Free Checklist · Updated 2026-11

The 10-Second Link Quality Checklist (5 Questions)

Five yes/no questions to judge any backlink before you chase it, pay for it or worry about it, plus red flags, a scored example and a reply for link sellers.

Five quick questions that tell you whether a link is worth getting, based on how Google describes links and link spam. Use it on every link offer, directory or guest post before you spend an hour on it.

For: Founders and small teams who get link offers in their inbox and can't tell a good link from a useless or risky one.

The 5 questions · 5
If you only have 15 minutes · 3
Instant red flags: skip without scoring · 6
Scored examples · 6
Copy-paste replies · 2
What about nofollow links? · 2
Common link mistakes · 5

How to use it

Open the page where your link would appear. Not the homepage, the actual page.
Check the red flags first. Any one of them: skip.
Answer the 5 questions. 4-5 yes: go for it. 2-3: only if it's free and fast. 0-1: skip.

The 5 questions

The idea behind Google started with links as votes: the 1998 paper by Sergey Brin and Larry Page describes PageRank this way. Google still lists 'link analysis systems and PageRank' among its active ranking systems. But not every vote counts the same.

1. Relevant: is the page about something your customers care about?
Google says links help it understand what pages are about. Practical advice: a small relevant site usually beats a big unrelated one.
2. Real readers: would a real person ever see this page and click your link?
If no human would click it, it probably won't help much. This is the quickest gut check for junk directories and link farms.
3. Editorial: did someone choose to link to you because your page is useful?
Google's spam policies say links made mainly to manipulate rankings, including bought links, are link spam.
4. Real site: does it publish its own useful content, not just pages of outbound links?
Sites that exist to sell links, and pages full of unrelated links, are the patterns Google's link spam examples describe.
5. Natural anchor: is the link text your brand, the page name or a plain description?
Google asks for anchor text that's 'descriptive, reasonably concise, and relevant', and says not to stuff keywords into it.

If you only have 15 minutes

Minutes 1 to 5
Open your inbox. Find every link offer from the last month. Run the red flags below on each. Delete the ones that fail.
Minutes 6 to 10
In Search Console > Links, look at 'Top linking sites'. Pick the 3 most relevant and note why they link to you. That's what a good link looks like for your business.
Minutes 11 to 15
Write down 3 places that would pass all 5 questions: a supplier, a local association, a partner you work with. Email one today.

Instant red flags: skip without scoring

They want money for a followed ('dofollow') link with no rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow"
Google's spam policies list exchanging money for links as link spam. Google asks you to mark paid links rel="sponsored" (nofollow is also OK).
'Guaranteed DA 50+' or a price list by authority score
DA (Moz) and DR (Ahrefs) are third-party estimates. They aren't Google metrics.
Link exchange: 'I'll link to you if you link to me'
Google lists 'excessive link exchanges' and partner pages made only for cross-linking as link spam.
Your link placed in footers or templates across many sites
'Widely distributed links in the footers or templates of various sites' is in Google's link spam examples.
Keyword-rich anchor text they insist on
Google's link spam examples include links with optimized anchor text in articles or press releases on other sites.
The site's content is spun, junk or unrelated to its name
Practical advice: if you wouldn't want a customer to see you there, don't be there.

Scored examples

Illustrative offers, scored with the 5 questions (R = relevant, Re = real readers, E = editorial, S = real site, A = natural anchor).

Link offer	R	Re	E	S	A	Score	Decision
Your supplier lists you on its 'Where to buy' page	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	5	Get it
Local business association member directory	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	5	Get it (even if nofollow)
Guest post on an industry blog with real comments	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	5	Get it, brand anchor only
Free profile on a big generic directory nobody reads	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	2	Only if it takes 2 minutes
'Write for us' site with 40 casino and crypto posts	No	No	No	No	No	0	Skip
₹2,000 for a dofollow link on 'DA 60' news site	-	-	-	-	-	Red flag	Skip

Copy-paste replies

Reply to a paid link offer

Hi [name],

Thanks for reaching out. We don't buy links that pass ranking credit. If you'd like to feature us as a sponsored placement, the link would need rel="sponsored", and we'd only do it if your readers are [our customer type].

Best,
[you]

Most sellers stop replying here. That tells you what the link was for.

Ask a partner for a real link

Hi [name],

We've worked together on [project] since [month]. Would you be open to listing us on your [partners / suppliers / where to buy] page? Here's a one-line description you can use: [Brand] – [what you do] in [city]. Link: [url]

Happy to do the same for you if it helps your customers.

Thanks,
[you]

One honest mutual mention between real partners is normal. Google's concern is 'excessive' exchanges made only for cross-linking.

What about nofollow links?

Most free profile and community links are nofollow, ugc or sponsored. Since 2019 Google has treated all three as hints about which links to consider or exclude, so they may or may not count for ranking. They still bring visitors, help Google find your site, and show you're a real business. Don't skip a relevant link just because it's nofollow. Do skip a link that fails questions 1 and 2, whatever its tag.

And you don't need to panic about spammy links pointing at you. Google's disavow help page says 'in most cases, Google can assess which links to trust without additional guidance.' It says to disavow only if you have a lot of spammy, artificial or low-quality links and they have caused, or likely will cause, a manual action.

Common link mistakes

Judging a link by the homepage instead of the page your link sits on
The page is what readers see and what links to you.
Chasing a number (DA, DR) instead of customers
Those are tool estimates. Relevance and real readers matter more for your business.
Disavowing every low-quality link you find
Google calls disavow an advanced tool to use with caution. Most sites never need it.
Asking for exact-match keyword anchors
Google says not to stuff keywords into anchor text.
Building links before your page deserves them
A link to a thin page wastes the ask. Fix the page first.

Unlock the full checklist

Everything above, plus the branded PDF to keep.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a backlink is good?

Ask: is it relevant to my customers, would a real person click it, did someone choose to give it, is it a real site, and is the anchor text natural? Four or five yes answers means it's a good link.

Are paid backlinks against Google's rules?

Buying links that pass ranking credit is link spam under Google's spam policies. Paid placements are fine if the link has rel="sponsored" (or rel="nofollow").

Does Google use Domain Authority?

No. Domain Authority (Moz) and Domain Rating (Ahrefs) are third-party estimates. They can help you compare sites, but they aren't Google metrics.

Should I disavow bad backlinks?

Usually not. Google says in most cases it can assess which links to trust on its own. Disavow only if you have many spammy or artificial links that caused, or likely will cause, a manual action.

Do nofollow links help SEO?

Google treats nofollow, ugc and sponsored as hints, so they may or may not count for ranking. They can still send visitors and help Google discover your pages.