Link Building Metrics: A Complete Guide for 2025

If you’ve ever spent hours chasing backlinks only to see little (or no) improvement in your rankings, you’re not alone. It’s frustrating to invest time, money, and effort into link building—and still feel like you’re throwing darts in the dark.

I’ve been there. And after managing dozens of link building campaigns and analyzing thousands of backlinks, I’ve learned one thing: not all links are created equal. Some will boost your SEO. Others? Total dead weight—or worse, they’ll tank your rankings.

That’s where link building metrics come in.

In this article, I’ll break down the exact metrics I use to evaluate link opportunities and track campaign success. Whether you’re new to link building or refining a strategy that’s already in motion, this guide will help you make smarter decisions, avoid bad links, and build a backlink profile that actually moves the needle.

What are Link Building Metrics?

When I talk about link building metrics, I’m referring to all the different ways I measure the value and potential impact of a backlink. These are the data points I look at to figure out whether a link is worth getting—or if it’s just noise. Some metrics are technical, others are about user behavior or site quality. Together, they help me make smart decisions about where to spend my time and energy when building links.

Your link building service of choice may have built-in evaluation and tracking metrics, or you might need additional specialized software and/or some manual effort on your part.

Why are Link Building Metrics Important?

Not all backlinks are created equal. Some will move the needle for rankings, traffic, and authority. Others can actually do more harm than good. That’s why I rely on link building metrics to filter the good from the bad.

These metrics help me avoid spammy sites, chase the links that drive results, and build a stronger backlink profile over time. Metrics aren’t everything, but without them, you’re flying blind.

Link Building Metrics: Two Types

When I talk about “link building metrics,” I am referring to one of two things:

• Link Quality Metrics: Is the site I want to gain a backlink from worth targeting in the first place?
• Link Success Metrics: Is my backlink strategy working towards my overall SEO goals?

In this article, I’ll go over some key metrics for both areas.

23 Link Quality Metrics: Choose Where to Build

These are the core link building quality metrics I use when deciding whether a site or a page is worth targeting for backlinks.

1. Anchor Text

I always check the anchor text. It tells me how natural or manipulative a link looks. Over-optimized anchor text can be a red flag to Google. I aim for a healthy mix—branded, generic, partial match, and exact match—so it looks organic.

2. Domain Authority

DA isn’t perfect, but it gives me a quick snapshot of a domain’s strength. Higher DA usually means a site has earned a lot of links and credibility. I treat it as a directional signal, not the final word.

3. Link Position

Link insertions buried in footers or sidebars aren’t as valuable. I go for contextual links placed naturally within the main content. That’s where Google—and users—are paying attention.

4. Referring Domains

A backlink profile with a wide range of referring domains is stronger than one with thousands of links from the same few sites. I’m always looking to expand the diversity of referring domains pointing to my site.

5. Backlinks Type

Editorial links carry the most weight. I steer clear of directories, link farms, or any obvious link schemes. I want links that look like they belong—because they do.

6. Follow vs Nofollow

Follow links pass link equity (aka “SEO juice”). Nofollow links don’t, but that doesn’t mean they’re useless. I still value high-quality nofollow links from reputable sources like Forbes or Wikipedia. They build trust and referral traffic.

7. Page Authority

Like DA, but page-specific. A link from a strong inner page can be just as powerful—or more—than a homepage link. I always check PA when deciding if a link is worth chasing.

8. Referral Traffic

Some links don’t help rankings much but still drive qualified traffic. If a niche blog or community forum is sending buyers my way, I’ll take that link every time.

9. Link Velocity

Building links too fast looks suspicious. I track link velocity to make sure my backlink growth appears natural. It’s a long game—consistency over time wins.

10. Linking Page Relevance

Topical relevance matters. A link from a closely related page is way more valuable than a random one from an unrelated site. I focus on links that make contextual sense.

11. Organic Traffic

If a site gets no organic traffic, it might be deindexed or penalized. I want backlinks from sites that rank for real keywords and have real visitors.

12. Domain Strength

I look at overall domain health—indexation, rankings, trust signals, and backlink profile. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush help me gauge if a domain is strong or sketchy.

13. Number of Links

Too many outbound links on a page can dilute the value of each one. I try to avoid pages that are link dumps. Quality over quantity.

14. PageRank

Google doesn’t show PageRank publicly anymore, but I still use third-party tools that estimate it. High PR pages still carry weight, even if we can’t see the exact number.

15. Root Domains

Root domains give me the big-picture view. 1,000 links from 1 domain is not the same as 1 link each from 1,000 domains. More root domains = more trust.

16. Link Quantity

It’s not just about how many links I get—it’s about how many good links I get. But yes, volume still matters. I just make sure I’m not chasing numbers for the sake of it.

17. Spam Score

I avoid high spam score sites like the plague. A link from a site flagged as spammy can hurt more than help. Moz’s spam score is a good warning system.

18. Trust Metrics

TrustFlow, site history, HTTPS, contact info—all these help me evaluate whether a site is trustworthy. I only want backlinks from sites I’d be proud to show a client.

19. Authority Metrics

Metrics like Ahrefs’ Domain Rating (DR), Moz’s Domain Authority (DA), and Majestic’s Trust Flow give me a broad idea of authority. I look at them all, but I don’t obsess over just one.

20. Citation Flow Link Graph

This shows how influential a site is based on how many links it gets. But I always pair it with Trust Flow to make sure it’s not just high quantity with low quality.

21. Conversions

Some backlinks don’t just boost SEO—they bring leads and sales. I track the conversion rate from referral sources to understand which backlinks are actually helping my bottom line.

22. Link Diversity

Google wants to see a natural-looking link profile. That means links from blogs, news sites, directories, forums, social platforms, and more. I mix it up to keep things balanced.

23. Link Quality

In the end, it comes down to quality. I ask myself: is this link relevant, earned, contextual, and placed on a legit site? If yes, I go for it. If not, I pass.

Link Success Metrics: Did it Work?

Now that you have targeted sites for backlinking and launches your link exchange strategy, how do we know if our efforts paid off? Below are SEO key performance indicators (KPIs) you should be tracking. If the numbers move in a positive direction, your SEO strategy is working!

It can be near impossible to determine which links contribute to which metrics of success, so don’t get too tied up in that. Just set some SMART SEO goals and leverage link building as one tool in your vast arsenal.

Here are the link building metrics you should use to track the success of your backlinking campaigns:

• Organic Traffic Growth: The #1 sign that your backlinks are paying off. I monitor traffic from Google and see if it’s trending up after link placements. Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console make this easy.
• Keyword Rankings: I track target keywords (especially those tied to the content I built links to). Steady ranking improvements—especially to page one—show that my links are helping boost visibility.
• Referring Domains: If my number of unique referring domains is growing, it means my backlink profile is getting stronger. Quality + diversity here is key.
• Page-Level Authority: I look at metrics like Page Authority (Moz), URL Rating (Ahrefs), and Trust Flow (Majestic) for the specific pages I built links to. These should go up as quality backlinks hit.
• Domain Rating or Domain Authority: My site’s overall authority should improve over time. This shows I’m building domain-level trust with search engines, not just improving individual pages.
• Indexing of Linked Pages: Links help get content indexed faster. I check if new pages I linked to are showing up in Google’s index—fast indexing is a good signal my links are getting noticed.
• Link Velocity & Link Acquisition Trend: I keep an eye on how quickly I’m gaining links. A natural, steady growth curve is ideal—sudden spikes look spammy, flatlining means I need to turn up the outreach.
• Referral Traffic from Backlinks: Some links drive real visitors. I check GA to see which referring sites are sending traffic, how long people stay, and if they convert.
• Conversions & Leads from Organic and Referral: If I’m getting leads, sign-ups, or sales from organic or referral sources, I can connect those wins back to specific link campaigns. This is where SEO meets business.

Link Building Metrics FAQ

Here are some questions people also ask me about link building metrics, link building tools, and link building strategy more generally:

What link building tools should I use?

Here are some link building tools to help you find opportunities, monitor backlinks, and boost your SEO performance:

• Authority Exchange: A dedicated platform that facilitates safe and easy three-way, ABC link exchanges.

• Ahrefs: Great for backlink analysis, competitor research, and discovering new link opportunities.

• SEMrush: Offers a comprehensive backlink audit tool, link prospecting, and outreach features.

• BuzzStream: Perfect for managing outreach campaigns and building relationships with potential linking sites.

• Majestic: Focuses on link metrics like Trust Flow and Citation Flow to evaluate link quality.

• Pitchbox: Streamlines influencer and blogger outreach, making large-scale link building more efficient.

• Hunter.io: Helps you find email contacts for outreach, ideal for reaching out to website owners and editors.

These tools support smarter link building efforts, help improve search engine rankings, and keep your backlink profile healthy.

What’s the risk of backlink exchanges?

Backlink exchanges—where two sites agree to link to each other—can seem like a quick win, but they come with serious risks. Search engines like Google may flag excessive or obvious link swaps as manipulative, which can harm your SEO performance and search engine rankings. If the links come from low-quality links or irrelevant sites, it can damage your site’s authority and trustworthiness. Overusing this tactic may also lead to penalties or deindexing. For sustainable link building success, it’s safer to focus on earning high-quality backlinks from diverse, relevant sources through natural link building strategies.

That’s where Authority Exchange comes in.

Instead of risky reciprocal linking, Authority Exchange connects you with a vetted network of sites to facilitate non-reciprocal, contextual backlinks. Its platform simplifies outreach and ensures your links are placed in high-quality, relevant content—protecting your SEO while boosting your domain authority the right way.

What makes a successful link building campaign?

A successful link building campaign depends on consistent link building efforts that use strategic link building strategies to acquire high-quality links and natural link placements. The focus should be on dofollow links from high-authority sources and new backlinks that boost your site’s credibility.

Disavowing low-quality links is also key to maintaining quality links and ensuring the number of backlinks and number of referring domains are contributing positively to SEO. Hyperlinks should come from reputable inbound links and a linking site with relevance, helping improve overall link building success and diversifying types of links in your backlink profile.

You can follow my link building checklist for a complete step-by-step guide.

How do backlinks impact SEO performance and search rankings?

Backlinks play a crucial role in SEO performance by influencing search engine rankings and where your site appears on search engine results pages (SERPs). High-quality backlinks can improve visibility in organic search, especially when combined with effective on-page optimization. Search engines evaluate backlinks as part of their algorithm, which is why using SEO tools to track backlink quality and overall optimization is essential.

The better your backlink profile, the more likely your content will rank higher in relevant searches, helping improve long-term performance in the SERPs.

Why does domain authority matter in link building?

Domain authority reflects how trustworthy and credible a site is, and it’s a major factor in link building strategy. Earning backlinks from a site with high domain authority—or a high DA—can significantly boost your own site’s authority and trustworthiness.

When you build links from the entire domain of a reputable site, not just individual pages, it strengthens your SEO and increases your perceived value in search engines. Focusing on trusted domains helps reduce the risk of low-quality links and contributes to a more stable and impactful backlink profile.

What Next?

Quit chasing shady, expensive backlinks. Quality backlinks are available on Authority Exchange. Apply now.