Google's interpretation of back links

[joanne-r]

I'm a bit confused by back links Google shows for my site. When I do a search using link:www.mysite.com there are over 100 links but when I do a back link check there are only 2. Does anyone know how Google interprets back links.

[janhvizdak]

Use Google Sitemaps.

[CountryBoy]

First thing to note is that Google (the search engine) doesn't show backlinks in real time - there's nearly always a time lag. Backlinks are usually updated just before the PageRank data is exported, about 4 times a year. That's not to say Google doesn't know about your backlinks - they just don't release the info straightaway.

As jan said you could try sitemaps or, slightly less hassle, just do a Yahoo search instead.

[joanne-r]

I do use sitemaps. As for Yahoo they are showing my site with around 200 backlinks. Just need to get my head round the google philosophy. Thanks for the replies.

[coolguy27]

Google has always shown only a sample of the links coming into your site. These links are updated in the search results every 3 - 6 weeks. Even though google only shows a small sample, this does not mean that google doesn't count the other backlinks when displaying search results. Google updates its search result pages for standard searches continuously, and these search results take into account all links that google has found....

[joanne-r]

Thanks Coolguy, good and clear explanation. Cheers!

[WagerX]

Originally Posted by coolguy27

Google has always shown only a sample of the links coming into your site. These links are updated in the search results every 3 - 6 weeks. Even though google only shows a small sample, this does not mean that google doesn't count the other backlinks when displaying search results. Google updates its search result pages for standard searches continuously, and these search results take into account all links that google has found....

He's absolutely right. I agree 100%.
I've got about 15,000 IBLS coming in from various places during the last 5 years. As it turns out Google's webmaster control panel show's I've only got 5000. Now when I do a link check it only shows about 40.

Now, I'd like to know the criteria Google uses for choosing which links to show AND how does their prioritization affect SERP results?

Anyone have any insights?

[johnegood]

Is the info that google shows on backlinks in their info for webmasters also time delayed and just a sample? Or is it more accurate? Anyone know?

[Janna122003]

Originally Posted by joanne-r

I'm a bit confused by back links Google shows for my site. When I do a search using link:www.mysite.com there are over 100 links but when I do a back link check there are only 2. Does anyone know how Google interprets back links.

Maybe when you check those URL the links are already gone but the cache page of the backlinks are not yet updated.

[joanne-r]

Originally Posted by Janna122003

Maybe when you check those URL the links are already gone but the cache page of the backlinks are not yet updated.

No I have done a backlink check and the links are still in place apart from one or two. It's probably as Coolguy says, they will update them eventually.

[johnegood]

When I do a search using link:www.mysite.com there are over 100 links but when I do a back link check there are only 2

How are you coming up with the back link check that gives only 2?

[joanne-r]

Originally Posted by johnegood

When I do a search using link:www.mysite.com there are over 100 links but when I do a back link check there are only 2

How are you coming up with the back link check that gives only 2?

When I go into Google Webmaster. 'Sites indexed' are accurate but as I said before the 'sites that link' to me show as only 2. Strange thing is when I click on the other 'links' tab in Webmaster it shows all my links.