• About
    • History of Dallas SEO
    • SEO Expert Witness Service
  • Contact
  • Topics
    • Bing
    • Blogging
    • Branding
    • Domain Names
    • Google
    • Internet Marketing
    • Link Building
    • Local Search
    • Marketing
    • Public Relations
    • Reputation Management
    • Search Engine Marketing
    • Search Engine Optimization
    • Search Engines
    • Social Media
    • Tech
  • Advertise
  • Email Newsletter

Bill Hartzer

Bill Hartzer on Search, Marketing, Tech, and Domains.

Semrush Free Trial

Home » Google » Google Webmaster Tools Reports More than 100,000 Links

Google Webmaster Tools Reports More than 100,000 Links

Posted on September 2, 2014 Written by Bill Hartzer

Over the weekend, Jim Hedger noticed that there were huge fluctuations in the numbers of links that were being reported in Google Webmaster Tools. He’s reportedly seen as much as 500,000 links reported, and then at a later time it was less than 1,000 links. Based on my own site’s link data, I’m now seeing over 200,000 links being reported.

From my past experiences, I’ve come to find out that Google Webmaster Tools, in the past, would not show more then 100,000 links, even for websites that I’ve worked on that have over 8 million links. So, doing a link cleanup project on a site with 8 million links: Google Webmaster Tools was pretty much useless.

Currently, though, as I check Google Webmaster Tools for my own site (billhartzer.com), I see that they are reporting 212,000 links:

gwt-billhartzer-com-links-sept2-2014

But keep in mind that unfortunately that includes about 99,000 links from one particular site, a site that I didn’t request to be linked from–and a site that rarely sends my site traffic. In fact, I’ve disavowed that domain and asked that links be removed.

Let’s take a look, though, at what other sites say about the number of links to my site:

Majestic SEO:
81,382 links

A hrefs:
48,000 links

Open Site Explorer:
5,496 links

As you can see, the amount of links reported can vary greatly from one tool to another. Majestic SEO is more accurate, though, in my opinion. By the way, I need to disclose that I am one of Majestic SEO’s Brand Ambassadors, so I might be a little bit biased. But nonetheless, it is what it is.

As for Google Webmaster Tools, they’re definitely making changes to the link counts, as I have never seen any site have more than 100,000 links reported in Google Webmaster Tools. Randomly looking through GWT and links to various sites, I’m seeing one site show 105,000 links, another showing 117,000 links and another showing 223,000 links. There’s another with 134,000 links. So they definitely are reporting more links now. But apparently not all the links?

While Google is telling us that, for example, my site, billhartzer.com, has 212,000 links, when I go to download the actual links? It only shows me 65,129 links in BOTH of the “Download more sample links” and “Download latest links”. So, while 212,000 links is good–it’s very deceiving.

Filed Under: Google, Link Building, Search Engines



Listen to "Digital Marketing with Bill Hartzer" on Spreaker.

About Bill Hartzer

Bill Hartzer is CEO of Hartzer Consulting, LLC, an SEO Consulting firm that includes services such as search engine optimization, technical SEO audits, domain name consulting, and online reputation management.

Recent Posts

  • Facebook Internet Tracking Settlement June 24, 2022
  • RankSense Acquired by SEOClarity June 1, 2022
  • LinkedIn Links, Digital Marketing News, and SEO Questions Answered May 9, 2022
  • GoDaddy Ending Forwarding of Existing Shortened Links May 5, 2022
  • 7 Ways to Protect Your Domain Name March 31, 2022
  • Majestic Withdrawing from the Russian Market March 14, 2022
  • Sedo Suspends Parking for Domains Under .RU and .BY March 10, 2022
  • Someone Stole My Domain Name: Here’s What You Do March 7, 2022
  • Stolen Domain Name Patterns.com Returned to Owner March 1, 2022
  • Namecheap Terminating Services to Russian Customers February 28, 2022
  • Getting Started with TikTok Marketing for Your Business with Austin Armstrong February 17, 2022
  • How I Got 100 Million Views On My Google Maps Photos February 15, 2022
  • Is Google Concerned About Being Regulated? February 8, 2022
  • Podcast: Social Media Previews, Domain Name TLD Zone Files, and How Thieves Steal Domain Names January 21, 2022
  • Google Cameos Shutting Down February 17, 2022 January 21, 2022
  • Navah Hopkins Launches Navah Hopkins Consulting January 13, 2022
  • Class Action Lawsuit: Google is Paying Apple to Stay Out of Search Business January 5, 2022
  • SE Ranking Launches SE Ranking Academy December 28, 2021
  • Namecheap Releases 2021’s Most Popular TLDs & Domain Registration Trends December 23, 2021
  • Podcast: Disavow and Disavowing Links December 16, 2021

DFWSEM logo

Bill Hartzer is a Brand Ambassador for:



Industry Friends

I Love SEO
WTFSEO
SEO By the Sea
Jeff Lenney
Jeff Gabriel
Phil Drinkwater
Dixon Jones
Brian Hartzer
Navah Hopkins

Connect With Bill Hartzer

Bill Hartzer on Twitter
Bill Hartzer on Instagram
Hartzer Consulting on Facebook
Bill Hartzer on Facebook
Bill Hartzer on YouTube

Categories

  • Advertising (19)
  • Bing Search Engine (6)
  • Blogging (42)
  • Branding (12)
  • Domain Names (208)
  • Google (234)
  • Internet Marketing (25)
  • Internet Usage (84)
  • Link Building (53)
  • Local Search (39)
  • Marketing (178)
  • Marketing Foo (30)
  • Pay Per Click (3)
  • Podcast (17)
  • Public Relations (8)
  • Reputation Management (9)
  • Search Engine Marketing (44)
  • Search Engine Marketing Events (48)
  • Search Engine Marketing Firms (19)
  • Search Engine Marketing Jobs (33)
  • Search Engine Optimization (160)
  • Search Engines (204)
  • Social Media (190)
  • Tech (7)
  • Web Analytics (16)
  • Webinars (1)




Note: All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only, and are mentioned only to help my readers. All other trademarks cited herein are the property of their respective owners. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement.




Hartzer Consulting



Website, Content, and Marketing by Hartzer Consulting, LLC.

Copyright © 2022 ·