You open your SEO tool and wonder who is actually linking to your website. Google Search Console backlinks data helps you find who links to your site, which pages attract external links, and what anchor text other sites use.
In this guide, you will learn how to use the Google Search Console links report, read the data, export it, and turn it into backlink audit actions.
Why Google Search Console Backlinks Matter
Before you build more backlinks, check the links Google already shows you.
Many beginners jump straight into paid backlink checkers. However, Google Search Console is the safest free starting point because it comes directly from your own verified site property.
Google’s Links report lets you see backlinks to your site, including top linked pages, top linking sites, and top linking text. However, the report is not a complete list of every link, so you should use it as a reliable starting point, not your only backlink tool.
This matters because backlinks can show which pages people already trust enough to mention. As a result, you can improve those pages, add internal links, and find more backlink opportunities.
What You Can See in the Google Search Console Links Report
The Google Search Console links report is split into external links and internal links.
For backlink research, focus on external links first. These are links from other websites pointing to your site.
Inside the report, you can review:
- top linked pages
- top linking sites
- top linking text
- sample external links
- latest external links
- internal links
- export options
Google groups pages on your site by canonical URL and combines duplicate links from the same source URL to the same target URL after normalization. In addition, tables are limited to 1,000 rows, so larger sites may see truncated tables.
Because of this, Google Search Console backlinks data is useful, but it is not the same as a full backlink profile analysis from tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, or Majestic.
How to Find Google Search Console Backlinks Step by Step
Follow this simple process to check backlinks in Google Search Console.
- Open Google Search Console.
- Choose your website property.
- Click Links in the left menu.
- Find the External links section.
- Review Top linked pages.
- Review Top linking sites.
- Review Top linking text.
- Export the report for deeper analysis.
Start with the overview first. Then, click into each report to see more detail.
If your site is new, do not panic if the report looks empty. Search Console data can take time to appear for newly added websites, and Google notes that many reports use representative samples rather than full lists.
How to Read Top Linked Pages
Top linked pages show which pages on your site have the most backlinks.
For example, your beginner guide may have 30 backlinks, while your service page has none. That tells you something important. People may be more willing to link to helpful resources than commercial pages.
Use this report to find:
- pages that already attract backlinks
- old content that still earns links
- guides worth updating
- pages that need stronger internal links
- topics that deserve follow-up articles
- important pages with no backlinks
However, do not only look at backlink count. Check whether the linked page still matches your current SEO strategy.
If a blog post earns backlinks, add internal links from that post to your money pages or related guides. Therefore, the authority coming into that page can support more of your site.
How to Read Top Linking Sites
Top linking sites show the domains that link to your website the most.
This section helps you understand your referring domains. For example, one relevant industry blog linking to you several times may be a good signal, while a strange unrelated domain linking to many pages may need review.
Use top linking sites to check:
- which domains link to you most often
- whether those sites are relevant
- whether links come from partners or communities
- whether one domain creates many repeated links
- whether any site looks spammy
- which sites may be worth future outreach
In addition, click a domain to see which pages it links to. This helps you understand the actual relationship between the linking site and your content.
How to Read Top Linking Text
Top linking text shows the anchor text other websites use when linking to your site.
Anchor text matters because it tells users what to expect before they click. Google also says good anchor text helps people and Google understand what the linked page is about.
Look for anchor text patterns such as:
- your brand name
- your URL
- topic phrases
- article titles
- generic text like “click here”
- spammy words
- over-optimized keyword anchors
For example, branded anchor text like “Scale Xpert” is normal. In contrast, repeated exact-match anchor text from unrelated sites can look unnatural.
Because of this, top linking text is useful for backlink audit work. It helps you spot whether other sites describe your content correctly.
How to Export Google Search Console Backlinks Data
Exporting data makes your backlink review easier.
In the Links report, use the export button to download the data into a spreadsheet. Then, sort by linked page, linking site, and anchor text.
Google’s Links report includes export options such as latest links and more sample links. Some exports can include up to 100,000 rows, while single-table exports are limited to the table size shown in the report.
After exporting, create simple columns for:
- source domain
- linked page
- anchor text
- link type if known
- relevance
- quality notes
- action needed
This turns GSC backlinks into a practical backlink audit file.
What Google Search Console Backlinks Data Does Not Show
Google Search Console backlinks data is useful, but it has limits.
It does not show every backlink. It also does not provide a full backlink quality score, Domain Rating, Authority Score, toxicity score, or competitor backlink comparison.
In addition, the Links report does not specify whether a link is marked as nofollow. Therefore, if you need link attributes, page-level metrics, or competitor backlink analysis, use a dedicated backlink checker alongside Google Search Console.
This does not make GSC weak.
It simply means GSC is your free starting point, while paid tools can add more detail.
What to Do After Finding Your Backlinks
Finding backlinks is only the first step.
The real value comes from action.
| Finding | Action |
|---|---|
| One guide has many backlinks | Update it and add internal links |
| A good domain links to you | Build a relationship or pitch another resource |
| Spammy anchor text appears | Monitor the pattern and review link quality |
| Important page has no backlinks | Add it to your outreach plan |
| Many links point to old content | Refresh the page or redirect if needed |
| Brand name appears often | Search for unlinked brand mentions |
Meanwhile, compare your linked pages with your business goals. If informational pages get all the links, use internal links to support product, service, or conversion pages naturally.
Simple Google Search Console Backlinks Checklist
Use this checklist once a month:
- Check top linked pages.
- Review top linking sites.
- Scan top linking text.
- Export external links.
- Mark relevant referring domains.
- Flag spam backlinks.
- Add internal links from linked pages.
- Update pages that already attract links.
- Find new content ideas from linked topics.
- Compare GSC data with a backlink checker if needed.
This simple habit helps you understand your backlink profile before building more links.
FAQs About Google Search Console Backlinks
How do I find backlinks in Google Search Console?
Open Google Search Console, choose your property, click Links, then review the external links section. Start with top linked pages, top linking sites, and top linking text.
Does Google Search Console show all backlinks?
No. Google says the Links report is not a comprehensive list of every link to your site. It is best used as a free starting point for backlink analysis.
What are top linking sites in GSC?
Top linking sites are the domains that link to your website the most. This report helps you review referring domains and spot strong, repeated, or suspicious link sources.
What are top linked pages in GSC?
Top linked pages are the pages on your site that receive the most backlinks from other websites. Use this report to find content that already earns links.
What is top linking text in GSC?
Top linking text is the most common anchor text used in backlinks to your site. It helps you check whether other websites describe your content correctly.
Is Google Search Console enough for backlink audit?
Google Search Console is enough for a basic backlink audit. However, for deeper backlink profile analysis, combine it with a backlink checker like Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, Majestic, or SE Ranking.
Conclusion
Google Search Console backlinks data gives beginners a free way to find who links to your site, which pages earn external links, and what anchor text other websites use.
However, do not stop at checking the report. Instead, export the data, review top linked pages, check top linking sites, scan top linking text, and turn the findings into backlink audit actions.
If you want help reading GSC backlinks, finding backlink opportunities, or improving your backlink strategy, join the Scale Xpert Discord community.
