Bing has updated its improved backlink research tool and announced it on Twitter. The backlinks tool shows links from unique top referring domains, on-page links by page level, and top anchor text.
It also shows the same data for its competitors.
This makes Bing’s backlink tool useful for researching links as part of the link building process.
Bing Backlink Research Tool
This tool has recently been upgraded with new features.
Archive.org has screenshots of the Bing Backlink Tool support page. Screenshots are from April 2020.
You can find snapshots of older versions of the Bing Backlink Tool in the archive on the Backlink Tool Support page.
Looking at the screenshot, you can see that the old tool only has two backlink functions.
A new Bing support page shows that the tool has added three features.
- all links
- similar site
- disavow link
Bing Similar Sites Tool
Bings’ Similar Sites tool provides a great way to do backlink research. This tool helps you gain insight into your competitors backlinks and helps you research your non-competitor backlinks.
The tool calls it a “Similar Sites” tool, but in reality any domain name can be placed there to be investigated, regardless of whether it resembles your site or not. This means it can be used for client backlink research or to find backlinks for sites that are not direct competitors.
Detailed backlink information
This tool displays domain-level backlink information, with the number of links from each domain displayed in the right column.
Scroll down the list of backlinks and you’ll find links to detailed information on each domain.
Click the link to see a page-by-page list of backlinks. You can hover over each link and copy the URL or visit the web page to find out.
Related: What is Natural Link?
backlink filter
Compare your site to your competitors and use filters to see 3 types of backlinks.
show all
This will show you all domains that link to your site, domains that link to your competitors, and domains that link to neither.
Show common domains only
This shows you the domains that link to both your site and your competitors.
Show domains that don’t link to your site
This shows links from domains that your competitors have that you don’t.
anchor text
Detailed reports include options to view anchor text used to link to competitors and your own sites, as well as options to use the filters above.
This helps you see your competitors’ anchor texts that aren’t on your site.
Download report
All detailed reports include an option to download the report in CSV format.
Related: 12 great link building tools essential for success
Bing backlink tool is representative
The Bing Backlink Tool does not display full backlink information. This shows what we call a “representative” set of backlinks.
That is, a partial set of backlinks. That said, I think it shows a fair amount of links. However, Bing may be randomizing the quality of the links, and as a result some high quality links may not appear to be showing up.
I checked the tool and found it to be fairly comprehensive, but it was missing some links that I knew of.
Still, it’s a free tool and Bing provides a fair amount of information.
Backlink information is an area that Google has traditionally refrained from sharing.
I’ve waited years for Bing to take advantage of Google’s shortcomings and take a lead by providing backlink information for their competitors.
The day has finally come.
Try the Bing Backlink Tool. It might help.
Tweet Notice:
Backlinks are back in the new Bing Webmaster Tools https://t.co/OiERBQYViP! Backlinks not only to your site, but to other sites including those we suggest (similar sites in tabs) Link. Please take a look at this beta tool and give us your feedback.
— Bing Webmaster Team (@BingWMC) June 2, 2020
Read the Bing Backlink Tool support page:
https://www.bing.com/webmaster/help/backlinks-c3a334e8
Visit Bing’s Webmaster Tools page.
https://www.bing.com/toolbox/webmaster
Visit Bing’s Backlink Tools page.
https://www.bing.com/webmasters/backlinks
