How to Index Backlinks: The Complete Guide That Actually Works

Julian Goldie

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Learning how to index backlinks properly is the difference between SEO success and wasted effort.

Look, you’ve spent weeks building backlinks.

You’ve reached out to websites, created guest posts, and built relationships.

But here’s the kicker – if Google can’t find and index those backlinks, they’re about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

I’ve seen too many people wonder why their rankings haven’t budged despite having “hundreds of backlinks.”

The brutal truth?

Most of those links probably aren’t even indexed.

Let me show you exactly how to index backlinks properly so your SEO efforts actually pay off.

What is Backlink Indexing?

Here’s what most people get wrong about backlink indexing.

They think if someone links to their site, Google automatically knows about it.

Nope.

An indexed backlink is a link that Google has discovered, crawled, and added to its massive database.

Think of it like this:

Your backlink exists on the internet, but Google hasn’t found it yet.

It’s like having a brilliant idea written in a notebook that’s locked in a drawer.

The idea exists, but nobody knows about it.

Definition of an Indexed Backlink

An indexed backlink is simply a link pointing to your website that Google has:

Found during its crawling process
Processed and understood
Stored in its search index
Can potentially use for ranking calculations

Without indexing, your backlinks are invisible to search engines.

They can’t help your SEO rankings.

They can’t pass link juice.

They’re basically worthless.

Crawling vs. Indexing: What’s the Difference?

Most people use these terms like they’re the same thing.

They’re not.

Crawling is when Google’s bots visit a webpage and read its content.

Indexing is when Google decides that page is worth storing in its database.

Here’s a real example:

Google crawls a blog post that links to your site.

But if that blog post is low quality or has technical issues, Google might crawl it but choose not to index it.

Result? Your backlink remains invisible.

It’s like Google knocked on the door, looked around, but decided not to move in.

How Long Does It Take Google to Index a Backlink?

The honest answer?

It depends.

I’ve seen backlinks get indexed within hours.

I’ve also seen them take months.

Typical Timeframe

Based on what I’ve observed across hundreds of campaigns:

High-authority sites: 1-7 days

Think major news sites, established blogs with regular traffic
Google crawls these frequently

Medium-authority sites: 1-4 weeks

Decent sites with some authority and regular content
Google visits these regularly but not daily

Low-authority sites: 1-6 months (if ever)

New sites, inactive blogs, low-quality domains
Google might visit once in a blue moon

Factors That Affect Indexing Speed

Website Authority Sites with higher domain authority get crawled more frequently. Google trusts them more and checks them more often.
Content Freshness Pages that update regularly get more crawler attention. A blog that posts daily will get backlinks indexed faster than one that posts monthly.
Internal Linking Well-connected pages get discovered faster. If the page linking to you is buried 5 clicks deep, it’ll take longer to find.
Site Speed and Technical Health Slow sites or those with technical issues get crawled less frequently. Google’s time is precious – it won’t waste it on broken sites.
XML Sitemaps Sites with proper sitemaps help Google find new content faster. It’s like giving Google a roadmap to your house.

How to Index Backlinks and Check if They’re Actually Working

Here’s where most people mess up.

They assume their backlinks are indexed without checking.

Big mistake.

Let me show you exactly how to verify your backlink indexing status.

Using Google Search Operators

The simplest way to check if a specific page is indexed:

Step 1: Go to Google

Step 2: Type: site:domain.com/specific-page-url

Step 3: Hit enter

If the page shows up, it’s indexed. If it doesn’t, it’s not.

For example: site:exampleblog.com/my-guest-post-about-seo

Pro tip: You can also search for the exact URL: “https://exampleblog.com/my-guest-post-about-seo”

Tools for Backlink Index Status

Google Search Console (Free)

Shows which of your pages Google has indexed
Reveals crawling errors
Lets you request indexing for specific URLs

Ahrefs (Paid)

Comprehensive backlink checker
Shows indexed vs non-indexed backlinks
Tracks indexing status over time

SEMrush (Paid)

Backlink audit tool
Index status monitoring
Competitor backlink analysis

Index Checkers (Free/Cheap)

Bulk URL checking tools
Quick index status verification
Basic but effective for simple checks

Here’s my process:

Export all backlinks from Ahrefs or SEMrush
Use a bulk index checker to verify status
Focus on getting high-value unindexed links indexed

How to Keep Your Backlinks Indexed

Getting backlinks indexed is one thing.

Keeping them indexed is another.

I’ve seen perfectly good backlinks disappear from Google’s index for silly reasons.

Avoiding Noindex Pages

This is backlink building 101, but people still mess it up.

Never build backlinks on pages with:

Noindex meta tags
Robots.txt blocks
Password protection
Temporary content

Before accepting any link placement, check the page source:

Look for: <meta name=”robots” content=”noindex”>

If you see that, run.

That backlink will never get indexed.

Ensure Backlinked Pages Stay Live and Valuable

Here’s something most people don’t think about:

The quality of the linking page matters for indexing.

Pages that stay indexed:

Regular content updates
Good user engagement
Fast loading times
Mobile-friendly design
Proper internal linking

Pages that get deindexed:

Become inactive or abandoned
Develop technical issues
Get flagged for low quality
Lose relevance over time

Link Velocity and Natural Growth

Google is smart.

If you suddenly get 100 backlinks in a week after months of nothing, it looks suspicious.

Natural link building patterns:

Steady, consistent growth
Mix of high and medium authority sites
Variety in anchor text
Different types of content (articles, directories, social media)

Unnatural patterns that hurt indexing:

Massive link bursts followed by nothing
Identical anchor text across all links
Links only from low-quality sources
Obvious link schemes

Keep it natural, keep it steady.

Monitor and Maintain Backlink Indexing

Set it and forget it doesn’t work with backlinks. The businesses that master link building campaign strategies don’t just survive – they dominate their markets.

You need ongoing monitoring and maintenance.

Tools to Monitor Indexation

Google Search Console Check your “Coverage” report regularly. It shows which pages Google can and can’t index. Set up email alerts for indexing issues.

Ahrefs Alerts Get notified when:

New backlinks are discovered
Existing backlinks are lost
Index status changes

SEMrush Backlink Audit Monthly reports on:

Total indexed backlinks
Recently deindexed links
Quality score changes

My monitoring routine:

Weekly: Check Google Search Console for errors
Monthly: Review backlink index status in Ahrefs
Quarterly: Full backlink audit and cleanup

Troubleshooting Deindexed Backlinks

When backlinks disappear from Google’s index, here’s my troubleshooting process:

Step 1: Verify the link still exists Visit the page manually. Sometimes links get removed without notice.

Step 2: Check for technical issues

Page loading speed
Mobile responsiveness
Broken elements
Server errors

Step 3: Review page quality Has the content quality declined? Are there spammy elements now? Has the site been penalised?

Step 4: Request re-indexing Use Google Search Console to request indexing. Sometimes pages just need a gentle nudge.

Step 5: Build replacement links If the original link can’t be recovered, build new ones. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Bottom Line

Look, backlink indexing isn’t rocket science.

But it’s not automatic either.

The websites with the best SEO results aren’t just building more backlinks.

They’re building better backlinks and making sure Google actually finds them.

Your action plan:

Build links on quality, active websites
Check indexing status regularly
Monitor for deindexed links
Maintain relationships with linking sites
Keep link building natural and consistent

Remember: One indexed backlink from a quality site beats ten unindexed links from random blogs.

Focus on quality, monitor consistently, and your backlink strategy will actually move the needle on your rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How long does it typically take for Google to index backlinks?

Most backlinks from quality sites get indexed within 1-4 weeks. High-authority sites can see indexing within days, whilst low-authority sites might take months or never get indexed at all.

2. Can I force Google to index my backlinks faster?

You can’t force it, but you can encourage it. Use Google Search Console’s URL inspection tool to request indexing for specific pages. Building links on frequently crawled sites also helps speed up the process.

3. What percentage of backlinks usually get indexed?

In my experience, about 60-80% of backlinks from decent sites get indexed eventually. Links from low-quality or inactive sites have much lower indexing rates, sometimes as low as 20-30%.

4. Do nofollow backlinks get indexed?

Yes, nofollow backlinks can still get indexed. The nofollow tag tells Google not to pass ranking value, but it doesn’t prevent the link from being discovered and stored in Google’s index.

5. Why do some of my previously indexed backlinks disappear?

Backlinks can get deindexed if the linking page develops technical issues, gets flagged for low quality, or the entire site loses authority. Regular monitoring helps catch these issues early.

6. Should I disavow unindexed backlinks?

Generally, no. Unindexed backlinks can’t hurt your rankings since Google doesn’t see them. Focus your disavow efforts on indexed links from spammy or irrelevant sites.

7. How often should I check my backlink indexing status?

I recommend monthly checks for most sites. High-growth sites or those running active link building campaigns should check weekly. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to automate monitoring.

8. Do internal links affect backlink indexing speed?

Absolutely. Pages with strong internal linking get crawled more frequently, which helps backlinks on those pages get discovered and indexed faster. Encourage your link partners to internally link to pages that contain your backlinks.