Glossary
What is a backlink profile?
A backlink profile is the full set of links pointing to a website: how many there are, from how many referring domains, how strong and relevant those sites are, what anchor text they use and what share are followed. SEO tools summarise it; search engines judge whether it looks natural.
What it includes
| Measure | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Referring domains | Count and growth |
| Authority | DR or similar of linking sites |
| Relevance | Share of links from your topic |
| Anchors | Mostly brand and URL |
| Link types | A mix of followed and nofollow |
| Placement | Content links vs sitewide |
| Lost links | What's disappearing and why |
A natural startup profile
In the first year, a typical healthy profile has directory listings, startup databases and review sites, a few podcasts or interviews, partner and integration pages, community mentions and the first links earned by content. Anchors are mostly the brand name. About a third or more of links being nofollow is normal.
Why it matters
Search engines look at the whole profile, not single links. A profile with diverse, relevant sources earns trust; one dominated by one tactic, like exact-match guest posts, looks manufactured. Competitor profiles also show where you could get listed next.
Example
A founder exports a competitor's profile and finds 25 directories and 4 podcasts linking to them that don't link to her yet. Those become the next month's targets.
FAQ
How do I see my backlink profile?
Google Search Console's Links report, or Ahrefs, Semrush and Moz for more detail.
What makes a backlink profile bad?
Heavy reliance on paid, irrelevant or exact-match anchor links, or sudden spikes from link schemes.
How often should I review it?
Monthly when you're actively building links, otherwise quarterly.