strategy
Most SEO agencies throw backlinks at a site and hope something sticks. That’s risky. You need backlinks from pages that Google is guaranteed to crawl and index.
That’s why Click Typhoon offers a Buy Niche Edits service built specifically for business owners. These aren’t random blog posts—they’re already indexed, relevant, and trusted by Google. We help you secure contextual backlinks from content that’s already performing, which means:
- Faster indexing
- Higher authority boost
- Greater SEO ROI
If you’re tired of links that don’t move the needle, Click Typhoon’s Buy Niche Edits service offers a smarter, data-backed approach to link building.
Smarter Backlink Indexing Starts with Google Tools
Checking if your backlinks are indexed by Google is one of the most underrated SEO activities—and yet, it’s crucial. Google Search Console, search operators, Google Alerts, and even the Indexing API offer a wealth of free tools to track your SEO footprint. But tools alone won’t cut it. You need to combine strategy with precision, and that’s exactly what niche edit services like Click Typhoon deliver.
Want Backlinks That Actually Count?
- Tired of guessing whether your links are indexed?
- At Click Typhoon, we help business owners like you get real, index-worthy backlinks that drive traffic and rankings.
- Don’t waste another dollar on links that sit in Google’s blind spot.
- Contact Click Typhoon today and supercharge your SEO with our Buy Niche Edits service.
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