Not to long ago, Philipp Lenssen at Google Blogoscoped reported that Google’s new link count tools would show the link counts for other sites tool. In other words, you could get (more) accurate link counts from Google for sites you don’t own.
The way it worked is that you would get the link from for your site, which would produce a line similar to the following:
https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/links?siteUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stonetemple.com%2F&hl=en
You would then take the line and edit it to change the site listed. For example:
https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/links?siteUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&hl=en
But it now looks like this loophole has been closed. So clearly, Google does not want users making use of their new tool for competitive intelligence purposes. You can get the link counts for sites you verify as yours, and that’s it.
Still all in all, a very powerful tool. While it’s reported link counts are still less than Yahoo’s totals, they are much closer than they used to be, and the ability to download your links into a spreadsheet file is really, really nice.
Related reading
Mobile SEO: The 3 areas that really matter for SEO performance
Mobile SEO is distinct from its desktop counterpart in significant - sometimes very subtle - ways. As mobile usage continues to grow, user behaviors and expectations change too. In this article, we'll look at three categories in which mobile SEO stands apart, with practical tips to help marketers drive improved performance in each.
How to optimize for user intent in search
User intent, also known as searcher intent, is a theory that unashamedly stands up to the more primitive pre-Penguin and Panda tactics of optimizing purely for keywords. But how can you optimize for it? Here's how to align your SEO strategy with user intent, and some useful tools to help your efforts.
How to tell if your website is due for a redesign
Like any other technology, the internet changes at a rapid rate. Users are utilizing various devices to view websites. For your users to maneuver through your website, you need to constantly update and adapt; but how do you know when your website needs an overhaul? Here's how to tell.
Pump the brakes: SEO and its sweeping statements
Search Engine Optimization is an imperfect science, and the sheer amount of sometimes contradictory information available about Google updates and SEO best practices has led to a tendency for knee-jerk reactions and sweeping generalizations among the community. Here's why you don't need to panic.
